The Niger River in the western region of Africa is used for irrigation, power production, and transportation.
How was the Niger River important to civilization in West Africa?
The Niger river provided irrigation and drinking water in the more arid parts of the these empires. The river was a food source providing fish, and other food to the people of the empires. Many civilizations had their beginnings along side a river.
What is unique about the Niger River?
Interesting Niger River Facts
The Niger has one of the most unusual routes of any of the major rivers in the world. It starts approximately 150 miles from the Atlantic Ocean (240 kilometers). Instead of flowing to the nearby Atlantic Ocean it instead heads inland, away from the sea into the Sahara Desert.
What was River Niger before?
Therefore, most people think the name is from the original people of the area in the middle of the river where early European maps used the name “Quorra”. One possibility is the Tuareg phrase gher n gheren “river of rivers”, shortened to ngher or “niger”, from the middle of the river near Timbuktu.
How many countries does the River Niger flow through?
The most important areas of the Niger basin are located in Mali, Niger and Nigeria (25 % in each of these three countries).
…
| Country with an area within the Niger basin | Mali |
|---|---|
| Actual flows | 45.40 |
| 29.20 | |
| Flows after deduction for irrigation and losses | 39.88 |
| 6.96 |
Why is the Niger river dangerous?
The health hazards become most serious during the rains, which bring flooding and a sharp rise in water-born diseases. Cholera outbreaks are common. Every year hundreds of people die from this severe diarrhoeal disease which is spread through contaminated water.
What animals live in the Niger River?
Many varieties of fish are found in the Niger and its tributaries; the chief food species are catfish, carp, and Nile perch. Other Niger fauna include hippopotamuses, at least three different types of crocodiles (including the much-feared Nile crocodile), and a variety of lizards. There is a rich collection of birds.
How did Niger get its name?
The country takes its name from the Niger River, which flows through the southwestern part of its territory. The name Niger derives in turn from the phrase gher n-gheren, meaning “river among rivers,” in the Tamashek language.
Is the Niger river polluted?
The Niger Delta is one of the most polluted places on earth. The Niger Delta is Africa’s most important oil-producing region, and one of the most polluted places on earth. For decades oil spills have been damaging the environment and devastating lives in this part of Nigeria.
What is the meaning of Niger Delta?
The Niger Delta is the delta of the Niger River sitting directly on the Gulf of Guinea on the Atlantic Ocean in Nigeria. … The Niger Delta is a very densely populated region sometimes called the Oil Rivers because it was once a major producer of palm oil.
Who Found River Niger?
It was not until the late 18th century that Europeans made systematic attempts to find the source, direction, and outlet of the Niger. In 1795 Mungo Park, a Scottish explorer, traveled overland from the Gambia region and reached the Niger near Ségou, where in July 1796 he established that the river flowed eastward.
Is Nigeria named after River Niger?
The nations of Nigeria and Niger are named after the river. The people who live along it have a variety of names for it, notably Jeliba in Manding, Isa Ber (“big river” in Songhay), Joliba (a Mandigo word meaning Great River), and Kworra or Quorra.
Who built River Niger?
Feasibility studies and design considerations on the possibility of constructing a bridge across River Niger from Asaba to Onitsha was carried out by the Netherlands Engineering Consultants of The Hague, Holland (NEDECO) in the 1950s, Between 1964 and 1965, French construction giant, Dumez, constructed the Niger Bridge …
Where is the end of River Niger?
Нигер/Устья
What are the major rivers in West Africa?
Geographically, West Africa is predominantly plains. It also features numerous rivers. Major rivers include the Niger, Senegal, Gambia, and the Kolenté (Great Scarcies).
What is the length of River Niger?
2,597 mi