This article needs additional citations for verification. (May 2016) |
Kaduna River | |
---|---|
Location | |
Countries | |
Physical characteristics | |
Mouth | Niger River |
Length | 550 km (340 mi) |
Basin size | 65,878 km2 (25,436 sq mi) |
Discharge | |
• average | 523 m3/s (18,500 cu ft/s) |
The Kaduna River is a tributary of the Niger River which flows for 550 kilometres (340 mi) through Nigeria.[1] It got its name from the crocodiles that lived in the river and surrounding area.[2] Kaduna in the native dialect, Hausa, was the word for "crocodiles".[3] It starts in Plateau State on the Jos Plateau 29 kilometres (18 mi) southwest of Jos town, flows through its namesake Kaduna State and through its capital Kaduna, and meets the Niger River in Niger State. Most of its course passes through open savanna woodland, but its lower section has cut several gorges above its entrance into the extensive Niger floodplains.[4] The river is used for fishing and transport of local produce.