19th century and before Centralised state with powerful king and two major ethnic groups Hutu (farmers) and Tutsi (cattle herders) whose activities complement one another. The 15 per cent Tutsi minority are rulers, but two groups share language, religion, geography and, often, appearance. Inter-ethnic marriage common.

Late 19th century Under German and then Belgian colonial rule, inspired by certain European racial theories, Roman Catholic missionaries attribute superior qualities to Tutsi, claiming certain identifiable physical features such as superior height and narrowness of nose.

Early 20th century Belgians privilege Tutsi and, in 1930s, issue every Rwandan with ethnic identity card – system maintained until after genocide. Hutus grow to resent Tutsi status and demonise Tutsi as foreign invading power.

1950s Political parties formed, organised along ethnic lines. Colonialists, largely led by missionaries, change policy, and a Hutu leadership, backed by colonials and the church, comes to power.

1959-1967 Up to 20,000 Tutsi killed in series of pogroms and 300,000 flee to neighbouring countries.

1973 Juvenal Habyarimana, Hutu head of Rwandan army achieves power, bringing stability and cessation of racial violence, although ethnic inequalities remain (Tutsi now underprivileged class) in essentially one party state.

1980s Economic progress stalls – inflation, land scarcity, unemployment.

1990 English-speaking children of Tutsi refugees from Uganda form rebel army, Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), and invade. Government responds by reawakening ethnic divisions, portraying Tutsi as alien invaders – “cockroaches”. In ensuing civil war Habyarimana government (supported by France) holds off rebels, but over a million Rwandans driven from or fled land; anti-Tutsi violence leads to series of massacres in early 1990s. RPF also treat Hutu brutally in areas they have “liberated”. Pressure for democratisation forces Habyarimana to accept multi-party politics. New parties emerge, many with youth militia, most notorious being the “interahamwe”. Habyarimana reluctantly agree to accept coalition government and endorse accord with the RPF.

1993 Tutsi soldiers in neighbouring Burundi assassinate country’s democratically-elected Hutu president – taken by many Rwandan Hutu as proof that Tutsi are intent on domination. “Hutu Power” emerges as a policy and death lists of Tutsi and Tutsi sympathisers drawn up. Warnings of ensuing genocide (including one by Commander of the UN military mission in Rwanda) sent to outside world.

1994 Plane carrying President Habyarimana shot down and militias – notably ‘interahamwe’ – begin systematically to massacre Tutsi. Hutus egged on to kill or inform on Tutsi neighbours by hate broadcasts on radio station Radio-Television Libres des Mille Collines. Moderate Hutus who refuse to take part are also slaughtered. Nuns and priests guilty of handing over congregations to killers. Some 800,000 Rwandans killed in 100 days.

By the time the RPF launches a campaign to gain control of country in July, some two million Hutus have fled to Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo). They include some responsible for the genocide, some of whom joined Zairean forces to attack local Tutsis. Rwanda invades refugee camps dominated by Hutu militiamen.

Mid-1990s Laurent Kabila seizes control of Zaire and renames it DR Congo, but fails to banish Hutu extremists and Rwanda-supported rebels trying to overthrow him.

2000 Paul Kagame, military commander of RPF, declared President of Rwanda. Born in Rwanda in 1957, Mr Kagame was raised in Uganda where his parents had fled from Hutu violence. Formerly intelligence chief in rebel army of Yoweri Museveni (later President of Uganda) which toppled Milton Obote.

2002 Rwanda signs peace deal with Kinshasa.

2003 Paul Kagame wins Rwanda’s first presidential elections since genocide.

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