Example Of The Longest Rivers In Africa – Top 6 Longest Rivers In Africa
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Even Africans sometimes do not know some of the rivers they have not to talk of the longest rivers in Africa. If you are an african you should be acqainted with some of the prominent long rivers there is in Africa as well as their locations.
Longest Rivers In Africa
Here we have prepared a list of the top longest rivers in Africa and where they are located. They include the following:
- Nile River – 6,650 km
- Congo River – 4,700 km
- Niger River – 4,180 km
- Zambezi River – 2,574 km
- Ubangi-Uele Rivers – 2,270 km
- Orange River – 2,200 km
Let’s get started.
1. Nile River – 6,650 km (4,132 miles): The Nile River is not only the longest river in Africa but also in the world.
It flows South to North, beginning near Lake Victoria and emptying into the Mediterranean Sea – crossing eleven East African countries en route (Burundi, Tanzania, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Egypt) and discharging an average of 99,941 cubic feet of water per second.
A benevolent source of fertile soil that rebels against the surrounding sands, and a crucial trade channel, the Nile famously allowed the ancient Egyptians to establish one of the earliest advanced civilizations.
2. Congo River – 4,700 km (2,920 miles): The second-longest river in Africa is Congo River formerly known as the Zaire River, is the ninth-longest in the world, and the deepest river on the planet, both in terms of maximum and average depth.
Its point of origin can be considered to be in the highlands of Northeastern Zambia and/or the Katanga Plateau in the Southeastern corner of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In either case, the river flows in a counter-clockwise arc, twice crossing the equator, and discharging 1,454,964 cubic feet of water per second on its way to the Atlantic Ocean at a seaport called Banana (or Banane) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The curious shape and direction of flow (the Niger begins near the Atlantic Ocean but flows away from it and into the Sahara Desert) baffled early explorers but is now generally thought to be the product of two ancient rivers joining together.
4. Zambezi River – 2,574 km (1,599 miles): Zambezi river also know as the The “Great River” is a important source of life for iconic African animals as elephants, buffalo, hippos, antelope, and crocodiles, as well the human beings living between its humble origin in the uplands of Zambia, all the way to the Indian Ocean.
The Zambezi picks up steam as it chugs Eastward, providing abundant electricity for many of its basin communities. The Kariba Dam supplies power to Zambia and Zimbabwe, and the Cahora Bassa Dam lights up Mozambique and South Africa.
These are two of Africa’s largest hydroelectric projects. But Zambezi’s most notable feature is easily Victoria Falls (which also has a small power station).
5. Ubangi-Uele Rivers – 2,270 km (1,411 miles): Central Africa’s Ubangi River (or Oubangui) and Uele River round out the continent’s top five rivers. The confluence of the Dungu and Kibali rivers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is where the Uele begins.
It then flows into the Ubangi (of which the Uele is the largest tributary) at the confluence of the Mbomou River, which defines part of the boundary between the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Ubangi is not only a vital source of freshwater for all living things near its shores like many of the rivers on this list but a major vessel for everyday transportation for the people of this region.
6. Orange River – 2,200 km (1,367 miles): The Orange River, which got its name in 1779 from a Dutch official in reference to the Dutch Royal House of Orange, starts its journey in the Drakensberg Mountains and travels West to the South Atlantic Ocean, defining a large portion of the boundary between Namibia and South Africa.
This waterway also separates distinct environments.