You can mark you interesting snippets of text that will be available through a unique link in your browser.


Kasai River

Kasai River
River, central Africa.

It is the chief southern tributary of the Congo River, measuring 1,338 mi (2,153 km) from its source in Angola to its confluence with the Congo. It runs east for its first 250 mi (400 km), then turns north to form the border between Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire). It is unnavigable in the north, but water traffic is heavy from Kinshasa to Ilebo. After the Kasai is joined by the Kwango River, it is known as the Kwa.

* * *

Portuguese  Rio Cassai,  

      river in central Africa. It is the chief southern tributary of the Congo River, into which, at Kwamouth, Congo (Kinshasa), 125 miles (200 km) above Malebo (Stanley) Pool, it empties a volume approaching one-fifth that of the main stream. The longest river in the southern Congo River basin system, it measures 1,338 miles (2,153 km) from its source on the eastern slope of the Bíe Plateau of Angola to Kwamouth. Its headstream runs east for 250 miles (402 km), then turns north for nearly 300 miles (483 km) to form the frontier between Angola and Congo. This stretch is interrupted by several spectacular rapids and waterfalls, the river flowing in deeply trenched valleys at elevations of about 2,000–3,000 feet (600–900 m). The Kasai eventually crosses a further series of rapids and falls, broadening and deepening to make navigation possible. Traffic is especially heavy on the 510-mile- (820-kilometre-) long waterway from Kinshasa to Ilebo. Above Ilebo, navigation is impeded by sandbanks, but shallow-draft boats can reach Djokupunda. There the Mai-Munene Falls require goods to be carried 40 miles (64 km) by rail to the next navigable reach, from Mukumbi to Mai-Munene. In its lower reaches the river enters the equatorial rainforest. Below its confluence with the Kwango it forms Wissmann Pool and then receives the Fimi-Lukenie, bringing the waters of Lake Mai-Ndombe. Thereafter, it is known as the Kwa.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

  
Share  

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Kasai River — The Kasai River is also a river in Bengal, and is one of the distributaries of the Ganges River. The Kasai River (called Cassai in Angola) is a tributary of the Congo River, located in central Africa. The river begins in Angola and serves as the… …   Wikipedia

  • Kasai — may refer to: *Kasai, Hyogo in Japan *Kasai Station in the Kasai section of Edogawa, Tokyo, Japan. *the Kasai River in Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo *the Kasai River in India, also known as the Kangsabati River *Kasai region in… …   Wikipedia

  • Kasai-oriental Province — Infobox DRCongo Province country = Democratic Republic of the Congo native name = Province du Kasai oriental common name = Kasai oriental capital = Mbuji Mayi largest city = Mbuji Mayi national language = Tshiluba population density = population… …   Wikipedia

  • Kasai region — The Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is divided administratively into Kasai Occidental and Kasai Oriental. It shares its name with the Kasai River.After the independence of Congo, it seceded for a while under influence of… …   Wikipedia

  • Kasai — geographical name 1. river 1338 miles (2153 kilometers) N Angola & W Democratic Republic of the Congo flowing N & W into Congo River 2. region S central Democratic Republic of the Congo …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Kasai — /keuh suy , kah /, n. a river in S central Africa, flowing from central Angola to and then NW along the Angola Democratic Republic of the Congo border and through the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the Congo (Zaire) River. ab. 1100 mi. (1770 …   Universalium

  • kasai — A form of anemia occurring in the Congo River region, with associated edema of subcutaneous tissues, depigmented regions in the skin, and various gastrointestinal disturbances; thought to result from deficiencies in nutrition. SYN: Belgian Congo… …   Medical dictionary

  • Río Kasai — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Para otros usos de este término, véase Kasai. Kasai Cuenca del río Kasai. País que atraviesa …   Wikipedia Español

  • Congo River — or Zaire River River, west central Africa. Rising in Zambia as the Chambeshi and flowing 2,900 mi (4,700 km) through the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the Atlantic Ocean, it is the second longest river in Africa. It flows through three… …   Universalium

  • Kangsabati River — Geobox River name = Kangsabati River native name = other name = other name1 = image size = image caption = Kangsabati River near Midnapore town etymology = country = India country1 = state = West Bengal state1 = region = region1 = district =… …   Wikipedia