Goma

Goma is a city located in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is on the northern shore of Lake Kivu, one of the Great Lakes of Africa. The city has an estimated population of 1,5 million in 2016. Goma is the capital of the North Kivu province.

The city was founded by Belgian colonists in 1881 and became the capital of the Belgian Congo in 1908. After the Congo became independent in 1960, Goma became the capital of the province of Kivu. Goma is a regional center of trade and transport. It is located at the intersection of roads linking Bukavu, Kisangani, and Rutshuru. The city has an airport (Goma Airport) and a seaport.

The city was nearly destroyed by eruption of the Mount Nyiragongo volcano in 2002. More than half a million people were displaced by the eruption.