Irrigated land: 40 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga 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

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

Geography-note: landlocked; predominantly rural population

@Rwanda:People

Population: 7,956,172 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 45% (male 1,785,650; female 1,772,609) 15-64 years: 53% (male 2,070,401; female 2,106,809) 65 years and over: 2% (male 90,941; female 129,762) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.5% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 38.99 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)