Lake Kivu
Lake Kivu is one of the African Great Lakes. It lies on the border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, and is in the Albertine Rift, the western branch of the East African Rift. Lake Kivu empties into the Ruzizi River, which flows southwards into Lake Tanganyika. In the past, Lake Kivu drained toward the north, contributing to the White Nile. About 13,000 to 9,000 years ago, volcanic activity blocked Lake Kivu's outlet to the watershed of the Nile. The volcanism produced mountains, including the Virungas, which rose between Lake Kivu and Lake Edward, to the north. Water from Lake Kivu was then forced south down the Ruzizi. This, in turn, raised the level of Lake Tanganyika, which overflowed down the Lukuga River. Geography Lake Kivu is approximately long and at its widest. Its irregular shape makes measuring its precise surface area difficult; it has been estimated to cover a total surface area of some , making it Africa's eighth largest lake. The surface of the lake sits at a height of above sea level. This lake has a chance of suffering a limnic eruption every 1000 years. The lake has a maximum depth of and a