GEOGRAPHY
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
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
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime
claims: none (landlocked)
Climate:
equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude variation
(772 m to 2,760 m); 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
Land
use:
arable land: 44%
permanent crops: 9%
permanent pastures: 36%
forests and woodland: 3%
other: 8% (1993 est.)
Irrigated
land: 140 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural
hazards: flooding, landslides
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, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test
Ban
Geography—note: landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo
watershed
