[citation needed] This diverse landscape includes coastal plains, rolling foothills, and steep mountain slopes, all intersected by numerous waterways that drain into Lake Tanganyika and Ruzizi River.

The highlands are characterized by rich green vegetation, including forests and savannahs, which support a diverse range of flora and fauna.

[13] The northwestern basin of Lake Tanganyika, encompassing Uvira, features geological formations from both the Precambrian and Quaternary periods.

[6] The subsoil is rich in mineral resources, including cassiterite in Lemera and Luvungi, gold in Luberizi and Bijombo, aquamarine in Ndolera, iron in the Munanira Mountains, and amethyst in Kalungwe.

[6] Five primary vegetation types can be identified: marshes and marshy meadows, which are predominantly populated by macrophytes and reeds; grassy savannas dominated by species such as Imperata cylindrica, Hyparrhenia spp., Eragrostis spp., Urochloa eminii (Brachiaria ruziziensis or Congo grass), and Pennisetum spp.

[14] Wooded savannas, characterized by the prevalence of Acacia kirkii, provide a transitional zone between grassland and forested areas.

[14] The region is also home to several medicinal plants valued by the local population, including Syzygium guineense, Tetradenia riparia, Plantago palmata, and Rhus vulgaris.

[16] Conversely, the high-altitude areas, such as the plateaus of Sange, and Katobo, are located within the high and medium-altitude tropical zone, which ranges between 1,000 and 2,800 meters above sea level.

[13] Initially recognized by the royal decree of 28 March 1912 as part of the Kivu District, Uvira Territory's boundaries and organization were later refined by Ordinance-Law No.

Established on 25 February 1938, the territory originally included three urban centers: Uvira, Kiliba, and Sange, all of which were elevated to city status by Presidential Order No.

[24][20] These chiefdoms coexist with administrative management posts located in Makobola, Luvungi, Mulenge, and Kagando, which ensure efficient local governance.

In the 17th century, the Banyalenge immigrants, led by their chief Lenge, settled in the region around Lake Tanganyika, coming from Lwindi near the Ulindi River in the mountainous hinterland.

[31][32] During the colonial era (1908–1960), the region hosted a second wave of immigrants who arrived as part of the Mission d'immigration des Banyarwanda (MIB), a movement to transplant Banyarwanda to the Belgian Congo driven by the Belgian colonial authorities who needed a workforce in European plantations and the mines of Union Minière du Haut Katanga.

Consequently, numerous Tutsis who were affiliated with the oppressive monarchy, including their Umwami (King), sought refuge in neighboring countries such as Uganda, Congo-Léopoldville, and Tanzania, resulting in their mass exodus.

Their involvement in pursuing Hutu refugees and overthrowing Mobutu Sese Seko's government was marked by human rights abuses.

[46][50] Tutsis from Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi rallied behind this opposition, seeking an end to discriminatory practices and the establishment of a more inclusive and just political system.

[44][51] On October 6, 1996, the AFDL and members of the Banyamulenge-led armed group committed a massacre at Lemera Hospital in Uvira Territory, South Kivu Province.

[52][53] During the night of October 13 to 14, 1996, the AFDL and Banyamulenge armed units killed four refugees and injured seven others in the Runingu camp in Uvira Territory.

[54] Additionally, on October 20, 1996, AFDL/APR/FAB units killed an unknown number of refugees and Zairian civilians who were fleeing towards Burundi in Rubenga village of Uvira Territory.

[54] On the same day, soldiers also burned thirty refugees alive in a house in Kakumbukumbu village, five kilometers from Lubarika camp in Uvira Territory.

In response, a faction of Tutsi soldiers, with the support of Rwandan and Ugandan armies, formed a rebel group known as the Rally for Congolese Democracy (RCD) aimed at overthrowing President Laurent-Désiré Kabila.

[57][48][58] During the war, various factions, including government forces, rebel groups, and foreign militias, committed atrocities and human rights abuses.

Civilians, regardless of their ethnicity, suffered during the conflict, with widespread displacement, sexual violence, and other war-related atrocities affecting communities across the country.

[60] Additionally, on August 6, 1998, elements of RCD-Goma killed 13 people, including the chief of the Kiringye area, in the village of Lwiburule, located 53 kilometers northwest of Uvira.

[68] Uvira Territory is primarily driven by agriculture, which serves as the foundation of employment, income generation, food security, and trade.

[14][69][70] Subsistence farming dominates agricultural activities, particularly in the groupements of Kijaga, Kalungwe, Kitundu, Kabindula, Katala, Kagando, and Muhungu, where extensive fields support local livelihoods.

[14] Government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and development partners collaborate to provide technical assistance, training programs, and financial support to farmers.

[73] Imports include wheat flour, sugar, rice, iodized salt, vegetable oil, tomatoes, and vehicle parts.

[73] Leading firms include Kotecha Company, famous for its Supermatch brand; Maison SHEN/MED, specializing in sports equipment; Ets Maki, dealing in household goods; and Datco House.

[73] The transportation sector is robust, featuring 22 maritime agencies and 15 land-based operators, while 44 hotels and guesthouses cater to the needs of both local and international visitors.