volved in a crisis
engulfing neighboring DROC.

Geography

Location: Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates: 2 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 26,340 sq km
land: 24,950 sq km
water: 1,390 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

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

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

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

Terrain: mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous
with altitude declining from west to east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Rusizi River 950 m
highest point: Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m

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

Land use:
arable land: 35%
permanent crops: 13%
permanent pastures: 18%
forests and woodland: 22%
other: 12% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 40 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts; the volcanic Birunga
mountains are in the northwest along the border with Democratic
Republic of the Congo

Environment--current issues: deforestation results from
uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel; overgrazing; soil
exhaustion; soil erosion; widespread poaching

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Nuclear Test Ban
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography--note: landlocked; predominantly rural population

People

Population: 8,154,933 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 44% (male 1,807,695; female 1,793,590)
15-64 years: 53% (male 2,148,477; female 2,179,119)
65 years and over: 3% (male 92,490; female 133,562) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.43% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 38.97 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 19.53 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 4.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
note: following the outbreak of genocidal strife in Rwanda in April
1994 between Tutsi and Hutu factions, more than 2 million refugees
fled to neighboring Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Democratic
Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire); according to th