Exploration of the Zambezi River. Zambezi river regime. Where does the Zambezi River flow? Human use of the river

And the indigenous people of Africa call her Casambo Wasey. The coastline stretches across the six states of the African continent. Where does the Zambezi River flow? Directly to the Indian Ocean, forming the widest delta. Its length is about 2600 km. On this river, a beautiful waterfall - Victoria, was formed. It is unique in its kind and known throughout the world. A dam was built on it, which formed the world-wide Carib reservoir. The Zambezi River basin is striking in its size, its area is 1.57 million square meters. km

From source to delta

Zambezi originates in the territory of Zambia, in the north-west, where the terrain is swampy and hilly. The source is located at an altitude of 1.5 km above sea level, there are dense, almost impassable forests. The river heads southwest, then turns south (240 km from the source) to let the first small tributaries flow into its waters and be fed by groundwater.

Here, vegetation also changes - this is the territory of the savannah: a rare dry forest and shrubs. After a small Chavum waterfall, crossing the border of Angola, the river returns to Zambia.

After the Ngonje waterfall, the Zambezi expands due to a large tributary - the Kwando River - and turns to the east, slowing down in front of the “main” waterfall (Victoria). Passing the Cabora Bassa reservoir, the Zambezi rushes into the valley, where the channel is smaller and branching. Downstream, the water stream communicates with (tributary of the Shire) and rushes to the Indian Ocean. See the map for more details.

The Zambezi Delta has a large length from north to south with an area of \u200b\u200b5 thousand square meters. km However, shipping is difficult due to natural sand deposits and shallowing of the sleeves. This is due to the construction of dams. The only passable sleeve for ships is Shinde.

  Zambezi and nutrition features

Zambezi originates in a mountainous region with a subtropical climate. In this area during the summer season, heavy rainfall occurs in the form of prolonged rainfall. These rains, in fact, form the river, they are also the main source of food. And to a lesser extent, the watercourse is fed by the groundwater of the marshland. This type of nutrition is characteristic mainly in the upper reaches.

The regime of the Zambezi River is accompanied by constant changes. From March to November (South African winter and drought), the flow is much smaller, and in November it replenishes again, increasing its level by 1.5 m. In the rainy season, this river can be called stormy, it moves a huge amount of water masses with a high flow rate.

Using

The population living in the Zambezi basin is mainly occupied by agriculture. However, the Zambezi river regime is so variable that it is not always possible to use its water for irrigation. But here fishing is well developed. The watercourse abounds with both small and large fish, many of the species are endemic. Fishing is the main income of the local population. Fish is used not only for food, but also for breeding in aquariums: Zambezi is a natural habitat for everyone's favorite barbs and cichlids.

River facilities

This water stream provides energy to several states in the south of the continent, due to the hydropower plants of Carib and Cabora Bass. However, the special regime of the Zambezi River served as the reason for the construction of canals that ensure the stable operation of hydroelectric power stations. But this leads to another problem: the dams crush the arms of the delta. However, in other places (below Cabor-Bass), on the contrary, the river became navigable.

The Zambezi path runs through several states and many regions, so an important fact is the presence of five full-fledged bridges that provide interregional and interstate communication.

Natural diversity

The waters of the Zambezi are not only abundant in a variety of small fish. Here you can also meet large predators: bull shark, crocodiles and monitor lizards. The coastal zone is home to many animals and birds: hippos, elephants, giraffes, zebras, herons, eagles and pelicans. Tourists can watch them both traveling in a boat, and visiting one of the many nature reserves or safari parks.

Tourism

The Zambezi River attracts fishermen and tourists. You can hire gear here. Due to the many thresholds, extreme rafting lovers are quite popular alloys for this stream.

The world famous Falling Smoke Falls (Victoria) is world famous. It has a unique ratio of width and height (1800 x) In the reserves adjacent to the waterfall, entire families of large animals live, there are also individuals of rare white rhinos. A little downstream, fans are invited to make kayaking.

In order to spend the most interesting time and visit the Zambezi water stream and other African rivers, on the map you can see the exact routes of organized excursions.

Zambezi in the very center of Africa, the great river governs the life of the ancient continent. The Zambezi River is the fourth longest river in. The basin area is 1,570,000 km² and its length is 2,574 km. The source of the river is in Zambia, the river flows through Angola and flows into the Indian Ocean. ( 11 photos)

1. The name Zambezi was given to the river by its discoverer among Europeans, David Livingstone, and comes from the distorted Casambo Weisy - the name in one of the local dialects. From the source to the waterfall, over the course of 1200 km, the river flows along a gently sloping, sometimes heavily swampy plain. There are rapids and waterfalls at hard rock exit sites.

4. Zambezi is the habitat of a large number of wildlife populations. living on calm stretches of the river, many. Lizards are special species of birds including heron, pelican, white heron and African eagle.

5. The spill of rivers and drought, which affect animals, depend on the change of seasons. Water may be scarce, or it may be in excess. But in more than a million years, animals have adapted.

7.   In its course, the river often passes through rapids, so it is impossible to pass through it; however, it is much more convenient to travel by boat in short distances than to travel along regularly dirt-washed dirt roads, and it is possible to get to some villages only by water.

Plan:

  Introduction

• 1 River
  • 1.1 Source
  • 1.2 Upper River
  • 1.3 Middle Zambezi
  • 1.4 Lower Zambezi
• 2 tributaries
• 3 River exploration
• 4 wildlife
• 5 Economics
• 6 Transport value
• 7 Ecology
• 8 The main settlements
• 9 Literature (links)

Introduction

Zambezi Pool

Zambezi   - The fourth longest river in Africa. The basin area is 1,570,000 km² and its 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. Title Zambezi   was given to the river by its discoverer among Europeans David Livingston, comes from a distorted Casambo wasy   - names in one of the local dialects. [ ]

The most important attraction Zambezi   - Victoria Falls, one of the greatest waterfalls in the world.

There are many remarkable waterfalls in Zambezi: Chavum on the border of Zambia and Angola and Ngambwe, in Western Zambia. Throughout the river through the Zambezi there are five bridges in the cities: Chinvingi, Katima-Mulilo, Victoria Falls, Chirundu and Tete.

Two large hydropower plants were built on the river - the Kariba Hydroelectric Power Station, which provides electricity to Zambia and Zimbabwe and the Cabor-Bass Hydroelectric Power Station in Mozambique, which provides electricity to Zimbabwe and South Africa. There is also a small power station in Victoria Falls.

  1. The flow of the river

  1.1. Source

The river originates in the area of \u200b\u200bblack marshes in the north-west of Zambia, among the forested hills with a height of approximately 1,500 meters above sea level. To the east of the source is the watershed between the basins of the Congo and Zambezi rivers, which is a belt of hills with fairly steep northern and southern slopes, lying between 11 and 12 degrees south latitude. It clearly separates the basin of the Luapala River (the main tributary of the upper Congo) from the Zambezi. In the vicinity of the source, the watershed is implicit, but still the two river systems are not connected.

  1.2. Upper river

After flowing southwest after about 240 km, the river turns south, where numerous tributaries flow into it. A few kilometers above Kakinji, the river expands from 100 to 350 meters, below Kakinji there are numerous rapids ending in Chawama Falls, where the river falls into a crack in the rocks. The first of the large tributaries Zambezi   - The Cabompo River - located in northern Zambia. And a little further south, an even larger river flows into it - Langwebangu. The savannah through which the river flows gives way to a bush bush with palm trees Borassas.

Zambezi River in Northern Western Zambia

From a height of 1,500 m above sea level at the source, after 350 km in Kakinji, the river drops to about 1,100 m. From this city to Victoria Falls, the river level remains virtually unchanged, dropping only another 180 m. 30 km below the confluence with Langwebangu   the terrain becomes flat, and during the rainy season is largely susceptible to flooding. 80 kilometers (50 miles) further down, Luangjing, which with its tributaries sits a large area to the west, joins the Zambezi. A few kilometers higher in the east, the main stream joins the Luena River.

Below the confluence of the Luangjing is the city - Lilui, one of the administrative centers of the people of Lotsi, who inhabit the semi-autonomous region of Zambia - Barotseland . Lozie's supervisor has two composition, the other is Limalanga. Limalanga It is on a high base and serves as the main capital during the rainy season. The annual movement from Lilui to Limalang is famous for the festivals of Zambia, Quombok.

After Lilui, the river turns southeast. Numerous small tributaries continue to flow into it from the east, but in the west for 240 km it has no tributaries, right up to the confluence with the Kwando River. Before the confluence of Kwando, the river passes through a series of rapids and rapids and Ngambwe waterfall, so navigation on this section is impossible. South of Ngambwe Falls, the river runs for a short distance along the border of Namibia, its so-called Caprivi Strip. This narrow and long strip of Namibian land extends from the main territory of Namibia up to the Zambezi River, tearing apart the territories of Botswana and Angola. Its origin is due to the desire in the days of colonial development to have access to the Zambezi River for the then German South-West Africa.

Below the confluence of Quando and Zambezi, the river abruptly turns east. At this point, the wide and shallow Zambezi flows slowly, and on its way to the east, to the border of a large Central African plateau, the river reaches the rift into which it falls down Victoria Falls.

  1.3. Middle Zambezi

Victoria Falls, the end of the upper Zambezi and the beginning of the middle Zambezi. View from above

Victoria Falls in 1915. Front view

Victoria Falls is considered the boundary of the upper and middle Zambezi. Below it, the river continues to flow east, about another 200 km between the hills, 200-250 meters high, cutting through 20-60-meter perpendicular basalt walls. The river flows rapidly through the gorge, overcoming numerous rapids and rapids, which stretch at a distance of 240 km from Victoria Falls. In this section, the water edge decreases by 250 meters.

Finally, the river flows into the Caribbean Reservoir (Lake Cariba), created in 1959 after the construction of the dam Kariba hydroelectric power station. This reservoir is one of the largest man-made lakes in the world, and the Kariba Hydroelectric Power Station provides electricity to most of Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Luangwa and Kafue are the two main left tributaries of the Zambezi. Kafue joins the main river in a quiet deep stream about 180 meters 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 and * 8242; S), this enters Mozambique.

Middle Zambezi ends with a river flowing into the reservoir (lake) of Kahora Bassa ( Cabora Bass ) Previously, at this point, the river passed through dangerous rapids known as Kebrabassa. The lake was created in 1974 after the construction of the Kabora-Bass dam hydroelectric power station.

  1.4. Lower Zambezi

650 km of the lower reaches of the Zambezi from the Cabora-Bass hydroelectric station to the Indian Ocean are navigable, but during the dry season there are many shallows on the river. A similar situation arises because the river enters a wide valley and spreads over a large territory. Only in some places, such as a gorge Lupata, 320 km from the mouth of the river, the Zambezi flows in a canyon bounded by high hills. At this point, the width of the river is not more than 200 meters. In other places, it is from 5 to 8 km, and its course is extremely slow. The riverbed is sandy. In certain periods, and especially in the rainy season, the various river channels combine into one wide and fast stream.

Delta Zambezi

About 160 km (100 miles) from the Zambezi Sea receive drainage from Lake Malawi through the Shire. As the Indian Ocean approaches, the river splits into many branches and forms a wide delta. Each of the four main mouths, Mylamb, Congone, Luabo and Timbw,   difficult sandy sediment. A more northerly branch called Chind, has a minimum depth in low water of 2 meters at the entrance of 4 meters, this branch is used for navigation. The 100-kilometer (60-mile) further north is a river named Kelimaneafter the city. This stream, which is a silting, gets to go beyond the Zambezi in the rainy season. Zambezi Delta - today half is as wide as it was before the creation Cariba   and Kahora Bass Dam   controlled seasonal changes in river discharge.

The area dried up by the Zambezi - a vast broken - framed plateau of 900-1200 meters high, composed in the remote interior of metamorphic beds and granded with volcanic rocks of Victoria Falls. In Shapanga, on lower Zambezi, thin strata of gray and yellow sandstones, with a random strip of limestone, harvest on the river bed in the dry season, and they persist outside Tete, where they are connected by extensive seams of coal. Coal can be found in the area, but only below Victoria Falls. Gold-bearing rocks occur in several places.

  2. Tributaries

Zambezi has numerous tributaries. The most important are described below in order of flow from source to mouth.

The Cabompo River begins its journey from the hills that form the eastern divide between the Zambezi and Congo systems. It arises by the confluence of the Upper Cabompo and the somewhat larger river Lunga and flows into the Zambezi north of the city of Lakalu. The Langwebangu River, flowing into the Zambezi from the west somewhat south of the confluence with Cabompo, has a width of 200 m in its upper reaches and flows in the valley through the zone of light forest and white sands. The floodplain of the river, occasionally flooded during floods, has a width of about 3 km.

The Gwando River, the largest of the western tributaries of the river, has a ruined capital of people Macololo   at its lower limits. It rises in Angola, and forms the border between Zambia and Angola for part of its course, before bending to the south, a transition like a smooth east in Zambezi. Along this stretch eastward to the Cuando flows through an extensive piercing swamp, with alluvial islands 110 km (70 miles), in its southern bend which joins Magvecan. During the floods, Magvecan receives a portion of the excess Okavango water. This excess water, obtained after most of the Gwando water stream, raises the level of the lake and keeps the Gwando water up to several miles above it.

The largest tributary of the middle Zambezi - Kafue, rises in northern Zambia at an elevation of 1350 meters in a thick forest country. The Langa or Luanga River joins the main headwaters. Iteji-Teji Dam is an important source of hydroelectric energy from the Kafue River. The river also supports wildlife that is protected by Zambia's largest national park - Kafue National Park. Lower Kafue has a series of waterfalls and streams, lowering several hundred feet by 25 km (15 miles).

The next large influx to the east is Luangwa, which rises near the northwestern corner of Lake Malawi, in its upper course runs parallel to its western shores. Luangwa flows into the level valley, limited by steep slopes of the plateau. Its tributaries, the Lansemfwa River and the Lakazashi River, drain a large area of \u200b\u200bthe western plateau of Zambia. Luangwa joins the Zambezi just above the city of Zambo.

Luangwa Valley is an important wildlife sanctuary. Contains North Luangwa, National Park and South Luangwa National Park. Luangwa defines the border between Zambia and Mozambique about 75 km before joining the Zambezi.

From the south, the middle Zambezi merges with the rivers - Shangani, Sanyati, and Hanyani, in addition to minor flows. Maso that rises in Mashonalandjoins the Zambezi below Kahora Bassa Dam.

3. River exploration

Satellite image showing Victoria Falls and the next series of gorges

The Zambezi region was known to medieval geographers as Empire Monomotapa , and the course of the river, as well as the positions of Lakes Ngami and Nyasa, were given widely accurately in the early maps. They were probably built from Arabic information.

The first European to visit Upper Zambezi was David Livingston in his study from Bechuanaland between 1851 and 1853. Two or three years later he went down the Zambezi and discovered Victoria Falls during this trip. During 1858-1860, accompanied by John Kirk, Livingston climbed up the river to the Kongoun Falls, and also traced the course of its tributary, County, and discovered Lake Malawi.

Over the next 35 years, there was an enormous amount of river exploration. In 1889, the Chind Channel was discovered, located north of the main mouths of the river. Two expeditions led by A. St. Hill Gibbons   in (1895-1896) continued the work of a study begun by Livingston in the upper basin and central course of the river. Portuguese explorer Serpa Pinto studied some of the western tributaries of the river and took measurements of Victoria Falls in 1878.

  4. Wildlife

Zebra in the Zambezi River Basin

Zambezi is the habitat of a large number of wildlife populations. Hippos that live on calm stretches of the river, many crocodiles. Lizards are special species of birds including heron, pelican, white heron and African eagle. Coastal forests are inhabited by herds of large animals - buffaloes, zebras, giraffes and elephants. However, the number of large mammals is declining due to the decrease in the area of \u200b\u200bflood pasture caused by the violation of the flood regime of the river by the dams of the hydroelectric power stations Kariba and Cabora Bassa.

Several hundred species of fish live in Zambezi, some of which are endemic. The most important are cichlids, catfish, catfish, therapones and others. A bull shark (blunt shark), also known as Shark Zambezi, although it is found in other countries. These sharks live not only in seawater on the coast, but also in the Zambezi and its tributaries inland. The bull shark is an aggressive shark that is known for its attacks on humans.

  5. Economics

Zambezi near the Mongo River

The population of the Zambezi River Valley is estimated at approximately 32 million people. About 80% of the valley's population is engaged in agriculture, and the floodplains of the upper river provide them with fertile soil.

Fishing is very intense, as local fishermen are supplemented by people from arid places, who make quite long trips, in order to feed the family. In some cities in Zambia, unofficial fishing taxes are levied on roads leading to the river for people who come from another part of the country. As well as fishing for food, sports fishing is an essential component of the economy in some sections of the river. Between Mongu and Livingston there are several safaris that serve fishermen and tourists. Also, fish are caught for sale to fans of the aquarium.

The river valley is rich in minerals and fuel for the coal industry. Some sections of the river are popular tourist spots. Victoria Falls receives more than 1.5 million visitors a year, and Lake Kariba is also visited by a significant number of tourists.

  6. Transport value

In its course, the river often passes through rapids and rapids and, thus, through navigation is impossible. However, it is much more convenient to travel by boat on short distances than to travel along regularly dirt-washed dirt roads, and some villages can only be reached by water. .

Throughout its entire length, only five bridges cross the river. The Victoria Falls bridge was the first, its construction was completed in April 1905. It was originally intended for the Cecil Rhodes-planned railway line from Cape Town to Cairo.

The length of the bridge is 250 m, the length of the central span is 150 m, the height of the bridge above the water surface is 125 m.

Later bridges were built in Chirunda in [Zambia | Zambia], rebuilt in 2003), Tete in Mozambique (1960s) and Chinwings in northern Zambia in the 1970s (pedestrian). In 2004, the construction of a bridge between Seshek in Zambia and Katima Mulilo in Namibia, the last section of the Transkaprivi highway connecting Lusaka in Zambia with Walvis Bay on the Namibian coast, was completed.

Zambezi is one of the four great rivers of Africa after the Nile, Congo (Zaire) and Niger. The source of the Zambezi is born in a marshy area in northern Zambia on the Lund plateau at an altitude of 1,500 m and rushes to the south-west, and after about 240 km it makes a smooth turn to the south, absorbing small rivers along the way and being fed by groundwater. Its entire path in the upper reaches, like faithful guardians, is accompanied by dense deciduous forests. Having left them in the territory of Angola, further Zambezi flows among the tall grass savannah and miombo of a dry light forest: the trees in it stand at a considerable distance from each other, between them low shrubs and vines grow. In the area of \u200b\u200bthe Chavum Falls, the Zambezi, passing through the rapids, returns to Zambia. The height of the plateau here is already about 1100 m, and the width of the river is more than 350 m (in the rainy season). From the Chavuma waterfall to the Ngwambe waterfall, the Zambezi receives large tributaries of the Kabombo and Lungwebungd and the Barotse floodplain begins, and after another 30 km the landscape of the Zambezi shores becomes flat, the flow here slows down and turns to the southeast. 80 km downstream in the Zambezi, the Luanginga River flows from the west. Barotse in the rainy season is flooded and then Zambezi can reach 25 km in width. Below begins a series of rapids and rapids, ending in Ngonje Falls. This Zambezi section is suitable for shipping. After it flows into the Zambezi the full-flowing river Kwando (Chobe). The border between Angola and Zambia runs along it in this region, then the short border with Namibia ends the narrow corridor of this country, wedged between Angola. Botswana and Zimbabwe as early as 1891 under an agreement between the British Cape Colony and the German protectorate German South-West Africa. Having merged with Quando, Zambezi flows already at an altitude of 920 m above sea level, turns east and slows down, as if preparing to collapse with Victoria Falls - the most famous for its natural heritage, powerful and beautiful.
  The waterfall, which the natives call Mosioatunya ("booming smoke"), was the first of Europeans to see the famous explorer of Africa, David Livingstone (1813-1873). It happened on November 17, 1855 during his trip to the Zambezi.
He gave the waterfall the name of the British Queen. And he wrote about him like this: "Angels in flight must have looked at places so beautiful." The width of the waterfall is about 1800 m, the height of the water fall is from 80 to 108 m, in the rainy season it overthrows 9100 m 3 of water per second. Spray and fog above the falling stream rise 400 m and above. Sound can be heard for 30 km, hence the “booming smoke”. The next 200 km Zambezi flows between hills 200–250 m high, basalt rocks 20–60 m high, accelerating on rapids and rapids. Another attraction and the main hydraulic structure in Zambezi is the Kariba Dam and its reservoir, which arose in 1959 in the Caribbean Gorge. Iteji-Teji Dam on the Kafue River, the largest left tributary in the middle reaches of the Zambezi, adds to it its share of energy. At the confluence of the next left tributary - Luangwa - the Zambezi begins in Mozambique - 650 km, and they are navigable. Here is another large hydraulic structure, the Kahora Bassa dam and reservoir, built in 1974. The width of the Zambezi in Mozambique is 5 to 8 km in the rainy season. Only 320 km from the mouth of the Zambezi falls into the gorge of the Lupata canyon with a width of not more than 200 m. The Shire River flowing from Lake Nyasa (Malawi) flows into the Zambezi 160 km from the mouth. The largest branches of the delta covered by mangroves are Milamb, Congone, Luabo and Timbw. But only one is navigable, Shende is also the only port of the same name Zambezi located on it.
The river valley in its upper and middle reaches is located in the climatic zone in which the trade winds of the Northern and Southern hemispheres converge. After several months of scorching heat in mid-November, the skies over Zambezi are covered with heavy thunderstorms of clouds, from which a rain wall collapses, and the whole animal world rushes to the water, which spreads in the plains in places up to 25 km, only small islands of land appear on the surface. From the deep regions of Central and South Africa, large flocks of black antelopes and wildebeests, buffaloes, zebras, lion prides, families of elephants and rhinos, countless flocks of spoonbills, herons, cranes of various species and pelicans rush here. They are accompanied by hyenas and hyena-shaped dogs. Monkeys move among the trees, among which the most numerous species are baboons. In the shallow waters formed by the spill, juvenile fish are teeming, and cattle herds rush here. From the Indian Ocean, a gray bull shark moves upstream, able to exist in both marine and fresh water. In some areas of the Zambezi, flocks of hippos accumulate at this time.
  In full accordance with the laws of natural selection, fights take place on the shores, not for life, but for death, and they are closely watched by phlegmatic-looking crocodiles.
  And then drought comes again: the grass dries up, the small tributaries of the river dry up, for many animal species there is almost no food except for some roots, dried fruits of trees and leaves of succulents. Animals migrate to other places on the continent. But the Zambezi, and at this time of heat, will water all who remain.
A colorful holiday of the Lozi people living in the Barotse floodplain, or Barotseland, is associated with the seasonal cycle. The holiday is called Quombock, which means "get out of the river." Lozi, headed by their leader (litunga), set off from the flooded places. On the front boat is the king, who is above the litungs, an elephant, or rather his statue, and next to it is a statue of his “wife” in the image of a crane. The action is accompanied by a loud drumming and singing. Lozi is one of the oldest peoples of the Bantu group, who settled on lands near Zambezi (but not only here) already several millennia ago. Another people living since ancient times near the Zambezi, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers and also belonging to the Bantu, is Shona. The empire of their ancestors Monomotapa (Mvene-Mutapa) arose in the VI century, flourished in the XIII-XV centuries. and broke up by the beginning of the XVIII century. as a result of internecine conflicts and wars with the southern people Ndebele. It had influence far beyond its borders, possessed so rich oral folklore and such a high culture of agriculture, metallurgy, the manufacture of ceramics and jewelry that some researchers in Africa tend to consider Monomotapa even a separate civilization. This empire had trade relations with the Arab world since the 10th century. The ruins of her capital, the fortified city of Great Zimbabwe near the modern city of Masvingo in Zimbabwe, are a monument of world significance. These are mainly the remains of gigantic towers, built of blocks of granite and surrounded by powerful walls.
  Even in the Zambezi Valley, which is almost free from the technogenic press of modern civilization, there is no escape from environmental problems. The reservoirs made their adjustments to the biological balance of the river: new species of aquatic plants and fish appeared. The Caribbean reservoir is located in a seismically dangerous zone, its water surface is 5580 km 2, its depth is up to 97 m. Such a mass of water creates serious pressure on volcanic rocks, and this is believed to have caused at least the last eight earthquakes in the south of the continent. There is also the problem of water pollution in the Zambezi with chemical effluents.

general information

The fourth longest river in Africa and the longest of the African rivers flowing into the Indian Ocean.
  Countries through which the river flows:   Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique.
Food: rainwater, in the upper reaches - groundwater.

Source: spring on the Lund plateau in northern Zambia, near the border of the NDRC.

Main tributaries:   Lungwebungd, Quando, Luangwing, Cabombo, Kafue, Luangwa and the Shire.

The largest thresholds:   Katima, Kebrabasa.

The largest waterfalls:   Victoria, Chavuma, Ngonier.

Zambezi basin population:   about 32 million people

Large settlements along the coast:   Mongu (Zambia), Katima-Mulilo (Namibia), Seshek (Zambia), Livingston (Zambia), Victoria Fole (Zimbabwe), Cariba (Zimbabwe), Chemba (Mozambique).
Largest reservoirs:   Caribbean, Cahora Bassa.
The largest lake in the Zambezi basin:   Nyasa (Malawi).
Port: Shinde (Mozambique).

Bridges: in the cities of Chinving, Katima-Mulilo, Victoria Falls, Chirunda and Tete.

The most important airport:   in Livingston, connected daily with O.R. Tambo in Johannesburg (South Africa).

Figures

Length: 2,574 km.

Pool Area:   1,570,000 km 2.

Max Width:   1380 m (in the dry season) - in front of Victoria Falls.

Average mouth water flow:   7000 m 3 / s.
Average annual stock:   220 km 3

Climate and weather

Equatorial, soft Three seasons:   cold and dry - from May to August (winter), hot and dry - from September to November (spring), warm and wet - from November to April (summer).

The national average temperature fluctuates:   in the cold months from + 16 ° C to + 27 ° C, in the hot months from + 27 ° C to + 38 ° C.

Average annual rainfall:   from 1100 to 1400 mm.
Average annual evaporation rate:   1600-2300 mm.
Floods in the rainy season:   November-April.

Highest water level:   November.

Economy

Hydropower:   Hydroelectric station Kariba and Kahora-Bassa.
Agriculture:   growing sorghum, maize, vegetables; cattle breeding.

Shipping.
  Fishing and fish farming.

Services: tourism (to Victoria Falls, rafting and kayaking in the Zambezi and its tributaries).

sights

■ Waterfalls: Victoria, one of the greatest waterfalls in the world (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), Chavuma on the border of Zambia and Angola and Ngonie in Zambia.
■ Delta Zambezi.
■ Kariba Lake   (Caribbean reservoir) - as a recreation area.
  ■ The ruins of the ancient city of Great Zimbabwe (a UNESCO World Heritage Site).
■ National Parks in the Zambezi Basin: Mana Pools (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Zambezi, Mosioatunya, Victoria Role, Cameo, Liuva Plains, Liuva Sioma Nguyazi, Chobe, Hwange, Lower Zambezi.
  ■ Crocodile Farm (Livingston).

Curious facts

■ Zambezi has its own god. His name is Nyaminyami, he has the body of a snake and the head of a fish. For him, the tribes that have long lived on the banks of the river pray that they do not rage very much when the time comes for floods. In 1957, elders of the bar tribe living in the lower reaches of the Zambezi, dissatisfied with the construction of the Kariba Dam, turned for help to Nyaminyami, whom they believed would separate the dam from his wife. And in the same year, a severe flood in the Zambezi, caused by an earthquake, hit the dam with streams of water. Oma resisted, but many of her office buildings were destroyed.
  ■ When David Livingston found himself in the vicinity of Victoria Falls, he was accompanied by a detachment of local soldiers of 300 people. But only two of them dared to approach the waterfall along with the "crazy Englishman".
  ■ In the Zambezi River Valley, in the jungles of Zambia and Zimbabwe, in the Wadomo tribe, most people have only ... two fingers on their feet, and both are big. The owners of such feet are also called "ostrich people" ("sapadi"). There are two opinions of scientists about this anatomical anomaly. The first is some kind of virus. The second is a consequence of closely related marriages. But in all other respects these people are completely normal, and they very cleverly move through the trees and quickly run.
  ■ The Cariba Hydroelectric Power Station provides electricity to most of Zambia and Zimbabwe; the Kahora-Bassa Hydroelectric Power Station - the remainder of Zimbabwe and South Africa. There is also a small power station in the city of Victoria Fole.
  ■ In 1975, negotiations were held on the Victoria Bridge in a railway carriage, led by two parties fighting in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). For nine hours they were arguing, proving something to each other, but too often distracted to admire the waterfall, and did not agree on anything.
  ■ The women of the bar tribe look, in the eyes of Europeans, very strange, but in the eyes of their fellow tribesmen - they are perfect: in the name of beauty, they have removed six front teeth, this procedure is carried out by a special tribe-zipper. In addition, to protect against mosquitoes, they spread red ocher on their faces and exposed parts of the body.

Zambezi is a river in Africa with many rapids and waterfalls.

Victoria Falls

Rapid river, with a burrow. There are many dangerous places on it. And a lot of waterfalls. The most beautiful of them is Victoria.

It was formed as a result of a tectonic fault that created a chasm with steep walls. River water falls down from a height of 110 meters. The width of the waterfall is 1800 meters. Before falling from a height, water accumulates in a small lake called the Font of the Devil.
The abyss is a narrow crevice. There is only one exit from it in the form of a narrow channel, the width of which does not exceed 30 meters. Its length is 120 meters. The whole mass of river water rushes along it and enters the gorge with sheer walls. Their height is more than 100 meters. In some places, the gorge expands, and reservoirs form. They are characterized by large slow whirlpools. The length of the gorge is 80 km.
Victoria Falls itself is located on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe near the city of Livingston. At this point, the upper course of the Zambezi ends and the middle begins. The river flows east in mountainous areas and abounds with rapids and rapids. Then the channel turns to the northeast and goes to the Kariba reservoir. It was created by the Kariba Dam. It provides electricity to two countries at once: Zambia and Zimbabwe. The dam is 126 meters high and 580 meters wide. It was built in 1959.

Reservoir

The area of \u200b\u200bthe reservoir itself is 5.6 thousand square meters. km The width reaches 40 km, and the length is 220 km. The reservoir is considered one of the largest in the world among artificial ones. After the reservoir, the river receives several tributaries. On the border of Zambia and Mozambique, the left tributary of the Luangwa flows into it, and then comes the turn of the second reservoir, called the Cabora Bassa. It was created by the dam of the same name, commissioned in 1979.

Source of the river

The source is located at an altitude of 1543 meters above sea level in the dark swamps of Dumbo. According to Aboriginal stories, it is there that the strongest of the sorcerers live. This place is considered one of the most creepy and mysterious on Earth.

River delta

The river delta begins near the town of Marromeu. In its delta, the Zambezi is divided into a huge number of branches and ducts. The most famous of them are Inamisengo, Coama, Shinde, Muselo.

The most important tributaries: on the right - Lungwebungu, Luanginga, Lignyanti (in the upper and middle reaches of Quando), Umniati, Luigna; on the left - Cabompo, Luena, Kasrue, Luangwa, Shire.

The river branches are not navigable due to large sand deposits.

It is noteworthy that the delta narrows every year. This is due to the construction of the Kariba and Cabora Bass dams. They significantly smoothed out seasonal changes in water flow.

Animals, fish and birds

A huge number of animals and birds live on the banks of this African river.
Hippos, monitor lizards, crocodiles, pelicans, white herons, African eagles and many, many other wildlife inhabitants coexist in the area of \u200b\u200bthe Zambezi River.

Fortunately, severe water pollution did not affect a large number of the most diverse species of fish living in the Zambezi.

In muddy wide waters of the river sometimes even sharks are found.

River spills and droughts depend on the time of year.
See photos of the river on the site "Amazing World of Nature".

The role of nature in human life. The role of man in the life of the river.

Two large hydroelectric power plants have been built in the Zambezi.
Cross-shipping due to the rapids on the river is impossible, but there are many short stretches used by people to transport and conduct interesting excursions to the picturesque places of Africa.

Ecology

The Zambezi River could be suitable for many people and animals. But the colossal pollution of water by industrial and household waste greatly worsens the state of ecology in the region of the river.

There is not a single sewage treatment plant along the river bed.

It is not surprising that dysentery and typhoid are not rare diseases in those parts of the world.