The Upemba Depression (or Kamalondo Depression) is a large marshy bowl area (
depression
Depression may refer to:
Mental health
* Depression (mood), a state of low mood and aversion to activity
* Mood disorders characterized by depression are commonly referred to as simply ''depression'', including:
** Dysthymia
** Major depressive ...
) in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo ( french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC) ), also known as Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly Zaire
Zaire (, ), officially the Republic of Zaire (frenc ...

comprising some fifty lakes, including 22 of relatively large size including
Lake Upemba
Lake Upemba is a lake
A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land
Land is the solid surface of Earth that is not permanently submerged in water. Most but not all land is situated at elevations above ...
(530 km) and
Lake Kisale
Lake Kisale is a lake in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo ( french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC) ), also known as Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly Za ...
(300 km). In an earlier era, the area was probably occupied by one large lake.
The area is covered in marshland and is partially within the
Upemba National Park
Upemba National Park is a large national park in Haut-Lomami, Lualaba Province & Haut-Katanga Province (formerly in Katanga Province) of the southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, formerly Zaire.
Geography
At the time of the creation of Upem ...
in
Haut-Lomami District
Haut-Lomami District was a Districts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, district of the pre-2015 Katanga Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The district dates back to the days of the Belgian Congo.
At its greatest extent it r ...
.
The Upemba Depression has been populated almost continuously since the 5th century AD, and is considered the origin of the
Kingdom of Luba
The Kingdom of Luba or Luba Empire (1585–1889) was a pre-colonial Central African state that arose in the marshy grasslands of the Upemba Depression
The Upemba Depression (or Kamalondo Depression) is a large marshy bowl area (depression ...
(1585-1889). The area includes many archaeological sites and is on the tentative list for UNESCO
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
.
Roughly translated, the citation for its inclusion as World Heritage Site states:
This large depression has delivered the largest known cemetery in the sub-Saharan Africa. Over 40 archaeological sites have been identified, but only six have been partially excavated so far. Their study allows tracing the complete sequence of the occupation of the region over two millennia, and thus reconstructing the history of a major ethnic group of Central Africa: the Luba.
Chronology based on more than 55 radiocarbon dating
Radiocarbon dating (also referred to as carbon dating or carbon-14 dating) is a method for determining the age of an object containing organic material
Organic matter, organic material, or natural organic matter refers to the large source of ...
s and thermoluminescence
Thermoluminescence is a form of luminescence
Luminescence is spontaneous emission of light
Light or visible light is electromagnetic radiation within the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that can be visual perception, perceived ...
shows periods of occupation since the Stone Age
The Stone Age was a broad prehistoric
Prehistory, also known as pre-literary history, is the period of human history
Human history, also known as world history, is the description of humanity's past. It is informed by archaeology
...

.
Major lakes in the depression
*
Lake Kabamba
A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a Depression (geology), basin, surrounded by land, apart from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the World Ocean, ocean, alt ...
* Lake Kabele
* Lake Kabwe
* Lake Kange
* Lake Kibala
*
Lake Kisale
Lake Kisale is a lake in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo ( french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC) ), also known as Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly Za ...
* Lake Kalondo
* Lake Kapondwe
* Lake Kasala
* Lake Kayumba
* Lake Kiubo
* Lake Lukonga
* Lake Lunde
* Lake Mulenda
* Lake Muyumbwe
* Lake Noala
* Lake Sanwa
* Lake Songwe
* Lake Tungwe
*
Lake Upemba
Lake Upemba is a lake
A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land
Land is the solid surface of Earth that is not permanently submerged in water. Most but not all land is situated at elevations above ...
* Lake Zimbambo
References
Depressions (geology)
Landforms of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Basins of Africa
Haut-Lomami
Geology of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
{{DRCongo-geo-stub