Volcanoes in DR Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has 3 Holocene volcanoes recognized by the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program, all situated within the Virunga volcanic chain in the eastern part of the country near the border with Rwanda and Uganda. Despite its small volcano count, DR Congo hosts two of the most active and dangerous volcanoes on Earth: [[volcano:nyamulagira|Nyamulagira]] (also spelled Nyamuragira), Africa's most active volcano with 49 recorded eruptions, and [[volcano:nyiragongo|Nyiragongo]], famous worldwide for containing one of the few persistent lava lakes on the planet and for the devastating 2002 eruption that sent lava flows through the city of Goma (population ~1 million). Both volcanoes have ongoing eruptions continuing into 2025.

The third volcano, Mugogo, is a small cone formed during a single eruption in 1957. When the cross-border [[volcano:karisimbi|Karisimbi]] — the tallest volcano in the Virunga chain at 4,490 m (14,731 ft) — is included, DR Congo's volcanic systems span from 2,338 m to 4,490 m in elevation. The Virunga volcanic chain is one of the most volcanologically significant regions in Africa, comparable in activity to the volcanic arcs of [[country:indonesia|Indonesia]] or [[country:guatemala|Guatemala]], but complicated by armed conflict, limited infrastructure, and one of the highest population densities near active volcanoes anywhere in the developing world.

DR Congo's volcanism is a direct product of the East African Rift System (EARS) — the world's largest active continental rift zone, where the African continent is slowly tearing apart along a roughly north-south axis. The Virunga volcanic chain lies within the western (Albertine) branch of the rift, at the northern end of Lake Kivu. Here, extensional tectonics thin the continental crust and create pathways for magma generated in the upper mantle to reach the surface.

The rift zone volcanism produces magma compositions that are globally unusual: Nyiragongo erupts nephelinite and melilite — extremely low-silica, high-alkali lavas that are among the most fluid on Earth. The extremely low viscosity of Nyiragongo's lava (similar to water in flow behavior) is what allows its famous persistent lava lake to exist and what makes its eruptions so dangerous, as lava flows can travel at speeds exceeding 60 km/h (37 mph) down the volcano's steep slopes. Nyamulagira, by contrast, produces high-potassium basaltic lavas more typical of rift volcanism.

The Virunga chain extends roughly east-west across the rift and includes eight major volcanic centers, of which Nyiragongo and Nyamulagira are the only ones currently active. The [[special:ring-of-fire|Ring of Fire]] comparison is instructive: while Ring of Fire volcanoes are driven by subduction, the Virunga volcanoes are powered by continental rifting — a fundamentally different process that produces distinct magma types and eruption styles.

**Nyamulagira (Nyamuragira)** — Africa's most active volcano, [[volcano:nyamulagira|Nyamulagira]] is a massive high-potassium basaltic shield volcano rising to 3,058 m (10,033 ft), located approximately 25 km north of Lake Kivu and 13 km northwest of Nyiragongo. Its summit is truncated by a 2 x 2.3 km caldera with walls up to 100 m high. The Smithsonian database records 49 eruptions since 1550 CE — by far the highest eruption count of any African volcano.

A lava lake was active in the summit crater from at least 1921 until it drained in 1938 during a major flank eruption. Recent eruptions have produced extensive lava flows extending more than 30 km from the summit, and cumulative flows have covered 1,500 km² of the western Albertine Rift. The current eruption, which began in April 2018, continues into 2025.

Nyamulagira's most explosive eruptions have reached [[special:volcanic-explosivity-index|VEI]] 3, including events in 1907, 1912, 1971, 1980, 1981, 1989, 1991, and 1996.

**Nyiragongo** — One of the world's most famous and dangerous volcanoes, [[volcano:nyiragongo|Nyiragongo]] is a steep-sided stratovolcano reaching 3,470 m (11,385 ft) — the tallest volcano in DR Congo. Its 1.2 km wide summit crater has contained a persistent lava lake for much of the past century, making it one of only a handful of volcanoes worldwide with long-lived lava lakes (alongside [[volcano:kilauea|Kilauea]], Erta Ale in [[country:ethiopia|Ethiopia]], and Mount Erebus in [[country:antarctica|Antarctica]]). Nyiragongo's notoriety stems from two catastrophic events: in January 1977, the lava lake drained through fissures in the outer flanks, sending extremely fluid lava flows racing down the mountain at speeds exceeding 60 km/h and killing approximately 70 people.

On January 17, 2002, a far more destructive eruption sent lava flows through the eastern districts of Goma, destroying approximately 15% of the city, displacing an estimated 400,000 people, and killing at least 147. Nyiragongo erupts foidite — an extremely rare, ultra-low-viscosity lava type. The lava lake returned after the 2002 eruption and has been continuously active since May 2002.

The Goma Volcano Observatory monitors the volcano continuously.

**Mugogo** — The smallest of DR Congo's volcanoes, Mugogo is a cone at 2,338 m (7,671 ft) formed during a single eruption in August 1957. Geochemical analysis found that Mugogo's lavas are more similar to Nyamulagira and Nyiragongo to the west than to nearby Visoke, suggesting a deep rift-related magma source. The 1957 eruption produced a VEI 1 event.

**Karisimbi (DR Congo–Rwanda border)** — The tallest volcano in the Virunga chain at 4,490 m (14,731 ft), [[volcano:karisimbi|Karisimbi]] straddles the DR Congo–Rwanda border. Its last confirmed eruption dates to approximately 8050 BCE. It is famous as part of the mountain gorilla habitat of Virunga National Park.

DR Congo has one of the most prolific eruption histories of any country in Africa, driven almost entirely by the relentless activity of Nyamulagira and Nyiragongo. Combined, these two volcanoes account for 70 recorded eruptions — more than many entire countries. Nyamulagira's 49 recorded eruptions span from 1550 to the present, with particularly intense activity from the late 19th century onward.

Between 1894 and 2018, it erupted at least 43 times — an average of roughly one eruption every 2.9 years. Its eruptions typically produce extensive basaltic lava flows from flank fissures and summit caldera vents, with VEI values ranging from 0 to 3. The most explosive events (VEI 3) occurred in 1907, 1912, 1971, 1980, 1981, 1989, 1991, and 1996.

Nyiragongo's 20 recorded eruptions date from 1884 to the present. Its most significant eruptive phase was the half-century lava lake period from 1927 to 1977. The catastrophic draining of this lava lake on January 10, 1977, produced the fastest-moving lava flows in recorded history.

The January 2002 eruption, which devastated portions of Goma, was one of the most destructive volcanic events in recent African history. Both volcanoes have been in essentially continuous eruption since 2002 (Nyiragongo) and 2018 (Nyamulagira). The only other eruption recorded from a DR Congolese volcano was Mugogo's single 1957 event.

DR Congo faces some of the most severe volcanic hazards of any country in the world. Nyiragongo presents the single greatest hazard: its extremely fluid foidite lava can flow at speeds exceeding 60 km/h (37 mph), giving populations near the volcano almost no time to evacuate. The city of Goma, with approximately 1 million residents, lies directly at the base of Nyiragongo's southern slopes, only about 18 km from the summit.

Beyond lava flows, Nyiragongo and Nyamulagira pose hazards from volcanic gas emissions (particularly CO2 and SO2), tephra fall, and the potential for limnic eruptions in Lake Kivu. An estimated 300 km³ of dissolved CO2 and methane lie trapped in the deep waters of Lake Kivu, and volcanologists have expressed concern that a major eruption or lava flow entering the lake could trigger a catastrophic gas release similar to but far larger than the [[ranking:deadliest-eruptions|1986 Lake Nyos disaster]] in [[country:cameroon|Cameroon]], which killed 1,700 people. Such an event at Lake Kivu could potentially endanger the roughly 2 million people living along its shores.

The Goma Volcano Observatory (GVO) monitors both volcanoes continuously, but operational challenges related to the region's armed conflict remain significant.

All of DR Congo's volcanoes are concentrated within the Virunga volcanic chain, which extends roughly 80 km east-west across the northern end of Lake Kivu in the Albertine Rift of eastern DR Congo. Nyiragongo lies closest to Goma (approximately 18 km north), while Nyamulagira is located 13 km further northwest. Mugogo sits between Nyamulagira and the border volcanoes to the east.

The volcanic zone lies within or adjacent to Virunga National Park, Africa's oldest national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Virunga volcanoes hold deep cultural significance for the peoples of eastern Congo, and their fertile volcanic soils support intensive agriculture in one of Africa's most densely populated rural areas. Nyiragongo's lava lake has become an internationally known natural wonder and, during periods of relative security, has attracted scientific expeditions and intrepid tourists. Virunga National Park, which encompasses both Nyamulagira and Nyiragongo, is home to approximately one-third of the world's remaining mountain gorilla population and generates tourism revenue critical to the regional economy.

Methane extraction from Lake Kivu — gas partly of volcanic origin — has been developed as an energy resource, with the KivuWatt power plant on the Rwandan shore generating electricity from dissolved lake gas.

When accessible, the overnight trek to Nyiragongo's summit to view the lava lake is widely regarded as one of the most spectacular volcanic experiences on Earth. The hike takes approximately 5–6 hours ascending through rainforest to reach summit shelters at 3,470 m, where trekkers spend the night watching the glowing lava lake. Treks are organized through the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN).

However, access has been intermittently suspended due to security concerns related to armed groups in the region. Virunga National Park also offers gorilla trekking. Goma is accessible by air from Kinshasa and Kigali.

Visitors should check current security advisories.