Location:
Central Africa, east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, west of Tanzania

Geographic coordinates:
3 30 S, 30 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 27,830 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 25,680 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 2,150 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 147

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:
total: 1,140 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries (3): Democratic Republic of the Congo 236 km, Rwanda 315 km, Tanzania 589 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

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 Celsius but is generally moderate as the average altitude is about 1,700 m; average annual rainfall is about 150 cm; two wet seasons (February to May and September to November), and two dry seasons (June to August and December to January)

Terrain:
hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plains

Elevation:
mean elevation: 1,504 m
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m highest point: Heha 2,670 m

Natural resources:
nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum, vanadium, arable land, hydropower, niobium, tantalum, gold, tin, tungsten, kaolin, limestone

Land use:
agricultural land: 73.3% arable land 38.9%; permanent crops 15.6%; permanent pasture 18.8%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 6.6%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 20.1% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
230 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population - distribution:
one of Africa's most densely populated countries; concentrations tend to be in the north and along the northern shore of Lake Tanganyika in the west; most people live on farms near areas of fertile volcanic soil

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, Wetlands
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