Aruwimi River
Encyclopedia
The Aruwimi River is a tributary
of the Congo River
, located to the north and east of the Congo.
The Aruwimi begins as the Ituri River, which arises near Lake Albert, in the savannas north of the Kibale River watershed. It then runs generally south southwest until it is joined by the Shari River which flows by Bunia. The Ituri then turns west, through the Ituri Forest, becoming the Aruwimi where the Nepoko
(or Nepoki) River joins it, at the town of Bomili. The river continues westward, joining the Congo at Basoko
. The length of the Aruwimi–Ituri is about 1030 kilometres (640 mi), with the Ituri being about 650 kilometres (403.9 mi) and the Aruwimi about 380 kilometres (236.1 mi). The Aruwimi is about 1.5 kilometre (0.93205910497471 mi) wide where it joins the Congo.
The watershed of the Ituri/Aruwimi is almost entirely dense forest, with just a handful of villages along its course, and crossed by roads in about four places. The Kango language
(SIL code KZY) is spoken by several thousand villagers just south of Avakubi, and upper reaches of the Ituri are inhabited by the Mbuti
(Pygmies
).
The Aruwimi was explored by Henry Morton Stanley
during his 1887 expedition to "rescue" Emin Pasha
. The cataract
s above Yambuya
made it impossible to use the river for navigation, and the expedition had to go by land, with tremendous difficulty.
Tributaries:
Settlements:
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Congo River
Congo River
The Congo River is a river in Africa, and is the deepest river in the world, with measured depths in excess of . It is the second largest river in the world by volume of water discharged, though it has only one-fifth the volume of the world's largest river, the Amazon...
, located to the north and east of the Congo.
The Aruwimi begins as the Ituri River, which arises near Lake Albert, in the savannas north of the Kibale River watershed. It then runs generally south southwest until it is joined by the Shari River which flows by Bunia. The Ituri then turns west, through the Ituri Forest, becoming the Aruwimi where the Nepoko
Nepoko River
The Nepoko River is a river in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It joins the Ituri River at the town of Bomili to form the Aruwimi River....
(or Nepoki) River joins it, at the town of Bomili. The river continues westward, joining the Congo at Basoko
Basoko
Basoko is a town on the Congo River in Tshopo District of northern Democratic Republic of the Congo. As of 2009 it had an estimated population of 47,970....
. The length of the Aruwimi–Ituri is about 1030 kilometres (640 mi), with the Ituri being about 650 kilometres (403.9 mi) and the Aruwimi about 380 kilometres (236.1 mi). The Aruwimi is about 1.5 kilometre (0.93205910497471 mi) wide where it joins the Congo.
The watershed of the Ituri/Aruwimi is almost entirely dense forest, with just a handful of villages along its course, and crossed by roads in about four places. The Kango language
Kango language
Bila is a Bantu language spoken by the Mbuti Pygmies called Kango and Sua . The other Mbuti speak Central Sudanic languages. The Kango and Sua speak distinct dialects , but not enough to impair mutual intelligibility with their farming Bila patrons.-References:*Serge BAHUCHET, 2006...
(SIL code KZY) is spoken by several thousand villagers just south of Avakubi, and upper reaches of the Ituri are inhabited by the Mbuti
Mbuti
Mbuti or Bambuti are one of several indigenous pygmy groups in the Congo region of Africa. Their languages belong to the Central Sudanic and also to Bantu languages.-Overview:...
(Pygmies
Pygmy
Pygmy is a term used for various ethnic groups worldwide whose average height is unusually short; anthropologists define pygmy as any group whose adult men grow to less than 150 cm in average height. A member of a slightly taller group is termed "pygmoid." The best known pygmies are the Aka,...
).
The Aruwimi was explored by Henry Morton Stanley
Henry Morton Stanley
Sir Henry Morton Stanley, GCB, born John Rowlands , was a Welsh journalist and explorer famous for his exploration of Africa and his search for David Livingstone. Upon finding Livingstone, Stanley allegedly uttered the now-famous greeting, "Dr...
during his 1887 expedition to "rescue" Emin Pasha
Emin Pasha
Mehmed Emin Pasha — he was born Isaak Eduard Schnitzer and baptized Eduard Carl Oscar Theodor Schnitzer — was a physician, naturalist, and governor of the Egyptian province of Equatoria on the upper Nile...
. The cataract
Cataract
A cataract is a clouding that develops in the crystalline lens of the eye or in its envelope, varying in degree from slight to complete opacity and obstructing the passage of light...
s above Yambuya
Yambuya
Yambuya is a community in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the Aruwimi River, roughly due north of Yangambi. The river is navigable as far as Yambuya, but is blocked by cataracts further upstream....
made it impossible to use the river for navigation, and the expedition had to go by land, with tremendous difficulty.
Tributaries:
- Nepoko
- Lenda
Settlements:
- Bomaneh
- Mongandjo
- YambuyaYambuyaYambuya is a community in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the Aruwimi River, roughly due north of Yangambi. The river is navigable as far as Yambuya, but is blocked by cataracts further upstream....
- Banalia
- Panga
- Bafwangbe
- Bomili
- Avakubi
- Teturi
- BuniaBuniaBunia is a city in Democratic Republic of the Congo and is the headquarters of Ituri Interim Administration in the Ituri region of Orientale Province....