The Virunga Mountains also known as the Virunga Volcanoes are a series of eight volcanic mountains along the northern border of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This chain of volcanoes stretch from the Rwenzori Mountains to border of Uganda and Rwanda. Also known as the Mufumbiro Ranges, these volcanoes extend over about 50 miles (80 km) along the borders of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. The range runs east-west, perpendicular to the rift valley in which lie Lakes Kivu and Edward.
Quick Facts
- Of the Virunga Volcanoes, Karisimbi is the highest rising to an elevation of 14,787 feet (4,507 metres).
- Two of the eight Virunga volcanoes are active i.e Nyiragongo and Nyamulagira while the remaining six are dormant.
- The Virunga Mountains protect mountain gorillas and these great apes only inhabit the ranges of the dormant volcanoes.
The Virunga mountains are a chain of volcanoes in East Africa, along the Northern border of Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda. 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 mountain Nyaragongo 3,462 meters {11,358 ft}and mount Nyamuragira 3,063 meters {10,049 ft} both in the DRC. Recent eruptions occurred in 2006 in January 2010. Mount Karisimbi is the highest volcano at 4,507 meters{14,787 ft} The oldest mountain is Mt. Sabyinyo, which rises 3,634 meters {11,923} 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, diseases and wars. The Karisoke Research Centre founded by Dian Fossey to observe gorillas in the native habitat is located between Mt. Bisoke.
The following are the different mountains found in the Virunga mountain range. Mt. Karisimbi, Mt. Mikeno, Mt.Muhabura, Mt. Bisoke, Mt. Sabyinyo ,Mt. Gahinga , Mt. Nyirangongo , Mt. Nyamuragira. All the above mountains are dormant and therefore do not erupt expect Mt. Nyirangongo and Mt. Nyamuragira . These two mountains are found in the Democratic Republic of Congo they are very active and therefore erupt. Virunga National park covers an area of 7,90,000 comprising an outstanding diversity of habitats ranging from swamps and steppes to the show fields of Rwenzori at an altitude of over 5,000m and from Lava plains to the Savannahs on the slopes of volcanoes. Mountain gorillas are found in the park. Some 20,000 hippopotamuses live in the rivers and birds from Siberia spend the winter there.
The Virunga mountains enjoy a pleasant climate with an average daytime temperatures around 10 degrees Celsius ( 50 f ) and 1,000m ( 40 in ) of rain annually. Five peaks in Rwanda and three in the DRC rise above the timberline. Winds blowing against the slopes are forced upwards into cooler air, creating an almost constant mist. This moisture has fostered a rain forest of hagenia trees, shrubs, mosses and linchens climbing as high as 3,400m ( 11,000 ft ). The virunga mountains are most renowned as the habitat of mountain gorillas, vegetarian primates who live in groups of up to 30 larger and more densely coated than lowland gorillas, they can attain a height of 1.8m (6ft ) and weight of 200kg ( 440 lbs. ) . Their endangered status was brought to worldwide attention by American zoologist Dian Fossey who was killed in her camp near Visoke in Rwanda on December 26th 1985.
The 150sq km ( 60 sq km ) volcanoes national park in Rwanda contains the most beautiful areas of the Virunga, including volcan Karisimbi high altitude crater lakes at Visoke and Ngezi, and other mountains including Gahinga ( 3,474m/11,398 ft ), Sabyinyo ( 4,127m/13,540 ft ). Across the border in the DRC, the 8,090sq km ( 3,120 sq km ) Virunga National park, the oldest wildlife park in Africa ( founded in 1925) includes the Djomba Gorilla sanctuary, Rutshuru warerfalls and the hot springs of Mgi ya moto. In southern Uganda, a gorilla sanctuary has also been established.