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Africa is located entirely on the African Plate. The flow of a third of all its rivers is internal, but more often it is directed to the Atlantic. Many African rivers have waterfalls, rapids, so they are usually not suitable for active navigation.
Streams starting in mountainous areas are fed by melted ice and snow. Rains, their absence and presence, most strongly affect the water level. Riverside tourism is a great opportunity to appreciate many African attractions. Travelers can admire the representatives of the world of fauna going to the watering place, beautiful green corners.
This article provides a list of the longest rivers in Africa.
10 Blue Nile, 1 km
River Blue Nile located in Ethiopia and Sudan. It begins to flow from Lake Tana. Less than a third of the water flow is used to transport goods and passengers.
Ethiopians consider part of this river to be sacred. The amount of water in it is greatly affected by rainy weather. The stream flows into the White Nile near the capital of Sudan. To solve numerous problems in the region, they began to build a large hydroelectric power plant, Hidase.
The Blue Nile is a very turbulent river. From the Ethiopian rocks, the stream falls to the lake, begins to flow like a waterfall. To Sudan it runs with a roar and a roar, through a gloomy and wild gorge, which is very long.
9. Senegal, 1 km
River Senegal flows along the border between Senegal and Mauritania, begins in Mali. The silt left after excess water makes the soil as fertile as possible. Due to the active use of the Senegal River, environmental problems arise. To solve them, the countries were united.
Some areas near the river are protected with particular care: a national park, a nature reserve and an ornithological reserve. Flowing into the Atlantic Ocean, the stream is transformed into a large delta with large island areas.
Navigation in Senegal can only be carried out from mid-summer to mid-autumn, during tropical downpours.
8. Limpopo, 1 800 km
This river begins to flow to South Africa, then the flow goes to the Indian Ocean. Limpopo looks like a zigzag. The river flows through mountain ranges, savannas, deserts. It has large tributaries: for example, Notwani, Shangane.
The amount of liquid in Limpopo largely depends on precipitation, its absence or presence. In the warm season in the southern territories of Africa, heavy showers often occur, and thunderstorms are also not uncommon. In times of drought, the river begins to dry up from above.
Since the stream bends a lot, the current is slow, so Limpopo has a large amount of silt. Nearby there are very fertile lands. Floods are infrequent, and for this reason there are forests with deciduous trees in the lower reaches. Not far from the mouth there are oysters, various fish, octopuses. Crocodiles and hippos are often found near Limpopo.
7. Orange, 2 km
The stream begins in the Dragon Mountains. In these areas, there is usually a lot of rain, which affects the amount of liquid in the river. Orange flows into the Atlantic Ocean. It goes through almost the entire southern part of Africa and has a very big impact on the lives of the locals.
The Vaal River is the main tributary of the Orange River. The stream under consideration is distinguished by a large number of rapids, so navigation is impossible there.
Minerals are considered the main wealth of the Orange. It is always very hot in the surrounding areas, so there are few animals here. The flow passes through Lesotho, Congo, Namibia, South Africa.
6. Kassai, 2153 km
River Cashier is a tributary of the Congo (one of the largest). It is located in the center of the continent. There is dense jungle near the river. It feeds on rain and groundwater. It is partly a navigable stream, and fishing is constantly carried out there. Diamond mining has also been carried out in the Kassai River for many years.
5. Ubangi — Uele, 2 km
Ubangi located in the center of Africa. This is a tributary of the Congo. The river is very often used for crossings, because in this area many roads are completely washed out during the rainy season.
Near Ubangi there are small villages and rather large settlements (for example, Bangi). Among the most popular attractions of these places are the Zemongo Nature Reserve, as well as the Elephan Falls.
The Uele is a tributary of the Ubangi. This river starts in the Blue Mountains. The duration of the rainy season is from early spring to mid-autumn. Part of the river is polluted, due to the large amount of iron oxide, the water has a red tint. Near Uele is Lake Albert, one of the main attractions of these places.
4. Zambezi, 2 km
The flow goes into the Indian Ocean and begins in the northwestern part of Zambia. In the north, it begins to turn into the southwestern territory of Africa.
In the southern part, the stream becomes more rapids. After tectonic movements, a waterfall appeared. Then the river goes to the northeast, after that it begins to rush to the ocean waters.
Main supply Zambezi – rain. The main tributaries are Kafue and Luangwa. There is especially a lot of water in this river during the warm season, as well as from late autumn to early spring. Shipping is not very developed.
The central and upper parts of the Zambezi pass through the savannahs, and the tropics are in the lower. There are many fish in this river, there are also reptiles.
3. Niger, 4200 km
River Niger flows into the Atlantic, it begins in Liberian territory. The stream is fed by precipitation. First it goes to the northern lands of Africa, then it flows to the southeast. The most important tributaries of the river are Milo, Sokato, Benue, Bani, Kaduna. The flow goes through several important African states.
Large settlements are located near the river. Vessels sail exclusively in the uppermost part of it. It has one hydroelectric power station and a couple of dams. In the Niger River, Africans are engaged in catching fish of various species: fishing is quite developed here.
2. Congo – Lualaba – Luvua – Luapula – Chambeshi, 4 km
River mouth Congo is located in the Atlantic, and it begins near lakes Tanganyika and Nyasa. This stream is fed by rain. The Congo is the deepest river on our planet. Lualaba is considered its source. Chambeshi is the source of the Congo according to other sources. The Chambeshi River passes into Luapula, then into the Luvua stream. After that, it flows to Lualaba.
The main tributaries of the Congo are Lefeni, Rubi, Mobangi, Lulongo, Alima. The Livingston waterfalls do not allow ships to pass to the ocean waters. The ships are doing pretty well. Large settlements are located near the river. Congo has 40 hydroelectric power stations and two dams.
1. Nile, 6 km
Neil – the longest river on our planet. It is nourished by the rains. The Nile can overflow its banks in May-September: just in the warmest period, the flood comes. There are a lot of fish here: perches, as well as representatives of other species.
Behemoths and Nile crocodiles live near the stream. Common representatives of the African fauna live in the valleys near the Nile: antelopes, giraffes.
The soil layer near the Nile is very fertile, so rare shrubs and palm trees actively grow here. These territories contrast sharply with the deserts that are nearby. The Nile flows through Uganda, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Egypt.