The large rivers and lakes of Africa play a very important role for the continent, because they are used to water and irrigate it. 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 of the 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 on the continent is Victoria.
Rating "The largest rivers in Africa" headed by the Nile. Its total length is 6671 km. It begins in the form of the Kagera River and, after passing through several lakes, flows out of them under the name of the White Nile. Further, near the town of Khartoum, the Blue Nile flows into it, which comes out of Lake Tana, located in the Ethiopian Highlands. Having joined into one whole, these large rivers of Africa form a very wide course, which is called the Nile. In its upper reaches there are a large number of lakes, waterfalls and rapids. Many tributaries and branches appear on the plain, and therefore the valley becomes quite swampy. Behind the swamps, downstream, along the banks, a kind of green corridor is formed from narrow strips of trees. Against the background of yellow deserts, it looks quite contrasting.
A significant part of the river is surrounded by waterless desert. Despite this, the Nile is always full-flowing, especially in summer and autumn. Like other major rivers in Africa, it is of great importance for agriculture. The fact is that after the decline of the water, a layer of silt remains, which fertilizes the earth. This allows you to get decent yields. It is not surprising that the Nile Valley became a real cradle of mankind several millennia ago. 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, 4320 km long. 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. In the period from March to November, the Congo is fed mainly by right tributaries, and from September to March - by left tributaries. The explanation for this is quite simple: the fact is that the rainy season in different hemispheres of the mainland falls at different times. This nuance plays a positive role, because thanks to him the river is full-flowing throughout the year.
When the Congo flows into the Atlantic Ocean, a huge mouth is formed, so the water from it gets far deep 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 are first brown in color, and then yellowish. It stands out against the blue ocean waters even three hundred kilometers from the coast.
Other major rivers in Africa are the Niger (4160 km), the Zambezi (2660 km) and the Orange River (1860 km).
