|
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
|
