Rwanda Geography

Location: Rwanda is land locked country: bordered by Democratic Republic of Congo to its west and Northwest, Tanzania in the east, Uganda in the north and Burundi in the south.

Total Surface Area: The whole country covers 26,338 sq km much of which is mountainous with Kigali as its capital city; and 24,948 sq km of water.

Total Land boundaries: 893 km border countries: Burundi 290 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 217 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda 169 km

Coastline: Northwest on the boarder with Zaire are the great volcanic Virunga Mountains and Mountain Karisimbi, the highest peak 14,870ft is snowcapped.

Climate: generally temperate with two peak rainy seasons (February to April, November to January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible

Landscape: Rwanda lies astride the East African plateau, with the divide between the water systems of the Nile and Zaire Rivers flowing in a North West direction through the western region of the country. The Kagera River which forms much of Rwanda’s Eastern border flows into Lake Victoria, Lake Kivu, 4,700ft above sea level and Lake Tanganyika; Relief is generally mountainous with altitude declining from west to east

Height limits: lowest point: Rusizi River 950 m highest point: Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m. The land drops sharply to Lake Kivu in the mighty African rift valley: to the west of the divide. The land falls gradually across the central plateau, to the east. Much of the country is higher than 47,000ft, whereas most of it is 3,000ft above sea level.

Natural resources: gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane, hydropower, arable land

Vegetation; landlocked; most of the country is savanna grassland with the population predominantly rural.

Economy: Rwanda is primarily a subsistence agriculture economy, nonetheless produces for export some of the finest coffee in the world. The country also industries including sugar, fishing and cut flowers for export.

Land use: arable land: 40.54% permanent crops: 12.16% other: 47.3% (2001)

Land under irrigation; 40 sq km (199 estimates.)