Idjwi Island

Idjwi, or Ijwi, is an inland island in Lake Kivu that is part of the South Kivu Province. With a length of 70 kilometers and a surface area of 340 square kilometers, it is Africa's second-largest lake island and the tenth-largest in the world. Idjwi is a beautiful island roughly halfway between the Congo and Rwanda, with a distance of 10 to 15 kilometers separating its western shore from the Congo's mainland and a similar distance separating its eastern beach from Rwanda's coastline. The island's southern tip, on the other hand, is only 1 kilometer from a Rwandan shore promontory.

Idjwi Island, formerly a clan-based Bahavu culture, became a kingdom in the late 18th century. In 2013, the island's population was expected to be 252,000 people, primarily Havus with a small Pygmy minority. From an estimated population of 50,000 in 1983, this is a massive increase. Malnutrition is widespread, particularly among youngsters, and practically the whole population is reliant on subsistence farming.

Location: Lake Kivu, South Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo