Zambezi Escarpment
Encyclopedia
| Northern (mainly Zambian) scarp | Southern (mainly Zimbabwean) scarp | |
|---|---|---|
| Western end | 17°51′32"S 26°54′06"E | 17°43′50"S 27°46′57"E |
| Eastern end | 15°26′01"S 30°03′00"E | 16°24′03"S 32°12′48"E |
Zambezi Escarpment is a name used for the escarpment
Escarpment
An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that occurs from erosion or faulting and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevations.-Description and variants:...
s forming both sides of the rift valley
Rift valley
A rift valley is a linear-shaped lowland between highlands or mountain ranges created by the action of a geologic rift or fault. This action is manifest as crustal extension, a spreading apart of the surface which is subsequently further deepened by the forces of erosion...
or graben
Graben
In geology, a graben is a depressed block of land bordered by parallel faults. Graben is German for ditch. Graben is used for both the singular and plural....
in which lie the middle Zambezi
Zambezi
The Zambezi is the fourth-longest river in Africa, and the largest flowing into the Indian Ocean from Africa. The area of its basin is , slightly less than half that of the Nile...
river and Lake Kariba
Lake Kariba
Lake Kariba is the world's largest artificial lake and reservoir. It lies 1300 kilometers upstream from the Indian Ocean, along the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe...
. They are fault scarps, rising 500 to 600 m higher than the lake or river, running from the Batoka Gorge roughly 800 km to the lower Zambezi, and facing each other about 50 to 100 km apart, closer in the west and opening up in the east.
The northern Zambezi Escarpment in Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
is steeper. It is somewhat broken north of Lake Kariba, but is particularly steep and well-formed from a point north of Siavonga
Siavonga
Siavonga is a town in the Southern Province of Zambia, lying on the north shore of Lake Kariba. It is Zambia's principal tourism centre for the lake, with accommodation, boating and fishing tours on offer....
going east through the Lower Zambezi National Park
Lower Zambezi National Park
The Lower Zambezi National Park lies on the north bank of the Zambezi River in south eastern Zambia. Until 1983 when the area was declared a national park the area was the private game reserve of Zambia's president. This has resulted in the park being protected from the ravages of mass tourism and...
to the Luangwa River
Luangwa River
The Luangwa River is one of the major tributaries of the Zambezi River, and one of the four biggest rivers of Zambia. The river generally floods in the rainy season and then falls considerably in the dry season...
. Along this section the bottom of the valley is relatively flat and provides a sharp contrast to the scarps.
The southern Zambezi Escarpment in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
is quite marked in the west at the Chizarira Hills and the Chizarira National Park
Chizarira National Park
Chizarira National Park lies in Northern Zimbabwe. At , it is one of the larger National Parks, and also one of the least known because of its isolated situation on the Zambezi Escarpment. It has good wildlife populations and some majestic scenery....
, but the slope becomes more broken and gentler further east around Matusadona National Park
Matusadona National Park
Matusadona is a game reserve park in northern Zimbabwe. The park takes its name from the local Matuzviadonha Hills and is a stunning combination of flat plains and rugged mountain country. The meaning of “Matuzviadonha” is “falling dung” - which was probably a comment on the sight of elephants...
. It becomes steeper and more marked again from Kariba, east through Mana Pools National Park and then to the north of the Mvurwi Range and at the Mavuradona wilderness
Mavuradona, Zimbabwe
Mavuradona is a wilderness area in Northern Zimbabwe. The name is Shona, roughly translating as 'Land of Falling Water' or simply 'water falls'. The area, lying north of Centenary on the Zambezi Escarpment, is relatively unknown. Characterised by rugged mountainous hills and miombo woodland, the...
south of Lake Cahora Bassa
Cahora Bassa
The Cahora Bassa lake is Africa's fourth-largest artificial lake, situated in the Tete Province in Mozambique. The name Cabora Bassa is an earlier misspelling of the name...
. Again, the floor of the rift valley is quite flat here providing a marked contrast to the escarpment.