Kigali International Airport

Kigali International Airport (IATA: KGL, ICAO: HRYR), formerly known as Gregoire Kayibanda International Airport, but sometimes referred to as Kanombe International Airport, is the primary airport serving Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. It is the main air gateway for all destinations in the country, and in addition serves as a transit airport for Goma and Bukavu in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. == Location == The airport is located in the suburb of Kanombe, at the eastern edge of Kigali, approximately 5 kilometres (3.1 mi), by road, east of the central business district of the city of Kigali. == History == During the Rwandan Civil War, Kigali airport was a major strategic point. Since Rwanda is land-locked, this represented the only easy way in and out of the country. The airport had two runways, but after the Arusha Accords, one runway was closed down after a request from the RPF. Later in April 1994, the President of Rwanda's plane was shot down in the Assassination of Juvénal Habyarimana and Cyprien Ntaryamira. It is disputed who shot down the plane, the RPF or the FAR (Rwandan Defence Forces). This event triggered a renewal of the civil war and the beginning of the Rwandan Genocide. == Passenger traffic == In 2004, the airport served 135,189 passengers. In 2008, the airport served about 270,000 passengers. SOURCESWikipedia