Dambo

A dambo is a class of complex shallow wetlands in central, southern and eastern Africa, particularly in Zambia, Malawi and Zimbabwe. They are generally found in higher rainfall flat plateau areas and have river-like branching forms which in themselves are not very large but combined add up to a large area. Dambos have been estimated to comprise 12.5% of the area of Zambia.[1] Similar African words include mbuga (commonly used in East Africa), matoro (Mashonaland), vlei (South Africa), fadama (Nigeria), and bolis (Sierra Leone); the French bas-fond and German Spültal have also been suggested as referring to similar grassy wetlands.[2]

  1. ^ Chidumayo, E.N.: "The utilisation status of dambos in southern Africa: a Zambian case study". In: Matiza, T. & Chabwela, H.N. (eds.) Wetlands conservation conference for southern Africa (pp. 105-108). International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Gland (1992).
  2. ^ Andrew S. Goudie, "The Geomorphology of the Seasonal Tropics" in William M. Adams, et al. (editors), The Physical geography of Africa (Oxford: University Press, 1996), p. 152