Provinces of Rwanda explained

The provinces of Rwanda (Kinyarwanda: intara) are divided into districts (akarere) and municipalities (umujyi). Prior to January 1, 2006, Rwanda was composed of 12 provinces. The Rwandan government decided to establish new provinces in an attempt to address issues that arose from the Rwandan genocide. The new provinces were to be "ethnically-diverse administrative areas".^[1]

Until 2002, the provinces were called prefectures (perefegitura).^[2]

Provinces

As of January 1, 2006 the five provinces of Rwanda are:

Province	Kinyarwanda name	Capital	Area (km^2) ^[3]	Population (2022 census)^[4]	Density (per km^2)
Kigali	Umujyi wa Kigali	Kigali City	730	1,745,555	2,391
Southern	Amajyepfo	Nyanza	5,963	3,002,699	503.6
Western	Iburengerazuba	Kibuye	5,883	2,896,484	492.4
Northern	Amajyaruguru	Musanze	3,276	2,038,511	622.3
Eastern	Iburasirazuba	Rwamagana	9,458	3,563,145	376.7

Provincial districts and sectors

Eastern Province

Province	District	Sector	District	Sector	District	Sector	District	Sector
Eastern Province	Nyagatare	Rwimiyaga	Bugesera	Gashora	Ngoma	Gashanda	Rwamagana	Fumbwe
		Karangazi		Juru		Jarama		Gahengeri
		Nyagatare		Kamabuye		Karembo		Gishari
		Katabagemu		Ntarama		Kazo		Karenge
		Rukomo		Mareba		Kibungo		Kigabiro
		Tabagwe		Mayange		Mugesera		Muhazi
		Musheli		Musenyi		Murama		Munyaga
		Gatunda		Mwogo		Mutenderi		Munyiginya
		Mimuli		Ngeruka		Remera		Musha
		Karama		Nyamata		Rukira		Muyumbu
		Matimba		Nyarugenge		Rukumberi		Mwulire
		Mukama		Rilima		Rurenge		Nyakariro
		Rwempasha		Ruhuha		Sake		Nzige
		Kiyombe		Rweru		Zaza		Rubona
	Gatsibo	Gasange		Shyara	Kirehe	Gahara
		Gatsibo	Kayonza	Gahini		Gatore
		Gitoki		Kabare		Kigarama
		Kabarore		Kabarondo		Kigina
		Kageyo		Mukarange		Kirehe
		Kiramuruzi		Murama		Mahama
		Kiziguro		Murundi		Mpanga
		Muhura		Mwiri		Musaza
		Murambi		Ndego		Mushikiri
		Ngarama		Nyamirama		Nasho
		Nyagihanga		Rukara		Nyamugari
		Remera		Ruramira		Nyarubuye
		Rugarama		Rwinkwavu
		Rwimbogo

Northern Province

Province	District	Sector	District	Sector	District	Sector
Northern Province	Burera	Bungwe	Gicumbi	Bukure	Rulindo	Base
		Butaro		Bwisige		Burega
		Cyanika		Byumba		Bushoki
		Cyeru		Cyumba		Buyoga
		Gahunga		Giti		Cyinzuzi
		Gatebe		Kaniga		Cyungo
		Gitovu		Manyagiro		Kinihira
		Kagogo		Miyove		Kisaro
		Kinoni		Kageyo		Masoro
		Kinyababa		Mukarange		Mbogo
		Kivuye		Muko		Murambi
		Nemba		Mutete		Ngoma
		Rugarama		Nyamiyaga		Ntarabana
		Rugendabari		Nyankenke II		Rukozo
		Ruhunde		Rubaya		Rusiga
		Rusarabuge		Rukomo		Shyorongi
		Rwerere		Rushaki		Tumba
	Gakenke	Busengo		Rutare
		Coko		Ruvune
		Cyabingo		Rwamiko
		Gakenke		Shangasha
		Gashenyi	Musanze	Busogo
		Mugunga		Cyuve
		Janja		Gacaca
		Kamubuga		Gashaki
		Karambo		Gataraga
		Kivuruga		Kimonyi
		Mataba		Kinigi
		Minazi		Muhoza
		Muhondo		Muko
		Muyongwe		Musanze
		Muzo		Nkotsi
		Nemba		Nyange
		Ruli		Remera
		Rusasa		Rwaza
		Rushashi		Shingiro

Western Province

Province	District	Sector	District	Sector	District	Sector	District	Sector
Western Province	Karongi	Bwishyura	Nyabihu	Bigogwe	Rubavu	Bugeshi	Rutsiro	Boneza
		Gishyita		Jenda		Busasamana		Gihango
		Gishari		Jomba		Cyanzarwe		Kigeyo
		Gitesi		Kabatwa		Gisenyi		Kivumu
		Mubuga		Karago		Kanama		Manihira
		Murambi		Kintobo		Kanzenze		Mukura
		Murundi		Mukamira		Mudende		Murunda
		Mutuntu		Muringa		Nyakiliba		Musasa
		Rubengera		Rambura		Nyamyumba		Mushonyi
		Rugabano		Rugera		Nyundo		Mushubati
		Ruganda		Rurembo		Rubavu		Nyabirasi
		Rwankuba		Shyira		Rugerero		Ruhango
		Twumba	Nyamasheke	Ruharambuga	Rusizi	Bugarama		Rusebeya
	Ngororero	Bwira		Bushekeri		Butare
		Gatumba		Bushenge		Bweyeye
		Hindiro		Cyato		Gikundamvura
		Kabaya		Gihombo		Gashonga
		Kageyo		Kagano		Giheke
		Kavumu		Kanjongo		Gihundwe
		Matyazo		Karambi		Gitambi
		Muhanda		Karengera		Kamembe
		Muhororo		Kirimbi		Muganza
		Ndaro		Macuba		Mururu
		Ngororero		Nyabitekeri		Nkanka
		Nyange		Mahembe		Nkombo
		Sovu		Rangiro		Nkungu
				Shangi		Nyakabuye
						Nyakarenzo
						Nzahaha
						Rwimbogo

Southern Province

Province	District	Sector	District	Sector	District	Sector	District	Sector
Southern Province	Gisagara	Gikonko	Kamonyi	Gacurabwenge	Nyamagabe	Buruhukiro	Nyaruguru	Cyahinda
		Gishubi		Karama		Cyanika		Busanze
		Kansi		Kayenzi		Gatare		Kibeho
		Kibilizi		Kayumbu		Kaduha		Mata
		Kigembe		Mugina		Kamegeli		Munini
		Mamba		Musambira		Kibirizi		Kivu
		Muganza		Ngamba		Kibumbwe		Ngera
		Mugombwa		Nyamiyaga		Kitabi		Ngoma
		Mukindo		Nyarubaka		Mbazi		Nyabimata
		Musha		Rugalika		Mugano		Nyagisozi
		Ndora		Rukoma		Musange		Muganza
		Nyanza		Runda		Musebeya		Ruheru
		Save	Muhanga	Muhanga		Mushubi		Ruramba
	Huye	Gishamvu		Cyeza		Nkomane		Rusenge
		Karama		Kibangu		Gasaka	Ruhango	Kinazi
		Kigoma		Kiyumba		Tare		Byimana
		Kinazi		Mushishiro		Uwinkingi		Bweramana
		Maraba		Kabacuzi	Nyanza	Busasamana		Mbuye
		Mbazi		Nyabinoni		Busoro		Ruhango
		Mukura		Nyamabuye		Cyabakamyi		Mwendo
		Ngoma		Nyarusange		Kibirizi		Kinihira
		Ruhashya		Rongi		Kigoma		Ntongwe
		Huye		Rugendabari		Mukingo		Kabagari
		Rusatira		Shyogwe		Muyira
		Rwaniro				Ntyazo
		Simbi				Nyagisozi
		Tumba				Rwabicuma

Kigali

Province	District	Sector	District	Sector	District	Sector
Kigali	Gasabo	Bumbogo	Kicukiro	Gahanga	Nyarugenge	Gitega
		Gatsata		Gatenga		Kanyinya
		Jali		Gikondo		Kigali
		Gikomero		Kagarama		Kimisagara
		Gisozi		Kanombe		Mageragere
		Jabana		Kicukiro		Muhima
		Kinyinya		Kigarama		Nyakabanda
		Ndera		Masaka		Nyamirambo
		Nduba		Niboye		Nyarugenge
		Rusororo		Nyarugunga		Rwezamenyo
		Rutunga
		Kacyiru
		Kimihurura
		Kimironko
		Remera

Former provinces

Prior to 2006 the provinces were:

• Butare Province
• Byumba Province
• Cyangugu Province
• Gikongoro Province
• Gisenyi Province
• Gitarama Province
• Kibungo Province
• Kibuye Province
• Kigali City (Established as a province in 1990^[5])
• Kigali-Rural Province (Kigali Ngali)
• Ruhengeri Province
• Umutara Province (Established in August 1996)^[6]

See also

• Districts of Rwanda
• List provinces of Rwanda by Human Development Index
• List of Rwanda districts by population

External links

• Ministry of Local Government, Community Development and Social Affairs
• Rwanda redrawn to reflect compass, BBC News, 3 January 2006

Notes and References

1. News: Rwanda Profile: Timeline . BBC News . 9 July 2011 . 15 October 2017 .
2. Web site: Provinces of Rwanda . Statoids . Gwillim Law . 27 April 2010 . 17 May 2011 .
3. http://www.geohive.com/cntry/rwanda.aspx Rwanda at GeoHive
4. Web site: Rwanda: Administrative Division (Provinces and Districts) - Population Statistics, Charts and Map . 2024-01-16 . www.citypopulation.de.
5. André . Guichaoua . August 1998 . Arusha . Record Number: 13685, Exhibit Number: P31B in ICTR-01-74 . Local government in Rwanda: Expert report prepared at the request of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda . 14 . ICTR . An eleventh [prefecture] came into being in 1990, with the division between Kigali-Urban and Kigali-Rural. Two neighbourhoods in Kigali-urban were at the same time transformed into communes, making a total of 145 communes..
6. Book: Des Forges. Alison. Leave None to Tell the Story: Genocide in Rwanda – History → The Single-Party State . March 1999. Human Rights Watch. New York. 1-56432-171-1. Note 14. An eleventh prefecture was added in 1992 when the city of Kigali was established as an independent unit [...].