Bukavu is a city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, lying at the southern end of Lake Kivu, west of Cyangugu in Rwanda. It is the capital of the Sud-Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The city has a population of over 245,000, with another 250,000 people living in the surrounding towns and villages. Lake Kivu forms part of the border of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo Lake Kivu is one of the Great Lakes of Africa. ... Cyangugu or Ciangugu is a prefecture and town in southwestern Rwanda close to the border of Democratic Republic of Congo and close to the shores of Lake Kivu. ... Sud-Kivu is a province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. ...

The city lies at the mouth of the Ruzizi River, near the Kahuzi-Biéga National Park. It is also home to an airport. The Ruzizi River flows from Lake Kivu to Lake Tanganyika in Central Africa. ... Sign at the entrance to the park. ...

Bukavu was established in 1901 by the Belgian colonial authorities. Originally named Costermansville, it had a prominent European population under colonial rule. They were attracted by the temperate climate (Lake Kivu is about 1,500 metres above sea level) and attractive location (Bukavu is built on five peninsulas and has been described as "a green hand, dipped in Lake Kivu"). 1901 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

Formerly an important transport hub and administrative centre, the town's fortunes suffered after rioting in 1991 and the growth of Goma in the early 1990s. For the rock band Riot see Riot (the band) Riots in Newark, New Jersey Riots occur when crowds of people have gathered and are committing crimes or acts of violence. ... 1991 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Goma is a large city in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. ... // Events and trends The 1990s are generally classified as having moved slightly away from the more conservative 1980s, but otherwise retaining the same mindset. ...

Following the Rwandan Genocide it became a center of the Hutu insurgency against the new Tutsi government of Rwanda. It was attacked in November 1996 by Rwandan government forces during the First Congo War. Bukavu saw sporadic fighting between government forces and the rebel Rally for Congolese Democracy throughout the Second Congo War, in particular in 2004. The skulls of victims show gashes and signs of violence The Rwandan genocide was the slaughter of roughly one million Tutsis and moderate Hutus by a group of Hutu extremists known as Interahamwe during a period of 100 days in 1994. ... Hutu is the name given to one of the three ethnic groups occupying Burundi and Rwanda. ... See also The Watusi, a dance, and Watusi (band). ... For other uses, see November (disambiguation). ... 1996 is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... The First Congo War was a conflict from late 1996 to 1997 in which Zairean President Mobutu Sésé Seko was overthrown by rebel forces backed by foreign powers such as Uganda and Rwanda. ... The Rally for Congolese Democracy (RCD) is a Congolese rebel group operating in the western part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). ... The Second Congo War was a conflict that took place largely in the territory of Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire). ... 2004(MMIV) is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

On June 3, 2004, protestors in several Congolese cities took to the streets to demonstrate against the United Nations for failing to prevent Bukavu from falling to dissident soldiers, led by General Nkunda. June 3 is the 154th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (155th in leap years), with 211 days remaining. ... 2004(MMIV) is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The United Nations, or UN, is an international organization established in 1945 and now made up of 191 member states, which includes virtually all internationally recognized independent countries. ...