Eastern Highlands
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:''"Eastern Highlands" also refers to
Eastern Highlands Province Eastern Highlands is a highlands province of Papua New Guinea. The provincial capital is Goroka. The province covers an area of 11,157 km2, and has a population of 579,825 (2011 census). The province shares a common administrative boundary w ...
in Papua New Guinea, and part of the
Great Dividing Range The Great Dividing Range, also known as the East Australian Cordillera or the Eastern Highlands, is a cordillera system in eastern Australia consisting of an expansive collection of mountain ranges, plateaus and rolling hills. It runs roughl ...
,
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
.'' The Eastern Highlands, also known as the Manica Highlands, is a
mountain range A mountain range or hill range is a series of mountains or hills arranged in a line and connected by high ground. A mountain system or mountain belt is a group of mountain ranges with similarity in form, structure, and alignment that have aris ...
on the border of
Zimbabwe file:Zimbabwe, relief map.jpg, upright=1.22, Zimbabwe, relief map Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Bots ...
and
Mozambique Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique, is a country located in Southeast Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west, and Eswatini and South Afr ...
. The Eastern Highlands extend north and south for about through Zimbabwe's
Manicaland Province Manicaland is a Provinces of Zimbabwe, province in eastern Zimbabwe. After Harare Province, it is the country's second-most populous province, with a population of 2.037 million, as of the 2022 Zimbabwe census, 2022 census. Making it the third mo ...
and Mozambique's
Manica Province Manica is a province of Mozambique. It has an area of 62,272 km2 and a population of 1,945,994 (2017 census). The province is surrounded by Zimbabwe to the west, Tete Province to the northwest, Sofala Province to the east, the Save Rive ...
. The Highlands are home to the Eastern Zimbabwe montane forest-grassland mosaic
ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) is an ecological and geographic area that exists on multiple different levels, defined by type, quality, and quantity of environmental resources. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and c ...
. The ecoregion includes the portion of the highlands above 1000 meters elevation, including the Inyangani Mountains, Bvumba Mountains,
Chimanimani Mountains The Chimanimani Mountains are a mountain range on the border of Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The mountains are in the southern portion of the Eastern Highlands, or Manica Highlands, a belt of highlands that extend north and south along the internatio ...
, Chipinge Uplands, and the isolated Mount Gorongosa further east in Mozambique. The
Southern miombo woodlands The Southern miombo woodlands is a tropical grasslands and woodlands ecoregion extending across portions of Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. It is one of four miombo woodlands ecoregions that span the African continent south of the Co ...
ecoregion lies at lower elevations east and west of the highlands. The highlands have a cooler, moister climate than the surrounding lowlands, which support distinct communities of plants and animals. The ecoregion is home to several plant communities: submontane and montane grasslands, moist evergreen forest, dry montane forest, miombo woodlands, and
heathland A heath () is a shrubland habitat found mainly on free-draining infertile, acidic soils and is characterised by open, low-growing woody vegetation. Moorland is generally related to high-ground heaths with—especially in Great Britain—a coole ...
s.


Geography

The highlands consist of three main mountain groups – the Nyanga, Bvumba, and Chimanimani mountains – and several smaller ranges. The mountains are mostly sparsely populated, covered in rich grasslands, shrublands, woodlands and forests. The Nyanga Mountains in the north contain Zimbabwe's highest mountain
Mount Nyangani Mount Nyangani (formerly Mount Inyangani) is the highest mountain in Zimbabwe at . The mountain is located within Nyanga National Park in Nyanga District, about north-northeast of Mutare. The summit lies atop a small outcrop of rock around abov ...
(2,592 m), and Mutarazi Falls, Africa's second-longest waterfall. The Choa Mountains rise northeast of the Nyanga mountains in Mozambique. Zimbabwe's agricultural Honde Valley lies southeast of the Nyanga range, and leads into Mozambique.
Mutare Mutare, formerly known as Umtali until 1982, is the capital and largest city in the province of Manicaland. It is the third most populated in Zimbabwe. Having surpassed Gweru in the 2012 census, with an urban area, urban population of 224,802 ...
is the largest city in the highlands. It is located on the Zimbabwean side of the Mutare Gap, a saddle between the Nyanga and Bvumba mountains. The main east-west road through the highlands is the A3 (Zimbabwe) - N6 (Mozambique), which connects the port of Beira in Mozambique to Zimbabwe's capital
Harare Harare ( ), formerly Salisbury, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Zimbabwe. The city proper has an area of , a population of 1,849,600 as of the 2022 Zimbabwe census, 2022 census and an estimated 2,487,209 people in its metrop ...
via
Chimoio Chimoio is the capital of Manica Province in Mozambique. It is the fifth-largest city in Mozambique. Chimoio's name under Portuguese administration was ''Vila Pery''. Vila Pery developed under Portuguese rule as an important agricultural and t ...
, Manica, and Mutare, with a border crossing at Machipanda. The Beira–Bulawayo railway also crosses the highlands at Machipanda. The Bvumba Mountains are centrally situated south of
Mutare Mutare, formerly known as Umtali until 1982, is the capital and largest city in the province of Manicaland. It is the third most populated in Zimbabwe. Having surpassed Gweru in the 2012 census, with an urban area, urban population of 224,802 ...
. They lie mostly in Zimbabwe, but a northeastern spur, Monte Vumba, reaches into Mozambique. Agricultural Burma Valley lies south and east of the Bvumba Mountains. South of Burma Valley, the Tsetsera, Gweni, and Tandara plateaus lie along the border, separated by east-west river valleys lying in fault rifts.Ghiurghi, Andrea & Dondeyne, S. & Bannerman, J.. (2010). Chimanimani national reserve: management plan. 10.13140/2.1.1734.6240. The
Chimanimani Mountains The Chimanimani Mountains are a mountain range on the border of Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The mountains are in the southern portion of the Eastern Highlands, or Manica Highlands, a belt of highlands that extend north and south along the internatio ...
lie south of the Mussapa Pequeno River, which divides them from the Tandara plateau. The Chimanimani range consists of a high plateau with several ridges running north and south. Monte Binga on the border is the highest peak in Mozambique and the second-highest in Zimbabwe. Mussapa Gap is a pass through the mountains that follows the eastward-flowing Mussapa Grande River and westward-flowing Nyanyadzi River. Mussapa Gap was an important trade and migration route through the highlands for centuries. The Rusitu-Tanganda fault, an east-west rift that carries the eastward-flowing Rusitu River and the westward flowing Tanganda River, marks the southern end of the Chimanimani Mountains. A hilly upland extends south from the fault into Chipinge District, and the highest point is Mount Selinda at 1230 meters. The Eastern Highlands are part of the East African Highlands, one of four distinct physiographic divisions on the African continent. The East African Highlands physiographic division consists of the
East African Rift The East African Rift (EAR) or East African Rift System (EARS) is an active continental rift zone in East Africa. The EAR began developing around the onset of the Miocene, 22–25 million years ago. It was formerly considered to be part of a l ...
and Abyssinian physiographic provinces, part of the long chain of mountains that runs down
East Africa East Africa, also known as Eastern Africa or the East of Africa, is a region at the eastern edge of the Africa, African continent, distinguished by its unique geographical, historical, and cultural landscape. Defined in varying scopes, the regi ...
. The mountains and mountain ranges that make up the East African Highlands share many common plant and animal species and communities, known as
Afromontane The Afromontane regions are subregions of the Afrotropical realm, one of the Earth's eight biogeographic realms, covering the plant and animal species found in the mountains of Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula. The Afromontane regions o ...
flora and fauna.


Climate

The Highlands have a more equable climate than Zimbabwe's central plateau, with higher rainfall, low cloud and heavy mists and dew as moisture moves inland from the
Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...
. Many streams and rivers originate in these mountains. The northern portion is drained by tributaries of the
Zambezi River The Zambezi (also spelled Zambeze and Zambesi) is the fourth-longest river in Africa, the longest east-flowing river in Africa and the largest flowing into the Indian Ocean from Africa. Its drainage basin covers , slightly less than half of t ...
, while the southern portion is drained by tributaries of the Save River."Eastern Zimbabwe montane forest-grassland mosaic". World Wildlife Fund. Accessed 17 June 201

/ref> The eastern slope is drained by Mozambique's Buzi River (Mozambique), Buzi and Pungwe rivers.


Flora

Much of the small area consists of rolling hills covered with grassland, which are renewed annually following the fires that occur at the end of the dry season. At lower elevations, '' Themeda triandra'' is the predominant grass on the more fertile red soils, and '' Loudetia simplex'' is common on less-fertile white sandy soils. At higher elevations are montane grasslands made up mostly of short, tufted grasses, including '' Loudetia simplex, Trachypogon spicatus, Exotheca abyssinica,'' and '' Monocymbium ceresiiforme''. Some valleys and east-facing slopes contain areas of subtropical rainforest, with a high canopy,
liana A liana is a long-Plant stem, stemmed Woody plant, woody vine that is rooted in the soil at ground level and uses trees, as well as other means of vertical support, to climb up to the Canopy (biology), canopy in search of direct sunlight. T ...
s, and a rich undergrowth. There are larger areas of dry forest at higher altitudes in places where the ground is well watered and on drier slopes patches of
miombo Miombo woodland is a tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome (in the World Wide Fund for Nature scheme) located in central and southern tropical Africa. It includes three woodland savanna ecoregions (listed below) chara ...
woodland ''( Brachystegia spiciformis'', '' Brachystegia tamarindoides'' and '' Uapaca kirkiana'') and areas of heathland at higher elevations. There are patches of the tall, evergreen mobola plum '' Parinari curatellifolia'' near the town of
Chipinge Chipinge, formerly known as Chipinga, is a town in Zimbabwe, located in Chipinge District, in Manicaland Province, in southeastern Zimbabwe, close to the border with Mozambique. Location The town lies approximately , by road, south of Mutare ...
and on the western slopes of the Nyanga Highlands. In the Chimanimani Mountains and Mount Gorongosa, heathlands are found on poor, acidic sandy soils derived from
quartzite Quartzite is a hard, non- foliated metamorphic rock that was originally pure quartz sandstone.Essentials of Geology, 3rd Edition, Stephen Marshak, p 182 Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tecton ...
. The heathlands are of two types, ericaceous and proteaceous. The ericaceous heathlands are dominated by ''Philippia pallidiflora, P. hexandra, Phylica ericoides, Passerina montana, Erica eylesii, E. pleiotricha, E. gazensis,'' and ''E. johnstoniana. Protea gazensis, P. welwitschii'', and '' Leucospermum saxosum'' are common in the proteaceous heathlands. A number of indigenous monocot lilies with small distribution ranges occur in the highlands. ''Cryptostephanotis vansonii'', ''Cyrtanthus rhodesianus'', and ''Scadoxus pole-evansi'' are popular with rare plant collectors.


Fauna

This variety of different types of habitat results in a richness of animal life too. Animals found in the highlands include Sykes' monkey (''Cercopithecus albogularis''), East African little collared fruit bat (''Myonycteris relicta'') and Marshall's pygmy chameleon (''Rhampholeon marshalli''). Many of its animals are found throughout East Africa. The highlands are also rich in birdlifeIan Sinclair, Birds of Southern Africa, Struik Publishers 1996 including trumpeter hornbill (''Bycanistes bucinator''), Livingstone's turaco (''Tauraco livingstonii''), purple-crested turaco (''Tauraco porphyreolophus''), crested guineafowl (''Guttera pucherani'') and crowned eagle (''Stephanoaetus coronatus''). Two species, the Chirinda apalis (''Apalis chirindensis'') and Roberts's warbler (''Oreophilais robertsi''), are endemic to the Eastern Highlands. The Chirinda apalis lives deep in the evergreen forests, while Roberts's warbler inhabits the forest edge. The forests are also full of butterflies, most notably swallowtails such as the emperor swallowtail ('' Papilio ophidicephalus'') and the citrus swallowtail ('' Papilio demodocus'') and the forest undergrowth in particular shelters a variety of reptiles including
skink Skinks are a type of lizard belonging to the family (biology), family Scincidae, a family in the Taxonomic rank, infraorder Scincomorpha. With more than 1,500 described species across 100 different taxonomic genera, the family Scincidae is one o ...
s,
gecko Geckos are small, mostly carnivorous lizards that have a wide distribution, found on every continent except Antarctica. Belonging to the infraorder Gekkota, geckos are found in warm climates. They range from . Geckos are unique among lizards ...
s,
lizard Lizard is the common name used for all Squamata, squamate reptiles other than snakes (and to a lesser extent amphisbaenians), encompassing over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most Island#Oceanic isla ...
s,
frog A frog is any member of a diverse and largely semiaquatic group of short-bodied, tailless amphibian vertebrates composing the order (biology), order Anura (coming from the Ancient Greek , literally 'without tail'). Frog species with rough ski ...
s,
toad Toad (also known as a hoptoad) is a common name for certain frogs, especially of the family Bufonidae, that are characterized by dry, leathery skin, short legs, and large bumps covering the parotoid glands. In popular culture (folk taxonomy ...
s, and
snake Snakes are elongated limbless reptiles of the suborder Serpentes (). Cladistically squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales much like other members of the group. Many species of snakes have s ...
s.


Freshwater

Numerous streams have their headwaters in the Eastern Highlands. Over time streams have deeply dissected the highlands, forming deep ravines and gorges. Some eastward-flowing streams form high waterfalls as they descend the escarpment into Mozambique."Eastern Zimbabwe Highlands". Freshwater Ecoregions of the World. Accessed 15 March 2021

/ref> The highlands' cool, high-altitude, rapidly-flowing streams create aquatic habitats distinct from the surrounding lowlands, and the highlands are home to several endemism, endemic species. Four species of fish – '' Labeo baldasseronii, Amarginops hildae, Varicorhinus pungweensis'', and '' Parakneria mossambica'' – are endemic to the highlands.


Threats and preservation

The mountain forests are vulnerable to logging and the grasslands susceptible to fire and the rainforests, which by definition grow on well-watered fertile land, to clearance for agriculture. The moist climate is ideal for planting tea, coffee and hardwoods. However, much of the original vegetation remains, especially at higher altitudes, which are not suitable for farming. Large areas of the highlands are protected, including Nyanga National Park in the Nyanga Mountains, Bunga Forest Botanical Reserve in the Bvumba Mountains, and Zimbabwe's 171 km2
Chimanimani National Park The Chimanimani Mountains are a mountain range on the border of Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The mountains are in the southern portion of the Eastern Highlands, or Manica Highlands, a belt of highlands that extend north and south along the internatio ...
and Mozambique's Chimanimani National Reserve in the Chimanimani Mountains. The Chimanimani park and reserve together form the core of the Chimanimani Transfrontier Conservation Area.


External links

*
Eastern Zimbabwe Highlands (freshwater ecoregion)


See also

* Nyanga National Park * Mutarazi Falls


References

{{coord, 18.723, S, 32.842, E, type:country, display=title Afromontane ecoregions Afrotropical ecoregions Eastern Zimbabwe montane forest-grassland mosaic Ecoregions of Mozambique Ecoregions of Zimbabwe Great Rift Valley Highlands Montane grasslands and shrublands Mountains of Zimbabwe Mountain ranges of Mozambique Physiographic divisions Freshwater ecoregions of Africa