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Location:
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Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo
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Geographic coordinates:
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3 30 S, 30 00 E
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Map references:
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Africa
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Area:
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total: 27,830 sq km
water: 2,180 sq km
land: 25,650 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Maryland
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Land boundaries:
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total: 974 km
border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 233 km, Rwanda 290 km, Tanzania 451 km
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Coastline:
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0 km (landlocked)
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Maritime claims:
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none (landlocked)
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Climate:
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equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude variation (772 m to 2,670 m above sea level); average annual temperature varies with altitude from 23 to 17 degrees centigrade but is generally moderate as the average altitude is about 1,700 m; average annual rainfall is about 150 cm; wet seasons from February to May and September to November, and dry seasons from June to August and December to January
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Terrain:
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hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plains
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m
highest point: Mount Heha 2,670 m
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Natural resources:
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nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum (not yet exploited), vanadium, arable land, hydropower
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Land use:
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arable land: 29.98%
permanent crops: 12.85%
other: 57.17% (1998 est.)
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Irrigated land:
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740 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards:
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flooding, landslides, drought
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Environment - current issues:
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soil erosion as a result of overgrazing and the expansion of agriculture into marginal lands; deforestation (little forested land remains because of uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel); habitat loss threatens wildlife populations
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban
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Geography - note:
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landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed; the Kagera, which drains into Lake Victoria, is the most remote headstream of the White Nile
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