Goma is a large city in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Located in the Western Rift of the Great Rift Valley, Goma neighbors Nyiragongo Volcano directly to its north, and hugs the coast of Lake Kivu to its south.

In 2002, Nyiragongo erupted, sending a stream of lava through the center of the city. The lava destroyed some the city's buildings and paved over part of the airport's runway.