Recently , Rwanda-backed M23 rebels claimed to have captured Goma, a strategic city in eastern Congo. 

About the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

• The DRC is the second-largest country in Africa, after Algeria, located in Central Africa. 
• As the Equator passes through it , it lies in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
• • It is located to the east of the Prime Meridian in the Eastern Hemisphere.
• It is bordered by the Central African Republic and South Sudan to the north, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania to the east, Zambia to the southeast, and Angola to the southwest.
• The capital, Kinshasa, is located along the Congo River, which is the only river in Africa that crosses the equator twice.
• The Katanga Plateau is a major mining region, rich in minerals such as cobalt, copper, tin, radium, uranium, and diamonds.
• Highest Peak: Mt. Stanley
• In 2021, attacks in the mineral-rich Ituri and North Kivu provinces resulted in the deaths of hundreds and the displacement of many.
• Goma is a strategic city in eastern Congo, which is a hub for the region’s vast and largely untapped mineral wealth.

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About Rwanda

• Rwanda is a landlocked country located south of the Equator in east-central Africa.
• It is located in the African Great Lakes region with the capital at Kigali.
• Rwanda is bordered by Uganda to the north, Tanzania to the east, Burundi to the south and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west.
• The country’s major rivers include the Mukungwa River (in the Nile Basin) and the Rusizi River (in the Congo Basin).
• Lake Kivu is Rwanda’s largest lake and the sixth-largest in Africa.
  • It forms a natural border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
• Lake Victoria does not share a border with Rwanda.
• Highest point: The Virunga Mountains to the northwest of the country host the highest peak of Rwanda, Mount Karisimbi.
• The Albertine Rift region, covering much of western Rwanda, is known for its rich biodiversity.

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