Location:
East-Central Africa, west of Kenya, east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Geographic coordinates:
1 00 N, 32 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 241,038 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 197,100 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 43,938 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 81
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries:
total: 2,729 km
border countries (5): Democratic Republic of the Congo 877 km, Kenya 814 km, Rwanda 172 km, South Sudan 475 km, Tanzania 391 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to February, June to August); semiarid in northeast
Terrain:
mostly plateau with rim of mountains
Elevation:
mean elevation:
[see also: Mean Elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m
highest point: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m
Natural resources:
copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land, gold
Land use:
agricultural land: 71.2%
arable land 34.3%; permanent crops 11.3%; permanent pasture 25.6%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 14.5%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 14.3% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]
Irrigated land:
144.2 sq km (2010)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
Total renewable water resources:
66 cu km (2011)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.32 cu km/yr (41%/16%/43%)
per capita: 12.31 cu m/yr (2005)
Environment - current issues:
draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; widespread poaching
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography - note:
landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and rivers