Virunga Mountains

Mount Nyiragongo

Gahinga (left) and Muhabura (right)

The Virunga Mountains are a chain of volcanoes in East Africa, along the northern border of Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda. The mountain range is a branch of the Albertine Rift, a part of the Great Rift Valley. They are located between Lake Edward and Lake Kivu. The name "Virunga" is an English 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 3,462 metres (11,358 ft) and Mount Nyamuragira 3,063 metres (10,049 ft), both in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Recent eruptions occurred in 2006, and in January, 2010. Mount Karisimbi at 4,507 metres (14,787 ft), is the highest volcano. The oldest mountain is Mount Sabyinyo which rises 3,634 metres (11,923 ft), above sea level.

The Virunga Mountains are home of the critically 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.

List of mountains in the Virunga Mountain Range

Name of mountain	Location	Elevation in Metres	Elevation in Feet
Mount Karisimbi	Rwanda/ DRC	4,507	14,790
Mount Mikeno	Democratic Republic of the Congo	4,437	14,560
Mount Muhabura	Rwanda/ Uganda	4,127	13,540
Mount Bisoke	Rwanda/ DRC	3,711	12,180
Mount Sabyinyo	Rwanda/ Uganda	3,674	12,050
Mount Gahinga	Rwanda/ Uganda	3,474	11,400
Mount Nyiragongo	Democratic Republic of the Congo	3,470	11,400
Mount Nyamuragira	Democratic Republic of the Congo	3,058	10,030

National Parks

• Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
• Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Uganda

In japan

In culture

• Michael Crichton's novel Congo is set mostly in the Virunga region.
• Samba Mapangala, a Congolese-Kenyan musician, had a band called Orchestra Virunga.

See also

• George Schaller
• Earl Denman

References

•  Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). "Mfumbiro". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 

External links

• The Official Virunga National Park Website
• Kwita Izina - Official Baby Gorilla Naming Ceremony site- Virunga Rwanda

Coordinates: 01°25′45″S 29°32′54″E / 1.42917°S 29.54833°E / -1.42917; 29.54833