10 Longest rivers in the African continent

Africa continent combined of hot and pleasant places such as desert, rain forest and plains, the rivers here longer and acquires lots of drainage area since the continent large in size and thousands of tributaries join to the rivers. Many countries in Africa naturally rich by a depth of forest with the variety of Animals including endangered. The Rivers usually flow heavily in the rainy season and create many streams which merge to main rivers where that Make Rivers size larger could be longer. As everyone knows the Nile is the longest river on earth that measured officially but there are some discussions whether Nile or Amazon is the longest in the World.

1. Nile River

The Nile is the longest River in Africa and even in the World which flows through 11 African countries (Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Egypt, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan). The main outflow is Mediterranean and its total length is about 6,650 km, the Drainage area of 3,254,555 km2 with average discharge around 5,100 cubic meters per second.

Length: 6,650 km

Countries: Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Egypt, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan

2. Zaire (Congo–Chambeshi)

Merge into the Atlantic Ocean and flow through many countries and different landscapes meet this river including desert and rain forest. The Congo River length is 4,700 km with a discharge of 41,800 cubic meters per second.

Length: 4,700 km

Countries: Countries: The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Angola, Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Cameroon, Zambia, Burundi, Rwanda

3. Niger River

The third longest river in Africa with main source water from Guinea Highlands in Southern Guinea, and merges into the Atlantic Ocean, it has the total discharge of 9,570 cubic meters per second. Its primary tributaries are Sokoto River, Kaduna River, Benue River, Bani River and flow through many cities.

Length: 4,200 km

Countries: Nigeria, Mali, Niger, Algeria, Guinea, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Benin, Chad

4. Zambezi

The fourth longest, its water source starts from Mwinilunga in Zambia and flowing into the Indian ocean, the famous Victoria Falls and Chavuma Falls created by Zambazi. Its average discharge is around 3,400 cubic meters per second with the catchment area of 1,390,000 km2.

Length: 2,693 km

Countries: Zambia, Angola, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Namibia, Botswana

5. Ubangi–Uele

Ubangi and Ulele rivers are the longest tributaries of Congo River which flow into the Congo River, the combined Ubangi, and Ulele length is about 2,270 km. The Rivers are important transport artery between Bangui and Brazzaville, its drainage basin 772,800 km2.

Length: 2,270 km

Countries: The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo

6. Kasai River

The Kasai is flowing into Congo River at Kwamouth northeast of Kinshasa, the main tributaries include the Fimi, Kwango and Sankuru rivers, and the catchment Area is about 880,200 km2, the most valuable diamond found in this river.

Length: 2,153 km

Countries: Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo

7. Orange River

The primary water source is Thaba Putsoa located in Maloti Mountains in Lesotho and Orange River is the longest river in South Africa and plays the important role in the economy by providing water for irrigation and hydroelectricity, its drainage basin is 973,000 km2.

Length: 2,092 km

Countries: South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho

8. Limpopo River

It rises in central southern Africa and flowing into the Indian ocean, it discharges 170 cubic meters per second at its mouth with the drainage basin of 415,000 km2 in size, its main water source is Marico and Crocodile river which located in Botswana and South Africa border at the elevation of 872 meters.

Length: 1,800 km

Countries: Mozambique, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Botswana

9. Senegal River

Senegal River named after the country Senegal has 2 large dams along its course, the river has drainage basin of 270,000 km2 with a mean flow of 60 cubic meters per second at its mouth in the Atlantic Ocean.

Length: 1,641 km

Countries: Guinea, Senegal, Mali, Mauritania

10. Blue Nile River

The Blue Nile is the tributary of Nile River and its origin from Lesser Abay and Lake Tana, creates Blue Nile Falls at Lake Tana, the flow of the Blue Nile reaches maximum volume in the rainy season to 2,349 cubic meters per second with a catchment area of 325,000 km2.

Length: 1,600 km

Countries: Ethiopia, Sudan