The Maputo River (Portuguese ''Rio Maputo''), also called Great Usutu River, Lusutfu River, or Suthu River, is a river in South Africa,

Eswatini Eswatini ( ; ss, eSwatini ), officially the Kingdom of Eswatini and formerly named Swaziland ( ; officially renamed in 2018), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. It is bordered by Mozambique to its northeast and South Africa to its no ...

, and Mozambique. The name ''Suthu'' refers to Basotho people who lived near the source of the river, but were attacked and displaced by

Swazis The Swazi or Swati ( Swati: ''Emaswati'', singular ''Liswati'') are a Bantu ethnic group native to Southern Africa, inhabiting Eswatini, a sovereign kingdom in Southern Africa. EmaSwati are part of the Nguni-language speaking peoples whose or ...

. It is also said to mean 'dark brown', a description of the river's muddy water.

Course

The river rises near

Amsterdam, Mpumalanga Amsterdam, officially eMvelo, is a small town located in Mkhondo Local Municipality, Mpumalanga South Africa. Amsterdam encompasses a large Swazi population as a result of its proximity to the Eswatini border which is relatively close to the are ...

, South Africa, and flows easterly through Eswatini, where it enters the Lebombo Mountains. The 13 km gorge forms the boundary between Eswatini and South Africa. For approximately twenty kilometres, it forms the border between South Africa (province of

KwaZulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN and known as "the garden province") is a province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu) and Natal Province were merged. It is locate ...

) and Mozambique. There, in the

Ndumo Game Reserve Ndumo Game Reserve is a small () South African game reserve located in the far northeast district of KwaZulu-Natal known as Maputaland. It is situated on the border with Mozambique where the Pongola River joins the Great Usutu River. It is adjacen ...

, it absorbs its largest tributary, the Pongola River. It then meanders through the Mozambican coastal plain and empties into southern Maputo Bay, some 85 kilometres downstream. In Eswatini, the river is called the Great Usutu or Lusutfu and flows through the towns of Bhunya,

Luyengo Luyengo is a town in western Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). It is located 35 kilometres south of the capital, Mbabane, on the MR18 highway, at the junction of the road south to Mankayane and Mgazini. In 1881 the Usuthu Mission school was opened in ...

, Siphofaneni, and Big Bend. The town of Big Bend is near a point in which the river meanders abruptly. The Great Usutu is the largest river in Eswatini, it is the site of Eswatini's lowest point (21 m above sea level), and is known for whitewater rafting. No large towns have been able to form along its banks because of deep narrow valleys and dense forests. It is, however, home to some golf courses, hotels, and nature reserves.

Tributaries

From the origin to its mouth, in order, tributaries are the: Seganagana, Bonnie Brook, Mpuluzi, Buhlungu, Umvenvane, Lusushwana,

Sidvokodvo Sidvokodvo is a town in central Eswatini, situated south of Manzini Manzini may refer to: *Manzini, Eswatini, a town in the Manzini Region of Eswatini *Manzini Region, a region of Eswatini *Manzini (surname), an Italian surname See also *Roman C ...

, Mkhondvo, Mhlamani, Mzimneni, Mzimphofu, Mhlathuzane, Mtsindzekwa, Nyetane, Funuane, and the Pongola Rivers.Usuthu/Mhlatuze WMA 6
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Dams on this river

* Westoe Dam * Lubovane Dam

References

External links

Maputo River Basin - SADC Water Sector ICP Collaboration Portal
Rivers of Mozambique Rivers of Eswatini Geography of Maputo Mozambique–South Africa border Eswatini–South Africa border International rivers of Africa Border rivers Rivers of Mpumalanga {{SouthAfrica-river-stub