Goma

Goma is a city in the eastern <a href="/facts/Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo/E2KmHDdv">Democratic Republic of the Congo</a>. It is the <a href="/facts/Capital_city/p06rGdJC">capital</a> and largest city of the <a href="/facts/North_Kivu/D27suJFx">North Kivu Province</a>; it is located on the northern shore of <a href="/facts/Lake_Kivu/19NvAKG2">Lake Kivu</a> and shares borders with the <a href="/facts/Bukumu_Chiefdom/9PVM5dhs">Bukumu Chiefdom</a> to the north, <a href="/facts/Rwanda/UKR5UdKy">Rwanda</a> to the east and the <a href="/facts/Masisi_Territory/Kmu8KFxC">Masisi Territory</a> to the west. The city lies in the <a href="/facts/Albertine_Rift/arLYBT5x">Albertine Rift</a>, the western branch of the <a href="/facts/East_African_Rift/o82Q47Uc">East African Rift</a>, and is only 13–18 km (8.1–11.2 mi) south of the active volcano <a href="/facts/Mount_Nyiragongo/Y6eWMlkQ">Mount Nyiragongo</a>. With an approximate area of 75.72 km2 (29.24 sq mi), the city had a population of 782,000 people in 2024,
with an additional 500,000 <a href="/facts/Displaced_people/lKjCS4R2">displaced people</a>.
Goma is administratively divided into two urban municipalities: <a href="/facts/Goma_(commune)/qFcW5opU">Goma</a> and <a href="/facts/Karisimbi_(commune)/kspn6rpw">Karisimbi</a>, which are further subdivided into 18 <a href="/facts/Quarter_(urban_subdivision)/I0LbVxKm">quarters</a>, colloquially recognized as "<a href="/facts/Neighbourhood/UT2A3wrJ">neighborhoods</a>" in the English lexicon. The city is home to several notable landmarks, including <a href="/facts/Goma_International_Airport/XL9bmTNn">Goma International Airport</a>, the <a href="/facts/World_Heritage_Site/6AbWWKV4">UNESCO World Heritage Site</a> <a href="/facts/Virunga_National_Park/ds78mXsu">Virunga National Park</a>, the private <a href="/facts/Christianity/nKyJHlqq">Christian</a> <a href="/facts/Mixed-sex_education/TCNhIwrJ">co-educational</a> school <a href="/facts/Adventist_University_of_Goma/AnCH1gF2">Adventist University of Goma</a>, the <a href="/facts/University_of_Goma/FF95cjbh">University of Goma</a>, and is also surrounded by the active <a href="/facts/Virunga_Mountains/aXxwXJeE">Virunga volcanic range</a>, which includes volcanoes <a href="/facts/Nyamuragira/Lh13LcIB">Nyamulagira</a>, <a href="/facts/Mount_Nyiragongo/Y6eWMlkQ">Nyiragongo</a>, <a href="/facts/Mount_Mikeno/bD64x0o7">Mikeno</a>, <a href="/facts/Mount_Bisoke/AylYna5s">Visoke</a>, <a href="/facts/Mount_Gahinga/44ENmyT1">Gahinga</a>, <a href="/facts/Mount_Karisimbi/YtkaLVBn">Karisimbi</a>, and <a href="/facts/Mount_Sabyinyo/41CSAHSx">Sabinyo</a>. Goma also hosts the annual <a href="/facts/Festival_Amani/vVBrde4Y">Amani Festival</a>, the <a href="/facts/Free_University_of_the_Great_Lakes_Countries/YVGlLMRz">Free University of the Great Lakes Countries</a>, which supports local development initiatives, as well as the regional cultural center and art school, <a href="/facts/Foyer_Culturel_de_Goma/CrIoVB4j">Foyer Culturel de Goma</a>.
The recent history of Goma has been dominated by the volcano and the <a href="/facts/Rwandan_genocide/sWRxDx4q">Rwandan genocide</a> of 1994, which in turn fueled the <a href="/facts/First_Congo_War/nvK5SfuB">First</a> and <a href="/facts/Second_Congo_War/sf5qnF8a">Second Congo Wars</a>. The aftermath of these events was still having effects on the city and its surroundings in 2010. The city was captured by rebels of the <a href="/facts/March_23_Movement/TfIB2QWS">March 23 Movement</a> during the <a href="/facts/M23_rebellion_(2012%E2%80%932013)/l4XJII9Q">M23 rebellion</a> in late 2012, and then retaken by Congolese government forces. As of January 2025<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Goma&action=edit">[update]</a>, the city is once again under the control of M23, following <a href="/facts/M23_offensive_(2022%E2%80%93present)/zdy3MP8d">a fresh offensive by the group</a> that culminated in the <a href="/facts/2025_Goma_offensive/0JbAkvpU">Battle of Goma</a>.

Goma open-in-new

Goma