Rwanda on the Map of Africa: The Good and the Hard Parts of Our Location

1A tiny country on a big globe

Ishimwe spins the classroom globe and tries to find Rwanda. First she looks near the sea. Then she looks in the north. Finally her finger stops in the middle of Africa, just below the Equator. "It is so small!" she says. "But look, it is right in the centre."

Where a country is on the map affects its weather, its trade and even the prices in its shops. Today you will find out how.

2Finding Rwanda on the map of Africa

• Rwanda is in central-eastern Africa, in the region of the African Great Lakes.
• It lies a few degrees south of the Equator.
• It is landlocked: it has no coast on any sea or ocean. The nearest coast, on the Indian Ocean, is about 1,000 km away in a straight line, and much further by road.

3Advantages of Rwanda's location

1. A mild climate. Rwanda is close to the Equator but high above sea level, so it is cooler than many equatorial places. Two rainy seasons a year help farmers grow food.
2. Rich natural gifts. The volcanic soils of the north-west are fertile, and gas from deep under Lake Kivu is used to make electricity.
3. Tourism. Mountains, lakes, forests and mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park bring visitors from all over the world.
4. A meeting place. Being in the middle of the region makes Kigali an easy place for flights and meetings. Rwanda trades with its neighbours through groups such as the East African Community.

4Disadvantages of Rwanda's location

1. Far from the sea. Goods from overseas arrive at the ports of Mombasa (Kenya) or Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) and then travel by lorry for well over 1,000 km. Transport costs money, so imported goods cost more in Rwanda's shops.
2. Depending on neighbours. Rwanda's goods must cross other countries' roads and borders. If a border closes or there is trouble next door, trade slows down.
3. Hills and heavy rain. Steep slopes and heavy rain can wash soil away and cause landslides, especially in the Northern and Western Provinces.
4. Earth movements. The west of Rwanda is part of the Rift Valley, near active volcanoes such as Nyiragongo in the DRC, so earthquakes are sometimes felt.

5How Rwanda reduces these problems

Rwanda builds good roads and one-stop border posts with its neighbours, uses air transport for light and valuable goods, grows services such as technology and tourism that do not need a seaport, and builds terraces to protect hillsides from erosion.

Try it yourself