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 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.. To The Victoria Falls : The Zambezi River To The Victoria Falls A Natural Wonder The Zambezi River It is thought Zambezi means ‘Great River’ in the language of the Tonga people who inhabit its middle reaches.

However the Lozi refer to the river as 'yambezhi' (pronounced 'le-am-by'), meaning 'heart of all', but it is possible the name has common ancestory in both languages. For many years the river was spelt 'Zambesi', with the now popular spelling of 'Zambezi' becoming only widely used in the latter half of the last century. The Zambezi River is the forth longest river in Africa (after the Nile, Congo, and Niger) and the largest to discharge into the Indian Ocean from the African continent, flowing for about 2,574 kilometres from its source on the Central African Plateau to sea. Rising in Zambia at a height of 1,524 metres above sea level, the Zambezi flows through, or borders, six countries (Zambia, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique) before discharging into the Indian Ocean.

The Zambezi River basin catchment area extends over the territory of eight countries - Zambia, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania and Mozambique - a catchment area of 1,320,000 km2 with a cumulative mean annual flow of approximately 97 km3 - making it the largest river in southern Africa. By comparison the Zambezi roughly equates to the Nile, but is significantly less than the annual flow of the Congo, which in turn is significantly less than that of the Amazon. The river is generally separated into three sub-sections, representing its different physical and biological characteristics. The coastal section, or Lower Zambezi , stretches 360 miles up as far as the Cahora Bassa gorge, now flooded by the Cahora Bassa Dam. The Middle Zambezi is 600 miles long, in low-lying country, and is divided from the Upper Zambezi regions of the river by the Victoria Falls, 1,000 miles from the coast.

Map of the Zambezi River basin (highlighted) within southern African context The wider Zambezi River Basin is home to some forty million people who speak Bantu-lineage local languages with English and Portuguese being the main official languages. The Basin is well endowed with mineral, water and energy resources, natural tourist attractions like the Victoria Falls, as well as a healthy wildlife population. Major Tributaries of the Zambezi River The Zambezi has a number of important tributaries, which constitute major rivers in their own right, including the Shire River, flowing from the territories of Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique, the Luangwa, Kafu and Kabompo rivers, lying wholly within Zambia, the Luena, from the territory of Angola and Zambia, and the Cuando (or Kwando), also known as the Chobe, draining from Angola, Namibia and Botswana. The most westerly of these is the Cuando (or Kwando), draining an area from Angola, Namibia and Botswana. Following a south-easterly course as far as the Botswana–Namibia border, it veers sharply northeastwards to link with the Zambezi via the Linyanti-Chobe floodplain.

The mid-section of the Cuando is a floodplain, comparable with the Barotse floodplain, and linked to the latter by a broad belt of alluvium termed the Mulonga-Matebele Plain, which is subject to flooding in the wet season. The Kafue is a north bank tributary with headwaters on the Southern Equatorial Divide. It initially flows in a general southwesterly direction towards the Upper Zambezi, but the course veers sharply eastwards in the vicinity of a broad floodplain known as the Kafue Flats. This tributary links with the Mana Pools Basin of the Middle Zambezi below the deeply incised Kafue Gorge. The Luangwa River flows in a general south-westerly direction over most of its length – an unusual orientation for a major tributary of an east-draining river. The course veers sharply to the south-south-east a little above the confluence with the Zambezi in the upper reaches of the Chicoa Basin. The mid-Zambezi has a number of relatively minor south bank tributaries, which rise on the central Zimbabwe divide. Their upper reaches flow in a general north-westerly direction.

A major tributary of the Lower Zambezi is the Shire, which flows southwards from its headwaters in Lake Malawi, in Malawi. Hydrology of the Zambezi Catchment The hydrology of the Zambezi catchment is determined by the annual variation of summer rainfall, which is influenced by the movement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone. The further south the zone moves, the greater the delivery of rainfall across the catchment. In winter these boundaries move north, resulting in drier conditions across the Zambezi Basin. River hydrology is further influenced by man. Off-take for agricultural, industrial and domestic use only amounts to about 3 percent of the total flow of the river. Use by hydro-electric facilities, due to the evaporation lost from the large surface area of reservoirs such as Kariba and Cabora Bass Dams, amounts to just over 5 percent of flow. Usage by these sectors is however likely offset by the increased runoff caused by deforestation, drainage of wetlands and other changes in landuse.

(Studies on Lake Malawi (Price et al 1998) indicates that increased runoff caused by the clearing of natural forests in the Shire catchment has meant the level of Lake Malawi in the early 1990s was 1m higher than it would have been otherwise). The annual variation in rainfall between dry winters and wet summers produce high flows in February-April and then progressively lower flows up to a November minimum. The annual flooding is however buffered by the natural flood regulatory capacity of the floodplains developed on the major headwater tributaries. The most important of these are the Barotse and Chobe floodplains in the upper Zambezi, the Kafue Flats on the Kafue River and Elephant March on the Shire River [major tributaries of the Zambezi]. Flow has been further affected by the construction of major dams in the Zambezi (Kariba and Cahora Bassa) and on the Kafue (Itezhi tezhi and Kafue Gorge).

(Gupta, 2007) The extensive wetland areas along the Zambezi, in particular the Upper Zambezi catchment are important biodiversity hotspots as well as playing a crucial role in regulating floodwaters. 'The densely vegetated floodplains such as the Barotse and Chobe (Upper Zambezi) and the Kafue Flats, with their shallow gradients, form natural sediment traps that greatly reduce the material supplied to the lower reaches of the river system. These floodplains as a consequence form major wetlands that provide important wildlife refuges, particularly for fish, avifauna and water-dependent mammals, including hippopotamus and the lechwe and sitatunga antelopes. Fish migrate into the inundated grasslands of the floodplains during the floods, spawn, and their fry utilize the rich plankton and benthic communities which develop after nutrient release from decomposing organisms drowned by the floodwaters. Readily accessible stretches of the Zambezi and major tributaries, such as the Barotse floodplain, provide a reliable perennial water source, and are thus an important focus for human settlement and agricultural activity (Davies, 1986).

(Gupta, 2007) Zambezi River Profile Damming the Zambezi As well as Kariba and Cahora Bassa Dams on the Zambezi itself, two other major dams, the Itezhi tezhi and Kafue Gorge Dams have been built on the Kafue, a major tributary of the river. There have been marked changes to the ecology and utilization of the Zambezi River system as a result of the construction of several major dams, such as Kariba Dam and Cabora Bassa on the middle Zambezi, and the Itezhi tezhi and Kafue Gorge Dams on the Kafue. These impoundments had a major impact on the economy of the region. Thus, they represent an important source of hydroelectricity for the whole subcontinent, where there is a rapidly rising demand for power. The introduction of the Lake Tanganyika sardine Limnothrissa miodon (colloquially known as ‘kapenta’) into Lake Kariba in 1967 has formed the basis of an important fishing industry.

Against all expectations, this fish survived discharge via the Kariba turbines and sluice gates, as well as a journey of several hundred kilometres to colonise Cahora Bassa, where it now also forms the basis of an important fishing industry (Davies, 1986; Jackson, 2000). The large dams have also become the focus of an important tourist industry. Nevertheless, these economic benefits have come at considerable human and ecological costs. The construction of Lake Kariba led to the displacement of about 50,000 members of the Tonga tribe which had inhabited the area since about 1100 AD, while about 25,000 people were relocated as a result of the construction of Cahora Bassa. These displacements have led to serious community disturbances, major psychological upsets and emotional problems in the attempt to adapt to new terrain and a new way of life, and bitterness and resentment that rankles to this day (Davies, 1986). The dams have also had severe ecological impacts on the major floodplains, as a result of the reduction of the supply of water and sediment.

The resultant contraction of these wetlands impacts particularly on fish, avifauna and water-dependent antelope species, and are only marginally offset by the added wetlands of the lake shallows (Davies, 1986). This is well illustrated by the collapse in numbers of the semi-aquatic Kafue lechwe (Kobus kafuensis), which is endemic to the Kafue flats, following construction of the Itezhi-tezhi Dam. Today, this species is confined to a fragment of the former range, with a decline from an estimated population of 350,000 at the turn of the twentieth century to less that 30,000 today (Cotterill, 2005). It has also been estimated that the closure of Cahora Bassa led to a 70% reduction of the supply of sediment to the lower reaches of the river, and that this could lead to severe erosion of the Zambezi Delta, threatening both agricultural activity and the important Marromeu wilderness area. During the annual floods prior to construction of the dams, the drowned grasslands of the delta were protected from overgrazing, and thus able to regenerate.

The virtual elimination of the natural flooding regime has disturbed this important ecological dynamic. It may also be responsible for the present marked die-off of the coastal mangroves, and the catastrophic decline of the coastal shrimp-fishing industry (Davies, 1986). The latter author notes that a major problem in quantifying the ecological effects of the construction of the major dams was the lack of baseline environmental data prior to their construction. (Gupta, 2007) In addition to these exitsting dams, it is also proposed to build hydro-electric dam facilities at the Batoka Gorge and Devil's Gorge, both above Kariba, and the Mupata Gorge, between Kariba and Cahora Bassa. These sites were first identified in 1973, and have been proposed repeatedly over the years. As of early 2013 Zimbabwe and Zambia were in advanced stages of planning for the construction of the Batoka Gorge Dam, which will flood the Zambezi at a maximum level to within 5 metres of the base outflow for the Victoria Falls Hydro-electric station. The dam is due for completion in 2019.

The other two damns are looking increasingly likely as the region is predicted to suffer a widening energy deficit. For latest on the proposed Batoka Gorge Dam development please visit Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs Batoka Dam News (external site, opens in a new window). A sixth dam, not shown in the above diagram, is in the advanced stages of planning in Mozambique. Located 60 kilometres downstream of Cahora Bassa Dam has been a hot topic in recent years, being listed as possibly the least environmentally friendly dam in Africa. Zambezi River Dams, planned and constructed [Source: Zambezi River Authority] Management of the Kariba and other hydro-electric facilities requires a network of of thirteen hydrological stations where water levels are monitored daily. Flow measurements are also carried out at eight stations. Major Towns along the Zambezi Along much of the river's length, the population is sparse, but important towns and cities along its course include Katima Mulilo (Namibia), Mongu, Lukulu, Sesheke and Livingstone (Zambia), Victoria Falls and Kariba (Zimbabwe) and Songo and Tete (Mozambique).

Tete continues to dominate the centre-west part of the region, and is the largest settlement along the length of the Zambezi. Crossing the Zambezi The Zambezi is a major geographic boundary and barrier to land based transport. Historically control of the river by the Lozi and TokaLeya boatmen was strategically important to protecting their kingdoms from Matabele (Ndebele) raids, and access to the Barotse heartlands were strictly controlled through strategic crossing points such as Kazungula. Over its entire course, the Zambezi is spanned by only a few bridges: in the upper Zambezi at Chinyingi by a simple suspension bridge and in the Caprivi the Katima Mulilo bridge; in the middle Zambezi the Victoria Falls bridge and two bridges at Chirundu; and in the lower Zambezi sections the Tete suspension bridge and Dona Anna bridge. There are two major ferry crossings, at Kazungula (between Zambia and Botswana) and Caia (in Mozambique). The Cazombo road bridge in Angola was bombed in the civil war and has not yet been reconstructed.

The Katima Mulilo Bridge carries the TransCaprivi Highway over the Zambezi River between Katima Mulilo, Namibia and Sesheke, Zambia. It is a road bridge, completed in 2004, 900 metres long and with 19 spans. The Victoria Falls Bridge was constructed in 1904/5 as a railway bridge and part of Cecil Rhodes's failed scheme for a trans-continental railway stretching the length of Africa. Its location, so close to the Victoria Falls, was not without controversy at the time. At the time of its construction it was claimed to be the highest bridge over water in the world. The bridge was originally designed only to carry railway traffic, supporting two sets of rails, but in 1929/30 the top deck was reconstructed, with only one set of rails, a road and pedestrian footways. Originally known as the Zambesi Bridge, with the construction of later bridges it became known as the Victoria Falls Bridge. The Otto Beit Bridge is a single-lane bridge built in 1938-9 by the Cleveland Bridge Company, the same builders as the Victoria Falls Bridge.

The Otto Beit Bridge was the first modern suspension bridge outside the United States built with parallel wire cables. It has a span of 382 m (main span 320 m). As it was built two decades before the Kariba Dam, the engineers had to consider the annual Zambezi flood, now tamed by the dam: hence the requirement for a single span (which the second bridge did not need). The second Chirundu Bridge is a two-lane, three-span continuous pre-stressed concrete box girder bridge, 400 meters long and 10.3 meters wide and was built in 2002. It is 90 metres upstream from the Otto Beit Bridge, using the same approaches and border control area. The one-kilometre-long Tete Suspension Bridge, finished in 1973 by the Portuguese and designed by Edgar Cardoso, is a major transportation facility in the region. The Dona Ana Bridge spans the lower Zambezi River in Mozambique, effectively linking the two halves of the country. It was originally constructed as a railway bridge in 1935 to link Malawi and the Moatize coal fields to the port Beira.

At that time, it was the longest railway bridge in Africa, with a length of about 3 km, and was known as the Zambezi Bridge (the old 'Zambesi Bridge' had by now become known as the Victoria Falls Bridge). In the 1980s, during the Mozambican Civil War, it was rendered unusable. In 1995, it was repaired with funds from USAID and converted to a single-lane bridge for vehicle traffic. The Dona Ana Bridge is the longest bridge to cross the Zambezi and currently the last before its mouth in the Indian Ocean. In 2007 construction started on the longest road bridge to span the Zambezi to replace the ferry at Caia, and which will become the last bridge before the mouth of the river. With a planned length of 2376 m and width of 16 m it will be exceeded only by the Dona Ana Bridge, which it is planned will be restored as a railway bridge. Above the Falls, the Kazungula Ferry is a pontoon ferry across the 400-metre-wide section of the Zambezi River between Botswana and Zambia.

It is one of the largest ferries in south-central Africa, having a capacity of 70 tonnes. The service is provided by two motorised pontoons and operates between border posts at Kazungula, Zambia and Kasane, Botswana. It links the Livingstone-Sesheke road (which connects to the Transcaprivi Highway at Katima Mulilo) to the main north-south highway of Botswana and also to the Kasane-Victoria Falls road through Zimbabwe. Plans for a bridge to replace the ferry crossing are in development, with construction planned to begin towards the end of 2012. The Zambezi River | Zambezi Traveller - The Traveller's Friend The Zambezi River THE ZAMBEZI RIVER The Zambezi River itself travels 2,574 kilometres from its source on the Central African Plateau to its huge coastal delta on the Indian Ocean. The Zambezi directly flows through, or along the borders, of Zambia, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique before reaching the Indian Ocean. The Zambezi's most well-known geographical feature is the Victoria Falls.

Other notable falls include the Chavuma Falls at the border between Zambia and Angola, and Ngonye Falls, near Sioma in Western Zambia. Man-made features include the Kariba and Cahora Bassa Dams. Major tributaries of the Zambezi include the Kafue, Cuando (or Kwando), Gwayi, Manyame, Mazoe, Luangwa and Shire Rivers.The present-day Zambezi system can be divided up into three separate sections, each differing in its landscape characteristics, its geological history and its biodiversity. These are the Upper Zambezi, the Middle Zambezi, and the Lower Zambezi. Upper Zambezi The Upper Zambezi is geomorphologically the oldest part of the basin and has probably not changed substantially for some 2-5 million years. From humble beginnings, the Zambezi rises as a small bubbling stream near Mwinilunga in the Kalene Hills, north-western Zambia, close to the borders with Angola and the Congo. The source is located 1,524 metres above sea level.

[See Hallowed birthplace of our great river (Zambezi Traveller, Issue 06, Sept 2011) for more on the source of the Zambezi.] From its source the Zambezi flows south-west and into Angola for about 240 km, where it is joined by a much larger tributary, before turning south and back into Zambia. When it re-enters Zambia the Zambezi is approximately 400m wide. At Chavuma Falls, a few kilometres downstream from the border, the river is forced through a narrow gap in an outcrop of hard volcanic rock and tumbles over a three metre high waterfall. These falls are drowned each year under the high seasonal water levels. From its source to Chavuma, about 350 km downstream, the river drops about 400 metres. From here to the Victoria Falls, 800 km distant, the level of the basin is very flat and uniform, dropping only by another 180 metres.

The river is wide and slow flowing through this section, travelling over a thick mantle of sand, evidence of the past northern extension of the Kalahari Desert, and forming the vast Barotse Floodplain which extended for some 200 km. In the rainy season the width of the flooded river can reach up to 25 km. This is the domain of the Lozi people, who live, farm and fish on the floodplains during low water and whose lives are dominated by the seasonal flood cycle of the river. During the rainy season when the plains are in flood, they move to higher ground and forest fringes to escape the flood waters, led by their king, the Litunga, in an annual migration ceremony known as the Kubomboka. South of the settlement of Senanga the Ngonye Falls are worthy of note. Situated a few hundred kilometres upstream of the Victoria Falls, near a small town called Sioma, they are formed by the same geological process as the Victoria Falls, with cracks in the underlying basalt riverbed being eroded away to form the drop.

Their height is only 10-25 meters, but the width of the falls forms a broad crescent, interrupted by rocky outcrops, creating an impressively picturesque scene. Upstream of these falls, the river is broad and shallow as it flows across Kalahari sands, but below the falls extensive white water rapids exist, as the river is hemmed in by gorges cut into basalt rock, much like the Victoria Falls but on a smaller scale. Further south, the Zambezi turns east and briefly forms the border between Zambia and Namibia's Caprivi Strip before emerging from the Caprivi Swamps along the Botswana border, where it is joined by one its major tributaries, the Cuando or Chobe River. Here, the Caprivi-Kavango region of Namibia reaches out to meet the Zambezi and the river briefly forms the border between Zambia and Namibia before emerging from the Caprivi Swamps, where it is joined by one its major tributaries, the Cuando or Chobe River. Here four countries meet - Zambia, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe.

[See The great enigmas (Zambezi Traveller, Issue 13, June 2013) for more on this part of the Zambezi.] It was in this region during the mid 1800s that the Makololo established dominance over the Lozi, eventually subjugating their whole kingdom. It was during this time that Dr David Livingstone first explored this region, discovering the river and being the first to link it with the known river mouth of the Zambezi on the east coast. The Makololo were later overthrown by the Lozi who regained their kingdom. At Katima Mulilo the river is crossed by its first major transport bridge (opened in 2004), linking with Sesheke in Zambia. Kazungula marks the official border and river crossing point between Botswana and Zambia. About 20km downstream from Kazungula the swamplands end and the Zambezi traverses the Katambora rapids, with swirling white waters for several kilometres, before again entering a section of calmer waters. Kazungula town is the tourism access point to the Chobe National Park, one of Africa’s great safari destinations.

Flowing east from the swamps the Zambezi River's valley and flood plain is wide and broad, ridged by sandstone hills, through which the river gently meanders. Here the river lies at an altitude just over 900 meters above sea-level, on the basalt sheet of the south-central African Plateau. As it continues eastwards it suddenly reaches a chasm which cuts directly across the width of the river bed, over which it flows creating the spectacular Victoria Falls. Middle Zambezi The Victoria Falls are known as one of the largest, or greatest, waterfalls of the world. Whilst by no means the tallest, or largest in terms of annual flow, the combination of height and width and flow in seasonal flood, and spectacular geological formation and setting, make it certainly one of the greatest. The tourism needs of this natural wonder are served by the small tourist town of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, and tourism hub of Livingstone in Zambia.

[See The smoke that thunders (Zambezi Traveller, Issue 13, June 2013) for more on the Victoria Falls.] Below the Falls the Zambezi zigzags in a southerly direction through the steadily deepening Batoka Gorge, as it descends some 260m, its power and flow concentrated in the narrow channel and flowing over 60 rapids, and one waterfall, the Moemba Falls (some 50 km downstream of the Falls), until it emerges from the basaltic plateau and turns east where it is drowned under the waters of Lake Kariba and its dam, 240km from the Falls. Lake Kariba was created in 1959 following the completion of the Kariba Dam, drowning the Gwembe Valley, home of the Tonga people. It is one of the largest man-made lakes in the world, and the hydroelectric power-generating facilities provide electricity to much of Zambia and Zimbabwe. The flooding of the river valley displaced over 50,000 Tonga people from their traditional lands. The small tourist town of Kariba nestles on the Zimbabwean side of the river.

The lake offers many tourism options, and transport connections to the Zambian side. [See The Middle Zambezi (Zambezi Traveller, Issue 13, June 2013) for more on this part of the Zambezi.] Below Kariba, the Zambezi is swollen from the north by the Kafue River as the Zambezi runs between Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools and Zambia’s Lower Zambezi National Parks. At its junction with the Luangwa River, and after forming the international boundary between Zambia and Zimbabwe for approximately 500 km, the river enters into Mozambique and joins Lake Cabora Bassa. Lower Zambezi Formerly the site of dangerous rapids known as Kebrabassa, and which had blocked the early navigation of the river into the interior, the lake was created in 1974 by the construction of the Cahora Bassa Dam, and provides hydroelectric power to South Africa. Located a short distance downstream of the Cahora Bassa Dam is the regional centre of Tete on the main transport highway connecting Zimbabwe and Malawi.

From Cahora Bassa to the Indian Ocean, 650 km, the river is shallow in many places during the dry season, as the river enters a broad valley and spreads out over a large area. Only at one point, the Lupata Gorge, 320 km from its mouth, is the river confined between high hills. Here it is scarcely 200 metres wide. Elsewhere it is from 5 to 8 km wide, flowing gently in many streams. The river bed is sandy, and the banks are low and reed-fringed. At places, however, and especially in the rainy season, the streams unite into one broad fast-flowing river. On approaching the ocean the Zambezi splits up into a number of branches and forms a wide delta before eventually reaching its journeys end, escaping into the Indian Ocean.

[See The Zambezi’s final triumph (Zambezi Traveller, Issue 13, June 2013) for more on this last section of the Zambezi River.] Read about the Zambezi Region on the following pages: ZAMBEZI RIVER ZAMBEZI RIVER References: ZAMBEZI RIVER Zambezi River is the fourth longest river in Africa. The river is about 2,572 km long and its source is in Zambia. Zambezi river flows through Angola along Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe to Mozambique where it going to flow into the Indian Ocean. Zambezi River acts as a boarder which separates Zambia from other countries. Places such as Zambia and Zimbabwe uses water from Zambezi River for hydropower from the Kariba dam and also South Africa uses water in the Cabora-Bassa dam in Mozambique for electricity. The river flow South-West for about 240 km; thereafter it turns and flows south.

This picture of Zambezi is taken in the North Western part of Zambia near Zambezi Town ZAMBEZI RIVER: IMAGE 1 This image of the Zambezi River was taken towards from the North-East. The image was viewed using 2-D dimension. Its Co-ordinates are 15º42'56.62" S 29º24'41.11" E ZAMBEZI RIVER: IMAGE 2 This image of the Zambezi River was taken towards the North-East. The image was viewed using 2-D dimension but zoomed in. Its Co-ordinates are 15º41'26.35" S 29º26'59.57" E ZAMBEZI RIVER: IMAGE 3 This image of the Zambezi River was taken towards the North-West. The image was viewed using 3-D dimension.

Its Co-ordinates are 15º40'05.94" S 29º26'20.03" E ZAMBEZI RIVER: IMAGE 4 This image of the Zambezi River was taken towards the North-East. The image was viewed using 3-D dimension but zoomed in. Its Co-ordinates are 15º41'23.28" S 29º26'40.05" E Submit to gis@uwc.ac.za using SURNAME_BCB710_EXAM_2006 for document name and email subject Zambezi Z Zambezi The Zambezi (also spelled Zambesi) is the fourth-longest river in Africa , and the largest flowing into the Indian Ocean from Africa. The area of its basin is 1,390,000 km² (537,000 miles² ), slightly less than half that of the Nile .

The 3,540 km- (2,200 mile-) long river has its source in Zambia and flows through Angola , along the borders of Namibia , Botswana , Zambia, and Zimbabwe , to Mozambique , where it empties into the Indian Ocean. The Zambezi's most spectacular feature is the beautiful Victoria Falls . Other notable falls include the Chavuma Falls at the border between Zambia and Angola, and Ngonye Falls, near Sioma in Western Zambia. There are two main sources of hydroelectric power on the river. These are the Kariba Dam, which provides power to Zambia and Zimbabwe and the Cahora Bassa Dam in Mozambique which provides power to both Mozambique and South Africa. There is also a smaller power station at Victoria Falls. Course of the river Source The river rises in a black marshy dambo in north-western Zambia, in undulating miombo woodland, quite dense in parts, about 1,524 m (4,900 ft) above sea level . Eastward of the source, the watershed between the Congo and Zambezi basins is a well-marked belt of high ground, falling abruptly north and south, and running nearly east-west.

This distinctly cuts off the basin of the Lualaba (the main branch of the upper Congo) from that of the Zambezi. In the neighbourhood of the source the watershed is not as clearly defined, but the two river systems do not connect. The upper Zambezi The river flows to the south-west and into Angola for about 240 kilometres (149 mi), then is joined by sizeable tributaries such as the Luena and the Chifumage flowing from highlands to the north-west. It turns south and develops a floodplain and becomes very variable in width between the dry and rainy seasons. It enters a region with dense patches of evergreen Cryptosepalum dry forest, though on its western side, Western Zambezian grasslands also occur. Where it re-enters Zambia it is nearly 400 metres (1312 ft) wide in the rainy season and flows quite quickly with rapids ending in the Chavuma Falls, where the river flows through a rocky fissure.

The river drops about 400 metres (1312 ft) in elevation from its source at 1500 metres (4921 ft) to the Chavuma Falls at 1100 metres (3609 ft), in a distance of about 400 kilometres (249 mi). From this point to the Victoria Falls, the level of the basin is very uniform, dropping only by another 180 metres (591 ft) in a distance of around 800 kilometres (497 mi). The first of its large tributaries to enter the Zambezi is the Kabompo River in the north-western province of Zambia. The savanna through which the river has flowed gives way to a wide floodplain, studded with Borassus fan palms . A little farther south is the confluence with the Lungwebungu River.

This is the beginning of the Barotse Floodplain, the most notable feature of the upper Zambezi, but this northern part does not flood so much and includes islands of higher land in the middle Thirty kilometres (20 mi) below the confluence of the Lungwebungu the country becomes very flat, and the typical Barotse Floodplain landscape unfolds, with the flood reaching a width of 25 kilometres (16 mi) in the rainy season . For more than 200 kilometres (124 mi) downstream the annual flood cycle dominates the natural environment and human life, society and culture. Eighty kilometres (50 mi) further down, the Luanginga, which with its tributaries drains a large area to the west, joins the Zambezi. A few kilometres higher up on the east the main stream is joined in the rainy season by overflow of the Luampa/Luena system. A short distance downstream of the confluence with the Luanginga is Lealui, one of the capitals of the Lozi people who populate the Zambian region of Barotseland in Western Province.

The chief of the Lozi maintains one of his two compounds at Lealui; the other is at Limulunga, which is on high ground and serves as the capital during the rainy season. The annual move from Lealui to Limulunga is a major event, celebrated as one of Zambia's best known festivals, the Kuomboka. After Lealui, the river turns to south-south-east. From the east it continues to receive numerous small streams, but on the west is without major tributaries for 240 km (150 mi). Before this, the Ngonye Falls and subsequent rapids interrupt navigation. South of Ngonye Falls, the river briefly borders Namibia's Caprivi Strip. The strip projects from the main body of Namibia, and results from the colonial era: it was added to German South-West Africa expressly to give Germany access to the Zambezi. Below the junction of the Cuando River and the Zambezi the river bends almost due east. Here, the river is very broad and shallow, and flows fairly slowly, but as it flows eastward towards the border of the great central plateau of Africa it reaches a chasm into which the Victoria Falls plunge.

The middle Zambezi The Victoria Falls are considered the boundary between the upper and middle Zambezi. Below them the river continues to flow due east for about 200 kilometres (124 mi), cutting through perpendicular walls of basalt 20 to 60 metres (66 to 200 ft) apart in hills 200 to 250 metres (660 to 820 ft) high. The river flows swiftly through the gorge, the current being continually interrupted by reefs. It has been described as one of the world's most spectacular whitewater trips, a tremendous challenge for kayakers and rafters alike. Beyond the gorge are a succession of rapids which end 240 km (150 mi) below Victoria Falls. Over this distance, the river drops 250 metres (820 ft). At this point, the river enters Lake Kariba, created in 1959 following the completion of the Kariba Dam. The lake is one of the largest man-made lakes in the world, and the hydroelectric power-generating facilities at the dam provide electricity to much of Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The Luangwa and the Kafue are the two largest left-hand tributaries of the Zambezi. The Kafue joins the main river in a quiet deep stream about 180 metres (591 ft) wide. From this point the northward bend of the Zambezi is checked and the stream continues due east. At the confluence of the Luangwa (15°37′ S) it enters Mozambique. The middle Zambezi ends where the river enters Lake Cahora Bassa (also spelled Cabora Bassa). Formerly the site of dangerous rapids known as Kebrabassa, the lake was created in 1974 by the construction of the Cahora Bassa Dam. The lower Zambezi The lower Zambezi's 650 km (400 mi) from Cahora Bassa to the Indian Ocean is navigable, although the river is shallow in many places during the dry season . This shallowness arises as the river enters a broad valley and spreads out over a large area.

Only at one point, the Lupata Gorge, 320 km (200 mi) from its mouth, is the river confined between high hills. Here it is scarcely 200 m wide. Elsewhere it is from 5 to 8 km (3 to 5 mi) wide, flowing gently in many streams. The river bed is sandy, and the banks are low and reed-fringed. At places, however, and especially in the rainy season, the streams unite into one broad fast-flowing river. About 160 km (100 mi) from the sea the Zambezi receives the drainage of Lake Malawi through the Shire River. On approaching the Indian Ocean, the river splits up into a number of branches and forms a wide delta. Each of the four principal mouths, Milambe, Kongone, Luabo and Timbwe, is obstructed by a sand bar. A more northerly branch, called the Chinde mouth, has a minimum depth at low water of 2 m at the entrance and 4 m further in, and is the branch used for navigation.

100 km (60 mi) further north is a river called the Quelimane, after the town at its mouth. This stream, which is silting up, receives the overflow of the Zambezi in the rainy season. The delta of the Zambezi is today about half as broad as it was before the construction of the Kariba and Cahora Bassa dams controlled the seasonal variations in the flow rate of the river. The region drained by the Zambezi is a vast broken-edged plateau 900–1200 m high, composed in the remote interior of metamorphic beds and fringed with the igneous rocks of the Victoria Falls. At Shupanga, on the lower Zambezi, thin strata of grey and yellow sandstones , with an occasional band of limestone , crop out on the bed of the river in the dry season, and these persist beyond Tete, where they are associated with extensive seams of coal . Coal is also found in the district just below the Victoria Falls. Gold -bearing rocks occur in several places.

The transfrontier Okavango-Zambezi Conservation Park will cover parts of Zambia, Angola, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Botswana, including the famous Okavango Delta in Botswana and Mosi-oa-Tunya (The Smoke That Thunders, or Victoria Falls). It is thought that the cross-border park will help with animal migration routes and assist in the preservation of wetlands which clean water, as sewage from communities is a problem. Basin The north of the Zambezi basin has mean annual rainfall of 1100 to 1400 mm which declines towards the south, reaching about half that figure in the south-west. The rain falls in a 4 to 6 month rainy season when the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone moves over the basin from the north. Evaporation rates are high (1600 mm−2300 mm) and much water is lost this way in swamps and floodplains, especially in the south-west of the basin. Funding boost for cross-border conservation project along the Zambezi in 2008.

The Okavango–Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation project—which follows the Zambezi River and stretches across Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe—has received a grant of €8 million from a German nongovernmental organisation. Part of the funds will be used for research in areas covered by the project. However, Angola has warned that landmines from their civil war may impede the project.

Tributaries, their basin areas, discharge rates, and region drained Upper Zambezi: 507,200 km², discharges 1044 m³/s at Victoria Falls, comprising: Northern Highlands catchment, 222,570 km², 850 m³/s at Lukulu: Chifumage River: Angolan central plateau Luena River: Angolan central plateau Kabompo River: 72,200 km², NW highlands of Zambia Lungwebungu River: 47,400 km², Angolan central plateau Central Plains catchment, 284,630 km², 196 m³/s (Victoria Falls–Lukulu): Luanguingu River: 34,600 km², Angolan central plateau Luampa River: 20,500 km², eastern side of Zambezi Cuando /Linyanti/Chobe River: 133,200 km², Angolan S plateau & Caprivi 'Middle Zambezi cumulatively 1,050,000 km², 244

2 m³/s, measured at Cahora Bassa Gorge (Middle section by itself: 542,800 km², discharges 1398 m³/s (C.

Bassa–Victoria Falls) Gwembe Catchment, 156,600 km², 232 m³/s (Kariba Gorge–Vic Falls): Gwayi River: 54,610 km², NW Zimbabwe Sengwa River: 25,000 km², North-central Zimbabwe Sanyati River: 43,500 km², North-central Zimbabwe Kariba Gorge to C. Bassa catchment, 386200 km², 1166 m³/s (C.

Bassa–Kariba Gorge): Kafue River: 154,200 km², 285 m³/s, West-central Zambia & Copperbelt Luangwa River: 151,400 km², 547 m³/s, Luangwa Rift Valley & plateau NW of it Panhane River: 23,897 km², North-central Zimbabwe plateau 'Lower Zambezi cumulatively, 1,378,000 km², 3424 m³/s, measured at Marromeu (Lower section by itself: 328,000 km², 982 m³/s (Marromeu–C.

Bassa)) Luia River: 28,000 km², Moravia-Angonia plateau, N of Zambezi Luenha River/Mazoe River: 54,144 km², 152 m³/s, Manica plateau, NE Zimbabwe Shire River , 154,000 km², 539 m³/s, Lake Malawi basin Zambezi Delta, 12,000 km² Total Zambezi river basin: 1,390,000 km², 3424 m³/s discharged into delta Source: Beilfuss & Dos Santos (2001) The Okavango Basin is not included in the figures because it only occasionally overflows to any extent into the Zambezi. Due to the rainfall distribution, northern tributaries contribute much more water than southern ones, for example: the Northern Highlands catchment of the upper Zambezi contributes 25%, Kafue 8%, Luangwa and Shire Rivers 16% each, total 65% of Zambezi discharge.

The large Cuando basin in the south-west on the other hand contributes only about 2 m³/s because most is lost through evaporation in its swamp systems. The 1940s and 1950s were particularly wet decades in the basin. Since 1975, it has been drier, the average discharge being only 70% of that for the years 1930 to 1958. Floods Before the dams were built, the lower Zambezi experienced a small flood surge early in the dry season as rain in the Gwembe catchment and north-eastern Zimbabwe rushed through while rain in the Upper Zambezi, Kafue, and Lake Malawi basins, and Luangwa to a lesser extent, is held back by swamps and floodplains. The discharge of these systems contributed to a much larger flood in March or April, with a mean monthly maximum for April of 6700 cubic metres per second at the delta. The record flood was more than three times as big, 22500 cubic metres per second being recorded in 1958.

By contrast the discharge at the end of the dry season averaged just 500 cubic metres per second. The dams at Kariba, Cahora Bassa and Itezhi-Tezhi on the Kafue have changed that pattern completely. Downstream of the dams, the mean monthly minimum–maximum was 500 cubic metres to 6000 cubic metres per second; now it is 1000 cubic metres to 3900 cubic metres per second. Medium-level floods especially, of the kind to which the ecology of the lower Zambezi was adapted, happen less often and have a shorter duration. As with the Itezhi-Tezhi Dam's deleterious effects on the Kafue Flats, this has the following effects: fish, bird and other wildlife feeding and breeding patterns disrupted less grassland after flooding for grazing wildlife and cattle traditional farming and fishing patterns disrupted. The dams have not removed flooding in the lower Zambezi completely. They can't control extreme floods, they have just made medium-level floods less frequent.

When heavy rain in the lower Zambezi combines with good runoff upstream, massive floods still happen, Geological changes to the course More than two million years ago, the Upper Zambezi river used to flow south through what is now the Makgadikgadi Pan to the Limpopo River. The land around the pan experienced tectonic uplift (perhaps as part of the African superswell) and a large lake formed, and extended east. Meanwhile, 1000 kilometres (621 mi) east, a western tributary of the Shire River in the Great Rift Valley 's southern extension through Malawi eroded a deep valley on its western escarpment. At the rate of a few cm per year, this river, the Middle Zambezi, started cutting back the bed of its river towards the west, aided by grabens (rift valleys) forming along its course in an east-west axis. As it did so it captured a number of south-flowing rivers such as the Luangwa and Kafue. Eventually the large lake trapped at Makgadikgadi (or a tributary of it) was captured by the Middle Zambezi cutting back towards it, and emptied eastwards.

The Upper Zambezi was captured as well. The Middle Zambezi was about 300 metres (984 ft) lower than the Upper Zambezi, and a high waterfall formed at the edge of the basalt plateau across which the upper river flows. This was the first Victoria Falls, somewhere down the Batoka Gorge near where Lake Kariba is now. For details of how the falls cuts back its bed to form the gorge, see How the Victoria Falls formed. Exploration of the river The Zambezi region was known to medieval geographers as the Empire of Monomotapa, and the course of the river, as well as the position of Lakes Ngami and Nyasa , were given broadly accurately in early maps. These were probably constructed from Arab information. The first European to visit the upper Zambezi was David Livingstone in his exploration from Bechuanaland between 1851 and 1853. Two or three years later he descended the Zambezi to its mouth and in the course of this journey discovered the Victoria Falls.

During 1858–60, accompanied by John Kirk, Livingstone ascended the river by the Kongone mouth as far as the Falls, and also traced the course of its tributary the Shire and reached Lake Malawi. For the next 35 years very little exploration of the river took place, but in 1889 the Chinde channel north of the main mouths of the river was discovered. Two expeditions led by Major A. St Hill Gibbons in 1895 to 1896 and 1898 to 1900 continued the work of exploration begun by Livingstone in the upper basin and central course of the river. Portuguese explorer Serpa Pinto examined some of the western tributaries of the river and made measurements of the Victoria Falls in 1878. Wildlife The river supports large populations of many animals. Hippopotamuses are abundant along most of the calm stretches of the river, and many crocodiles are also present. Monitor lizards are found in many places. Bird life is abundant, with species including heron , pelican , egret and African Fish Eagle present in large numbers.

Riverine woodland also supports many large animals, such as buffalo, zebras , giraffes and elephants. However, below Kariba and Cahora Bassa dams, the cessation of annual flooding has seen the area of this habitat greatly reduced and a corresponding reduction in the populations of the large mammals. The Zambezi also supports several hundred species of fish, some of which are endemic to the river. Important species include cichlids which are fished heavily for food, as well as catfish , tigerfish, yellowfish and other large species. The bull shark is sometimes known as the Zambezi Shark after the river but is found around the world. It normally inhabits coastal waters but has been found far inland in many large rivers including the Zambezi. It is an aggressive shark which has been responsible for several attacks on humans. Economy The population of the Zambezi river valley is estimated to be about 32 million. About 80% of the population of the valley is dependent on agriculture , and the upper river's flood plains provide good agricultural land. Communities by the river fish extensively from it, and many people travel from far afield to fish.

Some Zambian towns on roads leading to the river levy unofficial 'fish taxes' on people taking Zambezi fish to other parts of the country. As well as fishing for food, game fishing is a significant activity on some parts of the river. Between Mongu and Livingstone, several safari lodges cater for tourists who want to fish for exotic species, and many also catch fish to sell to aquaria. The river valley is rich in mineral deposits and fossil fuels , and coal mining is important in places. The dams along its length also provide employment for many people near them, in maintaining the hydroelectric power stations and the dams themselves. Several parts of the river are also very popular tourist destinations. Victoria Falls receives over 1.5 million visitors annually, while Mana Pools and Lake Kariba also draw substantial tourist numbers. Transport The river is frequently interrupted by rapids and so has never been an important long-distance transport route. David Livingstone's Zambezi Expedition attempted to open up the river to navigation by paddle steamer , but was defeated by the Cahora Bassa rapids.

Along some stretches, it is often more convenient to travel by canoe along the river rather than on the unimproved roads which are often in very poor condition due to being regularly submerged in flood waters, and many small villages along the banks of the river are only accessible by boat. In the 1930s and 40s a paddle barge service operated on the stretch between the Katombora Rapids, about 50 kilometres (31 mi) upstream from Livingstone, and the rapids just upstream from Katima Mulilo. However, depending on the water level, boats could be paddled through—Lozi paddlers, a dozen or more in a boat, could deal with most of them—or they could be pulled along the shore or carried around the rapids, and teams of oxen pulled barges 5 kilometres (3 mi) over land around the Ngonye Falls. Road, rail and other crossings of the river, once few and far between, are proliferating.

They are, in order from the source: Cazombo road bridge, Angola, bombed in the civil war and not yet reconstructed Chinyingi suspension footbridge near the town of Zambezi, a 300-metre (984 ft) footbridge built as a community project Katima Mulilo road bridge, 900 metres (2953 ft), between Namibia and Sesheke in Zambia, opened 2004, completing the TransCaprivi Highway connecting Lusaka in Zambia with Walvis Bay on the Atlantic coast Kazungula Bridge—in August 2007 a deal was announced to replace the Kazungula Ferry, one of the largest river ferries in Southern Africa, with a road bridge where the river is 430 metres (1411 ft) wide Victoria Falls Bridge (road and rail), the first to be built, completed in April 1905 and initially intended as a link in Cecil Rhodes ' scheme to build a railway from Cape Town to Cairo: 250 metres (820 ft) long Kariba Dam carries the paved Kariba/Siavonga highway across the river Otto Beit Bridge at Chirundu, road, 

382 metres (1253 ft), 1939 Second Chirundu Bridge, road, 400 metres (1312 ft), 2002 Cahora Bassa Dam is in a remote area and does not carry a highway across the river Tete Suspension Bridge, 1-kilometre (1 mi) road bridge (1970s) Dona Ana Bridge, originally railway but converted to single-lane road, (1935), the longest at 3 kilometres (2 mi) Caia Bridge—construction started in 2007 of a 2.3-kilometre (1.4 mi) road bridge to replace the Caia ferry, which, with Kazungula, is the largest ferry across the river There are a number of small pontoon ferries across the river in Angola, western Zambia, and Mozambique, notably between Mongu and Kalabo.

Above Mongu in years following poor rainy seasons the river can be forded at one or two places. In tourist areas, such as Victoria Falls and Kariba, short-distance tourist boats take visitors along the river. Ecology Sewage effluent is a major cause of water pollution around urban areas, as inadequate water treatment facilities in all the major cities of the region force them to release untreated sewage into the river. This has resulted in eutrophication of the river water and has facilitated the spread of diseases of poor hygiene such as cholera , typhus and dysentery . The construction of two major dams regulating the flow of the river has had a major effect on wildlife and human populations in the lower Zambezi region. When the Cahora Bassa Dam was constructed in 1973, its managers allowed it to fill in a single flood season, going against recommendations to fill over at least two years. The drastic reduction in the flow of the river led to a 40% reduction in the coverage of mangroves , greatly increased erosion of the coastal region and a 60% reduction in the catch of prawns off the mouth due to the reduction in emplacement of silt and associate nutrients .

Wetland ecosystems downstream of the dam shrank considerably. EUS outbreak On 14 September 2007, epizootic ulcerative syndrome (EUS) killed hundreds of sore-covered fish in River Zambezi. Zambia Agriculture Minister Ben Kapita asked experts to investigate the outbreak to probe the cause to find out if the disease can be transmitted to humans. Major towns Along much of the river's length, the population is sparse, but important towns and cities along its course include the following: Katima Mulilo (Namibia) Mongu, Lukulu, Livingstone, & Sesheke (Zambia) Victoria Falls & Kariba (Zimbabwe) Zambezi River Delta : Image of the Day acquired August 29, 2013 download large image (832 KB, JPEG, 2180x1453) acquired August 29, 2013 download GeoTIFF file (5 MB, TIFF) It drains a watershed that spans eight countries and nearly 1.6 million square kilometers (600,000 square miles).

The Zambezi (also Zambeze) is the fourth largest river in Africa, and the largest east-flowing waterway. From headwaters in Zambia, it rolls across 2,574 kilometers (1,599 miles) of the south-central African plateau before pouring water and sediment into the Indian Ocean through a vast delta in Mozambique. The Operational Land Imager on the Landsat 8 satellite acquired this natural-color image of the Zambezi Delta on August 29, 2013. Sandbars and barrier spits stretch across the mouths of the delta, and suspended sediment extends tens of kilometers out into the sea. The sandy outflow turns the coastal waters to a milky blue-green compared to the deep blue of open water in the Indian Ocean. The Zambezi Delta includes 230 kilometers of coastline fronting 18,000 square kilometers (7,00 square miles) of swamps, floodplains, and even savannahs (inland). The area has long been prized by subsistence fishermen and farmers, who find fertile ground for crops like sugar and fertile waters for prawns and fish.

Two species of endangered cranes and one of the largest concentration of buffalo in Africa—among many other species of wildlife—have found a haven in this internationally recognized wetland. However, the past six decades have brought great changes to the Zambezi Delta, which used to pour more water and sediment off of the continent. Hydropower dams upstream—most prominently, the Kariba and the Cahora Bassa—greatly reduce river flows during the wet season; they also trap sediments that would otherwise flow downstream. The result has been less water reaching the delta and the floodplains, which rely on pulses of nutrients and sediments from annual (and mostly benign) natural flooding. The change in the flow of the river affects freshwater availability and quality in the delta. Strong flows push fresh water further out into the sea and naturally keep most of a delta full of fresh (or mostly fresh) water. When that fresh flow eases, the wetlands become drier and more prone to fire. Salt water from the Indian Ocean also can penetrate further into the marsh, upsetting the ecological balance for aquatic plant and animal species.

Researchers have found that the freshwater table in the delta has dropped as much as five meters in the 50 years since dams were placed on the river. Less river flow also affects the shape and extent of the delta. Today there is less sediment replenishing the marshes and beaches as they are scoured by ocean waves and tides. “What strikes me in this image is the suspended sediment offshore,” said Liviu Giosan, a delta geologist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. “Sediment appears to be transferred from the delta offshore in plumes that not only originate in active river mouths but also from deactivated former mouths, now tidal channels. This shows the power of tidal scouring contributing to the slow but relentless erosion of the delta.” Further Reading World Rivers Review Zambesi River - definition of Zambesi River by The Free Dictionary Zambesi River - definition of Zambesi River by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Thesaurus , Encyclopedia , Wikipedia . Zam·be·zi (zăm-bē′zē) A river, about 2,735 km (1,700 mi) long, of central and southern Africa rising in northwest Zambia and flowing south and east to the Mozambique Channel.

Zambezi Zambese n (Placename) a river in S central and E Africa, rising in NW Zambia and flowing across E Angola back into Zambia, continuing south to the Caprivi Strip of Namibia, then east forming the Zambia–Zimbabwe border, and finally crossing Mozambique to the Indian Ocean: the fourth longest river in Africa. Length: 2740 km (1700 miles) Zam•be•zi (zæmˈbi zi) n. a river in S Africa, flowing S and E from NW Zambia into the Mozambique Channel of the Indian Ocean. 1650 mi. (2657 km) long. Zam•be′zi•an, adj.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend: Zambezi River Angola , Republic of Angola - a republic in southwestern Africa on the Atlantic Ocean; achieved independence from Portugal in 1975 and was the scene of civil war until 1990 Mocambique , Mozambique , Republic of Mozambique - a republic on the southeastern coast of Africa on the Mozambique Channel; became independent from Portugal in 1975 Northern Rhodesia , Republic of Zambia , Zambia - a republic in central Africa; formerly controlled by Great Britain and called Northern Rhodesia until it gained independence within the commonwealth in 1964 Republic of Zimbabwe , Rhodesia , Southern Rhodesia , Zimbabwe - a landlocked republic in south central Africa formerly called Rhodesia; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1980 Victoria Falls , Victoria - a waterfall in the Zambezi River on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia; diminishes seasonally Translations

Question: The Zambezi River flows into the Indian Ocean from where?
Answer: Mozambique