Mareb River
Encyclopedia
The Mareb River is a river flowing out of central Eritrea
. Its chief importance is defining part of the boundary between Eritrea
and Ethiopia between the point where the Mai Ambassa enters the river at 14°53.6′N 37°54.8′E to the confluence of the Balasa with the Mareb at 14°38′N 39°1.3′E.
According to the Statistical Abstract of Ethiopia for 1967/68, the Mereb River is 440 kilometres (273.4 mi) long. The Ethiopian Ministry of Water Resources reports its catchment area as 5700 square miles (14,762.9 km²), with an annual runoff of 0.26 billion cubic meters. Its headwaters rise north of Amba Takara in central Eritrea, on the landward side of the eastern escarpment within 80 kilometres (49.7 mi) of Annesley Bay on the Red Sea
. It flows south, bordering Ethiopia, then west through western Eritrea to reach the Sudan
ese plains near Kassala
. Unlike the Setit or Takazze rivers, which flow out of Ethiopia and also forms a natural border with Eritrea, the waters of the Mareb do not reach the Nile
but dissipate in the sands of the eastern Sudanese plains.
The Mareb is dry for much of the year, but like the Takazze is subject to sudden floods during the rainy season; only the left bank of the upper course of the Mareb is in Ethiopian territory. Its main tributaries are the Obel River
on the right bank (in Eritrea) and the Sarana, Balasa, Mai Shawesh, and 'Engweya Rivers on the left (in Ethiopia).
The Mareb was important historically as the boundary between two separately governed regions in the area: the land of the Bahr negash (Tigrinya "kingdom of the sea", also known as Medri Bahri or "land of/by the sea") to the north of the river, and the Tigray to the south. The territories under the Bahr negash extended as far north as the Red Sea
coast, and as far south (and west) as Shire
and the capital was at Debarwa
in modern Eritrea, about 20 mile south of Asmara
.
The river's Eritrean floodplain was the location of a 2001 sighting of a sizable elephant
herd, the first such sighting in Eritrea since 1955.
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
. Its chief importance is defining part of the boundary between Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
and Ethiopia between the point where the Mai Ambassa enters the river at 14°53.6′N 37°54.8′E to the confluence of the Balasa with the Mareb at 14°38′N 39°1.3′E.
According to the Statistical Abstract of Ethiopia for 1967/68, the Mereb River is 440 kilometres (273.4 mi) long. The Ethiopian Ministry of Water Resources reports its catchment area as 5700 square miles (14,762.9 km²), with an annual runoff of 0.26 billion cubic meters. Its headwaters rise north of Amba Takara in central Eritrea, on the landward side of the eastern escarpment within 80 kilometres (49.7 mi) of Annesley Bay on the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
. It flows south, bordering Ethiopia, then west through western Eritrea to reach the Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
ese plains near Kassala
Kassala
Kassala is the capital of the state of Kassala in eastern Sudan. Its 2008 population was recorded to be 419,030. It is a market town and is famous for its fruit gardens. It was formerly a railroad hub, however, as of 2006 there was no operational railway station in Kassala and much of the track...
. Unlike the Setit or Takazze rivers, which flow out of Ethiopia and also forms a natural border with Eritrea, the waters of the Mareb do not reach the Nile
Nile
The Nile is a major north-flowing river in North Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world. It is long. It runs through the ten countries of Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Egypt.The Nile has two major...
but dissipate in the sands of the eastern Sudanese plains.
The Mareb is dry for much of the year, but like the Takazze is subject to sudden floods during the rainy season; only the left bank of the upper course of the Mareb is in Ethiopian territory. Its main tributaries are the Obel River
Obel River
The Obel River is a small tributary to the Mareb River whose headwaters are in the Eritrean Highlands and forms part of the border between Eritrea and Ethiopia.- See also :* List of rivers of Eritrea...
on the right bank (in Eritrea) and the Sarana, Balasa, Mai Shawesh, and 'Engweya Rivers on the left (in Ethiopia).
The Mareb was important historically as the boundary between two separately governed regions in the area: the land of the Bahr negash (Tigrinya "kingdom of the sea", also known as Medri Bahri or "land of/by the sea") to the north of the river, and the Tigray to the south. The territories under the Bahr negash extended as far north as the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
coast, and as far south (and west) as Shire
Shire, Ethiopia
Shire , also known as Inda Selassie , is a town in northern Ethiopia. The administrative center of the Mirabawi Zone of the Tigray region, this town has a latitude and longitude of with an altitude of 1953 meters above sea level...
and the capital was at Debarwa
Debarwa
Debarwa is a market town with a population of about 25,000 in central Eritrea, about 25 kilometers south of the capital Asmara. It is the capital of the Debarwa district in the Debub administrative region...
in modern Eritrea, about 20 mile south of Asmara
Asmara
Asmara is the capital city and largest settlement in Eritrea, home to a population of around 579,000 people...
.
The river's Eritrean floodplain was the location of a 2001 sighting of a sizable elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
herd, the first such sighting in Eritrea since 1955.