Page last updated on February 13,

Location:
East-Central Africa, west of Kenya, east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates:
1 00 N, 32 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 241,038 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 81
land: 197,100 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 43,938 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries:
total: 2,698 km
border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 765 km, Kenya 933 km, Rwanda 169 km, South Sudan 435 km, Tanzania 396 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]

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

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to February, June to August); semiarid in northeast
More Climate Details

Terrain:
mostly plateau with rim of mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - highest point country ranks ]

Natural resources:
copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land, gold

Land use:
arable land: 21.57%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 8.92%
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
other: 69.51% (2005)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
90 sq km (2008)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Total renewable water resources:
66 cu km (1970)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.3 cu km/yr (43%/17%/40%)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - total country ranks ]
per capita: 10 cu m/yr (2002)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - per capita country ranks ]

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; widespread poaching

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and rivers