River in Central Africa. Major rivers and lakes in Africa

The African river system is characterized by relative youth. In ancient times, the mainland had a completely different appearance, because there were many more reservoirs of all kinds, but the flow was constantly mostly internal.

In ancient times, in the areas of present-day deserts, there were lakes and even seas. However, the climate was changing, as well as the earth's surface, the plateaus on the outskirts were rising more and more, as a result, modern rivers of Africa were formed on their slopes, which captured the previously existing systems. These reservoirs differ from the previous ones by their small length and full flow.

Since the river channels are not worked out, many rivers have sections with rapids and reservoirs. This feature negatively affects the possibility of navigation, however, it gives a huge potential for hydropower. It is believed that Africa's hydropower resource is 20% of the world's.

The modern rivers of Africa are very dependent on the climatic zone, namely on the amount of annual precipitation and seasonality, are also important:

• relief;
• soil.

The main part of the rivers is filled with rain, it is clear that other ways of feeding (snow, ice) are available only to a few mountain reservoirs. Within the equatorial belt, where the rivers are located, they are full-flowing all year round, because the best conditions have developed for this.

The distribution of the area of ​​the entire river basin is as follows:

• Atlantic Ocean - more than 1/3;
• internal drain - somewhere 1/3;
• Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea - less than 1/3.

Since the mainland is tilted, a significant part of the runoff belongs to the Atlantic Ocean, a large area also forms an internal runoff (Sahara, part of East Africa, the Araf basin, the Abyssinian graben, a section of the Kalahari basin).

But the main rivers of Africa belong to the external flow:

• Congo;
• Niger;
• Zambezi;
• Orange.

Major rivers of Africa

Pro Nile much has been said and written, this river gives life to the Egyptian people, passing through the desert. It also stands out for its length, because it passes through a lot of African countries and various natural conditions. It starts not far from a flows into the Mediterranean Sea. Its channel can be both calm and rapids, both shallow and deep.

the river Congo also called Zaire, it, after the Nile, ranks second in Africa in terms of the size of the basin. It is located in the center of the mainland, overcomes the lands of Angola and the Republic of the Congo. The end point is the Atlantic Ocean. Its fullness is the highest here on Earth - this is the second indicator.

Congo has a huge number of tributaries, navigation is active in many areas, waterfalls are often found. Every second, this one of the main rivers of Africa brings about 50 thousand cubic meters of fresh water into the ocean, and during the flood such a muddy stream is released in the ocean for hundreds of kilometers.

The river is used not only for crossing ships, but also for other activities:

• fishing;
• oil production;
• operation of hydroelectric power plants.

River Niger located in West Africa, and here it is of tremendous importance. Its pool is huge, the third on the continent. It starts in Guinea, passes through Mali, Nigeria, Niger, Benin, flows into.

The natives call the source of this river of Africa sacred, therefore they protect it from visitors. In addition, in each locality, Niger is called in its own way - the ancient names are still used by the coastal tribes.

Many sections are navigable, which, in addition to the relief, depends on the temporary high water. There are also waterfalls. In heavy rains, one of the important tributaries, the Benue, connects with.

There are many fish that are often caught here:

• perch;
• carp;
• barbel.

The main rivers of Africa include and Zambezi, which flows out of the swampy area in Zambia, then passes through the countries:

• Angola;
• Botswana;
• Namibia;
• Zimbabwe;
• Mozambique.

The latter flows into the Indian Ocean. A special object is which is known throughout the world for its beauty and size. There are also other waterfalls along the way. There are two large hydroelectric plants and one small one.

Since Zambezi is accompanied by lush forest vegetation, in some areas there are tall grass savannas, there are various inhabitants on the banks and in the waters:

• crocodiles;
• pelicans;
• drops;
• hippos;
• catfish;
• bull sharks;
• siteleads.

In the south of the Black Continent flows orange river, starting in the Dragon Mountains, crosses South Africa, and Namibia, ends in the Atlantic Ocean. Almost everywhere it is shallow, so ships do not use this largest river in the region for movement. Most of the Orange River basin is desert.

A special phenomenon was the frequent ingress of water from the ocean into the river, and salty liquid can also come across high in the channel.

It should be noted that the name has no color explanations, because in fact the river was originally named after the Dutch prince William of Orange - the Orange River, but at some point in the translation there was an error that stuck.

Atbara(arab. Bahr el-Asuad), a river in Ethiopia and Sudan, the right tributary of the Nile. Length 1120 km. In the dry season, the lower reaches dry up. During the summer rains (July-November) reaches the Nile. There are hydroelectric power stations.

White Nile(Bahr el Abyad), the name of the Nile River in Sudan, in the section from the confluence of the El Ghazal River to the mouth of the Blue Nile. The length is 957 km, the basin area is 1059 thousand km². The average water flow at Khartoum is 808 m³/s. Developed shipping.

Benue, a river in Cameroon and Nigeria, a left tributary of the Niger. The length is 1300 km, the basin area is 441 thousand km². The average water consumption is 3170 m³/s. It is navigable from the city of Ibi, in the rainy season - from the city of Garva.

Benue River

blue nile(Bahr el-Azraq), a river in Ethiopia and Sudan, the right, most abundant tributary of the Nile. The length is 1600 km, the basin area is about 330 thousand km². It flows through Lake Tana. Navigable for 580 km from the mouth. The average water flow at the confluence with the White Nile is 1650 m³/s. Hydroelectric power stations are located on the river near the cities of Er Roseires and Sennar.

Juba, a river in Ethiopia and Somalia. It flows into the Indian Ocean, the length is about 1600 km, the basin area is 750 thousand km² (together with the Vebi-Shebeli River). The average water flow is 550 m³/s. The river crosses in a meandering course the Somali plateau, where it loses a lot of water due to evaporation. During high water, it has a large solid runoff. Navigable to Bardera.

Lualaba, the name of the upper reaches of the Congo River (Zaire), from the source to the Boyoma waterfalls (about 2080 km long). Navigable in some areas.

Nile, a river in Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, Egypt. The longest in the world (6671 km), the basin area is 2870 thousand km². The source is the Rukarara River in Rwanda, in the Kagera River system. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea, forming a delta (with an area of ​​​​24 thousand km²). Main tributaries: Sobat, Blue Nile, Atbara, Bahr el Ghazal. The average water flow at Aswan is 2.6 thousand m³ / s. On the Nile are the large cities of Cairo, Aswan, in the delta - the city of Alexandria.

River Nile

Rufiji, a river in Tanzania. The length from the source of the Luwegu is about 1400 km, the basin area is 178 thousand km². It flows into the Indian Ocean. The average water flow is 1100 m³/s. Navigable below the Shuguri waterfall.

Rivers in Africa. Western part.

Volta, a river mainly in Ghana. It is formed by the confluence of the White and Black Volta. The length is 1600 km (from the sources of the Black Volta), the basin area is 394 thousand km². It flows into the Gulf of Guinea. The main tributary is the Oti River. The average water consumption is 1288 m³/s. It is navigable for 400 km from the mouth (however, only the section of the mouth to Akuse is available to steamers throughout the year). There is a hydroelectric power station on the river. The main ports are Kete-Krachi, Akosombo.

The highest water is in September-October. During this period, the waters are widely spilled, the level rises to 14 m. The lowest level is in February-March.

There are ferries on the Volta. Developed fishing. A large Akosombo hydroelectric power station has been built, the energy of which is intended mainly for the needs of an aluminum plant in the city of Tema.

Niger, a river in West Africa. The length is 4160 km, the basin area is 2092 thousand km². It flows into the Gulf of Guinea of ​​the Atlantic Ocean. A large tributary is the Benue River (left). Rapid. The average water flow is 9300 m³/s. Navigable in some areas.

Senegal. The length from the source of Bafing is 1430 km, the basin area is 441 thousand km². It flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The average water flow is about 1500 m³/s. Navigable from the city of Kayes. There is a hydroelectric power station on the river. Developed fishing. At the mouth is the port of Saint-Louis.

Rivers in Africa. Southern part.

Zambezi. The length is 2660 km, the basin area is 1330 thousand km². It flows into the Indian Ocean. Many rapids and waterfalls (Victoria, etc.). The average water flow at the mouth is 16 thousand m³/s. Main tributaries on the left: Kafue, Luangwa, Shire. Navigable in some areas. In the middle reaches there is a reservoir and hydroelectric station Kariba.

Limpopo(in the upper reaches - Krokodilovaya). The length is 1600 km, the basin area is 440 thousand km². It flows into the Indian Ocean. The average water flow is about 800 m³/s. Navigable for 160 km from the mouth.

It originates on the slopes of the Witwatersrand ridge, goes around the Weld plateau from the north, flows through the Mozambique lowland and flows into the Indian Ocean. The Limpopo receives its main food from the left tributaries. In the summer rainy season, the water level in the lower reaches rises by 5-7 m against low water.

Okavango. The length is 1600 km, the basin area is about 800 thousand km². The average water flow is 255 m³/s.

It originates on the plateau, ends in the internal flow of the Kalahari, forming a swampy delta (Okavango swamp). The southern branch of the delta flows into Lake Ngami, the northern (periodically) - into the Kwando River (a tributary of the Zambezi); the Botlenle arm feeds the swamps of the Makarikari depression. The main tributary is Kvito (left). High level rises and spills during summer rains.

Rivers in Africa. East End.

Kagera, a river in Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda (partially along the borders between them). Considered the source of the Nile. The length from the confluence of the Nyayarongo and Ruvuvu rivers is 420 km, from the source of the Rukarara River (the most distant point of its hydrographic system from the mouth of the Kagera) is about 800 km. It flows mostly in a wide swampy valley, taking in the waters of numerous small lakes, and flows into Lake Victoria. The average annual water consumption is 1500 m³/s. The lower reaches are navigable.

Ruvuma(Rovuma) a river between Tanzania and Mozambique. The length is about 800 km, the basin area is about 150 thousand km². It flows into the Indian Ocean. The average water flow is about 700 m³/s. It is navigable in some areas in the lower reaches.

Rivers in Africa. Central part.

Kasai(in the lower reaches of the Kwa) the left tributary of the Congo River (Zaire). The length is about 2000 km, the basin area is 880 thousand km². The average water flow in the lower reaches is about 10 thousand m³/s. Navigable for 790 km from the mouth. Large pier - Ilebo.

Congo (Zaire), mainly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Length 4320 km. In terms of basin area and water content, it ranks first in Africa and second in the world after the Amazon.

Ubangi, right tributary of the Congo River (Zaire). The length with the Uele River is about 2300 km, the basin area is 773 thousand km². The average water flow in the lower reaches is about 7 thousand m³/s. Navigable to the city of Bangui (650 km).

Shari. The river is formed by the confluence of the Uam and Gribingi rivers; flows into Lake Chad. The length is 1450 km (from the source of Uam), the basin area is about 700 thousand km². The main tributary is the Logone. The average water consumption is 1230 m³/s. Navigable from the city of Batangafo on the river Uam (over 860 km from the mouth). Developed fishing.

African inland waters

Ground and underground waters

Ground and underground waters are of great importance for deserts and semi-deserts. Groundwater is mainly distributed linearly in the form of underflow flows of episodic rivers. Large artesian basins are especially important in the Sahara and in the arid regions of South Africa. In the Sahara, fresh or slightly saline groundwater is confined mainly to the Lower Cretaceous continental sandstones. In the semi-deserts and deserts of South Africa, groundwater accumulates mostly in cracks in bedrock, in karst limestones and, presumably, in the sandstones of the Karoo system. Where groundwater comes to the surface, oases form. Date palms, various fruit trees grow in oases, tropical crops are grown. Watering places for livestock are arranged near artesian wells. The search, extraction and rational use of groundwater is one of the vital problems of African states located in the dry regions of the mainland. Hydrogeologists from Russia are helping to search for groundwater in the deserts of North Africa.

Rivers of Africa

In terms of total annual runoff (4600 km3), Africa ranks third after Eurasia and South America, and in terms of layer thickness (less than 160 mm) it is inferior to all continents, except for Australia and Antarctica. The main watershed of the African continent runs along its most elevated eastern margin, so more than 1/3 of the surface has a drain into the Atlantic Ocean, only about 1/4 into the Indian Ocean, and even less into the Mediterranean Sea. About 1/3 of the surface of Africa (approximately 9 million km2) has no runoff into the ocean and belongs to internal basins or is completely devoid of surface runoff. The distribution of surface waters over the territory of the mainland is extremely uneven, and both the distribution and the regime of flowing waters show a close dependence on the amount and regime of rainfall in one or another part of the mainland. Snow and glacier nutrition plays an insignificant role in Africa. In the equatorial regions, the rivers have a uniform discharge throughout the year, without pronounced minimums, but with two periods of maximums due to rains. Areas with a subequatorial climate (Sudan, the southern part of the Congo Basin, and others) are characterized by a pronounced summer runoff maximum and a corresponding increase in river flow. On the northwestern and southwestern margins of the mainland, the rivers have a clearly defined winter maximum associated with winter cyclonic rains in each hemisphere.

Between the areas with summer and winter runoff maximums there are vast territories that are generally devoid of a permanent runoff. These are the Sahara in the northern and a significant part of the Kalahari in the southern hemisphere, which are practically devoid of watercourses; they are crossed by a network of dry channels, filled with water only for a short time after rare occasional rains. The developed network of dry channels and the abundance of dry depressions, which are only periodically filled with water and are characteristic of the now arid regions of Africa, testify to the existence of earlier wetter climatic conditions within its boundaries. The last pluvial period corresponded to the period of the last glaciation in the high latitudes of the northern hemisphere. All the most significant rivers of Africa irrigate vast basins, separated from the oceans by plateaus and mountain ranges. The uplifts caused a revival of erosional activity and contributed to the formation of large rapids and waterfalls in the valleys of many rivers. They impede navigation and greatly reduce the transport significance of African rivers, but at the same time contain huge hydropower resources, the use of which has been expanding in recent decades in a number of African states.

North Africa

North Africa

Nile - Egypt, Sudan
White Nile - Sudan
Upper Nile - Uganda
Atbara - Sudan, Ethiopia
Tekeze - Sudan, Ethiopia
Blue Nile - Sudan, Ethiopia

West Africa

Bandama - Ivory Coast
Cavalli - Liberia, Ivory Coast
Gambia - Gambia, Senegal
Niger - Nigeria, Benin, Niger, Mali
Weme - Benin
Saint Paul - Liberia
Sanaga - Cameroon
Senegal - Senegal, Mauritania, Mali
Volta - Ghana, Burkina Faso
Black Volta - Burkina Faso
White Volta - Burkina Faso
Red Volta - Burkina Faso

East Africa

Juba - Ethiopia, Somalia
Dawa - Ethiopia
Gabele - Ethiopia
Wabe-Shabelle - Ethiopia, Somalia
Kerio - Kenya
Maputo - Mozambique
Mara - Kenya, Tanzania
Rufiji - Tanzania
Ruvuma - Tanzania, Mozambique
Tana - Kenya

Central Africa

Congo
kwango
Kassai
Lualaba
crowbars
Ubangi - Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic
Uele
Mbomou
Gabon
Upper Kwilu - Niari - Congo
Mbini
Ntem
Nianga - Gabon
Ogooue - Gabon

South Africa

Bride - South Africa
Kwanza - Angola
Fishriver - Namibia
Groot - South Africa
Kuiseb - Namibia
Kunene - Angola - Namibia, Botswana
Kwando - Namibia (in the lower Linyanti)
Limpopo - Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana
Molopo - Botswana, South Africa
Okavango - Botswana, Namibia, Angola
Orange - South Africa, Lesotho, Namibia
Tugela - South Africa
Vaal - South Africa
Zambezi - Angola, Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique
Shire - Malawi, Mozambique

The longest river in Africa - the Nile (6671 km) - is the longest river on Earth. The area of ​​the Nile basin is 2870 thousand km2. Aswan's average water discharge is 2600 m3/s. According to the peculiarities of the natural conditions of the basin, the nature of the hydrographic regime and the significance that the Nile has in the life of the peoples living in its valley, this is one of the most peculiar and remarkable rivers in the world. The source of the Nile is considered to be the Kagera River, which originates at an altitude of more than 2000 m in one of the massifs of East Africa, south of the equator, and flows into Lake Victoria. A river called the Victoria Nile emerges from the lake. It flows through Lake Kyoga and flows into Lake Albert, below which it is called the Albert Nile. Throughout this segment of the course, the river has a mountainous character, very rapids and forms several waterfalls. The largest waterfall is Kabalega (Murchison) on the river. Victoria Nile - reaches 40 m in height. Leaving the highlands under the Arabic name Bahr el-Jebel, which means "river of mountains", the river enters a vast and flat basin. Its course slows down, and the channel splits into branches. The largest tributaries in this part of the course are El-Ghazal ("river of gazelles") and Sobat. Flowing down the mountains, Sobat carries cloudy yellow water containing a large amount of suspended material. Below Sobat, the river is called the White Nile (Bahr el Abyad). At the Sudanese city of Khartoum, the White Nile merges with the Blue Nile (Bahr el-Azraq) and here it is called the Nile. The Blue Nile originates in the Ethiopian highlands, flowing from Lake Tana. From the same upland, the Nile receives its last high-water tributary, the Atbaru. Below its confluence, the Nile cuts through a plateau composed of hard sandstones and crosses a series of rapids (cataracts). In total, there are six rapids between Khartoum and Aswan. Below Aswan, the Nile flows in a valley 20-50 km wide, which at the beginning of the Anthropogen was a bay of the Mediterranean Sea. The valley of the Nile ends with a delta, formed on the site of a bay, gradually filled with sediment from the river. The area of ​​the delta is 24 thousand km2.

Slide #10

The Nile is the only river in North Africa that crosses the Sahara and carries its waters to the Mediterranean Sea, being the source of life in the waterless desert. The permanent flow of the Nile exists due to the precipitation that falls in the more southern regions and feeds its sources. The White Nile, starting in the equatorial zone, is fed by rains that fall throughout the year. In the upper reaches, the water level in the river is very high and fairly constant, as it is regulated by the lakes. But within the Upper Nile Basin, a large amount of water is lost to evaporation, and the White Nile plays a lesser role in feeding the Nile below Khartoum than the Blue Nile, which carries abundant water (60-70% of the total flow) after the summer rains that fall on the Ethiopian highlands. The highest discharge on the lower Nile during this period is about five times the discharge in low water. The tributaries of the Nile, flowing down from the Ethiopian highlands, bring a large amount of silt that settles during the spill. Before the construction of the high-rise Aswan Dam, there was no through navigation route along the Nile due to numerous rapids. It was possible to overcome the rapids throughout the year only by boat. For permanent navigation, the sections between Khartoum and Juba, Aswan and Cairo, Cairo and the mouth of the Nile were used. Several dams and reservoirs have been built on the Nile to regulate the flow of water throughout the year. At one time, a large hydroelectric complex near Aswan was created to irrigate cotton fields. However, these obsolete hydroconstructions did not solve the most important economic problems - the expansion of sown areas and obtaining cheap energy. With the help of the Soviet Union in the late 60s. a large dam was built in the Nile Valley near Aswan, thanks to which the area of ​​\u200b\u200birrigated land in Egypt was increased by 1/3, the electricity necessary for the development of the country's economy was generated, and navigation conditions were improved. Above the dam, in a flooded valley, a huge reservoir was formed, called Lake Nasser.

Slide #11

Congo river

Slide #12

The Congo occupies the second place among the rivers of Africa in terms of length, but in terms of basin area and water content, the Congo ranks first in Africa and second in the world after the Amazon. The sources of the Congo are considered the Lualaba and Chambeshi rivers (a tributary of the Luapula, which flows into the Lualaba). The length of the river from the first source is 4320 km, from the second - 4700 km. The area of ​​the basin is about 3.7 million km2. The average annual discharge at the mouth is 46 thousand m3/s, i.e. it is more than 15 times the average flow of the Nile. The Congo flows in the northern and southern hemispheres, crossing the equator twice. Before flowing into the Atlantic Ocean, the river cuts through a highly elevated array of crystalline rocks. The major tributaries of the Congo are Ubangi, Sanga (right), Kwa (Kasai), Ruki, Lomami (left). The upper reaches of the Congo and its tributaries, crossing high plateaus and mountains, are replete with rapids and waterfalls. The rivers form seven waterfalls near the equator, named after the African explorer Stanley. Stanley Falls (or, as they now appear on maps, Boyoma Falls) ends the upper section of the Congo. In the middle reaches, within the basin, the Congo flows calmly in a wide valley. The river bed in some places forms lake-like extensions, reaching 20 km in diameter. Here the Congo receives its largest tributaries. In the lower reaches, cutting through the crystalline massif, the Congo again forms a series of waterfalls (there are 32 of them), united by the common name of the Livingston waterfalls. Having reached the coastal plain, the Congo expands, reaches a great depth (up to 70 m) and becomes navigable. The river at the mouth breaks up into branches and ends with a wide and deep estuary. In the Atlantic Ocean, the Congo channel continues in the form of an underwater furrow at a distance of 150 km from the coast. Large masses of water carried by the Congo desalinate the ocean at a distance of several tens of kilometers. The enormous value of the Congo's runoff is explained by the equatorial position of the basin and the fact that the river receives inflows from the northern and southern hemispheres, in which the maximum precipitation occurs at different times of the year. The northern tributaries bring the bulk of the water to the Congo from March to November. Discharge in the middle and lower Congo, gradually increasing, reaches a maximum in October-November. The second maximum, more significant, is associated with the rains of the southern hemisphere and occurs in February - April. The nutrition and regime of the Congo and the Amazon have much in common. During floods, the Congo overflows its banks in the middle reaches and floods the flat surface of the basin for hundreds of kilometers. All rivers of the Congo Basin have huge reserves of water energy. Several hydroelectric power plants have been built in the Shaba region, the most important mining area within the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Slide #13

Niger River

Slide #14

The Niger River is inferior to the Congo and the Nile in terms of the length and area of ​​​​the basin, but is still one of the largest rivers on Earth. The length of Niger is 4184 km, the basin area is more than 2 million km2. Its average annual flow significantly exceeds the flow of the Nile (9300 m3/s). The Niger begins on the North Guinean Upland, at an altitude of 900 m. Its sources are only a few tens of kilometers from the ocean, from where the Niger flows first to the northeast, and at the border of the Sahara it sharply changes direction to the southeast. In this part of the basin there is a vast inland delta of the Niger, formed during the existence of an ancient reservoir into which the upper Niger carried its waters. Flowing into the Gulf of Guinea, the river forms a vast delta. The largest tributary of the Niger - the Benue - flows into it in the lower reaches on the left. In the upper and lower reaches of the Niger there are rapids, on average it has the character of a flat river. The features of the Niger regime are due to the fact that its upper and lower reaches are located in areas rich in precipitation, and the middle course basin is characterized by great dryness and strong evaporation. There are two floods in the lower reaches of the Niger, and one in the middle and upper reaches. The upstream flood depends on summer rains, lasts from June to September and is transmitted downstream. In the middle reaches, there is a gradual rise in the level. Niger floods, water fills numerous branches, and dry channels accompanying the main stream. Due to the dryness of the climate, a lot of water in the middle reaches is spent on evaporation; this flood is transmitted to the lower reaches in a weakened form around January. In the lower reaches, there is another flood associated with local summer rains. On the border with the Sahara, Niger is of great importance in the irrigation system: several dams and canals have been built there, and a large rice-growing area has been created.

Slide #15

Zambezi River

Slide #16

The Zambezi is the largest river in South Africa and the largest of the mainland's rivers flowing into the Indian Ocean. Its length is 2736 km, the basin area is 1330 thousand km2. The average annual flow of the Zambezi is very high (16,000 m3/s): it is more than 1.5 times the flow of the Niger and many times the average flow of the Nile. Zambezi originates at an altitude of more than 1000 m on the Congo-Zambezi watershed plateau. On its way, the river crosses flat basins and plateaus separating them, forming numerous rapids and waterfalls. The largest waterfall on the Zambezi and one of the largest in the world - Victoria - has a height of 120 m and a width of 1800 m (). Water falls into a basalt gorge, located perpendicular to the riverbed. For the deafening noise of falling water, which is heard at a great distance, and the snow-white column of spray, the locals gave the waterfall a figurative name - “thundering smoke”. Lake Nyasa (Malawi) across the Shire River has a drain in the Zambezi. High water on the Zambezi occurs in the summer of the southern hemisphere. The navigable value of the Zambezi due to sharp fluctuations in water content is small. For large vessels, it is available only in the lower reaches for 450 km. The hydropower resources of the Zambezi are used by the countries located in its basin. Below the Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, a powerful Kariba hydroelectric complex was built, above the dam of which a reservoir of the same name was created - one of the largest in the world. Another large hydropower plant - Cahora Basa - is located on the territory of the Republic of Mozambique, and the energy it produces is used by several states of South and East Africa.

Slide #17

great african lakes

The African Great Lakes are several large lakes located in and around the East African Rift Valley.
List of lakes:
Tanganyika
Victoria
Albert
Edward
Kivu
Malawi
Some include only the Victoria, Albert and Edward lakes among the Great Lakes, since only these three lakes have a drain into the White Nile. Tanganyika and Kivu drain into the Congo River system, while Malawi flows into the Zambezi via the Shire River.

Slide #18

Great Lakes region

Great Lakes region

The region is one of the most densely populated in the world with approximately 107 million people. Due to past volcanic activity, this part of Africa has some of the best grassland in the world. The height above sea level determines the relatively temperate climate, despite the equatorial position. Due to population density and agricultural surpluses, the Great Lakes region has historically been divided into a number of small states, the most powerful of which were Rwanda, Burundi, Buganda and Bunyoro. Due to the long search for the source of the Nile, the region attracted the interest of Europeans for a long time. The first Europeans who arrived there were missionaries who did not find laurels when converting the natives to Christianity, but opened the region for subsequent colonization. Increased contact with the rest of the world led to several devastating epidemics that affected both humans and animals. As a result, the population of the region in some areas has decreased by almost 60%. It was not until the 1950s that the region's population reached pre-colonial levels.

Slide #19

Lake Victoria

Slide #20

Victoria is a lake in East Africa, in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. It is located in the tectonic trough of the East African Platform, at an altitude of 1134 m. It is the second largest freshwater lake in the world after Lake Superior and the largest lake in Africa in terms of area. It is also the largest among tropical lakes. The lake was discovered and named after Queen Victoria by British traveler John Henning Speke in 1858.

The area is 68.870 thousand km², the length is 320 km, the maximum width is 275 km. It is part of the Victoria Reservoir. Lots of islands. The high-water Kagera River flows in, the Victoria Nile River flows out. The lake is navigable, the locals are engaged in fishing on it. The northern coast of the lake crosses the equator. The lake with a maximum depth of 80 m belongs to fairly deep lakes. Unlike its deep-water neighbors, Tanganyika and Nyasa, which lie within the gorge system of Africa, Lake Victoria fills a shallow depression between the eastern and western sides of the Great Gorge valley. The lake receives a huge amount of water from the rains, more than from all its tributaries. 30 million people live in the vicinity of the lake. On the southern and western shores of the lake, the Haya people live, who knew how to grow coffee long before the arrival of Europeans. Main ports: Entebbe (Uganda), Mwanza, Bukoba (Tanzania), Kisumu (Kenya), near the northern coast of Kampala, the capital of Uganda.

Slide #21

Lake Albert

Slide #22

Albert is a lake in East Africa, on the border of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In Uganda it is called Lake Nyanza, in Congo (Zaire) in 1973-97 it was called Mobutu Sese Seko in honor of President Mobutu. It is located at an altitude of 617 m. The area is 5.6 thousand square meters. km, depth up to 58 m. It lies in a tectonic depression in the system of the Central African graben. The banks are slightly dissected, mostly steep; the bottom is flat. The rivers Semliki (the drain of Lake Edward) and the Victoria Nile (the drain of Lake Victoria) flow into the lake, and the Albert Nile flows out. The average annual flow of water into the lake due to precipitation is 4.6 cubic meters. km, due to the runoff from the pool of 24.9 cubic meters. km, evaporation is 7.5 cubic meters. km, stock 22 cub. km, surface water temperature up to 30 °C. Rich in fish (over 40 species: Nile perch, tiger fish, etc.). Shipping. The main ports are Butiaba (Uganda), Kasenyi (DRC).
It was discovered in 1864 by the English traveler S.W. Baker and named after the husband of Queen Victoria (see Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha), after whom, in turn, another great lake in Africa, Victoria, was named.

Lake Albert is part of a complex system of reservoirs in the upper reaches of the Nile. The main river flowing into the lake is the White Nile (known here as the Victoria Nile), flowing from Lake Victoria to the southeast through Lake Kyoga, and the Semliki River, flowing from Lake Edward to the southwest. The water of the Victoria Nile contains much less salt than the water of Lake Albert. The river that flows out of Albert, in the northernmost part of the island, is called the Albert Nile, which passes in the north into the White Nile. In the southern part of the lake, at the confluence of the Semliki River, there are swamps. Further south, the Rwenzori Range stretches, and a series of hills called the Blue Mountains rise above the northwestern shore. There are several villages on the shore of the lake, including Butiaba and Pakwach.

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Waterfalls of Africa

Tugela (cascade) 933m r. Tugela (South Africa)
Kalambo (cascade) 427m r. Kalambo (border of Tanzania and Zambia)
Augrabis (cascade) 146m r. Orange (South Africa)
Victoria 120m Zambezi (border between Zambia and Zimbabwe)
Cabarega 40m r. Victoria Nile (Uganda)
Boyoma (cascade) 40m r. Zaire (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Congo

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Tugela waterfall

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Tugela is the second highest waterfall in the world. It consists of five free-falling cascades, the largest of which is 411 meters.
Tugela falls in a narrow ribbon from the eastern bluff of the Drakensberg Mountains, in the Royal Natal National Park in KwaZulu, Natal Province, South Africa. It is clearly visible after heavy rain or at the end of the day, shining from the reflection of the Sun. The source of the Tugela River is located in Mont-Aux-Sources, a few kilometers from the cliff from which the waterfall falls. The water above the falls is clean and safe to drink. The cliff is often covered in snow during the winter months. There are two paths leading to the waterfall. One mountain hiking trail to the summit of Mount-Aux-Sources starts at Witsieshoek, from where there is a relatively short ascent to the summit along the path and further along two suspension bridges. Another trail starts at the Royal Natal National Park. A seven-kilometer climb along the gorge meanders through the local forest, then a jump over boulders and a small suspension bridge will lead to the foot of the Tugela waterfall.

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Augrabis Falls - "a ferocious riot of the water element."

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Augrabis Falls is located in the northwest of South Africa, almost at the very border with Namibia. The modern territory of the national park is spread over 10 thousand hectares, which combine deserts, semi-deserts and areas of floodplain thickets. All this biodiversity is located in the area of ​​the famous 130-meter Augrabis waterfall on the Orange River. Augrabies Falls National Park was established in 1966. The Orange River, on which Augrabies Falls is located, is the largest river in South Africa. This river received its modern name from the Dutch Boer settlers, who christened it in honor of the Dutch ruling house of the princes of Orange (in Dutch - Orange). The Orange River carries a mighty water stream, it is only two times inferior to the Niger in terms of high water. The river originates in the Dragon Mountains, where it rises almost 4 km above the coast of the Indian Ocean, then follows the High Weld plain, after which it merges with its main tributary, the Vaal River. After long wanderings throughout the African continent, the Orange River flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The Augrabis waterfall along the Orange River is preceded by a 7-kilometer delta with a large number of small islands, from where this powerful water stream rushes into a narrow gap. In the area of ​​the Augrabis waterfall, the flow of the river during the flood exceeds 1000 cubic meters. m per second. Having flown almost 140 meters, the river hits the rocky banks, already below the waterfall waves rise as high as a two-story house. The name of the waterfall came up with the local residents of the Hottentots, translated from their language Augrabis means "a very noisy place." The Hottentots are still afraid of approaching the waterfall, they are sure that an evil deity lives in a deep pool under Augrabis, and it is as if it is his terrible roar that is heard above the water. Among others, a local legend is known about a large treasure of diamonds at the bottom of the waterfall, as if the Orange River itself brought them to the place of the waterfall from the upper reaches of the Vaal, where diamond deposits have long been known. In general, the Orange River becomes full-flowing only for a short period of time - during the rainy season. And most of the year it is a rather nondescript rivulet. But even in the dry season, the basin of the waterfall is full of water. But at this time, the so-called wells are clearly visible here - for many centuries, falling water has hollowed out quite deep "wells" at the bottom of the basin.

The “Black Continent” is the name of Africa, on the vast territory of which you can find a variety of landscapes. The second largest continent after Eurasia crosses many rivers and washes 2 seas and 2 oceans: the Mediterranean - in the north, the Red - in the northeast, the Atlantic Ocean - in the west, the Indian - in the south and east. Full-flowing rivers flow through Africa, some of them are considered the largest and deepest on the planet.

Rivers and lakes of Africa on the map:

Nile: the longest river in Africa

This is the second longest river on the planet after the Amazon and the first of the African continent. The great Nile saw the dawn of mankind. Representatives of the most ancient civilization lived on its banks, evidence of their life has been preserved. In all ages, peoples worshiped the greatest river.

The source of the Nile - a mystery of millennia

Throughout the largest river in Africa has tributaries, so it is difficult to determine where it originates from. Geographers have been dealing with this issue for centuries. The ancient Egyptians - the indigenous inhabitants of the valley - could not give an intelligible answer to the question. Therefore, the ancient Greeks tried to solve it, in particular, the great thinker Herodotus argued that the Nile is born from the depths of Africa in the south, and then spreads around. But this version was found to be erroneous.

Closer to the truth was the astronomer Ptolemy Claudius, who wrote in his scientific writings that the Nile originates in the Lunar Mountains (Rwenzori Range at the present time). But in 1858, the English officer J. Hennig Speke discovered the high-mountain lake Victoria (1184 m above sea level), and scientists received evidence. They were then reinforced by other researchers that the Nile flows from there, more precisely, from the Victoria Lakes, the Kagera River originates, which is divided into tributaries. One of them is Rukarara, and its source is the beginning of the great White Nile.

Flow geography

The mighty river carries turbulent waters to the north of the mainland, tending down, so rapids and waterfalls are often found along its length. The largest is the 40-meter Murchison, it erupts into Lake Albert, and the waters flowing from it are already called the Albert Nile. The further path runs through the territory of Uganda, across the plain, and the seething stream calms down. Upon reaching the state of South Sudan, the artery changes its name again, and for 716 km it is called Bahr el-Jabel. In South Sudan, it has a very branched appearance - many branches and islands between them.

Further, the river merges with Lake No and carries its waters to the capital of Sudan - Khartoum. Until now, the color of the stream was yellow due to an excess of impurities of light clay, but outside Khartoum, the White Nile merges with the Blue, and then the great Nile flows majestically across the continent. At 300 km from the capital, the Atbara tributary flows into it. Having become even more full-flowing, the Nile enters the Sahara desert, more precisely, its eastern part - the Nubian.

Here the Nile makes a sharp turn to the south, then back to the north, and then his path runs through Egypt. On the border of Sudan and Egypt, it turns into Nasser - the largest man-made lake in the world (area 5250 m²). It was created by the Nasuan Dam, which hidden the rapids of the Nile and prevented its spill. Further, the stream flows full-flowing and wide across Egypt, pouring into the Mediterranean Sea near the Suez Canal, cities are spread on its banks, including the capital of Egypt, Cairo. After leaving it, the Nile breaks up into branches that create a vast delta 160 km long, in which 10 cities are located, and this is a large-scale ecosystem.

Congo (Zaire): the deepest river on the planet

It is the deepest river in Africa and the second longest. In terms of basin area, it confidently leads the list of African rivers. Most of it passes through the territory of the Republic of the Congo. The discoverer is a navigator from Portugal, Diogo Can.

Geography of the river

The source of the Congo is located in Zambia at an altitude of 1600 m. The mountains are gradually replaced by a plain, where the stream freely spills into the valley with the formation of branches, channels and natural reservoirs, in some places 20 km wide. When the Congo reaches the South Guinean Highlands, it is squeezed into a gorge with a minimum width of only 300 m. Here it reaches its maximum depth (up to 230 m), which puts the Congo on the pedestal of the deepest rivers in the world. In addition, the site is famous for the rapids and drops that have a name - Livingston Falls. At the end of the journey, the Congo pours into the Atlantic near the city of Banana.

The Congo is of strategic importance for the hydropower industry of the whole world, which is explained by its full flow and a large degree of the channel's fall.

Niger: mystical river

The third longest artery in Africa crosses 5 countries. For the state of Mali, Niger is the only source of fresh water, without which the life of the local population would be extremely difficult.

Flow geography

What is mystical in Niger, you ask. This is a unique river that, contrary to the laws of physics, does not go directly to a salty reservoir, but has a boomerang path. The stream, following a winding route, has confused researchers for centuries. In addition, the peoples inhabiting the shores of Niger still believe that ancient spirits live in its waters.

The source of the river falls on the eastern region of the Kong mountains (Guinea) at an altitude of 850 m above sea level. At first, it flows north, in the opposite direction from the ocean, but in Mali it changes direction to the southeast, and then to the south. The mouth falls on the Gulf of Guinea of ​​the Atlantic Ocean. At the meeting point with the Gulf, Niger forms a huge delta with an area of ​​25 thousand m². It starts near the city of Aba in Nigeria, 180 km from the Gulf of Guinea. It mainly contains swamps and mangroves. Niger has another, the so-called inner mouth, the Malians call it Masina. This is a swampy floodplain 425 km long, consisting of lakes of branches, rivulets. At the other end, all reservoirs again create a single channel.

The Niger is a flood river, during the monsoon period (from June to October) it overflows and rises widely. Its waters are home to a variety of fish, the main source of food for the coastal inhabitants.

Among the tributaries of the Niger, the Benue is the largest, at its widest point it is 3 km, and the waters here are the most powerful and turbulent. Navigation in Niger does not pass along the entire route, but only in places, but the channel is unusually picturesque and attractive to tourists. Rapids and waterfalls occur in the upper reaches, and then the river flows through the plains and has a calmer course.

In addition to the three longest, other water streams on the continent deserve attention:

• Zambezi. The fourth longest river is famous for the most famous waterfall in the world - Victoria. Many travelers are interested in who discovered the Zambezi. It was David Livingston, an African explorer, a missionary from Scotland, who later discovered the waterfall. Only 5 bridges were built across the river stream, two large power plants are fed from it;
• Limpopo. It exists not only in the fairy tale of Korney Chukovsky, but actually flows in southern Africa. Another name is the Crocodile River, alligators and hippos live on the banks and coastal waters.
• Orange river. The origins are in the Dragon Mountains of Lesotho in South Africa, the artery flows west and flows into the Atlantic Ocean.

Huge Africa is crossed by many water arteries. In rapid streams they rush from mountain heights, through plains and deserts, dissolving in the salty waters of the seas and oceans. In an extremely arid and hot climate, under the scorching rays of the sun, all the rivers of Africa bring prosperity and life to the inhabitants of the continent.

Africa is one of the largest continents on Earth. It is washed on all sides by seas and oceans: in the north - by the Mediterranean Sea, in the northeast - by the Red Sea, in the west - by the Atlantic Ocean, in the east - by the Indian. In addition to the adjacent waters, its own flow in it. The longest river in Africa is the Nile. Its length is almost 7 thousand km.

The study of the structures of the political, economic and state is engaged in a special science called African studies.

Africa

The area of ​​the mainland is 29 million km. If we take into account the size of the islands, then this figure rises to 30 million km. 55 countries are formed on the territory. They are home to just over one billion people. Also, this continent is considered the birthplace of many ancient peoples. The longest river in Africa, as mentioned above, is the Nile. It plays a very important role for the state, helping to irrigate the land in the right amount, transport many materials on ships, and also meet the needs of the people living here.

Africa is located several and also crosses the equator. Unfortunately, due to the fact that precipitation here is irregular, due to which the irrigation of the land does not reach the desired level, the natural regulation of the atmosphere occurs only near the coast.

Africa is the only continent in the world that stretches from the northern to the southern subtropical climate zone.

The largest rivers in Africa

This country is rich in water flows. Their distribution over the entire area of ​​​​the mainland depends on the climate and topography of certain areas. We can immediately say that the rivers are unevenly distributed. This is due to the fact that in some areas precipitation falls very rarely, in others - often. In places where it regularly rains, for example, the river network is quite dense. Three of the largest watercourses in Africa: the Nile, Congo and Niger.

A large number of waterfalls, which are formed due to the corresponding relief, are unsuitable for navigation, but hydroelectric power stations are actively used to generate hydropower. A large number of water flows are fed by rain, since snow, hail or glaciers are not typical for the local climate. In areas where precipitation falls once every few months, dry ones are found. A more detailed description of the rivers of Africa can be found below.

Nile

The greatest river in the world is the Nile. Its name is derived from the Greek "neylos". The source of the water stream, according to some sources, is located in Lake Victoria; the mouth is the Mediterranean Sea. Nile concurrently - the longest river in Africa and almost the largest on the planet Earth, taking 2nd place. The delta of the watercourse is formed at the mouth. The Sahara desert has no tributaries. For the hottest countries in Africa, the Nile is a salvation. Due to its waters, plantations are irrigated, and it is also used for drinking and meeting other needs of the population. The river bed is full-flowing, which contributes to the development of navigation and allows you to transport various kinds of goods. Until a hydroelectric power station was built on the water stream, the Nile River, whose flows were completely regulated, overflowed annually for several hundred kilometers.

Congo

The Kongo begins near Mumen. An interesting fact is that Zaire and Lualaba are no less popular names for this river. A distinctive feature of the watercourse is that it crosses the equator twice. The Congo is practically the longest river in Africa. Although it is inferior to the Nile in size, it occupies an honorable first place on the mainland in terms of full flow. What is most interesting, it is full-flowing all year round. The mouth of the watercourse is the Atlantic Ocean.

Niger

The Niger closes the top three leading rivers along the length. Most of the watercourse is occupied by rapids and drains. It plays an important role for the state, as it flows through arid territories. Due to the fact that it allows you to irrigate the land, many dams and canals have been built on it. Flowing into the Atlantic Ocean, it forms a large delta. It feeds on rain, the predominant amount of which falls in the summer. Floods occur at this time of the year. The river itself is located in such a way that its upper and lower reaches receive a sufficient amount of precipitation due to the corresponding climate, while the middle one, on the contrary, is constantly subjected to evaporation and partial drought.

Zambezi

The Zambezi ranks fourth among the largest rivers. In addition, it is the longest among the watercourses flowing into the Indian Ocean. It is interesting what belongs to this river. Its height is almost 120 m. It is also a conditional boundary between the upper and middle reaches. The Zambezi is one of those rivers that have a huge number of tributaries. The largest of them is Kabompo.

The Atlantic Ocean is the mouth for Africa - the Congo. But the longest watercourse, the Nile, flows into the Mediterranean Sea. Thanks to the flow into one of the nearby oceans, namely the Indian. Due to the fact that the bottom of the rivers is stepped, new water slopes appear. A striking example is Victoria - the most beautiful and largest waterfall on the mainland.

For a long time there were disputes that have not stopped to this day, on the topic "How long is the Nile River?". Until 2013, it was the largest watercourse in the world. Now the Amazon has taken its place. In addition, there remain small disputes between scientists about the hydronyms of water flows. It is only known for certain that the name of the rivers of Africa is closely connected with the history of the state.