Okavango River
|
Okavango River sign in Botswana |
The
Okavango River is a
river in southwest
Africa. It is the fourth longest river system in southern Africa, running southeastward for 1,000 miles (1,600 km). It begins in
Angola, where it is known as the
Cubango River. Further south it forms part of the border between Angola and
Namibia, and then flows into
Botswana.
Before it enters Botswana, the river drops 4 meters in a series of rapids known as
Popa Falls.
Unusually, the Okavango does not have an outlet in the sea. Instead, it empties into a swamp in the
Kalahari Desert, known as the
Okavango Delta. Part of the river's flow fills
Lake Ngami. World famous for its remarkable wildlife, the Okavango area contains the
Moremi Wildlife Reserve (Botswana).
The area is also home to about 100,000 native people who are caught between the interests of tourist operators and insurgents in the neighbouring
Caprivi Strip.
*
Map of the Okavango River basin at Water Resources eAtlas
