The Ntwetwe Pan is a large
salt pan within the
Makgadikgadi
The Makgadikgadi Pan (Tswana pronunciation ), a salt pan situated in the middle of the dry savanna of north-eastern Botswana, is one of the largest salt flats in the world. The pan is all that remains of the formerly enormous Lake Makgadikg ...
region of
Botswana
Botswana (, ), officially the Republic of Botswana ( tn, Lefatshe la Botswana, label= Setswana, ), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory being the Kalaha ...
. The Ntwetwe is one of three large pans within the Makgadikgadi, the other two being
Nxai Pan
Nxai Pan is a large salt pan topographic depression which is part of the larger Makgadikgadi Pans in northeastern Botswana. It lies on the old Pandamatenga Trail, which until the 1960s was used for overland cattle drives. The area is speckled wi ...
and
Sua Pan
The Sua Pan or Sowa Pan is a large natural topographic depression within the Makgadikgadi region of Botswana. It is located near the village of ''Sowa'', whose name means salt in the language of the San. The Sua salt pan is one of three large p ...
. Ntwetwe Pan is now a seasonal lake with filling occurring in the rainy season. Ntwetwe was first described to the European world by
David Livingstone
David Livingstone (; 19 March 1813 – 1 May 1873) was a Scottish physician, Congregationalist, and pioneer Christian missionary with the London Missionary Society, an explorer in Africa, and one of the most popular British heroes of t ...
, pursuant to his
explorations in this region. Significant
archaeological recoveries have occurred within the Nwetwe Pan, including Stone Age tools from people who lived in this area, in an earlier time of prehistory when a large year round lake occupied the Nwetwe Pan area within the Makgadikgadi.
[C.M.Hogan, 2008]
See also
*
Semowane River
The Semowane River is a major natural watercourse in Southern Africa. Within Botswana the Semowane River forms a boundary between several governmental jurisdictions. This river is a vital source of water to the ephemeral wetlands of the Makgadikg ...
References
* David Livingstone (1868) ''Missionary Travels and Researches in
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
: Including a Sketch of Sixteen Years' Residence in the Interior of Africa'', Harper Publishers.
* Bryan Robert Davies and Keith F. Walker (1986) ''The
Ecology
Ecology () is the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere level. Ecology overl ...
of River Systems'', Published by Springer, 733 pages, , .
* C.Michael Hogan (2008) ''Makgadikgadi'', The Megalithic Portal, ed. A. Burnha
Line notes
Salt flats of Botswana
Makgadikgadi Pan
{{Botswana-geo-stub