Provinces of Rwanda

poly 211 66 216 74 223 76 230 102 262 85 306 169 296 177 277 166 247 178 241 188 209 179 193 160 176 155 172 127 167 123 140 119 131 107 153 84 174 84 189 74 204 79 North Province, Rwandapoly 348 11 343 18 368 73 392 84 405 95 407 109 426 140 420 198 439 230 426 263 428 281 412 294 398 286 387 298 376 294 370 299 346 278 330 278 328 285 298 288 286 302 277 302 260 288 252 283 241 279 252 228 283 219 292 227 298 221 296 214 299 209 299 204 307 200 303 180 307 170 283 117 286 111 281 109 264 82 273 82 284 73 286 60 321 28 324 14 East Province, Rwandapoly 279 168 296 181 302 181 302 190 306 198 297 202 299 207 296 214 297 220 292 225 287 218 252 225 244 222 249 217 248 209 248 198 244 188 247 178 256 181 Kigali Province, Rwandapoly 112 108 130 109 137 119 170 127 169 150 175 157 177 197 177 204 170 206 163 251 109 275 104 297 104 303 96 306 93 313 104 318 113 346 106 354 75 341 69 336 47 337 44 364 17 350 12 328 6 324 13 318 18 307 17 298 34 293 44 275 47 281 45 297 59 278 64 282 100 231 115 221 107 207 106 200 96 191 98 178 93 170 95 157 87 144 West Province, Rwandapoly 177 157 191 161 205 181 217 185 243 194 244 224 248 228 244 245 236 290 240 313 235 317 230 331 234 348 210 374 199 372 196 382 180 381 149 385 132 381 114 387 107 370 109 368 111 357 114 344 105 318 94 313 98 305 106 302 110 288 107 281 109 276 139 267 166 253 179 203 South Province, Rwanda

desc bottom-leftThe Provinces of Rwanda, called "intara", are further divided into districts ("akarere") and municipalities ("umujyi"). Prior to January 1, 2006, Rwanda was composed of twelve provinces; however, the Rwandan Government decided to establish new provinces in an attempt to address issues that arose from the Rwandan Genocide of 1994. The first goal was to decentralise power, since it was felt Rwanda's centralised governing system was a contributing factor in aiding the genocide. Second, the new provinces are more multiethnic than the previous twelve, helping to weaken ethnic divisions. Finally, the new provinces will not have the associations the previous twelve did with events from the genocide.

Provinces

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

* North Province
* East Province
* South Province
* West Province
* Kigali Province (location of the Capital)

Previous provinces

Prior to 2006 the provinces were:.

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thumb|300px|left|Administrative division before 2006.
*Butare
*Byumba
*Cyangugu
*Gikongoro
*Gisenyi
*Gitarama
*Kibungo
*Kibuye
*Kigali Rural
*Kigali City
*Ruhengeri
*Umutara

External links

* [http://www.minaloc.gov.rw/admin_territory/admin_map_rwanda.htm Ministry of Local Government, Community Development and Social Affairs]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4577790.stm Rwanda redrawn to reflect compass] , BBC News, 3 January 2006