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| Location: |
Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo
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| Geographic coordinates: |
3 30 S, 30 00 E
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| Area: |
total:
27,830 sq km
land:
25,650 sq km
water:
2,180 sq km
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| Area - comparative: |
slightly smaller than Maryland
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| Land boundaries: |
total:
974 km
border countries:
Democratic Republic of the Congo 233 km, Rwanda 290 km, Tanzania 451 km
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| Coastline: |
0 km (landlocked)
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| Maritime claims: |
none (landlocked)
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| 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 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
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| Terrain: |
hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plains
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| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point:
Lake Tanganyika 772 m
highest point:
Mount Heha 2,670 m
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| Natural resources: |
nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum (not yet exploited), vanadium, arable land, hydropower
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| Land use: |
arable land:
44%
permanent crops:
9%
permanent pastures:
36%
forests and woodland:
3%
other:
8% (1993 est.)
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| Irrigated land: |
140 sq km (1993 est.)
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| Natural hazards: |
flooding, landslides, drought
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| 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
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| 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
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| Geography - note: |
landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed
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