Livingstone Falls

The Livingstone Falls (after David Livingstone ) are cataracts of the current African Congo.

Below the cities Brazzaville ( Republic of Congo) and Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo) the water rushes in passing the Lower Guinea threshold for a distance of 350 kilometers in a series of cataracts into the valley. The entire cataract route overcomes to the Congo Delta a height difference of a total of 274 meters. The gradient richest section are the so-called Inga Falls in the lower section, which overcome a distance of barely 30 kilometers about 90 meters altitude, in the core area even 40 meters to approximately 10 kilometers in length. Hardly any of these cataracts may, however, apply as a waterfall. However, at a water flow of about 39,000 m³ / s The cataracts of the Livingstone Falls constitute by far the most water rapids of the earth.

In the middle part of the input - cataract, a portion of the water to generate electrical energy is derived to the input - dams.

The Livingstone cases are not passable for transport vessels of all types. Since neither a channel exists even the cataracts are overcome by locks, are the cities of the middle reaches of the Congo, Kinshasa or Brazzaville as not to reach from the sea despite the enormous water load of the Congo by boat.