| Zambezi River Zambesi, Zambeze | |
|---|---|
 The Zambezi River at the junction of Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana | |
 | |
| Nickname(s) | Besi |
| Location | |
| Countries | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Main stem source. Zambezi Source National Forest |
| • location | Ikelenge District, North-Western Province, Zambia |
| • coordinates | 11°22′11″S 24°18′30″E / 11.36972°S 24.30833°E |
| • elevation | 1,500 m (4,900 ft) |
| 2nd source | Most distant source of the Zambezi-Lungwebungu system |
| • location | Moxico Municipality, Moxico Province, Angola |
| • coordinates | 12°40′34″S 18°24′47″E / 12.67611°S 18.41306°E |
| • elevation | 1,440 m (4,720 ft) |
| Mouth | Indian Ocean |
• location | Zambezia Province and Sofala Province, Mozambique |
• coordinates | 18°34′14″S 36°28′13″E / 18.57056°S 36.47028°E |
• elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Length | 2,574 km (1,599 mi) |
| Basin size | 1,390,000 km2 (540,000 sq mi)[1][2] |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Zambezi Delta, Indian Ocean |
| • average | (Period: 1971–2000)4,296.5 m3/s (151,730 cu ft/s)[3] (Period: 1962–2002)4,134.7 m3/s (146,020 cu ft/s)[4] |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Marromeu, Mozambique (Basin size: 1,377,492 km2 (531,853 sq mi) |
| • average | (Period: 1998–2022)4,217 m3/s (148,900 cu ft/s)[5]
(Period: 1971–2000)4,256.1 m3/s (150,300 cu ft/s)[3] (Period: 1960–1962)3,424 m3/s (120,900 cu ft/s)[1][2] |
| • minimum | (Period: 1998–2022)1,378 m3/s (48,700 cu ft/s)[5] 920 m3/s (32,000 cu ft/s) |
| • maximum | (Period: 1998–2022)11,291 m3/s (398,700 cu ft/s)[5] 18,600 m3/s (660,000 cu ft/s) |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Cahora Bassa Dam (Basin size: 1,068,422.8 km2 (412,520.3 sq mi) |
| • average | (Period: 1971–2000)2,653.9 m3/s (93,720 cu ft/s)[3] |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Kariba Dam (Basin size: 679,495.9 km2 (262,354.8 sq mi) |
| • average | (Period: 1971–2000)1,313.6 m3/s (46,390 cu ft/s)[3] |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Victoria Falls (Basin size: 521,315.5 km2 (201,281.0 sq mi) |
| • average | (Period: 1971–2000)1,066 m3/s (37,600 cu ft/s)[3] |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Zambezi Basin |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Kabompo, Kafue, Luangwa, Capoche, Shire |
| • right | Luena, Lungwebungu, Luanginga, Chobe, Gwayi, Sanyati, Panhane, Luenha |
 | |
The Zambezi (also spelled Zambeze and Zambesi) is the fourth-longest river in Africa, the longest east-flowing river in Africa and the largest flowing into the Indian Ocean from Africa. Its drainage basin covers 1,390,000 km2 (540,000 sq mi),[1][2] slightly less than half of the Nile's. The 2,574 km (1,599 mi) river rises in Zambia and flows through eastern Angola, along the north-eastern border of Namibia and the northern border of Botswana, then along the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe to Mozambique, where it crosses the country to empty into the Indian Ocean.[6][7]
The Zambezi's most noted feature is Victoria Falls. Its other falls include the Chavuma Falls[8] at the border between Zambia and Angola, and Ngonye Falls near Sioma in western Zambia.[9]
The two main sources of hydroelectric power on the river are the Kariba Dam, which provides power to Zambia and Zimbabwe, and the Cahora Bassa Dam in Mozambique, which provides power to Mozambique and South Africa. Additionally, two smaller power stations are along the Zambezi River in Zambia, one at Victoria Falls and the other in Zengamina, near Kalene Hill in the Ikelenge District.[10][11]
- ^ a b c "Richard Beilfuss & David dos Santos: Patterns of Hydrological Change in the Zambezi Delta, Monogram for the Sustainable Management of Cahora Bassa Dam and The Lower Zambezi Valley (2001). Estimated mean flow rate 3424 m³/s" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 December 2008. Retrieved 18 October 2008.
- ^ a b c International Network of Basin Organisations/Office International de L'eau: Archived 27 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine "Développer les Compétences pour mieux Gérer l'Eau: Fleuves Transfrontaliers Africains: Bilan Global." (2002). Estimated annual discharge 106 km3, equal to mean flow rate 3360 m3/s
- ^ a b c d e "Zambezi-Lake Malawi".
- ^ "The Zambezi River Basin - A Multi Sector Investment Opportunities - Volume 4-Modelling, Analysis and Input Data" (PDF). June 2010. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 December 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
- ^ a b c "River Discharge and Reservoir Storage Changes Using Satellite Microwave Radiometry". Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
- ^ "Zambezi River | river, Africa". Encyclopedia Britannica. Archived from the original on 2 May 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
- ^ "Zambezi River Facts and Information". www.victoriafalls-guide.net. Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
- ^ "Chavuma Falls | waterfall, Zambia | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
- ^ "Zambia Tourism: Waterfalls". Zambia Tourism. Archived from the original on 7 April 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
- ^ Pasanisi, Francesco; Tebano, Carlo; Zarlenga, Francesco (March 2016). "A Survey near Tambara along the Lower Zambezi River". Environments. 3 (1): 6. doi:10.3390/environments3010006.
- ^ "Zengamina Hydro Project | North West Zambia Development Trust". Archived from the original on 23 April 2022. Retrieved 18 April 2022.