Rwanda is divided into five provinces, with the western province hugging the shoreline of great Lake Kivu. This prime coffee growing country is one reason Rwanda is sometimes called “the land of a thousand hills.” Seven districts further divide this area: Karongi, Rubavu, Rusizi, Ngororero, Nyamasheke, Rutsiro, and Nyabihu. Just south of Nyamasheke is the Nyungwe Forest National Park, one of the largest montane forests, home to huge biodiversity and an estimated 25% of Africa’s primates including mountain gorillas.
Since coffee is grown over most of Rwanda, there are few coffee vs non-coffee geographic restrictions. Therefore regional designations can be a bit vague. Instead, roasters often use the name of the district of origin along with the farmer, co-op, or washing station’s name. Infrastructure has been an ongoing challenge, but in the past few years, various projects across Rwanda are helping to make room for coffee farmers to begin to flourish.