| Virunga Mountains | |
| Country Type: | Countries |
| Highest: | Mount Karisimbi |
| Elevation M: | 4,507 |
| Length Km: | 80[1] |
| Map: | Democratic Republic of the Congo#Uganda#Rwanda |
| Map Size: | 275 |
The Virunga Mountains (also known as Mufumbiro[1]) are a chain of volcanoes in East Africa, in the area where Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Uganda meet. The mountain range is a branch of the Albertine Rift Mountains, which border the western branch of the East African Rift. They are located between Lake Edward and Lake Kivu. The name "Virunga" is an English version of the Kinyarwanda word ibirunga, which means "volcanoes".
The mountain range consists of eight major volcanoes. Most of them are dormant, except Mount Nyiragongo 3462m (11,358feet) and Mount Nyamuragira 3063m (10,049feet), both in the DRC. Recent eruptions occurred in 2006, 2010 and May 2021. Mount Karisimbi is the highest volcano at 4507m (14,787feet). The oldest mountain is Mount Sabyinyo, which rises 3634m (11,923feet) above sea level.
The Virunga Mountains are home of the endangered mountain gorilla, listed on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species due to habitat loss, poaching, disease, and war (Butynski et al. 2003). The Karisoke Research Center, founded by Dian Fossey to observe gorillas in their native habitat, is located between Mount Karisimbi and Mount Bisoke.
| Name of mountain | Location | Elevation in metres | Elevation in feet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Karisimbi | Rwanda / DRC | 4,507 | 14,790 |
| Mount Mikeno | DRC | 4,437 | 14,560 |
| Mount Muhabura | Rwanda / Uganda | 4,127 | 13,540 |
| Mount Bisoke | Rwanda / DRC | 3,711 | 12,180 |
| Mount Sabyinyo | Rwanda / Uganda / DRC | 3,674 | 12,050 |
| Mount Gahinga | Rwanda / Uganda | 3,474 | 11,400 |
| Mount Nyiragongo | DRC | 3,470 | 11,400 |
| Mount Nyamuragira | DRC | 3,058 | 10,031 |
