Zambia - Atlas of our Changing Environment

Wetlands

Zambia is home to several types of wetlands, the most common of which are riverine wetlands, floodplains like the Barotse, Kafue flats, Luangwa, and dambos. Dambos are a type of wetland particular to Central, Southern and Eastern Africa, particularly Zambia and Zimbabwe and are characterized by grasses, rushes and sedges. Dambos are very common in Zambia. Nearly 18 per cent of the country is covered by wetlands, of which 12.5 per cent are dambos. Wetlands are water resources that are used for agriculture, livestock, fisheries, and domestic water supplies. They also improve the quality of water by acting as a filter for pollutants and sediments. The Bangweulu swamps, the Zambezi Flood Plain, the Kafue flats, Luapula-Mweru, Mweru-Wantipa, Busanga Plain and Lukanga swamps are Zambia’s major wetlands. Figure 2.13 shows the wetlands of Zambia (McCartney, 2010).

Busanga Plains in Kafue National Park Madama, S., 2009

TANZANIA

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

MALAWI

MOZAMBIQUE

ANGOLA

NAMIBIA

ZIMBABWE

BOTSWANA

Figure 2.13 Location of wetlands in Zambia Environmental Council of Zambia, 2008

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ZAMBIA - ATLAS OF OUR CHANGING ENVIRONMENT