Masisi Territory

Masisi Territory is a territory located in the North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its political headquarters are located in the town of Masisi. Covering an area of 4,734 square kilometers and with a population estimate of 843,396 as of 2020, it is bordered to the north by the Walikale Territory, to the south by Lake Kivu and the South Kivu, to the east by Nyiragongo Territory and Rutshuru Territory, as well as the communes of Goma and Karisimbi, to the west by Kalehe Territory and Walikale Territory. Masisi Territory is administratively divided into two chiefdoms: Bashali and Bahunde, as well as two sectors, Katoyi and Osso-Banyungu, and the commune of Masako.

The territory was established on 15 March 1935 at Bution, within the Waloa-Yangu groupement. Until 1954, Walikale Territory formed part of Masisi Territory. Later administrative reforms led to the formal establishment in December 1977 of Bashali Chiefdom, Bahunde Chiefdom, the Osso-Banyungu sector, and the Katoyi sector. The territory is inhabited by several ethnic groups, including the Bahunde, Batembo, Bakumu, Bahutu, Batutsi, and Batwa. Population movements and demographic shifts, combined with disputes related to land tenure, political representation, and ethnic identity, have played an important role in shaping the territory's history and politics. Masisi Territory has also been a major center of armed conflict in eastern Congo, particularly during and after the Congo Wars (1996–2003). Numerous armed factions, ethnic militias, and foreign-backed groups have operated in the territory, one of the most contested areas of North Kivu. The economy is predominantly based on agriculture, livestock farming, fishing, tourism, and mineral exploitation.