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Year 8 - Geography

The eruption of Mount Nyiragongo

Tectonic hazards: Why is Earth restless?

Unit Summary

This unit teaches pupils about the physical processes that lead to tectonic hazards and investigates the geographical pattern of hazards across the world. Pupils will also learn how tectonic hazards affect people in different places and how people seek to manage hazards.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to explain why Mount Nyiragongo erupted and the impacts of the eruption.

Key Notes

  • Mount Nyiragongo is a volcano located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the East African Rift System.
  • On the 22nd May 2021, it began to erupt; this followed a deadly eruption in 2002, which reached the city of Goma.
  • When the eruption happened, lava poured down the sides of the volcano.
  • At least 450 000 people were displaced or evacuated due to the lava flows.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • constructive plate boundary: where two tectonic plates separate
  • economic impacts: consequences that relate to the way money is made, lost or spent
  • social impacts: consequences that relate to people's quality of life, e.g. healthcare
  • infrastructure: all the basic systems in a country, such as transport and power supply

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • There are no plate boundaries in Africa.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain this geography topic using two clear key points.

Mount Nyiragongo is a volcano located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the East African Rift System. On the 22nd May 2021, it began to erupt; this followed a deadly eruption in 2002, which reached the city of Goma.

2. Define this geography term and use it in an example. 'constructive plate boundary'

where two tectonic plates separate.

3. Correct this common geography misunderstanding.

Mistake: There are no plate boundaries in Africa. Correction: Mount Nyiragongo is on a constructive plate boundary known as the East African Rift System, where the African plate is splitting into the Nubian and Somali plates.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 8 Geography guide library.