Modern human settlement of what is now Rwanda dates from, at the latest, the last glacial period, either in the Neolithic period around 8000 BC, or in the long humid period which followed, up to around 3000 BC.^[9] Archaeological excavations have revealed evidence of sparse settlement by hunter-gatherers in the late Stone Age, followed by a larger population of early Iron Age settlers, who produced dimpled pottery and iron tools.^[10][11] These early inhabitants were the ancestors of the Twa, aboriginal pygmy hunter-gatherers who remain in Rwanda today.^[12] Between 700 BC and 1500 AD, a number of Bantu groups migrated into Rwanda, clearing forest land for agriculture.^[12][13] The forest-dwelling Twa lost much of their habitat and moved to the mountain slopes.^[14] 

At 26,338 square kilometres (10,169 sq mi), Rwanda is the world’s 149th-largest country,^[135] and the fourth smallest on the African mainland after Gambia, Eswatini, and Djibouti.^[135] It is comparable in size to Burundi, Haiti and Albania.^[63][136] The entire country is at a high altitude: the lowest point is the Rusizi River at 950 metres (3,117 ft) above sea level.^[63] Rwanda is located in Central/Eastern Africa, and is bordered by the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, Uganda to the north, Tanzania to the east, and Burundi to the south.^[63] It lies a few degrees south of the equator and is landlocked.^[