Which African country is home to Mount Nyiragongo, one of the world’s most active volcanoes?

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is home to Mount Nyiragongo, one of the world’s most active volcanoes.

Nyiragongo rises in the Virunga Mountains of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, near the city of Goma and close to the borders with Rwanda and Uganda. The volcano is famous for its steep-sided crater and persistent lava lake, although the lake’s presence and appearance have changed after major eruptions.

Nyiragongo’s eruptions can be especially dangerous because unusually fluid lava may move rapidly down its slopes. Major eruptions occurred in 1977 and 2002, and another eruption began in May 2021. The mountain is part of the Virunga volcanic region, which also includes Mount Nyamuragira. Its location is sometimes mistakenly assigned to Rwanda because Goma is close to the Rwandan border, but Nyiragongo is in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.