Major Rivers Of Uganda

Uganda is a country that is located in East Africa. It is a landlocked nations, although it does border the mighty Lake Victoria and is also host to two other Africa Great Lakes in Lake Albert and Lake Edward. The country is also host to Lake Kyoga, which is the largest lake completely in the country. Uganda is also host to tropical rainforests, snow-capped mountains and diverse wildlife. The major rivers of Uganda are the source help to feed and effect all of these different areas of the country.

Semliki River

The Semliki River is a total of 87 miles (140 kilometers) in length and flows through the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) and Uganda. The river's source starts at Lake Edward, near the sub-station of Ishango on the DR Congo side of the border and then proceeds to snake south crisscrossing and even forming part of the border of the DR Congo and Uganda, until it reaches its mouth at Lake Albert near the city of Bunia in the DR Congo. The River goes through the Rwenzori Mountains National Park and the Semuliki National Park in Uganda, helping to give a habitat to the tropical trees and swamp flora that grows in the parks. The river also helps many different animals thrive in these parks, including more then 400 different bird species and various mammals like elephants and buffalo.The River is also the home to various ethnic groups of people in the general region, including the Amba, Bakonjo, Batuku and the Batwa peoples.

Sezibwa River

The Sezibwa River is a total of 93 miles (150 kilometers) in length and is the third longest river that is completely within Uganda. The river's source starts by the municipality of Ngogwe in the Buikwe District and then proceeds to flow in a northerly direction until it reaches its mouth at Lake Kyoga in the Kayunga District. The Sezibwa Falls are a Heritage Site of the Buganda sub-national kingdom in Uganda that are 23 feet (7 meters) high, that are part of the river. The site is location for tourists to bird watch, rock climb and experience the sights and sounds. The surrounding forest that is along the river and falls has a variety of primates and bird species.

Kafu River

The Kafu River is a total of 112 miles (180 kilometers) in length and is the second longest river that is completely in Uganda. The river's source starts by the Kitoma Swamp in the Kibaale District and then it starts to flow east before it turns north where it reaches its mouth at the Victorian Nile River near the town of Masindi Port in the Masindi District. Since the river comes out of the Kitoma Swamp, it helps to provide a source for wildlife and varies animals in the swamp and along its path.

Katonga River

The Katonga River is a total of 137 miles (220 kilometers) in length and is the longest river that is completely in Uganda. The river's watershed is now the swampy region that is found southwest of Lake Wamala due to regional uplifting of the land in the Albertine Rift that is part of the great East African Rift system. From this swampy region the Katonga River then mostly flows in an eastern direction until it reaches its mouth of Lake Victoria, although it is supplemented by a few tributaries along the way. During the wet seasons in Uganda, the water levels can rise enough that the watershed of the river will send some water west in Lake George.

Turkwel River

The Turkwel River is a total of 211 miles (340 kilometers) in length and flows through Kenya and Uganda. The river's source starts at the Mount Elgon, which is a extinct shield volcano that sits on the border of Uganda and Kenya. From this source the river flows east words into Kenya until it reaches its mouth at Lake Turkana in northern Kenya. The portion of the river that is located in Uganda is called the Suam River. The river's flow can change seasonally and can be impacted by flash floods during the rainy season.

Kagera River

The Kagera River is a total of 249 miles (400 kilometers) in length and flows through Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. The river's source starts starts flowing out of Lake Rweru in Burundi and then the river goes east crossing along the border of Burundi and Rwanda and the the border of Rwanda and Tanzania. The Kagera then meet at a confluence with the Ruvubu River and then it flows northwards continuing along the border of Rwanda and Burundi before finally crossing into Uganda where it finally reaches it mouth at Lake Victoria, where it is the biggest inflow of water into the lake. During the horrific 1994 Rwandan Genocide, bodies where dumped into the river that ended up going into Lake Victoria in Uganda, which caused a major health hazard for people in the country.

White Nile River

The White Nile River is a total of 2,299 miles (3,700 kilometers) in length and flows through six different countries, namely including Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Tanzania. The source of the White Nile is the Nyabarongo River in Rwanda where it goes east through to Tanzania before going into Lake Victoria. From Lake Victoria the White Nile continues in Uganda as the Victorian Nile and goes north through the country, briefly going into the DR Congo at Lake Albert. It then goes north from there through the rest of Uganda, South Sudan and Sudan before it merges with the Blue Nile at the city of Khartoum. For Uganda the Victorian Nile section of the White Nile located at the mouth of Lake Victoria provides power for the country from the Nalubaale Power Station and the Kiira Power Station. The river also provide stunning views and rafting for tourists where it goes through the Bujagali Falls.

Nile River

The Nile River is a total of 4,258 miles (6,853 kilometers) in length, making it the second longest river in the world. The Nile flows through the eleven different countries, including Burundi, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and Uganda. The Nile River's source is from the Blue Nile and White Nile river who converge near Khartoum in Sudan, with the river's mouth going into the Mediterranean Sea in northern Egypt. The Nile River's length in full also includes the White Nile and Blue Nile River's, so the part of the Nile that goes through Uganda is the same section as the White Nile River.

Significance of Uganda's Rivers

The major rivers of Uganda are very important for the country of Uganda for a number of different reasons. The rivers help to power stations that provide power and energy to the country. They are also economical important for providing tourism for the country since their are a number of activities to be done based around the rivers. The area around them is also important for collecting timber, hunting animals and growing food. The rivers are also important for the diversity and ecology of the vast and unique wildlife that is found in the country, whether it is plant or animal.