Geography of Rwanda
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 land: 24,948 sq km water: 1,390 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: 45.56% permanent crops: 10.25% other: 44.19% (2005) |
Irrigated land: | 90 sq km (2003) |
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, 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 |