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Lake Kariba

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: African Geography

                 Lake Kariba
   Lake Kariba - Lake Kariba

                                 Lake Kariba

   Coordinates       17° S 28° E
   Lake type         Hydroelectric reservoir
   Catchment area    663,000 km²
   Basin countries   Zimbabwe
                     Zambia
   Max-length        220 km
   Max-width         40 km
   Surface area      5,400 km²
   Average depth     31 m
   Max-depth         78 m
   Water volume      160 km³
   Surface elevation 485 m
   Islands           Chete Island
                     Sekula
                     Chikanka.

   Lake Kariba is a large, man-made lake and reservoir located on the
   Zambezi river, about halfway between the river's source and mouth,
   about 1300 kilometers upstream from the Indian Ocean. The lake lies
   along the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. Lake Kariba was filled
   between 1958 and 1963 following the completion of the Kariba Dam at its
   northeastern end, flooding a former gorge on the Zambezi River and
   displacing large numbers of the local Tonga people.

   The Zimbabwean town of Kariba was built for construction workers on the
   lake's dam, while some other settlements such as Milbibezi in Zimbabwe
   and Siavonga and Sinazongwe in Zambia have grown up to house people
   displaced by the rising waters.

Physical characteristics

   Lake Kariba is over 220 kilometers (140 mi) long and up to 40
   kilometers (20 mi) in width. It covers an area of 5,580 square
   kilometers (2,150 sq mi) and its storage capacity is an immense 185
   cubic kilometers (44.4 cu mi). The mean depth of the lake is 29 meters
   (95 ft); the maximum depth is 97 meters (320 ft). The enormous mass of
   water (approximately 180,000,000,000,000 kilograms, or 180 petagrams
   [200 billion tons]) is believed to have caused induced seismicity in
   the seismically active region, including over 20 earthquakes of greater
   than 5 magnitude on the Richter scale.

   The lake is home to several islands, including Chete Island, Sekula and
   Chikanka.

Ecology

   Before Lake Kariba was filled, the existing vegetation was burned,
   creating a thick layer of fertile soil on land that would become the
   lake bed. As a result the ecology of Lake Kariba is vibrant. A number
   of fish species have been introduced to the lake, notably the
   sardine-like kapenta (transported from Lake Tanganyika), which now
   supports a thriving commercial fishery. Other inhabitants of Lake
   Kariba include Nile crocodiles and hippopotamuses.

   Gamefish, particularly Tigerfish, which was among the indigenous
   species of the Zambezi river system, now thrive on the kapenta, which
   in turn encourage tourism. Both Zambia and Zimbabwe are now attempting
   to develop the tourism industry along their respective coasts of Lake
   Kariba.

   Fish eagles, cormorants and other water birds patrol the shorelines, as
   do occasional herds of elephants.
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Kariba"
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