The Republic of Rwanda is a country located in central Africa bordering with Uganda to the north, Tanzania to the east, Burundi to the south and Democratic Republic of Congo to the west. Being a rather small country with 26,338 square kilometers of land area, Rwanda has large water bodies and rich vegetation. It is a developing country that relies almost entirely on agriculture. Other economic activities include tourism and mineral processing. Rwanda gained independence from Belgium on July 1, 1962 after which the country had to face several ethnic conflicts and a civil war that led to a genocide in 1994. Rwanda is a presidential republic, with executive, legislative and judicial branches, and a multiparty system.