#republic of rwanda

As mentioned, the Kingdom of Ruanda was joined with the Kingdom of Urundi by various colonial powers (including the UN in the middle part of the Twentieth Century….) before both gained independence in the early 1960s.  And…..terrible times followed and continue to dog the heels of the Hutu and Tutsi communities in both republics (Rwanda and Burundi), though both nations are also working toward encouraging tourism (mountain gorillas, anyone?) and stabilizing their economies and political systems.  The sheer scale of the genocidal damage done to a small population and even smaller land mass are difficult to visualize [providentially, for those of us who weren’t forced to visualize it….], and the aftereffects of that damage are only part of the obstacles facing Rwanda in today’s world [disease being one of the other greatest, with malaria and HIV/AIDS as two of the most prevalent and worrying].

Stamp details:
Stamp on top:
Issued on: July 1, 1962
From: Kigali, Republic of Rwanda
MC #1

Stamps on bottom:
Issued on: November 15, 2010
From: Kigali, Republic of Rwanda
MC #1477, 1478, 1480

Recognized as a sovereign state by the UN: Yes (since September 18, 1962)
Official name: Republic of Rwanda; Repubulika y'u Rwanda; République du Rwanda; Jamhuri ya Rwanda
Member of the Universal Postal Union: Yes (since April 6, 1963)

In yet another example of colonialism gone awry, the Kingdoms of Ruanda and Burundi were stitched together as the co-territory of Ruanda-Urundi, claimed as part of German East Africa, passed on to the Belgians after the Great War, administered by the United Nations post-WWII, and finally gaining independence in 1962 as the Kingdom of Burundi and the Republic of Rwanda.  As perhaps you recall, this artificial federation did little to coalesce the distinct cultures and history of the two, and things were very bad in that tiny region of Sub-Saharan Africa for many years.

Stamp details:
Stamp on top:
Issued on: August 25, 1931
From: Usumbura, Ruanda-Urundi
MC #44

Stamps on bottom:
Issued on: December 18, 1961
From: Usumbura, Ruanda-Urundi
MC #183-185

Recognized as a sovereign state by the UN: No
Claimed by: Republic of Burundi; Republic of Rwanda
Member of the Universal Postal Union: No