Its geographic location and related features such as Lake Kivu helps the district to be a business and tourism hub (especially through cross border trade with DRC).

The Land of Northwest part of the District has a very rich soil, but shallow, volcanic ash and lava decomposed, while land in the south east has deep soils but poor, often acidic, sandy clay and leached by high erosion, It is also close to Mount Nyiragongo, an active volcano.

[2] Congo Nile is a 227 km trail along lake Kivu forming Kivu belt as it extends from Rubavu, continues through Rutsiro, then Karongi, up to Nyamasheke and ends at Rusizi District.

[3] Rubavu District is composed of 12 administrative sectors, 80 Cells and 525 Villages (Imidugudu).

The 12 sectors (imirenge) are Bugeshi, Busasamana, Cyanzarwe, Gisenyi, Kanama, Kanzenze, Mudende, Nyakiliba, Nyamyumba, Nyundo, Rubavu and Rugerero.