๐ŸŒ‹VolcanoAtlas

Nyamulagira

The Most Active Volcano in Africa

Elevation

3,058 m

Last Eruption

2025

Type

Shield

Country

DR Congo

Location

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Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment

Primary Hazards

  • Lava flows and fountaining
  • Volcanic gas emissions
  • Local explosive activity

Risk Level

Population at RiskLow
Infrastructure RiskHigh
Aviation RiskSignificant

Geological Composition & Structure

Rock Types

Primary
Unknown
Silica Content
Varied composition

Tectonic Setting

Unknown
Intraplate setting with hotspot or regional volcanic activity.

Age & Formation

Epoch
Unknown
Evidence
Unknown

Eruption Statistics & Analysis

MetricValueGlobal RankingSignificance
Total Recorded EruptionsUnknownLowModerately active volcano
Maximum VEIVEI UnknownMinorLocal impact potential
Recent Activity1 years agoVery RecentCurrently active

Monitoring & Alert Status

Monitoring Networks

Global Volcanism Program
International eruption database

Current Status

Active
Recent volcanic activity detected. Continuous monitoring in place.

Authority Sources

Smithsonian GVP
Official volcano database

Related Volcanoes

All DR Congo Volcanoes
Explore by country
Shield Volcanoes
By volcano type
Virunga Volcanic Province
Regional volcanoes

Other Volcanoes in DR Congo

Interesting Facts

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Nyamulagira is the most active volcano in Africa, with 49 recorded eruptions โ€” more than any other volcano on the continent.

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Lava flows from Nyamulagira have covered more than 1,500 kmยฒ of the western branch of the East African Rift โ€” an area larger than the city of London.

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A lava lake occupied Nyamulagira's summit caldera from at least 1921 to 1938, drained suddenly, then reappeared in 2018 and has persisted for over six years.

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Nyamulagira lies just 13 km from Nyiragongo, creating one of the world's most volcanically hazardous twin-volcano systems.

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The volcano is one of the largest volcanic sources of sulfur dioxide on Earth, with emissions consistently ranking among the top five globally.

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Nyamulagira's eruptions have repeatedly destroyed sections of Virunga National Park, threatening the habitat of the critically endangered mountain gorilla.

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Eight separate eruptions at Nyamulagira have reached VEI 3, all occurring between 1907 and 1996.

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The volcano sits within Africa's oldest national park, Virunga (established 1925), which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Nyamulagira's high-potassium alkaline basalt magma is chemically distinct from the magma at neighboring Nyiragongo, indicating separate plumbing systems despite their proximity.

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During the 20th century alone, Nyamulagira erupted 32 times โ€” averaging roughly one eruption every 3.1 years.

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Monitoring Nyamulagira has been severely challenged by decades of armed conflict in eastern Congo, with observatory equipment repeatedly damaged or destroyed.

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A worst-case scenario involving lava entering Lake Kivu could theoretically trigger a limnic eruption โ€” a catastrophic gas release โ€” affecting 2 million people around the lake.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Nyamulagira the most active volcano in Africa?
Yes, Nyamulagira (also spelled Nyamuragira) is the most active volcano on the African continent by number of recorded eruptions. The Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program documents 49 eruptions since approximately 1550 CE. During the 20th century alone, the volcano erupted 32 times, averaging roughly one eruption every three years. Its prolific lava output has covered over 1,500 kmยฒ of surrounding landscape. This makes it significantly more frequently active than other notable African volcanoes such as neighboring Nyiragongo (34 eruptions), Erta Ale in Ethiopia (26 eruptions), or Ol Doinyo Lengai in Tanzania (16 eruptions).
What type of volcano is Nyamulagira?
Nyamulagira is classified as a shield volcano โ€” a broad, gently sloping volcanic edifice built predominantly by successive layers of fluid lava flows rather than explosive eruptions. It is constructed from high-potassium alkaline basalt and trachybasalt, producing characteristically fluid lava. The volcano's morphology is similar to Hawaiian shield volcanoes like Kฤซlauea and Mauna Loa, though its magma chemistry is distinctly different due to its rift-zone tectonic setting. The summit is capped by a caldera approximately 2 ร— 2.3 km wide, and over 100 parasitic cinder cones dot the flanks.
When did Nyamulagira last erupt?
Nyamulagira's most recent activity is the summit lava lake that reappeared in April 2018 and has persisted continuously through at least early 2025. This ongoing eruption is rated VEI 0 (effusive activity confined to the summit caldera). The most recent major flank eruption โ€” the type of event that produces extensive lava flows โ€” occurred in November 2011 to 2012, when a fissure opened on the northwest flank and sent lava flows into Virunga National Park. The pattern of the last decade suggests the volcano is currently in a summit-focused phase rather than a flank-eruption phase.
How does Nyamulagira compare to Nyiragongo?
Nyamulagira and Nyiragongo are neighboring volcanoes separated by just 13 km in the Virunga volcanic province of DR Congo, but they differ significantly. Nyamulagira is a broad shield volcano (3,058 m) with more frequent but generally less immediately dangerous eruptions, while Nyiragongo is a steep stratovolcano (3,470 m) whose extremely fluid lava lake can drain catastrophically, as it did in 2002 when fast-moving lava flows devastated the city of Goma, killing approximately 250 people. Nyamulagira has erupted more often (49 vs 34 times), but Nyiragongo poses the greater direct threat to the city of Goma because of its proximity and lava fluidity. Their magma chemistries are distinct, indicating separate plumbing systems.
Is it safe to visit Nyamulagira?
Visiting Nyamulagira is extremely challenging and carries significant risks beyond volcanism. The volcano lies within Virunga National Park in eastern DR Congo, a region affected by intermittent armed conflict. When security conditions permit, organized multi-day treks to the summit with armed ranger escorts have been offered through Virunga's official tourism program. The volcanic hazards โ€” principally toxic gas emissions near the summit lava lake โ€” add to the risk. Most visitors interested in Virunga's volcanic scenery visit neighboring Nyiragongo instead, which offers a shorter and more established trek. Any travel to this region requires careful review of current security advisories.
Why is Nyamulagira so active?
Nyamulagira's high eruption frequency results from its tectonic setting on the western branch of the East African Rift, where the African Plate is actively splitting apart. This rifting thins the continental crust and allows hot mantle material to rise and undergo decompression melting, generating a sustained supply of basaltic magma. The relatively low silica content of Nyamulagira's magma means it is fluid and can reach the surface easily through fractures and fissures without building up explosive pressure. This combination of continuous magma supply and easy eruptive pathways produces the volcano's remarkably frequent activity โ€” comparable to prolific shield volcanoes in Hawaii.
Does Nyamulagira threaten mountain gorillas?
Yes, Nyamulagira's eruptions have repeatedly affected the habitat of the critically endangered mountain gorilla. The volcano lies within Virunga National Park, which together with adjacent parks in Rwanda and Uganda supports roughly half of the world's remaining mountain gorilla population (estimated at approximately 1,000 individuals). Lava flows from flank eruptions have destroyed sections of forest habitat, and volcanic gas emissions can degrade vegetation. The 1971 Rugarama eruption brought particular international attention to this issue. However, gorilla groups occupy primarily the eastern and southern slopes of the Virunga volcanic chain, somewhat distant from Nyamulagira's most active vents, and the gorilla population has shown resilience to volcanic disturbance.
What is the Lake Kivu limnic eruption risk?
Lake Kivu, located approximately 25โ€“30 km south of Nyamulagira, contains enormous volumes of dissolved carbon dioxide and methane in its deep waters, held in place by density stratification. A major lava flow entering the lake could theoretically disturb this stratification, triggering a limnic eruption โ€” a sudden, catastrophic release of gas similar to the 1986 Lake Nyos disaster in Cameroon, which killed 1,746 people. Approximately 2 million people live around Lake Kivu's shores. Scientists consider this scenario low-probability but high-consequence. The more immediate limnic threat comes from Nyiragongo, whose lava flows reached the lake shore during the 2002 eruption, but Nyamulagira's longer lava flows could potentially reach the lake during a major event.