Location: | Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Geographic coordinates: | 3 30 S, 30 00 E |
| Map references: | Africa |
| Area: | total: 27,830 sq km
water: 2,180 sq km
land: 25,650 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 |
| Coastline: | 0 km (landlocked) |
| Maritime claims: | none (landlocked) |
| 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
Source: CIA World Factbook
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