Location Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates 3 30 S, 30 00 E

Map references Africa

Area
total: 27,830 sq km
land: 25,650 sq km
water: 2,180 sq km

Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries
total: 974 km
border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 233 km, Rwanda 290 km, Tanzania 451 km

Coastline 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims none (landlocked)

Climate equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude variation (772 m to 2,760 m); 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

Terrain hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plains

Elevation extremes
lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m
highest point: Mount Heha 2,760 m

Natural resources nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum (not yet exploited), vanadium

Land use
arable land: 44%
permanent crops: 9%
permanent pastures: 36%
forests and woodland: 3%
other: 8% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land 140 sq km (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 watershed

NOTE: The information regarding Burundi on this page is re-published from the 1998 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Burundi Geography 1998 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Burundi Geography 1998 should be addressed to the CIA.