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 lived on its banks ancient civilization preserved evidence of their life. 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 papers 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 not far from 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.
Congo has strategic importance for the hydropower of the whole world, which is explained by its full flow and a large degree of fall of the channel.
Niger: mystical river
The third longest artery in Africa crosses 5 countries. For the state of Mali, Niger is the only source 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 to the north, opposite side 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 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 are fed from it. large power plants;
- 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. With swift currents they rush with 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.
Among the African rivers, the following rivers flow into the Atlantic Ocean: Congo (Zaire) - the most full-flowing and second longest river in Africa, Niger, Senegal, Gambia and Orange. In the Mediterranean - the Nile (the longest river in Africa). The flow to the Indian Ocean is carried out mainly by the Za Mbezi River.
The stepping of the surface causes the rapids of many rivers and the formation of waterfalls. The largest and most beautiful waterfall in Africa is on the Zambezi River (border between Zambia and Zimbabwe).
About one third of the area of Africa - the area of internal flow, in the main temporary watercourses. Unique a natural phenomenon internal runoff - (in Botswana)
Rivers of Africa:
Gambia- a river in West Africa (Guinea, Senegal and Gambia). The length is about 1200 km. It flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Floods from July to October. It is navigable for 467 km from the mouth, where the city of Banjul is located.
Zambezi- the fourth longest river in Africa. The area of the basin is 1,570,000 square kilometers, the length is 2,574 km. The source of the river is in Zambia, the river flows through Angola, along the border of Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe, to Mozambique, where it flows into the Indian Ocean. The name Zambezi was given to the river by its discoverer among Europeans, David Livingston, and comes from the distorted Kasambo Wayze - the name in one of the local dialects.
One of the most striking features of the Zambezi is the Victoria Falls, one of the greatest waterfalls in the world.
There are many other remarkable waterfalls in Zambezi: Chavuma on the border of Zambia and Angola and Ngambwe, in Western Zambia. For the entire course of the river across the Zambezi, there are only five bridges in the cities: Chinwingi, Katima Mulilo, Victoria Falls, Chirundu and Tete.
2 large hydroelectric power plants were built on the river - Kariba HPP, which provides electricity to Zambia and Zimbabwe and Kabora Bassa HPP in Mozambique, which provides electricity to Zimbabwe and South Africa. There is also a small power plant in Victoria Falls.
Congo (Zaire)- big river Central Africa, flows under the name of Chambezi between lakes Nyasa and Tanganyika at an altitude of 1590 m above sea level, Lake Bangveolo flows and under the name of Luapuda - Lake Moero, connects with Luadaba and Lukuga; both in the upper and lower reaches it forms many rapids and waterfalls (Stanley Falls and a number of Livingston Falls); flows into the Atlantic Ocean in a wide (11 km) and deep channel.
The length of the Congo is 4374 km, navigable for 1600 km. The area of the basin is 3680 thousand sq. km.
Tributaries on the right: Aruvimi, Rubi, Mongalla, Mobangi (Ouelle), Saaga-Mambere, Likuala-Lekoli, Alima, Lefini; left: Lomami, Lulongo, Ikelemba, Ruki, Kassai with Sankuru and Kuango, Lualaba.
Limpopo- a river in South Africa, flows south of Pretoria from the Witwatersrand mountains (1800 m), in its upper reaches, crosses the Mogali mountains and connects with Mariko. After passing 1600 km and taking in many tributaries, it flows into the Indian Ocean north of Delagoa Bay.
Limpopo is navigable from the point where it is at 32° E, connecting with Nuanetsi.
Niger is the most important river in West Africa. The length is 4160 km, the basin area is 2092 thousand square kilometers, the third in Africa after the Nile and the Congo in terms of these parameters.
The source is in Guinea, then the river flows through Mali, Niger, along the border of Benin, then flows through Nigeria and flows into the Gulf of Guinea.
Main tributaries: Milo, Bani (right); Sokoto, Kaduna and Benue (left).
Nile- a river in northern and northeastern Africa, one of the two longest rivers in the world. The length of the Nile (including Kagera) is about 6,700 km (the most commonly used figure is 6,671 km), from Lake Victoria to the Mediterranean Sea - about 5,600 km.
The area of the basin, according to various sources, is 2.8-3.4 million sq. km (completely or partially covers the territories of Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt). m The average discharge from Aswan is 2,600 m3/s, but different years fluctuations from 500 m3/sec to 15,000 m3/sec are possible. The river originates in the East African Plateau and flows into the Mediterranean Sea, forming a delta. In the upper reaches, it receives large tributaries - Bahr el-Ghazal (left) and Aswa, Sobat, Blue Nile and Atbara (right). Below the mouth of the right tributary of the Atbara, the Nile flows through the semi-desert, having no tributaries for the last 3000 km.
orange- river in South Africa. It originates in the Dragon Mountains on the border of South Africa and Lesotho, flows through the territory of Namibia and flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The length is 2200 km, the basin area is 973,000 km2.
The well-known 146-meter Augrabis waterfall (South Africa) is located on the Orangeray River.
The name of the river comes from the Orange dynasty.
Senegal river located in West Africa and forms a natural border between the states of Senegal and Mauritania. The length of the river is about 1970 km.
The area of the river basin is 419`575 km2 and the annual discharge of water into the Atlantic Ocean is close to 8 million km2. Main tributaries: Falem, Karakoro and Gorgol.
In 1972, Mali, Senegal and Mauritania founded the Senegal River Restoration Organization to jointly manage the river basin. Guinea joined this organization in 2005.
The mainland is completely located on the African plate. Due to its slope in the west, the main flow goes to the Atlantic. A third of all rivers have internal flow. Most waterways have rapids and waterfalls, making them unsuitable for navigation. The water level in rivers is mainly affected by the presence or absence of rain. The melt waters of snows and glaciers are fed by rivers originating on. This article provides a list of the ten largest, deepest and longest rivers in Africa in ascending order, as well as a map of the basins of the great rivers of the continent.
Map of Africa's largest river basins / Image: Wikipedia
#10: Jubba
The Jubba River has a length of 1004 km. The basin area is 497,504 km², the average water discharge is 187 m³ / s. The source of the Jubba is formed in Ethiopia, and most of the channel is in Somalia, where it flows into the Indian Ocean. A lot of precipitation falls throughout the river, so its banks are covered with abundant vegetation. Gazelles, chamois, hyenas and giraffes come to the river to drink. The Jubba watercourse is located only in two African states: Somalia and Ethiopia.
#9: Shari
The length of the river is 1400 km, the basin area is 548,747 km². The average water flow rate is about 1159 m³ / s. Shari is formed at the confluence of the Uam, Gribingi, and Bamingi rivers. The mouth of the artery is located in Chad. The river is not afraid of drought, and it does not dry up during the dry season. Shari is the main drinking source and the center of the fishing industry for the people of Chad. The river has many tributaries, the main ones being Logon, Bahr-Sarkh and Bahr-Salamat. Due to the fact that large cities are located along the banks, the river is too polluted. If no measures are taken to protect the rivers, the region is threatened ecological catastrophy. Shari flows through Cameroon, Chad and the Central African Republic.
#8: Volta
The river stretches for about 1500 km. The area of the basin is 407,093 km², the average water discharge is 1288 m³/s. The river is formed by the confluence of two water arteries West Africa: White Volta and Black Volta. The mouth of the reservoir is the Gulf of Guinea (Atlantic Ocean). The most important tributaries are the rivers Daka, Afram and Oti. The river flows through the Republic of Ghana and is famous for its developed navigation.
#7: Okavango
The length of the river is 1600 km. The basin area is 530,000 km². The average water flow is about 470 m³/s. The source of the Okavango is located in the mountains of Angola. The unique feature of the water artery is that it does not go anywhere. The Okavango forms the largest river delta, and dissolves into the sands of the Kalahari.
The river is predominantly rain fed. The largest tributary is the Quito River. The water in the Okavango is clean, because the shores are practically uninhabited by people and there is no industry.
The river delta is a unique place. The banks are overgrown with water lilies and reeds. Acacia grows in the meadows. The Okavango water is a source of drink for a host of animals: antelopes, giraffes, hippos and crocodiles. The river flows through Angola, Namibia and Botswana.
#6: Limpopo
The length is 1750 km, and the basin area is 415,000 km². Water consumption 170 m³/s. The Limpopo begins in South Africa, where the Witwatersrand mountain range stretches, and flows into the Indian Ocean. The river is shaped like a zigzag, it crosses deserts, savannahs and mountain ranges. The Limpopo has several large tributaries: Shangane, Olifants, Notvani.
Food is predominantly rain. Thunderstorms and heavy downpours often occur in southern Africa in summer. In dry years, Limpopo dries up in the upper part. The navigable route extends for 160 km from the mouth. Due to the peculiar bend of the river, the waters flow slowly, so a lot of silt forms in them. The land along the banks of the river is very fertile. Floods are rare, so deciduous forests grow in the lower reaches. Closer to the mouth in the river, you can find cod, mackerel, herring, octopus and oysters. Along the entire length of Limpopo, hippos and crocodiles live on its banks. The river flows through the states of Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa.
#5: Orange
The length of the river is 2200 km. Its basin area is 973,000 km². The average flow rate does not exceed 365 m³/s. The Orange River originates in the Dragon Mountains. There is a lot of precipitation here, which is a source of food. Orange flows into the Atlantic. It crosses almost all South Region continent and plays a vital role in its economy.
The main tributary is the Vaal River. Due to the abundance of rapids, navigation on Orange is impossible. The main wealth of the river are all kinds of minerals. Due to the hot climate, a small variety of animals practically lives here. The river crosses Namibia, the Republic of the Congo, South Africa and the Kingdom of Lesotho.
#4: Zambezi
The length of the river is 2574 km. The basin area is 1,390,000 km². Water consumption is approximately 3400 m³/s. The river originates in the northwest of Zambia, and its mouth is in the Indian Ocean. From the north, the Zambezi turns sharply to the southwest. In the south, the river becomes much more rapid. On the border of the Central African Plateau is the Victoria Falls, formed as a result of a fault in the tectonic plate. The river then turns to the northeast. In the lower reaches, it turns to the south and rushes to the ocean. The river crosses African countries such as Angola, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
The main tributaries are the Luangwa and the Kafue. Food - rain. Zambezi is the most flooded in summer, from November to March. Due to seasonal high water, navigation is not very developed. The upper and middle parts of the river flow through the savannas. Dense forests grow between the river channels. The lower part of the Zambezi is shown.
There are many fish in the waters. Species diversity divides the Victoria Falls. In the upper reaches bream and pike are found. Where there are no fast currents, crocodiles and monitor lizards live. There are many animals in the forests and. It is convenient to observe them during the dry season, when all the animals go to the watering place to the banks of the Zambezi. The fauna is represented by monkeys, baboons, wolves, cheetahs, zebras and giraffes. The banks of the river are home to pelicans, herons and flamingos.
#3: Niger
The length of the river is 4180 km. The basin area is 2,117,700 km². Water consumption 5589 m³/s. The Niger is the third largest river in Africa, originating on the slopes of the Liberian Highlands. The mouth is located in the Gulf of the Atlantic Ocean.
The river is fed by monsoon rains. The channel is first directed to the north. In Mali, the direction changes to the southeast. The main tributaries are the Benue, Kaduna, Sokato, Bani and Milo. The water artery passes through the territories of the following countries: Guinea, Nigeria, Niger, Mali, Benin.
Large cities line the banks of the Niger, including Bamako, the fastest growing city on the continent. Navigation is developed only in the upper reaches. There are two dams and one hydroelectric power station on the river. Thanks to the abundance of ichthyofauna, fishing is developed. In Niger they catch carp, barbel and perch.
#2: Congo
The length is 4,700 km, the basin area is 4,014,500 km². Approximate water flow is 41,200 m³/s. The river originates near lakes Nyasa and Tanganyika, and flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Congo is rain-fed, while the river is the deepest on Earth. In some places, the depth exceeds 200 m.
Main tributaries: Mobangi, Alima, Ruby, Lulongo, Lefeni. The Livingston Falls keep ships out of the ocean. On gentle stretches, between major cities, shipping is well established. Densely populated cities are located along the banks of the Congo. The reservoir has a large energy reserve: two dams and 40 hydroelectric power stations have already been built here.
A mighty water artery provides water to the equatorial forests. They are a favorable habitat for various dangerous animals: spiders, snakes and crocodiles. The Congo crosses Angola, the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
#1: Neil
With a length of 6853 km, the Nile is probably the most long river peace. River basin - 3,400,000 million km², water discharge 2830 m³/s. The Nile originates in Lake Victoria and flows into. Large tributaries are the Achva, Sobat, Atbara and the Blue Nile. The river is filled with rainfall. The flood comes in late summer - early autumn, then the river can overflow its banks. Navigation is well developed in the north.
The Nile gives life to many species of plants and animals. A large number of fish species live in the river delta: perch, moonfish, sea bream and barb. Nile crocodile and hippopotamus live along the banks. The number of birds, including migratory ones, is about three hundred species. Giraffes and antelopes live in the river valleys.
The fertile layer of soil along the river allows the growth of rare species of palm trees and shrubs, which contrast sharply with the nearby desert lands. The Nile flows through Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.
LAKES OF AFRICA
The largest lakes in Africa:
|
Name |
Area km sq. |
Maximum depth m |
| victoria lake | ||
| Tanganyika lake | ||
| Nyasa lake | ||
| chad lake | ||
| Rudolph lake | ||
| Albert (Mobutu-Sese-Seko) lake | ||
| Mveru lake | ||
| bangweulu lake | ||
| tana lake | ||
| kivu lake | ||
| kyoga lake | ||
| Rukwa Lake | ||
| Mai Ndombe Lake | ||
| edward lake |
Great African lakes- several large lakes located in and around the East African Rift Zone. Includes Lake Victoria, the second largest freshwater lake in the world, and Tanganyika, the second deepest and second largest in the world. 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.
Tanganyika- a large lake in Central Africa, the coordinates of the central part - 5 ° 30 S. sh. 29°30 in. (G).
In terms of volume and depth, Lake Tanganyika ranks second after Lake Baikal. The shores of the lake belong to four countries - the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Zambia and Burundi.
The lake is about 650 km long and 40-80 km wide. The area is 34 thousand sq. km. Lies at an altitude of 773 meters above sea level in the tectonic basin of the East African Rift Zone.
The lake is home to hippos, crocodiles, and a lot of waterfowl. Fishing and shipping are well developed.
Victoria, Victoria Nyanza, Ukerewe (Victoria, Victoria Nyanza) - a lake in East Africa, on the territory of Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. It is located in the tectonic trough of the East African Platform, at an altitude of 1134 m. The 2nd largest freshwater lake in the world after Lake Superior and the largest lake in Africa.
The area is 68 thousand square kilometers, 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.
A huge number of crocodiles live in its waters, and the lang fish (fish), which lived here 300 million years ago, still lives here. She can inhale and retain air in the gills, as in the lungs. This rarest fish is the link between ordinary fish and land animals.
Malawi(Nyasa) is a lake in Central East Africa. The lake runs from north to south, the length is 560 km, the depth is 706 m. eastern coast steep with a poorly developed shelf, the southern and western coasts are gently sloping. Water losses occur from surface evaporation (80%) and from the waters of the Sheri River flowing out in the south of the lake. Climatically expressed two seasons: rainy (November - May) and dry (May - November).
Lake Chad(Tchad, Chad, in Arabic Bar es Salaam) is an endorheic relict lake located in central Africa. Located at an altitude of 240 m above sea level.
The surface of the lake is not constant: usually occupying about 27 thousand square meters. km, the lake in the rainy season spills up to 50 thousand, and in the dry season it is reduced to 11 thousand square meters. km. From the south, the Shari rivers with a wide and shallow delta and the Mbulu flow into the lake, from the west - the Komadugu-Vaube, and from the east - the low-water Bar el-Ghazal. According to Nachtigal, the flow of water through rains and rivers is 100 cubic meters. km, and the loss of water through evaporation is 70 cubic meters. km. In view of the absence of a visible source of water from the lake, while the water of the lake remains fresh, Nachtigal suggests the existence of an underground channel in a northeasterly direction to Aegea and Borku. Near the mouths of the rivers, the water in the lake is fresh, in the rest of it it is slightly brackish; the insignificance of mineralization is apparently due to the constant change of water in the lake due to the underground outflow of infiltration waters. In a very rainy season (which happens extremely rarely), with extraordinary high levels the water's edge, in the north-east, a temporary surface runoff of the lake is formed (along the dry channel of the Bahr el-Ghazal). The dark, dirty water of the lake is thickly overgrown with algae in places. From July to November, under the influence of rains, the water level gradually rises and the low southwestern coast is widely flooded almost to Cook. Over a considerable area, the lake is very shallow (here you can ford it on horseback); has great depth West Side at Ngornu and Maduari. The maximum depth during the rainy season is 11 meters. The shores are mostly swampy and overgrown with papyrus; to the northeast, the terrain has the character of a steppe, and only the southern coast is distinguished by rich tropical vegetation.
In the eastern part, the lake is covered with a network of islets (up to 100 in number), of which the Buduma, Karka and Kuri groups are inhabited (up to 30 thousand people) by people from neighboring tribes (Buduma, Kuri, Kanemba, Kanuri, Bulala and Dats).
In 2006, a lake with an area of 23 thousand square kilometers, located on the borders of Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and the Republic of Chad, decreased by 26 times and continues to dry up, which became known thanks to the monitoring of the Earth carried out by international system Disaster Monitoring Constellation. It is known that Chad dries up for the seventh time in the last millennium. Scientists - paleontologists have established this by the remains of animals found there.
Assal- crater lake in the center of Djibouti. The lake lies 155 m below sea level in the Afar Lowland, the lowest point in Africa. The salinity of the lake is 35%, it is the most saline lake in the world. The lake is surrounded by a dense saline layer of soil. Salt is mined and sent by caravans to Ethiopia.
The largest rivers and lakes of Africa are our topic today. The largest river in Africa is the Nile (6500 km long). It originates in the mountains of East Africa and flows through Lake Victoria. At the same time, a number of waterfalls form in the upper reaches. Leaving the plain, the Nile does not flow quickly among the vast swamps and breaks into separate branches.
From swamp densely intertwined plants, whole floating islands are formed, which, moving along the river, clutter up its channel and make navigation difficult.
Here the river is called the White Nile. It connects with the Blue Nile, which flows down from the Abyssinian highlands. After this confluence, the river makes large bends, many rapids are formed, along which it quickly carries its waters among granite rocks. Navigation here is possible only in certain areas.
In the lower reaches of the Nile, it passes through deserts, receiving no tributaries at all and losing a lot of water from strong evaporation. The river flows into the Mediterranean Sea and forms a large delta.
Due to tropical downpours in the upper reaches, especially in the Abyssinian Highlands, the Nile raises its level in summer and carries a lot of muddy water, gradually spreading down.
Therefore, the Nile in its lower reaches (in Egypt), despite the heat prevailing here and the complete absence of rain, at the end of summer and the beginning of autumn overflows widely. He provides water for irrigating the fields and leaves fertile silt on them after the spill. Egypt, the country of ancient agriculture, lying among the deserts, is wholly, as it were, a "gift of the Nile."
Major rivers and lakes in Africa. The second largest major river in Africa is the Congo, it flows through the humid equatorial region and is characterized by extreme high water. There are a lot of waterfalls and rapids on the river, so only some of its sections are navigable.
The full-flowing Niger flows into the Gulf of Guinea. It starts in the mountains near the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and first heads into the depths of Africa, but then turns back to the ocean. The Niger also has many rapids and waterfalls, and forms a delta at its mouth.
The Zambezi is the largest river flowing into the Indian Ocean. It has a large Victoria Falls. The water here falls with a strong roar from a height of 120 m into a narrow crevice that crosses the riverbed. The roar and roar of water can be heard for tens of kilometers around.
Huge columns of spray and water dust rush upwards hundreds of meters above the waterfall. Reflected in them, the sun's rays give rise to multi-colored rainbows that flash, go out and light up again, shimmering with wonderful colors.
Major rivers and lakes in Africa. The largest and deepest lakes are located in the eastern part of Africa. They occupy depressions in the strip of East African faults.
South of the Sahara in mid-Africa is the endorheic but freshwater Lake Chad. It is shallow, often changing the shape of the coast, becoming either smaller or larger in size - this depends on the frequency and intensity of rains and the flood of the rivers flowing into it.
