Mouth of the Zambezi River in Africa. Regime of the Zambezi River. Where does the Zambezi River flow? History and research of the reservoir

home The 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 swampy area in northern Zambia on the Lunda plateau at an altitude of 1500 m and rushes to the southwest, and after about 240 km it makes a smooth turn to the south, absorbing along the way small rivers and recharged by groundwater. Her entire path in the upper reaches, like faithful guards, is accompanied by thick deciduous forests . Having left them on the territory of Angola, the Zambezi then flows among tall grass savannah and miombo dry light forest: the trees in it stand at a considerable distance from each other, low bushes and vines grow between them. At the Chavuma Falls, the Zambezi, after 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 (during the rainy season). From Chavuma Falls to Ngwambe Falls, the Zambezi receives large tributaries Kabombo and Lungwebungd, and the Barotse floodplain begins, and after another 30 km the landscape of the Zambezi banks becomes flat, the flow here slows down and turns to the southeast. 80 km downstream, the Luanginga River flows into the Zambezi from the west. Barotse floods during the rainy season and then the Zambezi can reach 25 km in width. Below begins a series of rapids and rapids, ending with the Ngonye waterfall. This section of the Zambezi is suitable for navigation. After it flows into the Zambezi deep river
Kwando (Chobe). In this area, it runs along the border between Angola and Zambia, then a short border with Namibia, the end of a narrow corridor of this country, wedged between Angola. Botswana and Zimbabwe back in 1891 under an agreement between the British Cape Colony and the German protectorate of German South-West Africa. Having merged with the Quando, the 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 natural asset, powerful and beautiful.
He gave the waterfall the name of the British queen. And he wrote about it this way: “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, during the rainy season it throws down 9100 m 3 of water per second. Spray and fog above the falling stream rise to 400 m and higher. The sound can be heard 30 km away, hence the “thundering smoke”. For the next 200 km, the Zambezi flows between hills 200-250 m high, basalt cliffs 20-60 m high, accelerating on rapids and rapids. Another attraction and the main hydraulic structure on the Zambezi is the Kariba dam and its reservoir, which arose in 1959 in the Caribbean Gorge. The Itezhi-Tezhi Dam on the Kafue River, the largest left tributary of the middle Zambezi, adds its share of energy. At the confluence of the next left tributary - the Luangwa - the Zambezi route across Mozambique begins - 650 km, and they are navigable. It is home to another major hydraulic structure, the Cahora Bassa Dam and Reservoir, built in 1974. The Zambezi in Mozambique is between 5 and 8 km wide during the rainy season. Only 320 km from the mouth of the Zambezi it falls into the gorge of the Lupata Canyon, no more than 200 m wide. The Shire River, flowing from Lake Nyasa (Malawi), flows into the Zambezi 160 km from the mouth. The largest branches of the delta, covered with mangrove forests, are Milaimbe, Congoun, Luabo and Timbw. But only one is navigable; Shende is also the location of the only Zambezi port of the same name.
The river valley in its upper and middle reaches is located in climatic zone, in which the trade winds of the Northern and Southern hemispheres. After months of scorching heat, in mid-November the skies over the Zambezi are covered with heavy, thunderous sheets of clouds, from which a wall of rain falls, and the entire animal world rushes towards the water, which on the plains spreads in places over a distance of up to 25 km; only small islands of land protrude to the surface. From the interior of Central and Southern Africa, large herds of black and wildebeest, buffalo, zebra, lion prides, families of elephants and rhinoceroses, countless flocks of spoonbills, herons, cranes different types and pelicans. They are accompanied by hyenas and hyena-like dogs. Monkeys move through the trees, among which the most numerous species are baboons. The shallow waters created by the spill are teeming with juvenile fish, and herds of catfish flock here. From Indian Ocean a gray bull shark moves upstream, capable of existing in both sea and fresh water. In some areas of the Zambezi, herds of hippopotamuses accumulate at this time.
In full compliance with the laws natural selection On the banks there are life-and-death fights, their progress being closely watched by phlegmatic-looking crocodiles.
And then drought sets in again: the grass dries up, small tributaries of the river dry up, there is almost no food for many species of animals, with the exception of some roots, dried fruits of trees and leaves of succulents. Animals migrate to other places on the continent. But even in this time of heat, the Zambezi will give water to everyone who remains.
Associated with the seasonal cycle is the colorful festival of the Lozi people who live in the Barotse floodplain, or Barotseland. The festival is called Kuomboka, which means “to get out of the river.” The Lozi, led by their leader (litunga), set off from the flooded places. On the front boat is the king, who is taller than the litunga, an elephant, or rather his statue, and next to it is a statue of his “wife” in the form of a crane. The action is accompanied by loud drumming and singing. The Lozi are one of the most ancient peoples of the Bantu group, who settled in the lands near the Zambezi (but not only here) several thousand years ago. Another people who have lived since ancient times near the Zambezi, in the area between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers and also belong to the Bantu, is the Shona. The empire of their ancestors Monomotapa (Mwene-Mutapa) arose in the 6th century and flourished in the 13th-15th centuries. and fell apart to early XVIII V. as a result of internecine conflicts and wars with the southern Ndebele people. It had an influence far beyond its borders, possessed such a rich oral folklore and such a high culture of agriculture, metallurgy, ceramics and jewelry making that some researchers of Africa are inclined to consider Monomotapa even a separate civilization. This empire had trade relations with the Arab world since the 10th century. The ruins of its capital, the walled city of Great Zimbabwe, close up modern city Masvingo in Zimbabwe is a monument of world significance. These are mainly the remains of gigantic towers, built from blocks of granite and surrounded by powerful walls.
Even in an almost free environment from technogenic pressure modern civilization The Zambezi Valley cannot escape environmental problems. The reservoirs made their own adjustments to the biological balance of the river: new species of aquatic plants and fish appeared. The Caribbean reservoir is located in a seismic zone, its water surface area is 5580 km 2, its depth is up to 97 m. Such a mass of water creates serious pressure on volcanic rocks, and it is believed that this was the reason for at least eight recent earthquakes in the south of the continent. There is also the problem of pollution of the Zambezi waters with chemical runoff.

general information

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

Source: A spring on the Lunda Plateau in northern Zambia, near the NDRK border.

Main tributaries: Lungwebungd, Kwando, Luangwinga, Kabombo, Kafue, Luangwa and Shire.

Largest rapids: Katima, Kebrabasa.

The most large waterfalls: Victoria, Chavuma, Ngonye.

Population of the Zambezi Basin: about 32 million people.

Large settlements along the banks: Mongu (Zambia), Katima Mulilo (Namibia), Seshek (Zambia), Livingstone (Zambia), Victoria Fole (Zimbabwe), Kariba (Zimbabwe), Chemba (Mozambique).
Largest reservoirs: Kariba, Cahora Bassa.
The largest lake in the Zambezi basin: Nyasa (Malawi).
Port: Xinde (Mozambique).

Bridges: in the towns of Chingwingi, Katima Mulilo, Victoria Falls, Chirundu and Tete.

Most important airport: in Livingston, connected by daily flights to international airport O.R. Tambo in Johannesburg (South Africa).

Numbers

Length: 2,574 km.

Pool area: 1,570,000 km2.

Maximum width: 1380 m (dry season) - in front of Victoria Falls.

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

Climate and weather

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

The national average temperature ranges: in cold months from +16°С to +27°С, in hot months - from +27°С to +38°С.

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

Highest water level: november.

Economy

Hydropower: Hydroelectric power stations Kariba and Cahora Bassa.
Agriculture: growing sorghum, maize, vegetables; cattle breeding.

Shipping.
Fishing and fish farming.

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

Attractions

■ Waterfalls: Victoria, one of the world's greatest waterfalls (listed as a World Heritage Site) natural heritage UNESCO), Chavuma on the Zambia-Angolan border and Ngonye in Zambia.
■ Zambezi Delta.
■ Lake Kariba(Caribbean Reservoir) - as a recreation area.
■ Ruins ancient city Great Zimbabwe (object World Heritage UNESCO).
■ National parks in the Zambezi basin: Mana Pools (UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site), Zambezi, Mosioatunya, Victoria Rolle, Cameo, Liuwa Plains, Liuwa Sioma Nguezi, Chobe, Hwange, Lower Zambezi.
■ Crocodile Farm (Livingston).

Curious facts

■ The Zambezi has its own god. His name is Nyaminyami, he has the body of a snake and the head of a fish. The tribes who have long lived on the banks of the river pray to him so that it does not rage too much when the time of floods comes. In 1957, the elders of the Batonka tribe living on the lower Zambezi, dissatisfied with the construction of the Kariba dam, turned to Nyaminyami for help, whom they believed the dam would separate from his wife. And that same year, a severe flood on the Zambezi, caused by an earthquake, poured streams of water onto the dam. Oma survived, but many of its outbuildings were destroyed.
■ When David Livingstone found himself in the Victoria Falls area, he was accompanied by a detachment of local warriors of 300 people. But only two of them dared to approach the waterfall together with the “mad Englishman”.
■ In the Zambezi River valley, in the jungles of Zambia and Zimbabwe, in the Vadomo tribe, most people have only... two toes on their feet, and both are big. The owners of such feet are also called “ostrich people” (“sapadi”). There are two scientific opinions about this anatomical anomaly. The first is some kind of virus. The second is a consequence of consanguineous marriages. But in all other respects, these people are completely normal, and they move very deftly through trees and run quickly.
■ Kariba hydroelectric power station provides electricity most Zambia and Zimbabwe, Kahora Bassa hydroelectric power station - the rest of Zimbabwe and South Africa. There is also a small power station in the town of Victoria Falls.
■ In 1975, negotiations were held on the Victoria Bridge in a railway carriage between the two sides at war in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). For nine hours they argued, proving something to each other, but were distracted too often to admire the waterfall, and never agreed on anything.
■ The women of the Batonka 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, their six front teeth have been removed, this procedure is carried out by a special dentist of the tribe. In addition, to protect against mosquitoes, they smear red ocher on their faces and exposed parts of the body.

Characteristic

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The Zambezi is the fourth longest river in Africa. The basin area is 1,570,000 km, length is 2,574 km. The source of the river is in Zambia, the river flows through Angola, along the borders of Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe, to Mozambique, where it flows into the Indian Ocean.

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

Waterfalls: Chavuma on the Zambia-Angolan border and Ngambwe in Western Zambia. Along the entire course of the river across the Zambezi there are five bridges in the cities of Chingwingi, Katima Mulilo, Victoria Falls, Chirundu and Tete.

Two large hydroelectric power stations were built on the river - the Kariba Hydroelectric Power Station, which supplies electricity to Zambia and Zimbabwe, and the Cabora Bassa Hydroelectric Power Station in Mozambique, which supplies electricity to Zimbabwe and South Africa. There is also a small power station in the city of Victoria Falls.

River flow

Zambezi Basin

Source

The river's source is in the black swamp region of northwestern Zambia, among forested hills at an altitude of about 1,500 meters above sea level. To the east of the source there is a belt of hills with rather steep northern and southern slopes, lying between 11 and 12 degrees south latitude. The watershed between the Congo and Zambezi river basins runs along this belt. It clearly separates the Luapala River basin (the main tributary of the upper Congo) from the Zambezi. In the vicinity of the source, the watershed is not clearly expressed, but these two river systems not connected.

Upper river

After approximately 240 km of movement to the southwest, the river turns south, where numerous tributaries flow into it. A few kilometers above Keiknji the river widens from 100 to 350 meters; below Keiknji there are numerous rapids ending in the Chavama waterfall. The first of the large tributaries of the Zambezi, the Kabompo River, is located in northern Zambia. A little further south, an even larger river, the Langwebangu, flows into it. The savannah through which the river flows gives way to bushland with Borassas palms.

Zambezi River in North Western Zambia

From an altitude of 1500 m above sea level at the source, after 350 km, in Keiknji the river drops to approximately 1100 m. From this city to the Victoria Falls, the river level practically does not change, decreasing only by another 180 m. 30 km below the confluence with Langwebangu area becomes flat and is subject to major floods during the rainy season. 80 kilometers further downstream, the Luanginga flows into the Zambezi, which, together with its tributaries, covers a large area in the west.

Below the confluence of the Luanjinga is the city of Lilui, one of the administrative centers of the Lozi people inhabiting the semi-autonomous region of Zambia - Barotseland. The Lozi king's annual pre-monsoon move from Lilui to Limalanga, his second residence further from the river, is a major part of the Zambian Kuomboka festival.

After Lilui the river turns to the southeast. Numerous small tributaries continue to flow into it from the east; for 240 km, up to the confluence with the Kwando River, there is not a single western tributary. Before entering the Kwando, the river passes through a series of rapids and rapids, as well as the Ngambwe Falls, making navigation in this section impossible. South of Ngambwe Falls, the river follows the Namibian border, delimiting the Caprivi Strip - a narrow and long strip of Namibian territory, extending from the main territory of Namibia all the way to the Zambezi River and dividing the territories of Botswana and Angola. Its origin is due to the desire of the then German South-West Africa during colonial development to have access to the Zambezi River.

After the confluence of the Kwando and Zambezi, the river turns sharply to the east. At this point the wide and shallow Zambezi flows slowly, and on its way east to the edge of the great Central African plateau, the river reaches a rift into which it is plunged by Victoria Falls.

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, approximately another 200 km between hills 200-250 meters high, cutting through 20-60 meter perpendicular walls of basalt and overcoming numerous rapids and rapids. In this section, the water edge drops by 250 meters.

Finally, the river flows into the Kariba Reservoir (Lake Kariba), created in 1959 after the construction of the Kariba Hydroelectric Dam. This reservoir is one of the largest artificial lakes in the world, and the Kariba hydroelectric station provides electricity to most of Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Luangwa and Kafue are the two main left tributaries of the Zambezi. Kafue joins main river a deep calm stream about 180 meters wide. At the Luangwa confluence, the river enters Mozambican territory.

The Middle Zambezi ends at the river's confluence with the Cahora Bassa reservoir, created in 1974 after the construction of the Kabora-Bassa hydroelectric dam.

Lower Zambezi

Zambezi Delta

650 km of the lower reaches of the Zambezi from the Cabora Bassa hydroelectric power station to the Indian Ocean are navigable, but during the dry season many shoals form on the river. This is due to the fact that the channel runs through a wide valley and the river overflows over a large area. Only in some places, such as the Lupata Gorge, 320 km from the mouth of the river, the Zambezi flows in a canyon bordered by high hills. At this point, the width of the river is no more than 200 meters. In other places it ranges from 5 to 8 km and its flow is extremely slow. The riverbed in this area is sandy. At certain periods, and especially during the rainy season, the various channels of the river combine into one wide and fast stream.

Approximately 160 km from the ocean, the Zambezi, via the Shire River, is replenished with water from Lake Malawi. As it approaches the Indian Ocean, the river splits into many branches and forms a wide delta. The four main branches - Milaimbe, Congoun, Luabo and Timbw - are unnavigable due to large sand deposits. For navigation, only the northern branch of the Chaind is used, which has minimum depth 2 meters at the beginning and 4 meters in the further course.

Today the Zambezi Delta is twice as narrow (larger or smaller?) as it was before. This is due to the creation of Kariba and Cabora Bassa hydroelectric power stations, smoothing seasonal changes in river flow.

Tributaries

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

The Kabompo River begins its journey from the highlands that form the eastern divide between the Zambezi and Congo systems. It arises from the merger of Upper Kabompo and several larger river Lunga and flows into the Zambezi north of the city of Lakalu. The Langwebangu River, which flows into the Zambezi from the west slightly south of its confluence with Kabompo, in its upper reaches is 200 m wide and flows in the valley through an area of ​​open forest and white sands. The river's floodplain, which is occasionally flooded during floods, is about 3 km wide.

The Kwando River, the largest of the river's western tributaries, has the ruined capital of the Makololo people on its lower reaches. It rises into Angola, and forms the border between Zambia and Angola for part of its course, before bending south, passing as it flows east into the Zambezi. In this stretch east to the Kuando streams through a vast piercing swamp, with alluvial islands 110 km (70 mi), at its southern bend joined by Magwekwana. During floods, Magwekana receives some of the Okavango's excess water. This excess water, obtained after most of the Quando water flow, raises the level of the lake and keeps the Quando waters up to several miles above it.

The largest tributary of the middle Zambezi, the Kafue, rises in northern Zambia at an elevation of 1350 meters in thick forested country. The main headwaters are joined by the Langa or Luanga River. The Itezhi-Tezhi Dam is an important source of hydroelectric power from the Kafue River. The river also supports wildlife, which is protected by Zambia's largest national park, Kafue. National Park. The lower Kafue has a series of waterfalls and streams, dropping several hundred feet over 25 km (15 mi).

The next great tributary to the east is the Luangwa, which rises near the north-western corner of Lake Malawi, in its upper course running parallel to its western shores. The Luangwa flows into a level valley bounded by the steep slopes of the plateau. Its tributaries, the Lansemphwa River and the Lakazashi River, drain a large area of ​​the western plateau of Zambia. Luangwa joins the Zambezi a little above the town of Zambo.

Luangwa Valley - an important nature reserve wildlife. Contains North Luangwa National Park and South Luangwa National Park. Luangwa defines the border between Zambia and Mozambique for approximately 75 km before joining the Zambezi.

On the south, the middle Zambezi joins the Shangani, Sanyati, and Chanyani rivers, besides minor streams, the Mazo, which rises in Mashonaland, joins the Zambezi below the Cahora Bassa Dam. .

River exploration

Satellite image showing Victoria Falls and subsequent series of gorges

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

The first European to visit the upper Zambezi was David Livingstone on his journey from Bechuanaland between 1851 and 1853. Two or three years later he descended the Zambezi and during this trip discovered Victoria Falls. During 1858-1860, accompanied by John Kirk, Livingstone sailed up the river to Congoun Falls, and also traced the course of its tributary, the County, and discovered Lake Malawi.

Over the next 35 years, a number of studies of the river were carried out. In 1889, the Chaind Canal, located north of the river's main mouths, was discovered. Two expeditions led by A. St. Hill Gibbons (1895-1896) continued the work of exploration begun by Livingstone in the upper basin and central course of the river. Portuguese explorer Serpa Pinto explored some of the river's western tributaries and took measurements of Victoria Falls in 1878.

wild nature

Zebra living in the Zambezi River basin

The Zambezi is home to large populations of wildlife. Hippos living in calm sections of the river, many crocodiles. Monitor lizards, special species of birds including heron, pelican, white heron and the African eagle. The coastal forests are inhabited by herds of large animals - buffalos, zebras, giraffes and elephants. However, the quantity large mammals is declining due to a decrease in the area of ​​flooded pastures caused by the disruption of the river's flood regime by the dams of the Kariba and Cabora Bassa hydroelectric power stations.

The Zambezi is home to several hundred species of fish, some of which are endemic. The most important are cichlids, catfish, catfish, terapons and others. The river is home to the bull shark (bluntnose shark), also known as the Zambezi Shark, although it is also found in other countries. These sharks live not only in sea ​​waters on the coast, but also in the Zambezi and its tributaries inland.

Economy

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 employed agriculture, and the floodplain of the upper river provides them with fertile soil.

Fishing is very intensive, as local fishermen are supplemented by people from arid places who make quite long journeys to feed their families. In some towns in Zambia, unofficial fishing taxes are levied on roads leading to the river for people coming from another part of the country. As well as catching fish for food, sport fishing is a significant component of the economy in some sections of the river. Between Mongu and Livingstone there are several game drives that cater to fishing tourists. The fish are also caught for sale to aquarium hobbyists.

Transport value

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

Along its entire length, the river is crossed by only five bridges. The Victoria Falls bridge was the first, completed in April 1905. It was originally intended for 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 at Chirundu in Zambia, rebuilt in 2003, Tete in Mozambique (1960s) and Chingwingi in northern Zambia in the 1970s (pedestrian). In 2004, construction was completed between Sesheke in Zambia and Katima Mulilo in Namibia, the last section of the Transcaprivi highway connecting Lusaka in Zambia with Walvis Bay on the Namibian coast.

Ecology

Cabora Bassa Reservoir in Mozambique

Wastewater discharge - main reason water pollution around cities. Due to the lack of treatment facilities, wastewater is discharged into the river directly, without any treatment, which leads to the development of such serious diseases as cholera, typhus and dysentery.

The construction of two large dams to regulate the river's flow had a major impact on both wildlife and populated areas in the lower Zambezi. When the Kabora Bassa hydroelectric dam was built in 1973, the reservoir it created was filled in just one rainy season, contrary to recommendations for at least two years to fill it.

The sharp decline in flows has led to a 40% reduction in mangrove cover, increased coastal erosion and a 60% reduction in shrimp catches in the estuary area due to reduced silt and mineral output.

Main settlements

Along most of the river's course the population is small, with the following towns along the river:

Mongu Lakalu Katima Mulilo (Namibia), Sesheke (Zambia) Livingstone (Zambia), Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) Kariba Songo Tete

Literature (links)

Geographical collection of Countries and Peoples, volume East and Southern Africa, Moscow, from Mysl, 1981. Bento C. M., Beilfuss R. (2003), Wattled Cranes, Waterbirds, and Wetland Conservation in the Zambezi Delta, Mozambique, report for the Biodiversity Foundation for Africa for the IUCN - Regional Office for Southern Africa: Zambezi Basin Wetlands Conservation and Resource Utilization Project. Bourgeois S., Kocher T., Schelander P. (2003), Case study: Zambezi river basin, ETH Seminar: Science and Politics of International Freshwater Management 2003/04 Davies B. R., Beilfuss R., Thoms M. C. (2000), "Cahora Bassa retrospective, 1974-1997: effects of flow regulation on the Lower Zambezi River, "Verh. Internat. Verein. Limnologie, 27, 1-9 Dunham KM (1994), The effect of drought on the large mammal populations of Zambezi riverine woodlands, Journal of Zoology, v. 234, p. 489-526 Wynn S. (2002), "The Zambezi River - Wilderness and Tourism", International Journal of Wilderness, 8, 34.

Links (Internet)

Zambezi River Management Zambezi Society Map of Africa Zambezi River Basin Rivers of Africa

The Zambezi is the fourth longest river in Africa. Geographically, the river is located in South Africa, it originates in Zambia, then, flowing through the territory of five more states (Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique), it flows into the Indian Ocean.

The area of ​​the territory from which the Zambezi River collects its waters is 1390 thousand square meters. km., and the length of the watercourse itself is 2574 kilometers. It is on this river that one of the most famous waterfalls in the world, Victoria, is located. But it is not the only one - the rocky rocks along which the river basin passes contribute to the formation of waterfalls, among which Chavuma and Ngambwe can also be noted.

Hydrological and morphological characteristics

The source from which the Zambezi River begins is located among a swamp area located at an altitude of about 1500 m above sea level. The watershed separating the river basin from the neighboring Congo River basin is not clearly defined, but the two river systems are not connected. In its upper reaches the river is shallow and wide, subject to frequent floods. The river is fed predominantly by rain and underground, with pronounced periods of rain floods. After the Victoria Falls, the middle course of the river begins, which is characterized by the intersection of basalt rocks, overcoming which, the watercourse forms numerous riffles, rapids and rapids. In the lower reaches, which is located in a wide valley, the Zambezi becomes navigable.

Human use of the river

The Zambezi River underwent its first serious research in the middle of the 19th century, thanks to the famous expeditions of Livingstone, although it was known to medieval geographers. Today, about 32 million people live directly in the river valley alone, mainly engaged in agriculture and fishing. Despite its considerable length, this river is crossed by only five bridges. Significant Negative influence The condition of the river was affected by the construction of two large dams, and in our time there continues to be pressure on the ecosystem due to regular discharges of untreated wastewater.

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

Victoria Falls

The river is rapids, with temper. There are many dangerous places on it. And many waterfalls. The most beautiful of them is Victoria.

It was formed as a result of a tectonic fault, which created an abyss 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, the water accumulates in a small lake called the Devil's Font.
The abyss is a narrow chasm. 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 entire mass of river water rushes along it and ends up in a gorge with steep walls. Their height is more than 100 meters. In some places the gorge widens 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 Livingstone. This is where it ends upstream Zambezi and the middle begins. The river flows east in a mountainous area and is replete with rapids and rapids. The channel then turns northeast and enters the Kariba Reservoir. It was created by the Kariba hydroelectric dam. It supplies electricity to two countries at once: Zambia and Zimbabwe. The dam reaches a height of 126 meters and a width of 580 meters. It was built in 1959.

Reservoir

The area of ​​the 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 artificial reservoirs in the world. After the reservoir, the river receives several tributaries. On the border of Zambia and Mozambique, the left tributary Luangwa flows into it, and then comes the turn of the second reservoir, called Cabora Bassa. It was created by the hydroelectric dam of the same name, which was put into operation 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 the stories of the aborigines, this is where the most powerful 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 great amount sleeves and ducts. The most famous of them are Inamisengo, Koama, Shinde, Muselo.

The most important tributaries: on the right - Lungwebungu, Luanginga, Linyanti (in the upper and middle reaches of Kwando), Umniati, Luenya; from the left - Kabompo, Luena, Kasrue, Luangwa, Shire.

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

It is noteworthy that the delta is narrowing every year. This is due to the construction of the Kariba and Cabora Bassa 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, egrets, African eagles and many, many other wildlife inhabitants coexist in the habitat of the Zambezi River.

Fortunately, severe water pollution has not yet affected a large number of the widest variety of fish species living in the Zambezi.

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

River floods and droughts depend on the time of year.
See photos of the river on the website " Amazing world nature."

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

Two large hydroelectric power stations have been built on the Zambezi.
Due to the rapids on the river, through navigation is impossible, but there are many short stretches used by people for transportation and interesting excursions to the picturesque places of Africa.

Ecology

The Zambezi River would be suitable for habitation by many people and animals. But colossal water pollution from industrial and household waste greatly worsens the environmental condition in the river area.

There is not a single treatment facility along the riverbed.

It is not surprising that dysentery and typhus are not rare diseases in those parts.

Just like the northern part of this continent, it has its own unique, luxurious and very full-flowing attraction - the Zambezi. The river originates in Zambia and flows through countries such as Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia. In Mozambique, the Zambezi estuary flows into the Indian Ocean. Along the course of this river is located the greatest attraction of Africa - Victoria Falls.

River flow. Top part

The source of the Zambezi River is in the northwestern part of Zambia, surrounded by black swamps. here it is equal to one and a half meters. A little above the source there is a mountain slope along which there is a clear watershed between the basins of two water streams - the Congo and the Zambezi. The river flows to the southwest, and at about the 240th kilometer, tributaries begin to flow into it. On one of the slopes the river turns into a small Chavama waterfall. This makes it unsuitable for shipping. During its first 350 km, approximately to Victoria Falls, the height above sea level along which the waters flow is approximately the same. It changes its direction a couple of times from south to east, but these changes are insignificant. In the place where the waterfall is located, the upper Zambezi ends. River in central Africa brings most of its waters to Victoria Falls, forming a stunning phenomenon in this place, which billions of tourists come to admire.

Middle part of the river

It is considered the dividing boundary between the sources of the river and its middle course. Starting from there, the channel heads strictly east, where it runs between the hills. The approximate length of this part of the reservoir is 300 meters. We also note that the source of the Zambezi River, which we talked about above, is surrounded by bushes, savanna and sandy-clayey rocks. Here the water flows along the basalts, which form hills and small rocks that enclose the waters of the river. An important point in the middle part is the Caribbean Reservoir (also called Lake Kariba). This is one of the largest artificial lakes in the world. It was formed here in the mid-20th century, after a dam of the same name was built in the middle reaches of the Zambezi. From then until today, the Kariba hydroelectric power station has provided all residents of the surrounding area with the opportunity to use electricity. Also along the middle course we encounter two more large tributaries - Kafue and Luangwa, which flow into the Zambezi. Thanks to them, the river becomes wider and fuller. Therefore, a little further downstream, another dam was built on it - Cabora Bassa. At this point the middle part of the Zambezi ends.

Lower channel of the water artery

The Zambezi, crossing the Cabora Bassa reservoir, redirects its waters to the west. The length of its final part is the largest compared to the previous ones, namely 650 km. This area is already suitable for navigation, but there are often shoals here. The fact is that the area through which the water flows is a wide valley, and they simply spread along it, forming a wide river, but not very deep. The channel narrows only when it passes through the Lupata Canyon. Here its width is only 200 meters, while in all other places the river literally spreads out to 5-8 kilometers. At a distance of 160 km from the ocean, the Zambezi intersects with the river. Wider. Thanks to this, it is fed by its waters, as well as by waters from Lake Malawi. After this, our beauty breaks up into many small channels, forming a delta. Near the shores of the Indian Ocean, the Zambezi River on the map looks like a triangular branch that connects to large waters.

Tributaries of the river

This flow is considered the fourth largest among its “brothers” on the continent. The Zambezi River in Africa would not be so full of water if it were not for its numerous tributaries, lakes and canals crossing its bed. Well, let's look at them in more detail. The first and most important feeding artery of the water flow is the Capombo River. It originates in the hills where the sources of the Congo and Zambezi are located not far from each other. In the first knee of our subject of study, where the direction changes from western to eastern, it is crossed by Kwando, a very deep river. In the middle reaches of the Zambezi, the waters of Kafue and Langi feed. Below we meet another extremely important tributary - the Luangwa. It not only supplies its waters to the Zambezi, but also comes into contact with Lake Malawi, making it very wide and deep. In the lower part of the flow, the river is fed by the waters of the Sanyati, Shangani and Khanyani tributaries.

History and research of the reservoir

People have knowledge about this geographical object existed back in the early Middle Ages. Historians believe that this knowledge was based on Arabic chronicles and documents. Thus, the Zambezi River appeared on the map of Africa back in the 1300s, but, as you understand, only high-ranking persons could know about it. Major exploration of these African waters began only in the 19th century. The first person to pay attention to the river was scientific point sight, it turned out He swam upstream, starting from Lake Malawi and ending with Victoria Falls. Along the way, he discovered many of the now famous tributaries and gave them their names. Until the end of the century, the river and all adjacent elements were fully studied by Europeans, and all the data was firmly established on world maps.

Fish world

Most of the fish that are found in the waters of the Zambezi are endemic. All their species are found exclusively in this area. And even if many of the names that we list below seem familiar to you, rest assured that in reality this aquatic inhabitant will not look the way we are used to contemplating it. There is a special microflora here, which allows all living organisms to develop differently than in Europe or America. So, here you can find cichlids of various types, catfish, terapons and catfish. A very popular inhabitant of the lower one is the blunt-nosed shark, or bull shark. It is found both in the coastal waters of the Indian Ocean and in the tributaries of the Zambezi.

Fauna

Based on the previous material, you can imagine where the Zambezi River is located with geographical point vision. This central part African continent, tropical zone, a zone of eternal heat, sand and savannah. It is through such a landscape that the Zambezi flows, which creates the corresponding fauna around it. There are countless crocodiles here various types. According to this characteristic, the river can be easily compared with the Nile. Along with them, smaller lizards live, as well as snakes (especially in the area of ​​the source, where there are many swamps). On land there are elephants, zebras, bulls, lions, buffalos - in a word, a typical African safari. Unfortunately, there are not so many birds in the skies over the Zambezi. Monitor lizards, pelicans, African eagles fly here, and white herons stroll along the banks of the river.

"Fish" economy

You can understand just by looking at the photo: the Zambezi River is very deep, wide, rich in fauna and flora, and therefore is a significant economic link in the development of all the countries through whose territory it flows. In addition to the fact that two giant hydroelectric power stations have been built here, which supply electricity to all surrounding countries and cities, fishing is also thriving here. Residents of cities that grew up on the banks of the Zambezi can use the gifts of its waters free of charge to feed their families. Visitors from more distant settlements pay a tax for fishing here. Many of the banks of the Zambezi are reserved for sport fishing. People come here for pleasure and rare species Pisces people from different parts of the planet. Also, the same endemics that serve as decoration for any aquarium are caught from the river basin.

Ecological situation

Perhaps we will begin our description of the ecology of the Zambezi River with its problems, since they are truly large-scale. All the misfortunes lie in the fact that wastewater is discharged here, not through special treatment facilities, but directly. Sewage from populated areas, ports, single houses and other objects simply drains into the river. This not only causes water pollution, but also gives rise to diseases such as typhoid, cholera, dysentery, and a host of other, more or less serious infections. Big problems also arose after the construction of the Cabora Bassa hydroelectric station. It was filled thanks to rains literally in one season, while the authorities planned that it would be filled gradually over several years. As a result, the flow has sharply decreased, which has entailed a reduction in the area of ​​mangrove forests around the water. This also scared away the animals that previously lived on the banks of the river. Many useful microelements also disappeared from the waters, and the number of fish species that lived here decreased.

Transport situation

In total, the length of the Zambezi River is 2574 kilometers, taking into account all its bends and turns. This makes it one of the largest water flows in Africa, but this is not at all a sign that it is an ideal transport artery for its region. We have already said above that the river bed often changes its direction, and radically, the same applies to its width, depth and other indicators. The main obstacles to navigation are the artificial lakes, dams and waterfalls that cross its course. However, often many transport operations are carried out precisely thanks to individual sections of this reservoir. For example, steamships often pass through the lower part of the Zambezi, carrying both passengers and cargo. Middle and top are used predominantly local residents. The surrounding roads are always washed out due to the instability of the local soils, and the easiest way to get from one settlement to another is by boat.

Bridges over the Zambezi

Africa's fourth largest watercourse is crossed by just five bridges. Their construction began at the dawn of the 20th century, and is still ongoing, despite the fact that many projects have already been completed. The first was built in 1905 in Victoria Falls. It rises 125 meters above the water surface, its width is 150 meters, and its length is 250 meters. Since then it has been reconstructed, but not radically rebuilt. It was originally planned as part railway, which would run from Cape Town to Cairo. Further, in 1939, a bridge was built in the city of Chirundu (Zambia), which was rebuilt in 2003, and in the 60s bridges appeared in the cities of Tete and Chingwingi. In later years, namely in 2004, construction of the last, fifth bridge across the Zambezi was completed. It runs between the cities of Sesheke (Zambia) and Katimo Mulilo (Namibia).

Cities and towns surrounding the river

We looked at where the Zambezi River originates, where it flows, and what other bodies of water cross it as it flows. Now the subject of consideration is the settlements surrounding its shores. Firstly, the river passes through more or less six countries. Among them are Angola, Namibia, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Botswana. But there are more cities located on its banks. Let's list them briefly: Lakalu, Kariba, Mongu, Tete, Songo, Lilui, Livingstone, Sesheke and Katimo Mulilo. All settlements are very small geopolitical objects. In total, only 32 million people live in the river valley. Most of them lead rural image life, content with local floating soils and the almost complete absence of livestock. Local cities make money mainly from tourism, but this industry is not properly developed here either. Many of them work as fishermen, and poaching is also rampant.