| 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
water: 1,390 sq km
land: 24,948 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: 40.54%
permanent crops: 12.16%
other: 47.3% (2001) |
| Irrigated land |
40 sq km (1998 est.) |
| 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, desertification, endangered species, hazardous wastes, ozone layer protection
signed, but not ratified: law of the sea |
| Geography note |
landlocked; most of the country is savanna grassland with the population predominantly rural |