Zambezi River Basin

© SARDC © Lisa de Vreede

LakeMalawi is sharedwithMozambique, where it is called LagoNiassa; andwithTanzania, where it is called LakeNyasa.

Lakes There are three major lakes in the Zambezi basin, Lake Malawi /Nyasa/Niassa), Lake Kariba and Lake Cahora Bassa. Lake Malawi/Nyasa/Niassa is the second deepest lake in Africa after Lake Tanganyika and the third deepest in the world

(Chenje 2000). Lake Kariba and Lake Cahora Bassa are artificial lakes created by the construction of dams on the Zambezi River. There are many other smaller natural and artificial lakes associated with dams constructed for hydropower and/or water supply for irrigation or domestic use.

With a capacity of 180 billion cubic metres, Lake Kariba is the largest artificial lake in the Zambezi basin, and the second largest in Africa after Lake Volta.

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