Scientists discover zambezi river is 11% longer than previously known, with true source in angola

New research has revealed that Africa’s mighty Zambezi River stretches 11% farther than scientists previously believed, with its most distant source located in Angola rather than Zambia. The discovery adds 342 kilometers (213 miles) to the river’s total length, bringing it to 3,421 kilometers (2,126 miles) from source to mouth at the Indian Ocean.

The true source, according to the study published in Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, is a small trickle emerging from a peatland bog in Angola’s southern highlands—the same origin point of the Lungwebungu River. This finding challenges the long-held belief that the Zambezi begins at a spring near the Zambian town of Mwinilunga. While the river maintains its ranking as Africa’s fourth-longest waterway after the Nile, Congo, and Niger rivers, the discovery significantly elevates Angola’s role in sustaining this iconic river system.

Lead researcher Rainer von Brandis of The Wilderness Project emphasizes that the findings highlight Angola’s enormous contribution to the Zambezi, the river world-famous for Victoria Falls. The Lungwebungu River alone spans 1,032 kilometers (640 miles) and serves as a critical water source for the upper Zambezi system. This research underscores how much we still have to learn about Africa’s major river systems and the importance of cross-border cooperation in managing these vital water resources that millions depend upon for their livelihoods.