Physics Daily - Physics Encyclopedia and Research Articles
      Back to Physics Daily Main Menu Go to Index of Topics/Articles

Ngonye Falls


Ngonye Falls is a waterfall on the Zambezi river in Western Zambia, near the town of Sioma and a few hundred kilometres upstream from the Victoria Falls. Situated in the southern part of Barotseland , the falls are a difficult two or three day journey from the capital, Lusaka. Their inaccessibility makes them far less well known than Victoria Falls.

The falls are formed by the same geological process as Victoria Falls, with cracks in the basalt riverbed being eroded away to form the drop. Their height is only 10-25 metres, but the width of the falls is impressive. They form a broad crescent, interrupted by rocky outcrops.

Upstream from the falls, the river is broad and shallow as it flows across Kalahari sands, but below the falls extensive white water rapids exist, as the river is hemmed in by gorges cut into basalt rock.

The surrounding area supports extensive wildlife, especially in the nearby Sioma Ngwezi national park, and elephants are frequently seen by the river in the vicinty of the falls.

07-10-2008 09:35:13
The contents of this article are licensed from Wikipedia.org under the GNU Free Documentation License. How to see transparent copy
 
PhysicsDaily.com Legal info