What continent is home to the world’s largest lava lake?

The world’s largest lava lake at Mount Nyiragongo is located in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). More specifically, the lake is located inside Virunga National Park, approximately 12 miles (19 km) north of the town of Goma. Mount Nyiragongo is an active stratovolcano that is part of the Virunga Mountains, which is part of the larger Albertine Rift that encompasses parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania.

Nyiragongo means "smoking mountain" in the local language, which is appropriate given that the naturally formed volcanic mountain is considered Africa’s most active volcano. The view from the volcano’s rim is 11,380 feet (3468 meters) above the ground. At 1,300 feet (396 meters) deep, the lava lake has created one of the wonders of the African continent. The area contains seven other volcanoes, one of which is also active.

Virunga National Park is Africa’s most biodiverse protected area, home to over one thousand species of mammal, bird, reptile, and amphibian as well as 1/3 of the world’s endangered mountain gorillas. Located on the eastern edge of the Congo Basin, the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest, Virunga has become known as the park of fire and ice for its diverse habitats ranging from the Rwenzori peaks to savanna and volcanic plains. Despite being a UNESCO world heritage site, Virunga is constantly threatened by war, poaching and illegal activities as well as unpreventable natural disasters.