Ivindo River
Encyclopedia
The Ivindo River is the most important tributary
of the Ogooué river, which flows in Gabon
.
to the southwest, eventually emptying into the Ogoue River. It flows through some of the wildest and most attractive rainforest in Africa
. The upper stretch of the river is fairly gentle, draining the gentle plateau of eastern Gabon. Below the town of Makokou
, the only significant town on the river, it drops off the plateau in a series of spectacular waterfalls and gorges.
, Wyoming
, consisting of Chris Guier, Bruce Hayse, Louise Lasley, Marilyn Olsen, Rick Sievers and Howie Wolke. The group encountered four impressive falls: Kongue, Mingouli, Tsengue Leledei, and an unnamed and undescribed falls between Mingouli and Tsengue Leledei which was perhaps the most beautiful of all. There were many stretches of whitewater and the banks were remarkable for groups of unafraid elephants and occasional other mammals.
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Ogooué river, which flows in Gabon
Gabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
.
Course
The Ivindo River flows from northeast GabonGabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
to the southwest, eventually emptying into the Ogoue River. It flows through some of the wildest and most attractive rainforest in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. The upper stretch of the river is fairly gentle, draining the gentle plateau of eastern Gabon. Below the town of Makokou
Makokou
Makokou is the regional capital of the Ogooué-Ivindo province in Gabon. Its coordinates are . Its altitude is 308 m. Its population in 2004 is around 16,600.The city lies on the Ivindo River and the N4 road...
, the only significant town on the river, it drops off the plateau in a series of spectacular waterfalls and gorges.
Tributaries
- DjouaDjoua RiverThe Djoua River is a tributary of the Ivindo River in Gabon and the Republic of the Congo. The river arises in the Congo and flows west, forming part of the international boundary between the two countries....
, which is also a natural border between GabonGabonGabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
and Congo - DjadieDjadie RiverThe Djadie River is a river of Gabon. It is one of the tributaries of the Ivindo River.-References:* Lerique Jacques. 1983. Hydrographie-Hydrologie. in Geographie et Cartographie du Gabon, Atlas Illustré led by The Ministère de l'Education Nationale de la Republique Gabonaise. Pg 14-15. Paris,...
, which flows across MekamboMékamboMékambo is a small village in on the banks of the Zadié river. It is located in the Ogooué-Ivindo province of Gabon. It has received international press for recent outbreaks of Ebola hemorrhagic fever in 1994 and 1997.- References :... - LiboumbaLibumba RiverThe Libumba or Liboumba is a river of Gabon. It is one of the tributaries of the Ivindo River.-References:* Lerique Jacques. 1983. Hydrographie-Hydrologie. in Geographie et Cartographie du Gabon, Atlas Illustré led by The Ministère de l'Education Nationale de la Republique Gabonaise. Pg 14-15....
, whose main tributary is the Lodié River - MvoungMvung RiverThe Mvung River is a river of Gabon. It is one of the tributaries of the Ivindo River.-References:* Lerique Jacques. 1983. Hydrographie-Hydrologie. in Geographie et Cartographie du Gabon, Atlas Illustré led by The Ministère de l'Education Nationale de la Republique Gabonaise. Pg 14-15. Paris,...
, which flows across Ovan and main tributary is the Kuye River - OuaOua RiverThe Oua River is a river of Gabon. It is one of the tributaries of the Ivindo River.-References:* Lerique Jacques. 1983. Hydrographie-Hydrologie. in Geographie et Cartographie du Gabon, Atlas Illustré led by The Ministère de l'Education Nationale de la Republique Gabonaise. Pg 14-15. Paris,...
- ZadiaZadia RiverThe Zadia River is a river of Gabon. It is one of the tributaries of the Ivindo River.-References:* Lerique Jacques. 1983. Hydrographie-Hydrologie. in Geographie et Cartographie du Gabon, Atlas Illustré led by The Ministère de l'Education Nationale de la Republique Gabonaise. Pg 14-15. Paris,...
- BouinandjéBouinandjé RiverThe Bouinandjé River is a river of Gabon. It is one of the tributaries of the Ivindo River.-References:* Lerique Jacques. 1983. Hydrographie-Hydrologie. in Geographie et Cartographie du Gabon, Atlas Illustré led by The Ministère de l'Education Nationale de la Republique Gabonaise. Pg 14-15. Paris,...
- Karangoua
Exploration
The Ivindo below Makokou was first traversed by a whitewater expedition in 1998. This was a group from Jackson HoleJackson Hole
Jackson Hole, originally called Jackson's Hole, is a valley located in the U.S. state of Wyoming, near the western border with Idaho. The name "hole" derives from language used by early trappers or mountain men, who primarily entered the valley from the north and east and had to descend along...
, Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
, consisting of Chris Guier, Bruce Hayse, Louise Lasley, Marilyn Olsen, Rick Sievers and Howie Wolke. The group encountered four impressive falls: Kongue, Mingouli, Tsengue Leledei, and an unnamed and undescribed falls between Mingouli and Tsengue Leledei which was perhaps the most beautiful of all. There were many stretches of whitewater and the banks were remarkable for groups of unafraid elephants and occasional other mammals.
Trivia
- The Trans-Gabon RailwayTrans-Gabon RailwayThe Trans-Gabon Railway is the only railway in Gabon. It runs 670 km east from Owendo port station in Libreville to Franceville via numerous stations, the main ones being Ndjolé, Lopé, Booué, Lastoursville and Moanda.- Construction :...
has two bridges over the confluenceConfluenceConfluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
between the Ivindo and the Ogowe Rivers. - Much of the area around the Ivindo has received National Park status.