Orange River

River estuary in Oranjemund

River

The Orange ( English: Orange River) is 2,160 Kilometernnach the Zambezi River is the second longest river in Southern Africa. It flows through Lesotho and South Africa and forms at its lower reaches, the border between South Africa and Namibia. In Lesotho, the river is called the Senqu, also in South Africa Gariep [ sɛ / ᵑ u! ]; atlases in the English name Orange is used sometimes.

River

The Orange arises as Senqu in Lesotho highlands and flows from there through the plateau scenery of the Drakensberg to the west by South Africa. After emerging from the hills about half way of its course it joins the Vaal, its by far the largest tributary, which is about 200 miles longer than said up to this point often Upper Oranje main river. The water flow of the Vaal amounts to only about 57% of the Orange. Shortly before reaching the border with Namibia, the Orange has dug deep into the rock and forms there, near the town of Upington, Augrabies Falls, the famous as a center of the National Park Augrabies Falls. Then it is followed by more than 500 kilometers, the border between Namibia and South Africa. At the same time it limits the Richtersveld National Park in the north. In Oranjemund, where he forms a lagoon estuary, opens the Oranje in the Atlantic Ocean.

The Oranje transported since prehistoric times, large quantities of sand from the interior in the estuary in the South Atlantic. There, the sand is driven by the Benguela Current and the constant southwest wind at the Namibian coast, and the starting point of dune formation in the Namib. Therefore, the Oranje will be referred to as the "Father of the Namib ".

Tributaries

• Kraai River
• Caledon
• Vaal
• Fish River (usually dry )
• Molopo

Economic Importance

The river is the basis for an extensive irrigated agriculture both in South Africa and in Namibia, especially for the wine; but also for fishing, the supply of Greater Johannesburg with drinking water, and also for some controversial projects to generate electricity it is of great importance. A tributary of the Orange River feeds the Katse Dam in Lesotho, the Orange itself feeds the largest dam in South Africa, the Gariep Dam. Due to the intensive use of water is its current water management with around 175 m³ / s only about 47 % of the natural runoff. The Orange is not navigable, but is used because of its slow flow of tourist canoeing and rafting.

Over millions of years and diamonds from the region around the South African Kimberley were carried into the ocean, from where they were swept northwards with the ocean current to the dunes of the Namib. This area, which includes Oranjemund counts, so today is a large area diamond area.

Historical Significance

Together with the Vaal formed the Oranje the external borders of the independent Boer Republic of the Orange Free State. This Boer possessions, the British had in 1852 guaranteed in the Sand River Convention; they existed until the Peace of Vereeniging in 1902, which ended the Second Anglo-Boer War.

Orange with General Hertzog Bridge in Aliwal North

The Gariep Dam

The famous Augrabies Falls