Lake Mweru

Lake Mweru
Ziwa Mweru
Southern end of the lake from space, June 1993 (false color)
Location of Lake Mweru in Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Location of Lake Mweru in Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Lake Mweru
Ziwa Mweru
Location of Lake Mweru in Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Location of Lake Mweru in Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Lake Mweru
Ziwa Mweru
Coordinates9°00′S 28°43′E / 9.000°S 28.717°E / -9.000; 28.717
TypeRift Valley lakes
Primary inflowsLuapula River
Kalungwishi River
Primary outflowsLuvua River
Basin countriesDR Congo and Zambia
Max. length131 km (81 mi)
Max. width56 km (35 mi)
Surface area5,120 km2 (1,980 sq mi)
Average depth7.5 m (25 ft)
Max. depth27 m (89 ft)
Water volume38.2 km3 (31,000,000 acre⋅ft)
Shore length1436 km (271 mi)
Surface elevation917 m (3,009 ft)
IslandsKilwa Island
Isokwe Island
SettlementsNchelenge, Kashikishi, Chiengi, Pweto, Kilwa, Lukonzolwa
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Lake Mweru (also spelled Mwelu, Mwero) (Swahili: Ziwa Mweru) is a freshwater lake on the longest arm of Africa's second-longest river, the Congo. Located on the border between Zambia and Democratic Republic of the Congo, it makes up 110 kilometres (68 mi) of the total length of the Congo, lying between its Luapula River (upstream) and Luvua River (downstream) segments.[1]

Mweru means 'lake' in a number of Bantu languages, so it is often referred to as just 'Mweru'.[2]

  1. ^ Google Earth accessed 29 March 2007. When in flood Lake Bangweulu and its swamps may temporarily have a larger area, but not a larger volume.
  2. ^ The Northern Rhodesia Journal online at NZRAM.org: J B W Anderson: "Kilwa Island and the Luapula." Vol II, No. 3 pp87–88 (1954)