Virunga Mountains
Encyclopedia
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
es in East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
, along the northern border of Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
(DRC) and Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
. The mountain range
Mountain range
A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...
is a branch of the Albertine Rift, a part of the Great Rift Valley
Great Rift Valley
The Great Rift Valley is a name given in the late 19th century by British explorer John Walter Gregory to the continuous geographic trench, approximately in length, that runs from northern Syria in Southwest Asia to central Mozambique in South East Africa...
. They are located between Lake Edward
Lake Edward
Lake Edward or Edward Nyanza is the smallest of the African Great Lakes. It is located in the western Great Rift Valley, on the border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, with its northern shore a few kilometres south of the Equator...
and Lake Kivu
Lake Kivu
Lake Kivu is one of the African Great Lakes. It lies on the border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, and is in the Albertine Rift, a part of the Great Rift Valley. Lake Kivu empties into the Ruzizi River, which flows southwards into Lake Tanganyika...
. The name "Virunga" is an English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
version of the Kinyarwanda word ibirunga, which means "mountains".
The mountain range consists of eight major volcanoes. Most of them are dormant, except Mount Nyiragongo
Mount Nyiragongo
Mount Nyiragongo is a stratovolcano in the Virunga Mountains associated with the Great Rift Valley. It is located inside Virunga National Park, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, about 20 km north of the town of Goma and Lake Kivu and just west of the border with Rwanda. The main crater...
3462 metres (11,358.3 ft) and Mount Nyamuragira
Mount Nyamuragira
Nyamuragira is an active volcano in the Virunga Mountains of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, situated about 25 km north of Lake Kivu.It has been described as Africa's most active volcano and has erupted over 40 times since 1885...
3063 metres (10,049.2 ft), both in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
. Recent eruptions occurred in 2006, and in January, 2010. Mount Karisimbi
Mount Karisimbi
Mount Karisimbi is an inactive volcano in the Virunga Mountains on the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. At , Karisimbi is the highest of the eight major mountains of the mountain range, which is a part of the East African Rift Valley...
at 4507 metres (14,786.7 ft), is the highest volcano. The oldest mountain is Mount Sabyinyo
Mount Sabyinyo
Mount Sabyinyo is an extinct volcano in eastern Africa, in the Virunga Mountains. The summit of the mountain, at , marks the intersection of the borders of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda...
which rises 3634 metres (11,922.6 ft), above sea level.
The Virunga Mountains are home of the critically endangered mountain gorilla
Mountain Gorilla
The Mountain Gorilla is one of the two subspecies of the Eastern Gorilla. There are two populations. One is found in the Virunga volcanic mountains of Central Africa, within three National Parks: Mgahinga, in south-west Uganda; Volcanoes, in north-west Rwanda; and Virunga in the eastern Democratic...
, listed on the IUCN Red List
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
of Endangered Species due to habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
loss, poaching
Poaching
Poaching is the illegal taking of wild plants or animals contrary to local and international conservation and wildlife management laws. Violations of hunting laws and regulations are normally punishable by law and, collectively, such violations are known as poaching.It may be illegal and in...
, disease
Disease
A disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is often construed to be a medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs. It may be caused by external factors, such as infectious disease, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune...
, and war
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
(Butynski et al. 2003). The Karisoke Research Center, founded by Dian Fossey
Dian Fossey
Dian Fossey was an American zoologist who undertook an extensive study of gorilla groups over a period of 18 years. She studied them daily in the mountain forests of Rwanda, initially encouraged to work there by famous anthropologist Louis Leakey...
to observe gorilla
Gorilla
Gorillas are the largest extant species of primates. They are ground-dwelling, predominantly herbivorous apes that inhabit the forests of central Africa. Gorillas are divided into two species and either four or five subspecies...
s in their native habitat, is located between Mount Karisimbi
Mount Karisimbi
Mount Karisimbi is an inactive volcano in the Virunga Mountains on the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. At , Karisimbi is the highest of the eight major mountains of the mountain range, which is a part of the East African Rift Valley...
and Mount Bisoke
Mount Bisoke
Mount Bisoke is an Active volcano in the Virunga Mountains of the Great Rift Valley. It straddles the border of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but the summit is located in Rwanda...
.
List of mountains in the Virunga Mountain Range
| Name of mountain | Location | Elevation in Metres | Elevation in Feet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Karisimbi Mount Karisimbi Mount Karisimbi is an inactive volcano in the Virunga Mountains on the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. At , Karisimbi is the highest of the eight major mountains of the mountain range, which is a part of the East African Rift Valley... |
 Rwanda/ |
4,507 | 14,790 |
| Mount Mikeno Mount Mikeno Mount Mikeno is a volcanic mountain located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo section of the Virunga Mountains along with Mount Nyiragongo, Mount Nyamuragira, Mount Karisimbi, and Mount Bisoke... |
 Democratic Republic of the Congo |
4,437 | 14,560 |
| Mount Muhabura Mount Muhabura Mount Muhabura, also known as Mount Muhavura, is an extinct volcano in the Virunga Mountains on the border between Rwanda and Uganda. At 4,127 m, Muhabura is the third highest of the eight major mountains of the mountain range, which is a part of the East African Rift Valley. Muhabura lies partly... |
Rwanda/ Uganda |
4,127 | 13,540 |
| Mount Bisoke Mount Bisoke Mount Bisoke is an Active volcano in the Virunga Mountains of the Great Rift Valley. It straddles the border of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but the summit is located in Rwanda... |
Rwanda/ |
3,711 | 12,180 |
| Mount Sabyinyo Mount Sabyinyo Mount Sabyinyo is an extinct volcano in eastern Africa, in the Virunga Mountains. The summit of the mountain, at , marks the intersection of the borders of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda... |
Rwanda/ Uganda |
3,674 | 12,050 |
| Mount Gahinga Mount Gahinga Mount Gahinga, is a dormant/extinct volcano in the Virunga Mountains on the border between Rwanda and Uganda. Gahinga lies between Muhabura and Sabyinyo, but is the smallest of these three. The Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is named after the mountain, and tourists can climb Gahinga from that side.... |
Rwanda/ Uganda |
3,474 | 11,400 |
| Mount Nyiragongo Mount Nyiragongo Mount Nyiragongo is a stratovolcano in the Virunga Mountains associated with the Great Rift Valley. It is located inside Virunga National Park, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, about 20 km north of the town of Goma and Lake Kivu and just west of the border with Rwanda. The main crater... |
Democratic Republic of the Congo |
3,470 | 11,400 |
| Mount Nyamuragira Mount Nyamuragira Nyamuragira is an active volcano in the Virunga Mountains of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, situated about 25 km north of Lake Kivu.It has been described as Africa's most active volcano and has erupted over 40 times since 1885... |
Democratic Republic of the Congo |
3,058 | 10,030 |
National Parks
- Virunga National ParkVirunga National ParkThe Virunga National Park , formerly named Albert National Park, is a 7800 square km National Park that stretches from the Virunga Mountains in the South, to the Rwenzori Mountains in the North, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, bordering Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Rwenzori...
, Democratic Republic of the CongoDemocratic Republic of the CongoThe Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world... - Volcanoes National ParkVolcanoes National ParkFor the park in Hawaii, see Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.Volcanoes National Park lies in northwestern Rwanda and borders Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. The national park is known as a haven for the mountain gorilla...
, RwandaRwandaRwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo... - Mgahinga Gorilla National ParkMgahinga Gorilla National ParkMgahinga Gorilla National Park is a national park in the far south-west of Uganda near the town of Kisoro.-Location:The park is located in the Virunga Mountains and is contiguous with the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
, UgandaUgandaUganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
In japan
In culture
- Michael CrichtonMichael CrichtonJohn Michael Crichton , best known as Michael Crichton, was an American best-selling author, producer, director, and screenwriter, best known for his work in the science fiction, medical fiction, and thriller genres. His books have sold over 200 million copies worldwide, and many have been adapted...
's novel CongoCongo (novel)Congo is a 1980 science fiction novel by Michael Crichton. The novel centers on an expedition searching for diamonds and inspecting the mysterious deaths of the previous expedition in the dense rain forest of Congo...
is set mostly in the Virunga region. - Samba MapangalaSamba MapangalaSamba Mapangala born in Matadi in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo. He spent early 70's with various bands in Kinshasa, before moving to Uganda in 1975 where he and some other Congolese musicians formed the Les Kinois band. They moved to Nairobi in 1977. He formed a new band, the...
, a Congolese-Kenyan musician, had a band called Orchestra Virunga.