To the northwest, the huge Lake Victoria Basin separates the western and eastern rift valleys and the separation is continued by the Central Plateau, which is more than 2000 m in elevation. The northeast border with Kenya is dominated by Mt. Meru and Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, and associated spectacular lakes, calderas, and grassland steppes. A second mountain range, the Southern Highlands, separates the Eastern Plateau from the rest of the country. The coastal belt is an important rice-growing area. The climate is tropical.
Rainfall is generally low and unreliable for rice growing.
Rainfall in most of the north of the country is bimodal. Rains usually start in October and end in May, with dry months in January and February. The south experiences a single wet season from November to April. Light intensity is good throughout the country. Annual per capita consumption has risen from less than 15 kg in the 1970s to more than 20 kg.