Location:
Central Africa, east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, north of Burundi

Geographic coordinates:
2 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 26,338 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 24,668 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 1,670 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 149

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:
total: 930 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries (4): Burundi 315 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 221 km, Tanzania 222 km, Uganda 172 km

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

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:
mean elevation: 1,598 m
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
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:
agricultural land: 74.5% arable land 47%; permanent crops 10.1%; permanent pasture 17.4%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 18%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 7.5% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

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

Population - distribution:
one of Africa's most densely populated countries; large concentrations tend to be in the central regions and along the shore of Lake Kivu in the west

Natural hazards:
periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga Mountains are in the northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo
volcanism: Visoke (3,711 m), located on the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is the country's only historically active volcano

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