Rufiji
Rufiji is a mapped river in the YearMaps hydrographic index. River courses organise settlement, agriculture and frontier-making more durably than any political boundary, and this reach is indexed against the dams, lakes and cities within its catchment.
- Feature Class
- River
- Coordinates
- -7.85°, 38.41°
About Rufiji
The Rufiji River lies entirely within Tanzania. It is largest and longest river in the country, formed by the confluence of the Kilombero and the Luwegu river. It is approximately 600 kilometres (370 mi) long, with a source in southwestern Tanzania, terminating at the Indian Ocean, opposite Mafia Island, in Pwani Region. Its principal tributary is the Great Ruaha River. It is navigable for approximately 100 kilometres (62 mi).
The Rufiji river is approximately 200 kilometres (120 mi) south of Dar es Salaam. The river's delta contains the largest mangrove forest in eastern Africa.
Encyclopedic summary adapted from Wikipedia: Rufiji River (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Rufiji in Depth
History
A branch of ancient sea routes led down the East African coast called "Azania" by the Greeks and Romans in the 1st century CE as described in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (and, very probably, Chinese: 澤散 in the 3rd century by the Chinese), at least as far as the port known to the Romans as Rhapta, which was probably located in the delta of the Rufiji River in modern Tanzania.
During the First World War, from October 1914 to July 1915, the river delta was the scene of a protracted naval operation. These were the attempts, and later achievement, by the Royal Navy to neutralize and destroy the German cruiser Königsberg.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Rufiji River (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Rufiji: Key Facts
| Length | 600 km |
|---|---|
| Average discharge | 792 m³/s |
| Drainage basin | 178,000 km² |
| Mouth | Indian Ocean |
| Tributaries | Great Ruaha River, Ulanga River, Beho-Beho |
Facts from Wikidata Q936023 (CC0).
Major River Dossiers
Hand-written studies of the great river systems of history.
Connected Reaches
Nearby watercourses in the same drainage network.
Water Bodies in the Catchment
Settlements Along the Reach
Hydraulic Infrastructure Nearby
Surrounding Terrain
Rufiji: Quick Answers
- Where is Rufiji?
- Rufiji is located in Tanzania, at 7.8476° S, 38.4056° E.
- Are there dams on the Rufiji?
- No dam on the Rufiji is recorded in the YearMaps dam index, which covers major structures only.