LanguagesFrench, English, Kinyarwanda and Swahili are the official languages ​​spoken by the Republic of Rwanda. With more than 12 million speakers, Kinyarwanda is an ethnic Bantu language found in various countries, including: the demographics of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. In Rwanda, the only ethnic language is Kinyarwanda. It is spoken by the Rwandan ethnic groups: the Hutu, the Tutsi and the Twa. During the 15th century, following the close interaction between these three ethnic groups, Kinyarwanda developed as a cultural identity. It is the most spoken national language in Rwanda, with approximately 93% of the population speaking the language. It is used as a medium of instruction in institutions, administration, media and commerce since it is an official language. Since Rwanda is a former Belgian colony, it has adopted French as its official language. However, only about 0.1% of the mostly educated population speaks French, despite it being a colonial language. Following the 1994 Rwandan genocide which negatively affected the status of the language, the language was slowly replaced by English. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The involvement of the French in the genocide led the Rwandan people to completely detach themselves from the French and their influences. In Rwanda, English is the third official language, spoken by approximately 0.2% of the population. It became an official language in the late 20th century and was subsequently introduced into the school system in 2008. The transition from French to English was triggered by a desire to break free from French influences and align Rwanda with the East African community . Furthermore, by increasing the number of foreign investors from English-speaking countries, the use of English provides an economic advantage. Currently in Rwandan institutions, English is currently used as the primary mode of instruction. The Rwandan government officially made Swahili an official language in the country in February 2017. Its adoption came as a request from the East African community for members to include Swahili as one of the official languages. The language must be used in administrative functions and official documents. Swahili will also be adopted into the curriculum as a compulsory subject.ReligionThe six main religious beliefs in Rwanda include: Roman Catholic Christianity, Protestant Christianity, other forms of Christianity, Islam, atheism or agnosticism, and African folk beliefs: Roman Catholicism along with Protestantism and other forms of Christianity are the largest religious beliefs in Rwanda and represent 96.3% of the population. Roman Catholicism is the largest religious group, followed by 46.5% of the population, and was first introduced to Rwandans when the country became part of German East Africa (1891-1919). Furthermore, in Rwanda, Protestantism is the second largest Christian group and religion, followed by 45.4% of the population. After World War I, Belgian Protestant missionaries entered the country following Belgium's acquisition of control of Rwanda as the territory of Rwanda-Urundi (1916–1962). As a result, in the 1930s, Protestantism gained prominence in the country and surrounding regions. Furthermore, the other forms of Christianity combine to represent a total of 4.4% of the country's population, making it Rwanda's third largest religious faith. Of all other forms of Christianity in Rwanda, Jehovah's Witnesses are the most prominent and most persecuted group. In Rwanda, Islam is the fourth largest religious faith, having only 1.8% of the population whopractice religion. Sunni Islam is followed by most Muslims in the country. It is thought to have first arrived in Rwanda in the 18th century through Muslim traders from the east coast of Africa. However, it had not become an important part of the country until the late 19th century. The number of people in Rwanda who say they are atheist or agnostic represents 1.8% of the population. In Rwanda, atheists and agnostics are not officially counted in the country, and there is a stigma attached to being non-religious in this highly religious country. Since the end of the Rwandan genocide, there has been an influx of people claiming to be atheists or agnostics. In Rwanda, the amount of people who claim to follow African folk beliefs is only about 0.1% of the population. Only a handful of people in the country practice African folk beliefs, but many followers of other faiths incorporate some traditional elements into their religious practices. The predominant African folk belief is the belief in a supreme being called Imaana, as well as other minor deities. They also believe that, through the spirits of the ancestors, one can communicate with these deities. Ethnicity The three predominant ethnic groups in Rwanda include: the Hutu, the Tutsi and the Twa. In the African Great Lakes regions of Burundi, Rwanda, and parts of the demographic Republic of Congo the Hutu ethnic group is centralized. In Rwanda it is the ethnic majority, consisting of approximately 84% of the population according to the 2015 census. Following the great expansion of the Bantu in West Africa, the Hutu emigrated to the Great Lakes region. The Hutus speak Rwanda-Bundu as their native language, which is divided into Kinyarwanda and Kirundi, the official languages ​​of Rwanda and Burundi respectively. The Tutsi are a sub-ethnic group of the Banyarwanda found mainly in Rwanda and Burundi. In Rwanda the Tutsis represent approximately 15% of the population, making them the second largest ethnic group. The Tutsis are divided into two groups. The Tutsi who reside in northern Rwanda are known as Ruguru, however the Tutsi who live in southern Burundi are referred to as Hima. For over 400 years Tutsis have resided in Rwanda and intermarried with Hutus. The native language of the Tutsis is Rwanda-Rundi, composed of Kinyarwanda and Kirundi. Furthermore, French is also spoken as a second or third language. Of the Great Lakes region, the Twa people have survived the longest and currently inhabit Burundi, Uganda, Rwanda and parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo as a Bantu caste. In Rwanda they are an ethnic minority that represents only 1% of the population. Living in association with agricultural communities, the Twa are semi-nomadic hunters and gatherers. They arrived in Rwanda along with the Hutu as a distinct people of mixed ancestry in the 15th century AD. Due to the expansion of agriculture and increased logging, the Twa were forced to leave the mountain forests in search of new homes. As a result, they have been marginalized with little access to basic services such as schools, and continue to face discrimination and prejudice due to their Pygmy ancestry.CultureRwandan women's cultural dress is known as Umushanana and was traditionally made from animal skin and bark cloth. The clothing consists of a long skirt covering all the legs with a ribbon of the same material wrapped over one shoulder worn over a blouse. A traditional men's attire consists of a wrap skirt and beads. These skirts are wrapped around the waist and beads are worn around the neck. Ibitoke - sweet potatoes, beans, bananas, cassava, Isombe - crushed cassava leaves and posho are the main staple foods for local Rwandans. Those near bodies of water..