Geography of Burundi
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Map of Burundi
Location: Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Geographic coordinates: Template:Coor dm
Map references: Africa
Area:
total:
27,830 km²
land:
25,650 km²
water:
2,180 km²
Land boundaries:
total:
974 km
border countries:
Democratic Republic of the Congo 233 km, Rwanda 290 km, Tanzania 451 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Climate: equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude variation (772 m to 2,670 m); 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; wet seasons from February to May and September to November, and dry seasons from June to August and December to January
Terrain: hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point:
Lake Tanganyika 772 m
highest point:
Mount Heha 2,670 m
Natural resources: nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum (not yet exploited), vanadium, arable land, hydropower
Land use:
arable land:
44%
permanent crops:
9%
permanent pastures:
36%
forests and woodland:
3%
other:
8% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 140 km² (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: flooding, landslides
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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified:
Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban
Geography - note: landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo River watershed