Page last updated on January 31, 2014

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
water: 43,938 sq km

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

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

Land use:
arable land: 27.94%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 9.11%
other: 62.95% (2011)

Irrigated land:
144.2 sq km (2010)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Total renewable water resources:
66 cu km (2011)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.32 cu km/yr (41%/16%/43%)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - total country ranks ]
per capita: 12.31 cu m/yr (2005)

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