Geography

Rwanda is a landlocked country in eastern central Africa.  Its largest city is the capital city of Kigali, which is located at 1°56′38″S 30°3′34″E.[1]  Like its neighboring country Burundi, Rwanda is small and has a very high population density.[2]  It is surrounded by Tanzania to the east, Uganda to the north, Burundi to the south, and the Republic of Congo to the west.[3]  Most of Rwanda’s most notable geographic features are located on its borders.  

Image from Rwanda Convention Bureau, http://rwandaconventionbureau.rw/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/final-RWANDA-MAP.jpg 

Lake Kivu is one of the Great African Lakes and is located on the border that Rwanda shares with the Democratic Republic of Congo.[4]  

Lake Kivu, via Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Rwanda#/media/File:Lake_Kivu_shore_at_Gisenyi.jpg

 North of there, bordering Congo and Uganda is Volcanoes National Park.  Akagera National Park is located in both Rwanda and neighboring Tanzania.  

Nyungwe Rainforest, via Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Rwanda#/media/File:Nyungw.jpg

 It has multiple habitats from mountains to savanna to swamp and contains over 300 different species of bird.[5]  The Nyungwe Rainforest lies along Rwanda’s southern border with Burundi.  It is a protected rainforest and over 12 species of chimpanzees reside there.[6]
Rwanda lies close to the equator and his consistent dry and wet seasons.  Its temperatures are generally stable with certain variations depending on the habitat.  The land is good for farming and benefits from being enriched by the volcanoes present in the country.  Due to being landlocked, Rwanda’s trade capabilities are inhibited by a lack of access to water and rail trade routes. In recent years, Rwanda has developed a health initiative to combat its high rates of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.  There are still high levels of these diseases but rates have significantly declined in the 21^st century.[7]

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[1] “Kigali,” Wikipedia, accessed March 24, 2017, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kigali.

[2] Britannica Academic, s.v. "Rwanda," accessed March 26, 2017, http://academic.eb.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/levels/collegiate/article/Rwanda/108333?opensearch=Rwanda

[3] “Rwanda,” in The Columbia Encyclopedia, Columbia University and Paul Lagasse (New York: Columbia University Press, 2016), accessed March 22, 2017, http://ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/login?url=http://literati.credoreference.com/content/entry/columency/rwanda/0?institutionId=5072.

[4] Farah El Akkad, “Rwanda,” Egypt Today (May 2014), accessed March 23, 2017, General OneFile.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Britannica Academic, s.v. "Rwanda," accessed March 26, 2017, http://academic.eb.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/levels/collegiate/article/Rwanda/108333?opensearch=Rwanda