| Location : |
Central Africa, east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Geographic Coordinates : |
3 30 S, 30 00 E |
| Map References : |
Africa |
| Area : |
total: 27,830 sq km
land: 25,650 sq km
water: 2,180 sq km |
| Area - Comparative : |
slightly smaller than Maryland |
| Land Boundaries : |
total: 974 km
border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 233 km, Rwanda 290 km, Tanzania 451 km |
| Climate : |
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 |
| Terrain : |
hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plains |
| Elevation Extremes : |
lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m
highest point: Mount Heha 2,670 m |
| Natural Resources : |
nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum (not yet exploited), vanadium, arable land, hydropower |
| Land Use : |
arable land: 35.05%
permanent crops: 14.02%
other: 50.93% (2001) |
| Irrigated Land : |
740 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Natural Hazards : |
flooding, landslides, drought |
| Environment - Current Issues : |
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 |
| Environment - International Agreements : |
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 |
| Geography - Note : |
Landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed; the Kagera, which drains into Lake Victoria, is the most remote headstream of the White Nile. |
