The Nyabarongo (or Nyawarungu) is a major
river
A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside Subterranean river, caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of ...
in
Rwanda
Rwanda, officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of East Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator, Rwanda is bordered by ...
, part of the upper headwaters of the
Nile
The Nile (also known as the Nile River or River Nile) is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is the longest river in Africa. It has historically been considered the List of river sy ...
. With a total length of , it is the longest river entirely in Rwanda. It is extended in
Lake Rweru including a upper course of
Kagera River
The Kagera River, also known as Akagera River, or Alexandra Nile, is an East African river, forming part of the upper headwaters of the Nile and carrying water from its most distant source.Stanley, H.M., 1899, Through the Dark Continent, London: ...
before joining into
Ruvuvu River to form the
Kagera River
The Kagera River, also known as Akagera River, or Alexandra Nile, is an East African river, forming part of the upper headwaters of the Nile and carrying water from its most distant source.Stanley, H.M., 1899, Through the Dark Continent, London: ...
. The river begins its course at the confluence of the rivers Mbirurume and Mwogo in the South West of the country. These two rivers themselves begin in
Nyungwe Forest, and are considered by some to be the most distant
source of the Nile. From its start, Nyabarongo flows northward for 85 km (53 miles), and forms the border between the Western and Southern Provinces. At the confluence with the river Mukungwa, the river changes course and flows eastward for 12 km (7.5 miles), then to a more South Eastern course for the last 200 km (124 miles). For the longest stretch of this course, the river serves as the boundary between the Northern and Southern Provinces, then between the City of Kigali and the Southern Province, and lastly between the City of Kigali and the Eastern Province.
The river then before enters the Eastern Province and ends its course close to the border with Burundi. The Nyabarongo River empties both into Lake Rweru and the Kagera (or Akagera) river in a small but complicated delta. The Kagera river outflows from Lake Rweru, a mere 1 km from the Nyabarongo delta. Almost all the branches of the Nyabarongo delta empty in the lake, however, one branch of the delta empties directly in the just formed Kagera river. The
Kagera River
The Kagera River, also known as Akagera River, or Alexandra Nile, is an East African river, forming part of the upper headwaters of the Nile and carrying water from its most distant source.Stanley, H.M., 1899, Through the Dark Continent, London: ...
eventually flows into
Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. With a surface area of approximately , Lake Victoria is Africa's largest lake by area, the world's largest tropics, tropical lake, and the world's second-largest fresh water lake by surface are ...
and forms the Nile.
Origins
The Nyabarongo River originates in southwestern Rwanda to the east of
Lake Kivu
Lake Kivu is one of the African Great Lakes. It lies on the border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, and is in the Albertine Rift, the western branch of the East African Rift. Lake Kivu empties into the Ruzizi River, which ...
.
The river's sources rise in the mountain chain that covers most of the western third of Rwanda, to the east of the
Albertine Rift
The Albertine Rift is the western branch of the East African Rift, covering parts of Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania.
It extends from the northern end of Lake Albert to the southern end of Lake Tan ...
.
The main headwaters in the forested mountain country, originating at heights of above sea level, are the
Mbirurume and
Mwogo rivers.
The longest of the streams that supply the Mwogo is the
Rukarara, which rises in the
Nyungwe Forest.
The Rukarara flows south and then east, emptying into the Mwogo River. The Mwogo flows north, merging with the Mbirurume River south of
Bwakira.
From this confluence, the river assumes the name Nyabarongo.
The source of the Rukarara is a contender for the overall
source of the
Nile
The Nile (also known as the Nile River or River Nile) is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is the longest river in Africa. It has historically been considered the List of river sy ...
, the most distant headwater.
Course

The Nyawarungu runs northward through the mountain chain in a deep valley roughly parallel to Lake Kivu and about the same elevation of about .
At
Muramba it swings to the southeast. On its left bank the Nyabugogo River delivers the outflow from
Lake Muhazi.
Around Kigali the river is used for cooking, drinking and bathing. It also receives sewage and waste from industry and agriculture.
About further downstream the Akanyaru river enters on its right bank, to the southwest of
Kigali
Kigali () is the Capital (political), capital and largest city of Rwanda. It is near the nation's geographic centre in a region of rolling hills, with a series of valleys and ridges joined by steep slopes. As a primate city, Kigali is a relativ ...
.
The combined river flows east and then southeast through a broad, swampy valley.
At the border with Burundi it drains
Lake Rweru.
It then flows roughly east along the border between Rwanda and Burundi, then between Rwanda and
Tanzania
Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...
, to the point where it is joined by the
Ruvuvu River. From there onward it is called the
Kagera River
The Kagera River, also known as Akagera River, or Alexandra Nile, is an East African river, forming part of the upper headwaters of the Nile and carrying water from its most distant source.Stanley, H.M., 1899, Through the Dark Continent, London: ...
, the main affluent of
Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. With a surface area of approximately , Lake Victoria is Africa's largest lake by area, the world's largest tropics, tropical lake, and the world's second-largest fresh water lake by surface are ...
, which drains into the
Nile
The Nile (also known as the Nile River or River Nile) is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is the longest river in Africa. It has historically been considered the List of river sy ...
.
The river drains the east of the mountains and most of the central plateau of Rwanda.
Wetlands

Soon after being joined by the Akanyaru, the combined river meanders east and then south through a complex of lakes and wetlands in a flat valley running in a SSE direction, wide, which it floods to create a zone of permanent swamps and lakes.
Lake Mugesera lies on the east bank of the river, and is the largest Rwandan lake in the complex.
Lakes Birara and Sake also lie along the left bank of the river.
The lakes on the right bank, from north to south, are Gashanga, Kidogo, Rumira, Maravi, Kilimbi, Gaharwa, Rweru and Kanzigiri.
Lake Rweru, which mostly lies in Burundi, drains in a northeast direction into the river through a short swampy section.
Although close to the equator, the climate is comparatively temperate due to the elevation.
The rainy seasons are from March to May and again from September to December.
In the upper reaches of the wetlands the forest is only flooded seasonally. Further down, common plants are ''
Ficus verruculosa'', ''
Myrica kandtiana'', ''
Phoenix reclinata
''Phoenix reclinata'' (''reclinata'' - Latin, reclining), the wild date palm or Senegal date palm, is a species of flowering plant in the Arecaceae, palm family native to tropical Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and Madagascar. It is introduced in ...
'' and ''
Cyperus papyrus
''Cyperus papyrus'', better known by the common names papyrus, papyrus sedge, paper reed, Indian matting plant, or Nile grass, is a species of aquatic plant, aquatic flowering plant belonging to the sedge family Cyperaceae. It is a Hardiness (pla ...
''.
The water is generally around .
Fish are abundant, and there are many species of waterbirds.
Other animals include water turtles, crocodiles, monitors, snakes and otters.
The Nyabarongo River Wetlands is an unprotected area surrounding the course of the Nyabarongo, and covering . It is of great importance for biodiversity conservation, especially birds, with species such as the endangered
Malagasy pond heron (''Ardeola idae''), the near-threatened
papyrus gonolek (''Laniarius mufumbiri''), the vulnerable
grey crowned crane
The grey crowned crane or gray crowned crane (''Balearica regulorum''), also known as the African crowned crane, golden crested crane, golden crowned crane, East African crane, East African crowned crane, African crane, Eastern crowned crane, ...
(''Balearica regulorum''), and the
sitatunga
The sitatunga (''Tragelaphus spekii'') or marshbuck is a swamp-dwelling medium-sized antelope found throughout central Africa, centering on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, parts of South Sudan, Southern ...
(''Tragelaphus spekii'').
The wetlands are under serious pressure from agriculture.
The following species in the Nyabarongo River Wetlands are red-listed as endangered:
papyrus gonolek (''Laniarius mufumbiri''),
Carruthers's cisticola (''Cisticola carruthersi''),
white-winged scrub-warbler (''Bradypterus carpalis''),
papyrus yellow warbler
The papyrus yellow warbler, papyrus flycatcher-warbler or thin-billed flycatcher-warbler (''Calamonastides gracilirostris'') is a species of tree warbler; formerly, these were placed in the paraphyletic "Old World warblers". It is monotypic in it ...
(''Chloropeta gracilirostris''),
Sharpe's pied-babbler (''Turdoides sharpei''),
northern brown-throated weaver (''Ploceus castanops''),
white-collared oliveback (''Nesocharis ansorgei''), and
papyrus canary (''Serinus koliensis'').
References
Citations
Sources
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{{Authority control
Protected areas of Rwanda
Rivers of Rwanda
Rivers of Burundi