The Ivindo River is the most important
tributary
A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drainage ...
of the
Ogooué River
The Ogooué (or Ogowe), also known as the Nazareth river, some long, is the principal river of Gabon in west central Africa and the fifth largest river in Africa by volume of discharge, trailing only the Congo, Kasai, Niger and Zambezi. Its w ...
, which flows in
Gabon
Gabon (; ; snq, Ngabu), officially the Gabonese Republic (french: République gabonaise), is a country on the west coast of Central Africa. Located on the equator, it is bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north ...
.
Course
The Ivindo River flows from northeast
Gabon
Gabon (; ; snq, Ngabu), officially the Gabonese Republic (french: République gabonaise), is a country on the west coast of Central Africa. Located on the equator, it is bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north ...
to the southwest, eventually emptying into the Ogooué River. It flows through some of the wildest and most attractive rainforest in
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
. The upper stretch of the river is fairly gentle, draining the gentle plateau of eastern Gabon. Below the town of
Makokou
Makokou is the regional capital of the Ogooué-Ivindo province in Gabon. Its coordinates are . Its altitude is 308 m. Its population in 2004 is around 16,600.
The city lies on the Ivindo River and the N4 road. It grew around iron ore mini ...
, the only significant town on the river, it drops off the plateau in a series of spectacular waterfalls and gorges.
Tributaries
*
Djoua, which is also a natural border between
Gabon
Gabon (; ; snq, Ngabu), officially the Gabonese Republic (french: République gabonaise), is a country on the west coast of Central Africa. Located on the equator, it is bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north ...
and
Congo
*
Djadie, also written
Zadia, which flows across
Mekambo
*
Liboumba, whose main tributary is the
Lodié River
*
Mvoung, which flows across
Ovan and main tributary is the
Kuye River
*
Oua
Oua is an islet on the north-east of Nukufetau atoll, Tuvalu, next to Lafanga
Lafanga or Lafaga is an islet of Nukufetau, Tuvalu. The traditional history of Nukufetau recalls that in order to protect the atoll from raiders from Tonga
Tong ...
*
Bouinandjé
*
Karangoua
Exploration
The Ivindo below Makokou was first traversed by a whitewater expedition in 1998. This was a group from
Jackson Hole
Jackson Hole (originally called Jackson's Hole by mountain men) is a valley between the Gros Ventre and Teton mountain ranges in the U.S. state of Wyoming, near the border with Idaho, in Teton County, one of the richest counties in the Unite ...
,
Wyoming
Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...
, consisting of Chris Guier, Bruce Hayse, Louise Lasley, Marilyn Olsen, Rick Sievers and Howie Wolke. The group encountered four impressive falls:
Kongue,
Mingouli,
Tsengue Leledei, and an unnamed and undescribed falls between Mingouli and Tsengue Leledei which was perhaps the most beautiful of all. There were many stretches of whitewater and the banks were remarkable for groups of unafraid elephants and occasional other mammals.
Trivia
* The
Trans-Gabon Railway
The Trans-Gabon Railway (french: Transgabonais) is the only railway in Gabon. It runs east from Owendo port station in Libreville to Franceville via numerous stations, the main ones being Ndjolé, Lopé, Booué, Lastoursville and Moand ...
has two bridges over the
confluence
In geography, a confluence (also: ''conflux'') occurs where two or more flowing bodies of water join to form a single channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river (main stem); o ...
between the Ivindo and the Ogowe Rivers.
* Much of the area around the Ivindo has received National Park status.
See also
*
Kongou Falls
References
*
National Geographic
''National Geographic'' (formerly the ''National Geographic Magazine'', sometimes branded as NAT GEO) is a popular American monthly magazine published by National Geographic Partners. Known for its photojournalism, it is one of the most widely ...
. 2003. African Adventure Atlas Pg 24,72. led by Sean Fraser
* Lerique Jacques. 1983. Hydrographie-Hydrologie. in ''Geographie et Cartographie du Gabon, Atlas Illustré'' led by The Ministère de l'Education Nationale de la Republique Gabonaise. Pg 14-15. Paris, France: Edicef.
{{Rivers of Gabon
Rivers of Gabon
Ogooué River