The Maputo River (Portuguese ''Rio Maputo''), also called Great Usutu River, Lusutfu River, or Suthu River, is a river in
South Africa,
Eswatini
Eswatini ( ; ss, eSwatini ), officially the Kingdom of Eswatini and formerly named Swaziland ( ; officially renamed in 2018), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. It is bordered by Mozambique to its northeast and South Africa to its no ...
, and
Mozambique. The name ''Suthu'' refers to
Basotho people who lived near the source of the river, but were attacked and displaced by
Swazis
The Swazi or Swati ( Swati: ''Emaswati'', singular ''Liswati'') are a Bantu ethnic group native to Southern Africa, inhabiting Eswatini, a sovereign kingdom in Southern Africa. EmaSwati are part of the Nguni-language speaking peoples whose or ...
. It is also said to mean 'dark brown', a description of the river's muddy water.
Course
The river rises near
Amsterdam, Mpumalanga, South Africa, and flows easterly through Eswatini, where it enters the
Lebombo Mountains. The 13 km gorge forms the boundary between Eswatini and South Africa. For approximately twenty kilometres, it forms the border between South Africa (province of
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN and known as "the garden province") is a province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu) and Natal Province were merged. It is locate ...
) and Mozambique. There, in the
Ndumo Game Reserve
Ndumo Game Reserve is a small () South African game reserve located in the far northeast district of KwaZulu-Natal known as Maputaland. It is situated on the border with Mozambique where the Pongola River joins the Great Usutu River. It is adjacen ...
, it absorbs its largest tributary, the
Pongola River. It then meanders through the Mozambican coastal plain and empties into southern
Maputo Bay, some 85 kilometres downstream.
In Eswatini, the river is called the Great Usutu or Lusutfu and flows through the towns of
Bhunya,
Luyengo Luyengo is a town in western Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). It is located 35 kilometres south of the capital, Mbabane, on the MR18 highway, at the junction of the road south to Mankayane and Mgazini.
In 1881 the Usuthu Mission school was opened in ...
, Siphofaneni, and Big Bend, Swaziland, Big Bend. The town of Big Bend is near a point in which the river meanders abruptly. The Great Usutu is the largest river in Eswatini, it is the site of Eswatini's lowest point (21 m above sea level), and is known for whitewater rafting. No large towns have been able to form along its banks because of deep narrow valleys and dense forests. It is, however, home to some golf courses, hotels, and nature reserves.
Tributaries
From the origin to its mouth, in order, tributaries are the: Seganagana River, Seganagana, Bonnie Brook River, Bonnie Brook, Mpuluzi River, Mpuluzi, Buhlungu River, Buhlungu, Umvenvane River, Umvenvane, Lusushwana River, Lusushwana, Sidvokodvo River, Sidvokodvo, Mkhondvo, Mhlamani River, Mhlamani, Mzimneni River, Mzimneni, Mzimphofu River, Mzimphofu, Mhlathuzane River, Mhlathuzane, Mtsindzekwa River, Mtsindzekwa, Nyetane River, Nyetane, Funuane River, Funuane, and the Pongola Rivers.
Usuthu/Mhlatuze WMA 6
/ref>
Dams on this river
* Westoe Dam
* Lubovane Dam
See also
* List of rivers of South Africa
References
External links
Maputo River Basin - SADC Water Sector ICP Collaboration Portal
Maputo River,
Rivers of Mozambique
Rivers of Eswatini
Geography of Maputo
Mozambique–South Africa border
Eswatini–South Africa border
International rivers of Africa
Border rivers
Rivers of Mpumalanga
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