Musanze District
Shown within Northern Province and Rwanda

Musanze is a district

Districts of Rwanda

The Provinces of Rwanda are subdivided into 30 districts . Each district is in turn divided into sectors. Until 2001, the districts had been called communes...

 in the Northern Province of Rwanda

Rwanda

Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...

. Its capital city is Ruhengeri

Ruhengeri

Ruhengeri is a city and capital of Musanze District in the Northern Province of Rwanda. Some sources now refer to the city itself as Musanze, after the district in which it lies. It lies near the twin lakes of Lake Burera and Lake Ruhondo and is the gateway city to Volcanoes National Park and the...

, which is also sometimes known as Musanze.

Geography and tourism

Musanze is Rwanda's most mountainous district, containing the largest part of the Volcanoes National Park

Volcanoes National Park

For the park in Hawaii, see Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.Volcanoes National Park lies in northwestern Rwanda and borders Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. The national park is known as a haven for the mountain gorilla...

, and its head office at Kinigi. Five of the eight volcanoes of the Virunga

Virunga

* Virunga Mountains, a chain of volcanoes in East Africa, between Lake Edward and Lake Kivu.* Virunga National Park, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.* DC Virunga, a Congolese football club based in Goma.* Stade de Virunga, a multi-use stadium in Goma....

 chain (Karisimbi

Mount Karisimbi

Mount Karisimbi is an inactive volcano in the Virunga Mountains on the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. At , Karisimbi is the highest of the eight major mountains of the mountain range, which is a part of the East African Rift Valley...

, Bisoke

Mount Bisoke

Mount Bisoke is an Active volcano in the Virunga Mountains of the Great Rift Valley. It straddles the border of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but the summit is located in Rwanda...

, Sabyinyo

Mount Sabyinyo

Mount Sabyinyo is an extinct volcano in eastern Africa, in the Virunga Mountains. The summit of the mountain, at , marks the intersection of the borders of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda...

, Gahinga

Mount Gahinga

Mount Gahinga, is a dormant/extinct volcano in the Virunga Mountains on the border between Rwanda and Uganda. Gahinga lies between Muhabura and Sabyinyo, but is the smallest of these three. The Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is named after the mountain, and tourists can climb Gahinga from that side....

 and Muhabura

Mount Muhabura

Mount Muhabura, also known as Mount Muhavura, is an extinct volcano in the Virunga Mountains on the border between Rwanda and Uganda. At 4,127 m, Muhabura is the third highest of the eight major mountains of the mountain range, which is a part of the East African Rift Valley. Muhabura lies partly...

) are within the district boundaries. It is also in this district that most of Rwanda's mountain gorilla

Mountain Gorilla

The Mountain Gorilla is one of the two subspecies of the Eastern Gorilla. There are two populations. One is found in the Virunga volcanic mountains of Central Africa, within three National Parks: Mgahinga, in south-west Uganda; Volcanoes, in north-west Rwanda; and Virunga in the eastern Democratic...

s are found, making it the most popular tourist destination in the country.

Musanze's capital, Ruhengeri, is one of the largest cities in Rwanda and serves as a hub for tourists.

Sectors

Musanze district is divided into 15 sectors

Sectors of Rwanda

Sectors are the third level administrative subdivision in the African nation of Rwanda. The Provinces of Rwanda are subdivided into 30 districts . Each district is in turn divided into sectors. There are 416 Sectors...

 (imirenge): Busogo

Busogo

Busogo is a town and sector in the Musanze district of Northern Province, Rwanda....

, Cyuve

Cyuve

Cyuve is a town and sector in the Musanze district of Northern Province, Rwanda....

, Gacaca, Gashaki

Gashaki

Gashaki is a town and sector in the Musanze district of Northern Province, Rwanda....

, Gataraga, Kimonyi, Kinigi, Muhoza, Muko, Musanze, Nkotsi, Nyange, Remera, Rwaza and Shingiro.