Archive July 2012
Former monarchies Rwanda and Burundi 50 years independent
On 1 July 2012, the republics of Rwanda and Burundi both celebrate the 50th anniversary of their independence – of each other as well as of the Belgian government. The Berlin conference of 1884 had assigned the territory – then known as Ruanda-Urundi – to the German Empire. After World War I, the area came under Belgian rule. Although both Rwanda and Burundi were European colonies, each country kept its monarchy throughout their colonial history.