Rwanda
-- Geography
Area
10,169
square miles
(26,338
square kilometers).
Location
Rwanda
is located
in east-central
Africa,
between
latitudes
10 and 30
South, and
longitudes
290 and
310 East;
it is bordered
on the north
by Uganda,
on the east
by Tanzania,
on the south
by Burundi,
and on the
west by
Zaire. Rwanda
is a landlocked
country,
bordered
by Uganda
to the north,
Tanzania
to the east,
Burundi
to the south,
and Zaire
to the west.
The national
boundaries
have remained
essentially
unchanged
since they
were drawn
by the European
colonial
powers in
1910. The
northern
boundary
with Uganda
extends
due east
for 105
miles from
a tripoint
where the
country
touches
the Congo
(Kinshasa);
this point
is located
on Sabino
Peak in
the Virunga
Mountains.
From the
Congo (Kinshasa)
to the eastern
Tanzania
tripoint
at the juncture
of the Kakitumba
and Kagera
Rivers,
the boundary
is clearly
marked either
by streams
or by pillars.
In the east,
the border
separating
Rwanda and
Tanzania
originally
divided
two internal
administrative
regions
in German
East Africa.
This borderline
was retained
through
the periods
of Belgium's
League of
Nations
Mandate
and the
United Nations
Trusteeships
for Ruanda-Urundi;
it became
a national
boundary
when Ruanda-Urundi
and Tanganyika
gained independence
between
1961 and
1962 as
Rwanda,
Burundi,
and Tanganyika
(now Tanzania).
The boundary
extends
from northeastern
Rwanda southward
through
the swamps
and lakes
of the Kagera
River Valley.
This 135-mile
boundary
was partly
established
in 1920,
when the
former German
East Africa
was divided
into separate
mandates.
Much of
the land
straddled
by the border
is sparsely
populated
land covered
by swamp;
for this
reason,
no important
roads cross
the boundary
in this
area.
A
de facto
boundary
existed
between
Rwanda and
Burundi
during the
period of
German control
up to World
War I. When
Rwanda and
Burundi
became independent
states in
1962, they
accepted
the border
as it was
defined
in the European
statutes.
Much of
this 180-mile
boundary
follows
rivers;
these include
(from east
to west)
the Kagera,
Alkanyaru,
and Luhwa
rivers.
In the eastern
area, the
border traverses
the Rugwero
and Cyohoha
lakes. The
southern
boundary
also traverses
many swamps.
In other
regions,
especially
to the west,
Rwanda's
borders
cross sharply
eroded ridges
and valleys.
The west-central
section
crosses
the Nile-Congo
Divide at
an elevation
of 8,700
feet. The
present
boundary
with the
Congo was
also defined
by the 1910
European
agreements.
It has remained
essentially
unchanged
and it now
divides
the modern
nations
of Congo
(Kinshasa),
Uganda,
Rwanda,
and Burundi.
Physical
Description
Rwanda's
land is
typically
hilly, though
there are
also swamps
and extensive
mountainous
areas. The
country
can be divided
into six
topographical
regions.
From west
to east,
these are
the narrow
Great Rift
Valley,
which slopes
sharply
to Lake
Kivu; the
volcanic
Virunga
Mountains,
whose highest
peak, the
snowcapped
Mount Karisimbi
(14,870
feet), towers
over the
high northwestern
lava plains;
the steep
north-south
rise of
the Zaire-Nile
Divide,
whose width
averages
40 (25 miles)
kilometers;
the ridge
of the Zaire-Nile
Divide,
with an
average
elevation
of 2,750
(9,000 feet)
meters;
the central
plateaus
east of
the mountains,
which are
covered
by rolling
hills; and
the savannas
and swamps
of the eastern
and southeastern
border areas,
which cover
one-tenth
of the nation's
land area
and include
the vast
Kagera National
Park. Most
of Rwanda
is at least
900 meters
(3,000 feet)
above sea
level; the
central
plains have
an average
elevation
of 1,932
meters (4,400
feet). Southeastern
Rwanda has
a desert-like
terrain.
Climate
Rwanda's
high altitude,
averaging
5,600 feet
in the central
plateau
uplands,
accounts
for its
pleasant
tropical
highland
climate.
Daily temperatures
typically
range as
much as
25 C. The
sun shines
nearly all
year round,
and, whatever
the season,
the mean
daily temperature
is close
to 24 C
(76F). Most
of the country
has minimum
night temperatures
of around
10C (50F)
and maximum
daytime
temperatures
of around
34C (94F).
There are
two wet
seasons
and two
dry seasons.
The October-November
wet season
is known
as "the
short rains."
The main
rainy season,
lasting
from mid-March
to the end
of May,
sees beautiful
clear skies
alternate
with heavy
rainstorms.
During the
dry seasons,
which last
from December
to mid-March
and from
June to
the end
of August,
frequent
light cloud
cover yields
a pleasant,
never stifling,
temperature.
Kigali,
the capital
and largest
city, is
located
on Rwanda's
central
plateau;
its average
temperature
is 190C
(660F) with
40 inches
of rainfall
annually.
Soils
Rwanda's
soils contain
many of
the metal
compounds
found in
laterite
soils, but
are generally
lighter,
more fertile,
more workable,
and less
troublesome
to farmers
than true
laterite
soils. In
some areas,
especially
in the northwest,
soils are
of volcanic
origin and
are quite
fertile.
About 30%
of Rwanda's
land is
suitable
for farming,
and another
30% for
grazing.
Most of
the farming
and grazing
areas were
developed
when the
forests
covering
the area
were felled
by Hutu
farmers
during the
last 500
years. Except
where the
land is
seriously
eroded or
leached
by heavy
farming,
the soils
have good
humus content
and fertility;
they compare
favorably
with soils
found in
many African
regions.
Intensive
food crop
production,
often on
steep slopes,
has led
to serious
soil erosion.
Pastureland
has been
overgrazed
in many
areas. Population
pressure
on the richer
lands is
sufficiently
intense
that soil
damage,
which is
due to leaching,
erosion,
and intensive
farming
without
adequate
fertilizing,
is an increasingly
serious
problem.
Lakes
Rwanda has
28 lakes
of significant
size. Six
among the
largest
are entirely
within the
national
territory:
Ruhondo,
Muhazi,
Mugasera,
Ihema, Rwanye
and Burera.
Three others,
Rugwero,
Cyohoha
and Kivu,
are shared
with neighboring
countries.
The largest
and most
spectacular
is Lake
Kivu, so
large as
to seem
almost like
a sea to
the landlocked
inhabitants.
On the border
with Zaire,
it lies
in western
Rwanda at
the foot
of the Virunga
Volcanoes,
which have
been known
since the
time of
the ancient
Greeks as
the `Mountains
of the Moon.'
Lake Kivu
drains into
Lake Tanganyika
by the swiftly
descending
Ruzizi River.
The central
uplands
are drained
by the Nyabarongo
River and
its main
tributaries,
the Lukarara,
Mwogo, Biruruma,
Mukungwa,
Base, Nyabugogo,
and Akanyaru
rivers.
Rwanda's
eastern
border is
formed by
the Akagera
River on
its way
to Lake
Victoria.
Forests
Most of
Rwanda's
surviving
forests,
which now
cover only
3% of the
nation's
land, are
either atop
the Congo-Nile
Ridge, on
the volcanic
mountains
of the northwest,
or on Wahu
Island in
Lake Kivu.
Natural
tree cover
once included
a wide variety
of temperate
and tropical
zone trees,
shrubs,
and bushes,
both evergreen
and deciduous.
Vestiges
of the ancient
forests
remain in
other areas,
and there
are scattered
savanna
woodlands
in the eastern
provinces.
Forests
at high
altitudes,
which are
now protected
by law,
tend to
be located
in inaccessible
areas where
exploitation
would be
difficult.
Wildlife
Many animal
species
are native
to Rwanda.
These include
lions, elephants,
buffaloes,
zebras,
gorillas,
hippopotami,
warthogs,
rhinoceroses,
and many
varieties
of gazelle,
snakes,
and fish.