Niger River

Niger River Latest News

An accident involving a boat carrying passengers on the Niger River in north-central Nigeria has killed at least 26 people recently.

About Niger River

• It is the principal river of western Africa. 
• With a length of 4,200 km, it is the third longest river in Africa, after the Nile and the Congo.
• In West Africa, it’s the longest and largest river and is nicknamed the “Boomerang River” due to its serpentine shape.
• Course: 
  • It takes one of the most unusual routes of any major river.
  • It rises in Guinea, just 240 kilometers from the Atlantic Ocean, but the river runs away from the sea into the Sahara Desert. 
  • It then takes a sharp right turn near Mali’s Timbuktu city.
  • It flows through Mali, Niger, Benin, and Nigeria, and empties into the Atlantic Ocean via the Niger Delta. 
• Niger Delta:
  • It is located in southern Nigeria, where the Niger River meets the Atlantic Ocean (Gulf of Guinea).
  • It is the largest river delta in Africa and features the fifth largest mangrove forest on Earth.
• The Niger passes through virtually all of the vegetational zones of western Africa, including grasslands, rainforests, and swamps. 
• The Niger River Basin covers 7.5 percent of the African continent, and its main tributary is the Benue River.
• The northern part of the river, known as the Niger Bend, is an important area because it is the closest major river and source of water to the Sahara desert.
• The Niger Valley is sparsely settled. The largest cities are Bamako in Mali, Niamey in Niger, and Onitsha in Nigeria.

Source: HT

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