Zambezi River | river, Africa | Britannica.com Zambezi River Alternative Titles: Zambesi River, Zanbere River Related Topics Kariba Zambezi River, also spelled Zambesi, river draining a large portion of south-central Africa. Together with its tributaries, it forms the fourth largest river basin of the continent. The river flows eastward for about 2,200 miles (3,540 kilometres) from its source on the Central African Plateau to empty into the Indian Ocean . With its tributaries, it drains an area of more than 500,000 square miles (1,300,000 square kilometres). The Zambezi (meaning “Great River” in the language of the Tonga people) includes along its course the Victoria Falls , one of the world’s greatest natural wonders, and the Kariba and Cahora Bassa dams, two of Africa’s largest hydroelectric projects. The river either crosses or forms the boundaries of six countries—Angola, Zambia, Namibia , Botswana , Zimbabwe , and Mozambique —and the use of its waters has been the subject of a series of international agreements.

The Zambezi River basin and its drainage network. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River as seen from Zambia. G. Holton/Photo Researchers The Zambezi River at sunset. Art Wolfe—Stone/Getty Images Physical features Physiography The Zambezi rises out of a marshy bog near Kalene Hill, Zambia , about 4,800 feet (1,460 metres) above sea level , and flows some 20 miles before entering Angola , through which it runs for more than 175 miles. In this first section of its course, the river is met by more than a dozen tributaries of varying sizes. Shortly after reentering Zambia, the river flows over the Chavuma Falls and enters a broad region of hummocky, sand-covered floodplains, the largest of which is the Barotse, or Zambezi, Plain. The region is inundated during the summer floods, when it receives fertile alluvial soils. The main tributaries intersecting the river along the plains are the Kabompo River from the east and the larger Lungué-Bungo (Lungwebungo) River from the west.

Similar Topics Kagera River The Zambezi then enters a stretch of rapids that extends from Ngonye (Sioma) Falls south to the Katima Mulilo Rapids, after which for about 80 miles it forms the border between Zambia to the north and the eastern Caprivi Strip—an extension of Namibia—to the south. In this stretch the river meanders through the broad grasslands of the Sesheke Plain until it is joined by the Cuando ( Kwando ) River. Near Kazungula, Zambia, the river, after flowing past Botswana territory to the south, turns almost due east and forms the frontier between Zambia and Zimbabwe. From the Cuando confluence to the Victoria Falls , the Zambezi varies considerably in width, from open reaches with sand islands to stretches of rapids through narrow channels separated by numerous rock islands. The Victoria Falls mark the end of the upper course of the Zambezi, as its waters tumble with a thunderous roar and an enormous cloud of spray. The area around the falls was once covered by a thick layer of lava, which as it cooled formed wide cracks, or joints, that became filled with softer sediments.

As the Zambezi cut its present valley it encountered one of these joints, eroded the sediment, and created a trench, eventually forcing a gap at the lower end of the trench that quickly widened into a gorge. The force of the water also created a second gap at the upper end of the trench that gradually diverted the river until the trench itself was left dry. As the river cut backward it repeated the process, scouring eight successive waterfalls in the past half million years. The Zambezi’s middle course extends about 600 miles from Victoria Falls to the eastern end of Lake Cahora Bassa in Mozambique. It continues to form the boundary between Zambia and Zimbabwe until it crosses the Mozambique border at Luangwa. Below the falls a gorge some 60 miles long has been formed by the trench-scouring process, through which the river descends in a series of rapids. Just upstream of Lake Kariba the river valley widens and is contained by escarpments nearly 2,000 feet high. The middle Zambezi is notable for the two man-made lakes, Kariba and Cahora Bassa (see below), that constitute much of this stretch of the river.

Between the two lakes the Zambezi trends northeast for nearly 40 miles before it turns east below the confluence with the Kafue River , the Zambezi’s largest tributary. In this section the river rushes through two rocky, narrow gorges, the first just below the Kariba Dam and the other above the confluence with the Luangwa River . Britannica Stories Obama Acts to Protect the Arctic At the dam at the eastern end of Lake Cahora Bassa, the Zambezi begins its lower course, during which it descends from the Central African Plateau to the coastal plain . At first the hilly country is replaced by flat areas at the head of the Tete Basin, and the river becomes more placid. About 40 miles downstream the river has cut the Lupata Gorge through a range of hills, where it emerges onto the Mozambique Plain and occupies a broad valley that spreads out in places to a width of three to five miles. Near Vila Fontes the river receives its last great tributary, the Shire River , which drains Lake Nyasa (Malaŵi) some 210 miles to the north. Africa at Random: Fact or Fiction?

At its mouth the Zambezi splits into a wide, flat, and marshy delta obstructed by sandbars. There are two main channels, each again divided into two. The wider, eastern channel splits into the Muselo River to the north and the main mouth of the Zambezi to the south. The western channel forms both the Inhamissengo River and the smaller Melambe River. North of the main delta the Chinde River separates from the Zambezi’s main stream to form a navigable channel leading to a shallow harbour. Hydrology The Zambezi, according to measurements taken at Maramba (formerly Livingstone), Zambia, experiences its maximum flow in March or April. In October or November the discharge diminishes to less than 10 percent of the maximum. The annual average flow reaches about 247,000 cubic feet (7,000 cubic metres) per second. Measurements taken at Kariba Dam reflect the same seasonal pattern; the highest flood recorded there was in March 1958, when the flow reached 565,000 cubic feet per second. Climate Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram Pinterest The Zambezi River lies within the tropics.

The upper and middle course of the river is on an upland plateau, and temperatures, modified by altitude, are relatively mild, generally between 64° and 86° F (18° and 30° C). The winter months (May to July) are cool and dry, with temperatures averaging 68° F (20° C). Between August and October there is a considerable rise in average temperatures, particularly in the river valley itself; just before the rains begin in October temperatures there become excessively hot, often reaching 104° F (40° C). The rainy season lasts from November to April. Rain falls in short, intense thundershowers—the rate sometimes reaching 6 inches (150 millimetres) per hour—with skies clearing between downpours. In these months the upper Zambezi receives nearly all its total rainfall, and this accounts for the great variation in the flow of the river throughout the year. In all, the upper and middle Zambezi valley receives 22 to 30 inches of rain per year.

Studies have suggested that a microclimate in the area of Lake Kariba has created a rise in precipitation, possibly as a result of a lake breeze blocked by the escarpment that produces thunderstorms. In the lower course of the river in Mozambique the influence of the summer monsoon increases the levels of precipitation and humidity. Temperatures are also higher—determined more by the latitude and less by altitude—as the river descends from the plateau. Plant life The vegetation along the upper and middle course of the Zambezi is predominantly savanna , with deciduous trees, grass, and open woodland. Mopane woodland (Colophospermum mopane) is predominant on the alluvial flats of the low-lying river valleys and is highly susceptible to fire. Grass, when present, is typically short and sparse. Forestland with species of the genus Baikiaea, found extensively on sandy interfluves between drainage channels, is economically the most important vegetation type in Zambia, for it is the source of the valuable Rhodesian teak (Baikiaea plurijuga). Destruction of the Baikiaea forest results in a regression from forest to grassland , a slow process involving intermediate stages of scrub vegetation.

The river additionally has a distinct fringing vegetation, mainly riverine forest including ebony (Diospyros mespiliformis) and small shrubs and ferns (e.g., Haemanthus). In the lower course of the Zambezi, dense bush and evergreen forest, with palm trees and patches of mangrove swamp, is the typical vegetation. Animal life Zambezi River Facts and Information The Zambezi River Zambezi River means the “Great River” in the local Tonga dialect The Zambezi is the fourth longest river in Africa, after the Nile, Congo, and Niger Rivers. It is the longest east flowing river in Africa. It flows through six countries on its journey from its source in north-western Zambia to the Indian Ocean, an amazing 2 700 km. This river evokes mystery and excitement with few rivers in the world remaining as pristine or as little explored. The source of the mighty Zambezi River lies at about 1 500 m (4 900ft) above sea level in the Mwinilunga District, very close to the border where Zambia, Angola and the Congo meet.

From there it flows through Zambia, Angola, Namibia and Botswana then back along the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe finally discharging into the Indian Ocean at its delta in Mozambique. The area of its catchment basin is 1 390 000 square km which is half that of the Nile. The Power of the Zambezi River has been harnessed along its journey at two points, the first being Kariba Dam in Zimbabwe and the second Cahora Bassa Dam in Mozambique. Both these dams are sources of hydroelectric power and supply a large portion of power to Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Recently worrying reports have popped up in the press that the Zambezi Seaway Scheme, a project to open up the Zambezi to enable the transportation of goods and minerals from the hinterland, is back on the cards. Click here for full details and to leave your comments For years there has also been talk and plans of another Hydroelectric Dam to be built in the Batoka gorge just below Victoria Falls, of major concern is that these plans are very much alive again. To find out more please click on this link " Batoka Dam Project " as we continue to follow and oppose this threatening project.

The rivers beauty has attracted tourists from all over the world and provides great opportunities for game viewing and various water sports. Hippopotamus, crocodiles, elephants and lions are some examples of wildlife you will find along various parts of the Zambezi river. I suggest that we look at this amazing river in three sections: Upper Zambezi From the source the river flows to the south-west out of Zambia and into Angola for about 240 km (150miles). When it re-enters Zambia it is approximately 400m (1300ft) wide in the rainy season and is fast flowing at Cholwezi rapids and the Chavuma Falls. The river runs south now for a distance of about 800 km (500miles) and in this distance only drops about 180m (590ft). It is very slow flowing for most of this section as it enters an area known as the Barotse Floodplain where the width of the river reaches up to 25 km (16miles) in the rainy season. The upper part of the Zambezi River is only sparsely populated by pastoralists, farmers and fishermen.

During the rainy season when the plain is in flood a ceremony known as the Ku-omboka Ceremony take place as the local people move to higher ground to escape the flood waters. One local folk law is that the Zambezi River has a spirit called Nyami Nyami – this spirit brings them water to grow their crops and fish to eat – and so they call the river “the river of life” It then turns easterly and forms the border between Zambia and Namibia this is at the Katima Mulilo rapids. Eventually it meets the Chobe River and briefly forms a border with Botswana, before becoming the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. It is at this point that the four countries; Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe meet. The river then flows about another 80 km down towards Victoria Falls . This section above the falls is where tour operators run lots of exciting activities including kayaking, canoe trips , river cruises and daily floats on both the Zimbabwe and Zambian sides. This is a spectacular section of the river with many islands and channels, crystal clear waters and sandy beaches. It teams with birds and wildlife.

The Zimbabwe side is a national park called the Zambezi National Park whilst on the Zambian side there are many small lodges which blend into the banks of the river. The Middle Zambezi The Victoria Falls are considered the boundary between the upper and middle Zambezi. For the next 500 km the river serves as the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. Below the Falls the river continues to flow due east for about 200 km (120miles), cutting through gorges of basalt rock between 200 to 250 metres (660 to 820ft) high. It is in these gorges where the commercial white water rafting now takes place. The Zambezi River is graded as a grade 5 river. This is the highest grade that a river can be graded for white water rafting , meaning this is as wet and wild as it gets. The Victoria Falls also serves as a backdrop for many other adventure sports including the famous bungee jump from the Victoria Falls Bridge . The river drops 250m over the 200 km before entering Lake Kariba.

The Kariba Dam which was completed in 1959 is one of the largest man-made lakes in the world. The hydroelectric power generated at the dam provides electricity for much of Zambia and Zimbabwe. Lake Kariba is 226 km long and in places up to 40 km wide and supports a thriving commercial fishing industry and is a fantastic tourist attraction. With its spectacular scenery, stunning sunsets, great fishing and boating opportunities it is one of the finest places on this planet for a holiday. The weather here is mostly sunny and fine but it does get very hot in mid summer, even mid winter days are warm and the nights are balmy. From the Kariba dam wall the river heads east again towards Chirundu. Beyond this the river is flanked by Lower Zambezi National Park in Zambia and Mana Pools National Park in Zimbabwe. This is the stretch of the river that the famous canoe safaris are run. Tourists have the opportunity of paddling down the river and camping overnight on the banks or more luxurious trips offer accommodation in one of the safari lodges along the way. Wonderful sightings of wildlife are experienced as the canoes slip silently by them, and encounters with Hippopotamus can be quite exciting.

This middle zone of the Zambezi river supports one of the most important wilderness areas in Africa. The middle Zambezi ends where the river enters Lake Cahora Bassa which was constructed in 1974. Formerly the site of dangerous rapids known as Kebrabassa, these rapids made navigation by large vessels up the Zambezi impossible for the early explorers and for this very reason the development of the inland was slower than had they not been there. The Lower Zambezi The lower part of the river from Cahora Bassa down to the Indian Ocean is navigable by large vessels. This section is 650 km (400miles) in length, the river is shallow in many places especially during the dry season as the river enters a broad valley and spreads out over a large area. Only at the Lupata Gorge 320 km (200miles) up from the mouth does the river flow between high hills and a gorge is formed. Elsewhere it flows gently with many small channels to explore along the way. The river bed is sandy, and the banks are low and reed-fringed, however during the rainy season these streams join to become one fast flowing river.

The Zambezi's Delta About 160 km (100miles) from the mouth, the Zambezi receives water from Lake Malawi through the Shire River. On approaching the Indian Ocean the river splits up into a number of branches and forms the Zambezi Delta. A sand bar obstructs the four principal mouths, being the Milambe, Kongone, Luabo and Timbwe. To the north a branch called Chinde has a minimum depth of 2m at the entrance and 4m a bit further in; this is the branch that is used for navigation. The delta has been effected by the building of the Kariba and Cahora Bassa dams and it’s about half as wide as it was before these were finished. Share with others! Can't find what you are looking for? Use Google Search to search this site for any term you are looking for.. Zambezi River Zambezi River T he Zambezi is Africa’s fourth largest River system, after the Nile, Zaire and Niger Rivers. It runs through six countries on it’s journey from central Africa to the Indian Ocean.

Its unique value is that it is less developed than others in terms of human settlement and many areas along it’s banks enjoy protected status. It’s power has carved the spectacular Victoria Falls and the zigzagging Batoka Gorge. The Zambezi has been harnessed at various points along the way including the massive Kariba Dam between Zambia and Zimbabwe and Cabora Bassa Dam in Mozambique. Plans for another dam at the Batoka gorge have fortunately been shelved. The River’s beauty has attracted tourists from all over the world providing opportunities for a myriad of water sports and game viewing. Running for a length of 2700kms, it begins it’s journey as an insignificant little spring in the corner of north-west Zambia in the Mwinilunga District. It bubbles up between the roots of a tree, very close to the border where Zambia, Angola and Zaire meet. It enters Angola for about 230kms, where it accumulates the bulk of its headwater drainage, and re-enters Zambia again at Cholwezi rapids flowing due south but substantially enlarged by the entry of various tributaries.

This upper part of the river is thinly populated by pastoralists, farmers and fishermen and although wildlife is sparse it is remarkably free of pollution. This is also the scene of the remarkable Ku-omboka Ceremony where thousands of inhabitants move annually to higher ground as the Zambezi floods into the low lying plains. It passes through the flat sandy country of the Western Province, then traverses the broad, annually flooding Barotse Plains, where much of the water is lost to evaporation, then over more rocky country where it’s tranquil course is interrupted by the Ngonye falls and rapids. As it turns to an easterly direction it forms the border between Zambia and Namibia and eventually joins up with the Chobe River in the Caprivi Swamps, briefly forming a border with Botswana. For the next 500kms it serves as the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe thundering over the Victoria Falls and through the narrow, steadily deepening Batoka Gorge, providing a fantastic playground for white water rafting, kayaking, river boarding and jet boating. From here the steep sides of the gorge eventually flatten out at the broad Gwembe Valley.

Then it flows into the Kariba dam for 281kms – it’s width at one point being 40kms. From the dam wall the river travels due north, heading east again at Chirundu. Here it is flanked by the Lower Zambezi National Park on the Zambian side and Mana Pools National Park on the Zimbabwean side. This middle zone supports one of Africa’s most important wilderness areas. After the Luangwa confluence, it’s a much larger Zambezi that flows into Mozambique and out towards the Indian Ocean, having provided power, food, pleasure and transport for many and a home for untold numbers of wildlife along it’s journey. Fishing Trips on the Zambezi River The Zambezi River - WorldAtlas.com Geography The Zambezi River At almost 1,600 miles in length, the Africa River Zambezi is one of the longest rivers in the world, and home to the magnificent Victoria Falls. The breathtaking sight of Victoria Falls on the Zambia River between Zimbabwe and Zambia. 5.

Description The fourth longest river system in Africa, the Zambezi arises from its source near a marshy bog on the Central African Plateau of Zambia at an altitude of 4,800 feet above sea level. From there, it flows for 3,540 kilometers eastward into Mozambique before finally draining into the Indian Ocean. As the river flows, it also crosses or borders the African nations of Angola, Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. The Victoria Falls, a famous and spectacular waterfall on the Zambezi River at the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia, is one of the most notable features of this river. The river and its tributaries drain an area of nearly 1,390,000 square kilometers. 4. Historical Role The Zambezi river water route was used as early as the 10th Century by Arab traders. The first Europeans to arrive at the Zambezi were the Portuguese, who utilized the river's routes to trade in slaves, gold, and ivory starting in the 16th Century. Prior to the exploration and mapping of the Zambezi River by the Scottish missionary and explorer David Livingstone, the river was believed to arise from an inland sea.

In the 1850s, when Livingstone traveled along the river from Sesheke near the Victoria Falls to the Indian Ocean, he was able to draw a detailed map of its course that remained to be the most valid available until the 20th century, when a fully accurate map of the river from its source to its mouth was produced. 3. Modern Significance The Zambezi River basin is inhabited by around 32 million people. Agriculture is extensively practiced in the fertile floodplains in the upper course of the river. Both commercial and sports fisheries operate on the waters of the Zambezi as well, and many tourists are allured to fish for the many exotic species in this river. The Zambezi River Valley also has rich mineral and fossil fuel reserves, and coal is mined at many places therein. Two of Africa’s largest hydroelectric projects, the Kariba and Cahora Bassa Dams, are also located on the Zambezi River. The arresting natural beauty of the Victoria Falls draws 1.5 million visitors to the area every year.

Though the river cannot be extensively used for navigation due to the presence of a number of rapids, some amount of water traffic exists along the short, uninterrupted stretches of the river. 2. Habitat and Biodiversity A tropical climate prevails in the Zambezi River Basin, as the river flows within the tropics. The upper and middle courses of the Zambezi River experience a milder climate (temperatures between 18° and 30° Celsius) than the lower course of the river. Heavy rain falls between November and April, and these are greater in the lower course of the river as compared to the upper and middle courses. As a result, savanna vegetation dominates the upper and middle river portions of the river basin, while evergreen forests and mangrove swamps cover the lower course of the river’s basin. The Zambezi River Basin supports a great diversity of terrestrial animal species, ranging from powerful mammalian predators like lions, cheetahs and leopards, to game species like waterbuck, impala, eland, and bushbuck, to other mammals like elephants, baboons, and monkeys.

Crocodiles and hippopotamuses thrive in the waters of the Zambezi, and so does a great variety of fish species, inclusive of Tiger fish, Yellow fish, bream, and pike. Herons, African open-bills, Wattled cranes, egrets, African fish eagles, and other avifauna are also abundant in the region. Reptiles like African rock pythons, Floodplain water snakes, and Nile monitor lizards also dwell in the Zambezi River Basin. 1. Environmental Threats and Territorial Disputes The construction of massive dams on the Zambezi River has significantly impacted the ecology of its river basin. The divergence from environmental recommendations during the construction of the Cahora Bassa Dam in 1973 led to widespread ecological damage to the Zambezi’s ecosystems, including a 40% reduction in its mangrove forest coverage. Soil erosion at the lower course of the river, near its mouth, increased considerably, and the seasonal migration of fish species along the river was also severely affected. Since sewage from cities along the river's banks are commonly released into the river without receiving sufficient treatment, the waters of the Zambezi tend to be highly polluted with contaminants.

This is leading to eutrophication of the river, as well as loading the river's waters with disease-causing microbes. Cholera, typhus, and dysentery cases have become common due to drinking of the Zambezi's polluted river waters. This page was last modified on June 6, 2016. On WorldAtlas.com Where does the Zambezi River start? | Reference.com Where does the Zambezi River start? A: Quick Answer Shallow wetlands within the dense woodlands of northwest Zambia serve as the source of the Zambezi River. The fourth-longest river in Africa, the Zambezi stretches roughly 1,600 miles through the countries of Zambia, Angola, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Full Answer From its origin, the Zambezi flows southwest into Angola and then turns south through the Barotseland Floodplains. It then flows east to northeast along the Zambia/Zimbabwe border, through Lake Kariba and Lake Cabora Bassa, before turning to the southeast and emptying into the Indian Ocean.

The most notable feature along the river is Victoria Falls, a picturesque 354-foot waterfall and World Heritage Site that attracts visitors from all over the world. Victoria Falls, Zambezi River : Image of the Day acquired September 4, 2003 acquired September 4, 2003 download large image (5 MB, JPEG, 6144x4068) Victoria Falls is one of the most famous tourist sites in subsaharan Africa. Details of the Falls are visible in this image taken with the 800 mm lens by Astronaut Edward Lu from the Space Station on September 4, 2003. A major river in south-central Africa, the Zambezi River flows from western Zambia to the Indian Ocean in Mozambique. In the sector imaged here, it flows southeast (top left to bottom right) in a wide bed before plunging suddenly 130 meters over the Victoria Falls into a narrow gorge. The falls and their famous spray clouds are 1700 m long, the longest sheet of falling water in the world. The falls appear as a ragged white line.

The small town of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe appears just west (left) of the falls, with smaller tourist facilities on the east bank in Zambia. The international railroad bridge over the second gorge (between Zimbabwe and Zambia) can be seen in the detailed view on the bottom (arrow). The positions of the falls are controlled by linear fault lines in the underlying basalt rocks. The falls have moved upstream (bottom to top) by intense river erosion, elongating the zig-zag gorge in the process. Prior positions of the strongly linear falls can be detected. The earliest on this cropped view may have been the longest (dashed line). The zig-zags represent subsequent positions, all with the characteristic water-worn lip on the upstream side. The falls will continue to erode northward. Astronaut photograph ISS007-E-14361 was taken September 4, 2003 with a Kodak DCS760 digital camera equipped with an 800mm lens and provided by M. Justin Wilkinson (Lockheed Martin / Earth Observations Laboratory, Johnson Space Center).

The International Space Station Program supports the laboratory to help astronauts take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public, and to make those images freely available on the Internet. Additional images taken by astronauts and cosmonauts can be viewed at the NASA/JSC Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth. Instrument(s): National Academic Quiz Tournaments, LLC You Gotta Know These African Bodies of Water Rivers: Nile River Usually cited as the longest river in the world, the Nile flows about 4,132 miles in a generally south-to-north direction from its headwaters in Burundi to Egypt's Mediterranean Sea coast, where it forms a prototypical delta. Over 80% of the Nile's flow comes from the shorter Blue Nile headstream, which arises from Ethiopia's Lake Tana and meets the longer White Nile, whose headwaters include Lake Victoria, at Khartoum. At the first of the Nile's six cataracts is the Aswan High Dam, which forms Lake Nasser and greatly reduces the annual floods. Congo River Africa's second-longest river, it flows in a counterclockwise arc some 2,900 miles to the Atlantic Ocean.

The Upper Congo's principal sources are the Lualaba, which rises in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Katanga province, and Zambia's Chambeshi River. Boyoma Falls (formerly Stanley Falls), a section of seven cataracts near Kisangani, marks the beginning of the Congo River proper. Forming the Malebo Pool near the world capitals of Kinshasa and Brazzaville, the Lower Congo flows past Angola's Cabinda exclave as it enters the ocean. Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness depicts the often cruel conditions the Congo basin endured as a Belgian colony. Zambezi River Weaving across southern Africa, the Zambezi rises in eastern Angola, passes through Zambia, flows along the borders of Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe, crosses through Mozambique, and enters the Indian Ocean's Mozambique Channel near Chinde. Namibia's Caprivi Strip was created to allow access the Zambezi. The Cabora Bassa and Kariba Dams form large lakes of the same name.

The most spectacular feature of the Zambezi is Victoria Falls, or Mosi-oa-Tunya ("the smoke that thunders"), which is over a mile wide and is the largest waterfall by flow rate in Africa. The fact that the Zambezi separates Zambia and Zimbabwe is a classic trivia question. Niger River Africa's third-longest, it flows in a great clockwise arc through Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria before entering the Gulf of Guinea. The medieval Mali and Songhai Empires were centered on the Niger, whose course was mapped by Scottish explorer Mungo Park in the 1790s. In Nigeria, it receives the Benue River, its main tributary. The massive Niger Delta, known for its fisheries, wildlife, and petroleum, is an area of increasing social unrest. Limpopo River Rising as the Crocodile (or Krokodil) River in South Africa's Witwatersrand region, it forms the Transvaal's border with Botswana and Zimbabwe, then crosses through Mozambique. Deforestation in Mozambique contributed to massive flooding of the Limpopo in 2000.

Perhaps the most famous description of the Limpopo comes from Rudyard Kipling, who in "The Elephant's Child" referred to it as "the great grey-green, greasy Limpopo River, all set about with fever-trees". Okavango River The Okavango flows for about 1,000 miles from central Angola, through Namibia's Caprivi Strip, and into the Kalahari Desert of Botswana. There, rather than flowing into the sea, it terminates in a massive inland swamp known as the Okavango Delta, an area that, especially during the wet season, teems with wildlife in an otherwise inhospitable region. Lakes: Lake Victoria The world's second-largest freshwater lake by area, Lake Victoria lies along the Equator and is shared between Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. Located on a plateau between two rift valleys, its lone outlet is the Victoria Nile, a precursor of the White Nile. Named by British explorer John Hanning Speke for Queen Victoria, the introduction of the predatory Nile perch in the 1950s has caused environmental degradation, sending many native cichlid species into extinction.

Lake Tanganyika Africa's second-largest lake by area, it is also the second-deepest in the world, surpassed only by Lake Baikal. Due its extreme depth (over 4,700 feet), Lake Tanganyika contains seven times as much water as Lake Victoria. A source of the Lualaba River, it is shared by Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, and Zambia. On its Tanzanian shore is the town of Ujiji, at which Henry Morton Stanley "found" Dr. David Livingstone in 1871. Lake Malawi (or Lake Nyasa) Africa's third-largest lake by area and the southernmost of the Great Rift Valley lakes, it is wedged between the nations of Malawi, Tanzania, and Mozambique. Fed by the Ruhuhu River, its lone outlet is the Shire River, a tributary of the Zambezi. Lake Malawi contains hundreds of species of endemic fish, especially cichlids. Lake Volta The largest manmade lake, by area, in the world, Lake Volta was created by the construction of Ghana's Akosombo Dam across the Volta River in the 1960s.

The lake covers the area where the Black Volta and White Volta rivers formerly converged. The Akosombo Dam can provide over a gigawatt of power, enough to supply nearby aluminum smelters utilizing the energy-intensive Hall-Héroult process and the needs of the rest of the country. Lake Chad Formerly Africa's fourth-largest lake, its surface area has been reduced by over 90% since the 1960s due to droughts and diversion of water from such sources as the Chari River. The lake is at the intersection of Chad, Cameroon, Niger, and Nigeria, but most of the remaining water is in Chad and Cameroon. Lake Chad is very shallow and has no outlet, so seasonal rainfall causes large fluctuations in its area. Other notable features include the Orange, Senegal, and Gambia Rivers, Lakes Albert and Rudolf, and the Suez Canal. Notable bodies of water off the African coast include the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aqaba, the Bights of Biafra and Benin, the Strait of Gibraltar, and the Gulf of Sidra. This article was contributed by former NAQT writer Raj Dhuwalia.

The Zambezi basin The Zambezi basin The Zambezi basin is the fourth-largest river basin of Africa, after the Congo/Zaire, Nile and Niger basins. Its total area represents about 4.5% of the area of the continent and spreads over eight countries (Map 8 and Table 38). The Zambezi River flows eastwards for about 3000 km from its sources to the Indian Ocean. Table 38: The Zambezi basin: areas and rainfall by country Total area of the country (kmï¿½) Area of the country within the basis (kmï¿½) As % of total area of the basin (%) As % of total area of the country (%) Average annual rainfall in the basin area (mm) 930 Rivers and discharges The Zambezi River rises in the Kalene hills in north-western Zambia and flows northwards for about 30 km. It then turns west and south to run over about 280 km through Angola and reenters Zambia with an annual discharge of nearly 18 km3. It then flows southwards through marshy plains.

In the south-west of Zambia the river becomes the border between Zambia and the eastern Caprivi Strip of Namibia for about 130 km. The Chobe tributary originates in Angola, crosses the Caprivi Strip with an annual discharge of about 1.3 km3, then forms the border between Namibia and Botswana and enters Botswana to flow southwards for about 75 km until it meets the Selinda spillway along which spillage from the Okavango occurs in high flood years (see section The Okavango basin). It then turns east, again forming the border between Namibia and Botswana as it flows through a swampy area and flows into the Zambezi River at the border point between Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia with an annual discharge of about 4.1 km3. The discharge of the Zambezi River at this point is 33.5 km3/year. The Zambezi River then forms the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe and reaches its greatest width, over 1.3 km, before its waters plunge over the Victoria Falls. It continues to form the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe until it enters Mozambique.

There are two major man-made lakes on the Zambezi River, Lake Kariba on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe and Lake Cabora Bassa in Mozambique. Downstream of Lake Kariba the Kafue River, a major tributary originating in the north of Zambia, flows into the Zambezi River with a discharge of about 10 km3/year. Still further downstream, at the border with Mozambique, the Luangwa River flows into the Zambezi River with an annual discharge of over 22 km3. This tributary originates in the north-east of Zambia. The total discharge entering Lake Cabora Bassa from Zambia is estimated at about 77.5 km3 /year. Leaving the lake the Zambezi River flows south-eastwards and receives water from its last great tributary, the Shire, with an annual discharge of nearly 16 km3. The Shire drains Lake Malawi (also called Lake Nyasa) about 450 km to the north. The northern part of Lake Malawi forms the border between Tanzania and Malawi, the southern part the border between Mozambique anti Malawi.

The total flow into the lake is estimated at about 29 km3/year of which 53% from Tanzania, 43% from Malawi and 4% from Mozambique. Total outflow from the lake in the Shire River in the south is 12.5 km3/year. The level of the lake has fluctuated 6 metres since the beginning of the century, with its lowest level in 1917 and its highest level in 1980. At its mouth, the Zambezi River splits into a wide, flat and marshy delta. The annual discharge flowing to the sea is estimated at 106 km . Annual rainfall in the basin decreases from almost 1800 mm in the north to less than 550 mm in the south. Both Botswana and Namibia are rather dry countries and only 2% of each of these countries is situated in the basin. However, rainfall in these parts, around 600 mm/year, is higher than the countries average, which is 400 mm/year for Botswana and only 280 mm/year for Namibia.

Irrigation potential and water requirements For Angola the irrigation potential has been estimated at 700000 ha [*], as explained in the section The Congo/Zaire basin The irrigation potential for Namibia has been estimated at between 45000 and 50000 ha, of which 10 000 ha for a sugar cane project in the Caprivi Strip [163]. Flood recession cropping is evaluated at 1000 ha in this area. The irrigation potential for Botswana in the Zambezi basin ranges from 80 ha, considering identified soils and without the need for major water development works, to 11080 ha, including the need for major water development works. However, of this total area, 10000 ha are located in the Padamatenga plains outside the Zambesi basin in the north-east, to where it is planned to transfer water from the Chobe tributary [64]. In this study, 1080 ha have been retained for the irrigation potential.

According to the irrigation subsector review of Zimbabwe [216], of the total internal surface water resources of 13.1 km3/year, 3.6 km3/year is already committed for domestic, industrial, mining and irrigation use. Of the remaining 9.5 km3/year, at least 3.0 km3/year is reported to be effectively inaccessible. Of the remaining 6.5 km3/year, about half is considered as potentially available for irrigation development, of which 1.94 km3/year in the Zambezi basin. In addition, there is the flow of the Zambezi River. The Zambezi basin in Zimbabwe has been divided into three hydrological zones. In the western and eastern zones, suitable soil is the limiting factor, while in the middle zone water is the limiting factor. At present 70045 ha have been developed or planned for irrigation [216]. Based on land and water and considering an irrigation water requirement of 10500 m3/ha per year according to this study, it would be possible to irrigate another 95355 ha, so bringing the total to 165400 ha [*].

However, taking a water requirement of 18000 m/ha per year as proposed in the irrigation subsector review would reduce the potential to 131000 ha. For Zambia, of the irrigation potential of 523000 ha for the whole country the distribution of 355000 ha over the different sub-basins is known, but no details on location are given for the remaining 168000 ha, consisting of 100000 ha of dambos (wetlands), 60000 ha irrigated by renewable groundwater and 8000 ha of commercial farms [214, 215].

The irrigation potential in the Zambezi basin is estimated at 422000 ha as follows [215, *]: TABLE 39: Irrigation potential in the different Zambezi sub-basins in Zambia Types of irrigation 61000 422000 In view of the rugged, very steep terrain of the southern highlands of Tanzania draining to Lake Malawi, no real possibilities for irrigation development exist and consumptive water use would be limited to domestic and industrial water supply. These are relatively small volumes and their quantities would not change the mean annual flow into the lake from Tanzania [136]. Malawi has abundant land where soil and topography are suitable for irrigation but only limited areas that coincide with easily obtainable water from perennial streams. An important feature of the flat lake shore and the Shire River valley landscapes are large areas of marshy land, swamps and lagoons, which are poorly drained and flood susceptible areas. The irrigation potential for the whole of Malawi has been estimated at 100000 ha plus 61900 ha of dambos (wetlands) [135].

It is estimated that 160900 ha of this total are located in the Zambezi basin [*]. The irrigation potential figure of 2 million ha given in literature for Mozambique includes the whole Zambezia province, part of which is located outside the Zambezi basin [159]. The area within the Zambezi basin is estimated at 1.7 million ha [*]. Table 40 summarizes the figures for the whole basin. Table 40: Zambezi basin: irrigation potential. water requirements and areas under irrigation Country 3160380 37.303 For the Zambezi basin as a whole, the water requirements are much less than the water availability. Attention has to be paid, however, to the Chobe tributary, originating in Angola and shared by Angola, Zambia, Namibia and Botswana. The Zambezi River entering Zambia from Angola in the north has an annual discharge of 18 km3, which is twice the volume needed to irrigate the 700000 ha potential of Angola.

The Chobe tributary, however, has a discharge of only 1.3 km3/year when leaving Angola, so if a large part of the irrigation potential area of 700000 ha in Angola or if part of the irrigation potential of 159000 ha in the upper Zambezi basin in Zambia is located in this sub-basin, problems may arise for Namibia and Botswana, even though irrigation potential there is very limited compared to the other countries. Further downstream, no particular problems are expected in terms of water resources. However, water regulation would be necessary for full development of the potential.

Question: Into which body of water does the river Zambezi flow?
Answer: INDIAN OCEAN