ENVIRONMENT
Conservation
Over-population, war and political instability have been detrimental to the health of Rwanda's natural resources.
Chaotic hilltop terracing and rampant deforestation have both led to serious soil erosion. Conflict and political chaos have also resulted in the local extinction of many large mammals and extreme land hunger which sees Akagera National Park lose two-thirds of its land in 1998.
As one of the world's few remaining homes to the critically endangered mountain gorilla and custodian of Africa's largest protected montane forests (at Nyungwe), Rwanda has a vital environmental role to play in the coming decades.
Increasing foreign investment in conservation and growing local support for sustainable environmental practices give some hope that Rwanda will find a balance between protecting its natural resources and managing human pressures.
Birdlife
Despite being less than half the size of Scotland, Rwanda boasts around 700 species of birds.
They are everywhere, from your lodge's gardens to the deepest rainforest, but head for the Nyungwe Forest National Park for excellent forest species and 26 Albertine Rift endemics (those birds found only on the western branch of the Rift Valley.
At the Akagera National Park you'll find the East African savannah birds, including a wealth of raptors and the legendary shoebill - the region's 'mega-tick'.
Wildlife
High population density has led to habitat destruction and poaching; Rwanda's remaining large mammals are restricted to its protected areas.
Rwanda Conservation
East African countries have undertaken a lot of efforts to help and conserve the environment for future generations as well as promote sustainable tourism which is one of the main vehicles for development in the Great Lakes region.
This is conservation effort can be seen in all areas such as wildlife, mainly mountain gorillas in the Volcanoes national park, birds with the Akagera national park being a major birding destination, planlife, Nyungwe forest national park being the largest rain forest in the country
The eastern Akagera National Park is where you will find typical savannah species: elephant, antelope of all shape and size, giraffe, zebra, hippo and buffalo together with - if you're lucky - lion and leopard. The two forest parks - Nyungwe Forest National Park and Volcanoes National Park - are home to, predictably, Central African forest specialists: up to 13 species of primate with Volcanoes National Park boasting the best mountain gorilla viewing in the world and Nyungwe - home to chimpanzees and huge troops of colobus monkeys.
Other forest inhabitants include golden cat, forest hog and many small antelope species.
Plantlife
Much of Rwanda's natural rainforest - once covering a third of the country - has been cut down to make way for its ever-burgeoning population.
The only remaining large stands of forest remain at the Nyungwe Forest National Park and, to a lesser degree, the Volcanoes National Park - a mountainous area more dominated by rank vegetation and bamboo forest.
The forest at Nyungwe is a true rainforest (receiving more than 2 000mm of rain a year) and is one of Africa's oldest. It has a very high biodiversity - at least 200 species of tree and a similar number of orchids.
Montane grassland and moorland traditionally covered much of Rwanda's rolling highlands but terraced agriculture now dominates. This has led to serious soil erosion in some areas.
The poorer soils of the flatter east support typical open savannah and broad-leafed woodland species, acacias and grasses. The wetlands of the Akagera National Park are fringed by riverine forest and papyrus swamp.