| Location: |
Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Geographic coordinates: |
2 00 S, 30 00 E |
| Map references: |
Africa |
| Area: |
total: 26,338 sq km
land: 24,948 sq km
water: 1,390 sq km |
| Area - comparative: |
slightly smaller than Maryland |
| Land boundaries: |
total: 893 km
border countries: Burundi 290 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 217 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda 169 km |
| Coastline: |
0 km (landlocked) |
| Maritime claims: |
none (landlocked) |
| Climate: |
temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible |
| Terrain: |
mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous with altitude declining from west to east |
| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Rusizi River 950 m
highest point: Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m |
| Natural resources: |
gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane, hydropower, arable land |
| Land use: |
arable land: 45.56%
permanent crops: 10.25%
other: 44.19% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: |
90 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: |
periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Environment - current issues: |
deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel; overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion; widespread poaching |
| Environment - international agreements: |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
| Geography - note: |
landlocked; most of the country is savanna grassland with the population predominantly rural |
