Nile and other large rivers of Africa

The large rivers and lakes of Africa play a very important role for the continent, because of their watering and irrigation. A number of reservoirs have been created on large rivers, the total volume of which exceeds fifteen cubic kilometers. The largest of them are such as Nasser, Kariba and Volta. Most large lakes are located on the East African plateau and have considerable depth. For example, Tanganyika in this indicator on the whole planet is second only to Baikal. Its deepest point is at a distance of 1470 meters from the surface of the water. The largest lake in the area is Victoria.

The rating "The largest rivers of Africa" is headed by the Nile. Its total length is 6671 km. It begins in the form of the Kager River and after passing through several lakes follows from them under the name White Nile. Further, near the town of Khartoum, it flows into the Blue Nile, which exits from Lake Tana, located on the Ethiopian Highlands. Having united in one whole, these large rivers of Africa form a very wide current, which is called the Nile. In its upper reaches there is a large number of lakes, waterfalls and rapids. On the plain there are many tributaries and sleeves, due to which the valley becomes quite swamped. Behind the swamps, downstream, a peculiar green corridor of narrow stripes of trees is formed along the banks. Against the background of yellow deserts, he looks quite contrast.

A significant part of the river is surrounded by a waterless desert. Despite this, the Nile is always deep, especially in summer and autumn. Like other major rivers in Africa, it is very important for agriculture. The fact is that after the fall of water there is a layer of silt, which is fertilized by the earth. This allows you to get decent harvests. It is not surprising that the Nile Valley several millennia ago became the real cradle of mankind. Thanks to him, it was on the territory of modern Egypt that agriculture first appeared and one of the first powerful states on the planet was formed.

The second in the list of "Major rivers of Africa" is the Congo length of 4320 km. It is considered the most abundant in the entire Eastern Hemisphere. Along the course of the river, many tributaries from the southern and northern regions of the continent adjoin it. During the period from March to November, the Congo eats primarily from the right tributaries, and from September to March - to the left. The explanation for this is quite simple: the fact is that the rainy season in different hemispheres of the continent falls at different times. This nuance plays a positive role, because thanks to him, the river is full throughout the year.

When the Congo falls into the Atlantic Ocean , a huge mouth is formed, so the water from it gets far into the river (up to 17 kilometers). Under its influence, the surface waters of the ocean remain fresh at a distance of about 75 kilometers from the mouth. The waters of the Congo have first brown color, and then yellowish. It stands out against the background of blue ocean waters, even three hundred kilometers from the shore.

Other major rivers in Africa are Niger (4,160 km), Zambezi (2,660 km) and Orange River (1,860 km).