Information about the national parks of Africa. Picturesque reserves and national parks of Africa. Main national parks and reserves

African continent has the highest concentration national parks on the planet. As of 2014, there are 335 national parks here. More than 1,100 species of mammals, 100,000 species of insects, 2,600 species of birds and 3,000 species of fish have found protection in them. In addition, there are hundreds of sanctuaries, forest, marine and national reserves, as well as nature parks.

The Black Continent is rich in diversity of habitats. Wet rainforests and the arid savannah plains of the Sahara desert are home to the most different types wildlife. Africa is home to many fascinating animals, including endangered ones. It is also considered as the place of origin of human civilization.

1 Serengeti National Park

The Serengeti National Park in Tanzania is one of the oldest and most famous nature reserves in Africa. The park is famous for the annual migration of millions of wildebeests, hundreds of thousands of gazelles and zebras, as well as predators that hunt them. This is one of the most impressive natural spectacles in the world. The Great Migration, which spans 1,000 kilometers of annual circular march, passes through unique scenic spots with vast treeless expanses and spectacular gently sloping meadows dotted with exposed rocks and interspersed with rivers and forests. This park hosts one of the world's largest and most diversified predator-prey interaction populations.

Serengeti National Park covers an area of ​​12,950 square kilometers and is considered one of the least disturbed natural ecosystems on Earth.

2. Masai Mara National Reserve

The Masai Mara is a national reserve located in the Narok district of Kenya. It borders the Serengeti National Park, and was named after the Masai people who inhabited these regions. It is famous for its exceptional population of lions, leopards, and cheetahs, as well as the annual migration of zebras, Thomson's gazelles, and wildebeest, which travel to this place from July to October from the Serengeti every year. The event is known as the "great migration".

Masai Mara occupies a relatively small area, but here you can observe an amazing concentration of wildlife. The park is home to 95 species of mammals, amphibians, reptiles and over 400 bird species. The Big Five (buffaloes, elephants, leopards, lions and rhinos) abound throughout the park. Leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, giraffes, wildebeest, swamps, baboons, warthogs, buffaloes, zebras, elephants, hippos and crocodiles converge at the Mara River.

3. Bwindi National Park

Bwindi National Park is located in southwestern Uganda in East Africa. It occupies 331 square kilometers of jungle and, as the name suggests, you can only get to this place on foot. Located on the eastern edge of the Albertine Rift Valley, the park has a rich ecosystem and perhaps the largest number of tree species in East Africa. It also hosts a diverse fauna including a number of endemic butterflies and one of the richest concentrations of mammals in Africa.

Bwindi is home to almost half of the world's mountain gorilla population, which, unfortunately, has only 340 individuals.

4. Amboseli National Park

Amboseli National Park is one of the most popular parks in Kenya. It is located in the south of the country, on the border with Tanzania. The park offers one of the most classic and breathtaking views of Mount Kilimanjaro, with its 5,985-meter peak towering over the plains. Amboseli attracts visitors primarily because of its huge herds elephants, although the park is also inhabited by many predators, such as lions, cheetahs and leopards.

5. Kruger National Park

Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa and one of the largest national parks in the world. Its area is 19,485 square kilometers. This is also the first national park in South Africa, which was opened in 1926, although the park has been protected by the state since 1898.

The Kruger National Park has more species larger mammals than any other African reserve, including the "big five" - ​​lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos and buffaloes.

6 Chobe National Park

Chobe National Park is located in the northwestern part of Botswana, near the border of Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia. It is famous for its amazing population of elephants. Experts estimate that 50,000 of these large animals live here, perhaps the highest concentration of elephants in Africa. The best time to visit Chobe falls during the dry season from April to October, when the reservoirs dry up and the animals gather near the river bank, where they are easy to spot.

7. Etosha National Park

Etosha National Park is located in northwestern Namibia and covers an area of ​​22,270 square kilometers. It takes its name from the silvery-white salt crystals that cover the large panoramas that cover almost a quarter of Etosha's territory. The park is home to hundreds of species of mammals, birds and reptiles, including several rare and endangered species such as black rhinos.

8. Central Kalahari National Game Reserve

The Kalahari Game Reserve covers an area of ​​52,800 km² in the Kalahari Desert of Botswana. It is about twice the size of Massachusetts, making it the second largest nature reserve in the world. Its territory is characterized by vast open plains, salt lakes and ancient riverbeds. The land is mostly flat and slightly undulating, covered with shrubs and grass, but also includes sand dunes and areas with large trees.

The park is home to such species of wild animals as the giraffe, brown hyena, warthog, cheetah, wild dog, leopard, lion, blue wildebeest, eland, gemsbok, kudu and red hartebeest.

The Bushmen have inhabited the Kalahari for thousands of years since the Stone Age. They still live here and move around the territory as nomadic hunters.

9. Nechisar National Park, Ethiopia

The Nechisar National Park occupies only 514 sq. km., located on the excellent picturesque part of the Rift Valley between two lakes. The park in the east borders on the Amaro mountains, which rise up to 2000 m, and in the north - on Abaya Lake with eternally red waters (1070 sq. Km.). In the south - with a small transparent lake Chamo with an area of ​​350 km. To the east is the city of Arba Minch.

From a certain distance, the plains in the center seem white, from which the name Nechisar or "white grass" came.

National Park Nechisar consider important environment habitat for bird populations, especially migratory ones. Kingfishers, storks, pelicans, flamingos and fish eagles huddle in it.

10. Ngorongoro Game Reserve

Ngorongoro is located in northwestern Tanzania. In fact, these are the remains of the old Ngorongoro volcano, which collapsed and formed a crater. Its steep slopes have become a natural enclosure for a wide variety of wild animals that live here. On the plains beyond the crater, the Maasai people herd their cattle, seemingly oblivious to the herds of wild animals that fill the vast landscape. The area is also important in tracing human origins, as some of the earliest human remains and traces of human activity, dating back to 3.5 million years.

Africa has the most big nature reserve in the world. It is called Kavango Zambezi. The complex is located on the borders of five Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and Zimbabwe. total area The reserve exceeds 44 million hectares. The protected area united 36 nature reserves and the lands surrounding them. Almost half of all elephants in Africa live in Kawang Zambezi, more than 600 species various plants and about 300 species of birds.

With the formation of such nature protection complexes as the transnational nature reserve of Africa, which is called Kavango Zambezi (KAZA for short), which are prone to migration (elephants and rhinos), feel completely safe in a vast area the size of Sweden.

Tourist paradise

This land is home to many world-famous attractions. For example, despite the fact that this African reserve was founded quite recently (2011), one of the main tasks that the five states set themselves was to create conditions for the free migration of all animal species. In addition, for these countries, nature reserves and Africa are the most important tourist sites. Every year, thousands of tourists from all over the world come to this unique transboundary reserve.

Animals

Undoubtedly, the main representatives of the animal world living in the complex are elephants. It’s probably hard to believe, but almost half of these giants live in the protected area from total number elephants of Africa. 600 species of plants grow in these vast territories. Many of them are unique. In the most picturesque areas of the region, 300 species of birds have found their homes.

South Africa is the land where miraculously combines the incompatible. Landscapes striking in their beauty are concentrated in the reserves and national parks of the country.

Kruger park

The cross-border territory, with an area of ​​20 thousand square kilometers, is located between Zimbabwe and Mozambique. An elephant and a lion, a buffalo and a rhinoceros, a leopard feel quite comfortable here.

Statistics confirm the uniqueness of these places. The area occupied by this African reserve can be compared with the territory of Wales. It represents countless picturesque meadows and pastures, coastal forests, which are home to about 150 species of mammals, including the largest population of rhinos.

A five-hour drive from South Africa's largest metropolis, Johannesburg, you can see the inhabitants of the wild and get an unforgettable experience. For example, in Kruger Park you can watch the fight between a lion and a crocodile.

The most fearless tourists can go on a guided tour, accompanied by armed guards. Nature reserves and national parks in Africa are best visited in winter. At this time, the vegetation does not grow so rapidly and does not block the view. Animals can be seen at numerous water bodies, moreover, at this time the risk of contracting malaria is minimal.

Royal Natal

One of the most picturesque mountain ranges Africa - Drakensberg. The name translates as The sharp tops of the mountains here smoothly turn into green slopes, which are covered with bumps and bumps.

Royal Natal National Park is located on not too large area(2500 sq. km), which is part of the Uqahlamba complex, is a World Heritage Site. Regardless, the Drakensberg is one of the most famous rock formations on Earth.

Sedeberg Nature Reserve

This mountain range is located 200 km north of Cape Town. The Sedeberg Africa Reserve is made up of many sandstone hills, thick fynbos and the magnificent Mount Saint Roque. Excursion routes last from one hour to several days.

During such a walk, you can enjoy the wildlife of these places. You can climb the steep slopes to the picturesque hills - Wolfberg Arch or Tourists prefer to stay at the Sanddrief base. There is an observatory and a huge wine cellar. The best time to travel is from April to August. At this time, the weather for walking will be the best.

Mapungubwe

Africa's national reserves amaze tourists with their beauty pristine nature. Mapungubwe is no exception. It is located along the borders of Botswana and Zimbabwe, in the valley. In these places, giraffes and elephants, baboons and leopards leisurely stroll through the trees.

Mapungubwe is included in the World Heritage List and is a historical value, so if you are in Johannesburg, be sure to come here.

In ancient times, this territory was the center of the South African kingdom. In 1300 B.C. nine thousand people lived in these places. Archaeologists managed to find hills with burials in which unique valuables were buried, for example, a golden figurine of a rhinoceros. It is better to come here in June-August.

Blyde River

Nature reserves and parks in Africa are different from each other natural landscape. This canyon deserves to be seen with your own eyes. It rises above the Blyde River, and it seems that it breaks down from the tops of the Drakensberg ridge with the luxurious crowns of thousands of beautiful trees.

Even more beautiful this place is made by green gentle slopes, above which rise hills of sandstone and limestone. The most famous of these is the Triple Rondavel rock, with its huge arches and semicircular peaks that resemble the roofs of rondavels (African houses).

It is better not to visit the nature reserves of Africa from January to March. At this time, traveling here is not very comfortable - moist air descends from the mountains, and there is a danger of contracting malaria.

Isimangaliso

This place seems to be created for lovers of ecotourism. The name of this wetland park means "miracle" in the Zulu language. Can't be more specific about this place. The national park covers an area of ​​3320 sq. km is an ecosystem of global importance. The territory of Isimangaliso is covered with lakes, marshy forests, coral reefs. This is the largest river delta on the continent and about 220 km of beaches located on the shores of the Indian Ocean.

The reserves of Africa are large and not very large, mostly prepared to meet tourists. For example, Isimangaliso Park has excellent conditions for diving and horseback riding. Under the guidance of experienced instructors, you can kayak and watch wildlife.

During one day in these places you can see a whale and a rhinoceros. This park, located 375 km from Durban, is especially good from June to October, when there is no exhausting heat, and the risk of contracting malaria is minimal.

Namakua

Not all nature reserves Africa can boast such unique vegetation as Namakuwaland, located along the coast of South Africa. It is often called the African garden, blooming in spring with a thousand colors. This is a true decoration of the arid continent. From the beginning of August to the end of September, this beauty can be seen with your own eyes.

The park is located near Cape Town. This is a true treasure trove the richest flora. What is the flowering of daisies in this park - this is a bewitching sight.

Kgalgadi Transboundary Park

A "wild island" of land, located on the hot sands of the Kalahari Desert. Kgalgadi Park is located in the transboundary zone between Botswana and South Africa - it is the largest in the world protected area. There are many animals here - lions and ostriches, leopards and cheetahs that survive in these arid lands.

Ktugalgadi Park is a great place to watch the big cats. However, care must be taken - at any moment you can find yourself with a lion on the same path.

table mountain

National park with strange name located in the Cape Peninsula. From here you have a breathtaking view of Cape Town, the most Old city SOUTH AFRICA.

This park has many great opportunities to spend active rest. Here you will be offered to fly on a paraglider from the rock Lion's Head. You can go rock climbing on the highest slope of Table Mountain, take a walk along the picturesque paths. locals recommend climbing uphill through the meadows of the Kirstenbosch botanical garden.

Golden Gate

The Maluti Mountains are located 300 km northeast of the city of Bloemfontein. In the early morning here you can see herds of grazing antelope. The magnificent view of the mountains in the rays of the setting sun, when the slopes are covered with a golden color, gave the name to this park. Mount Brandwag is especially beautiful - it can be seen here from any point.

When you think of Africa, wild animals immediately spring to mind. Africa - continent with the richest variety flora and fauna, much more than on any other continent of our planet. Thanks to the wide variety climatic zones, from subarctic to tropical, Africa has many various places Habitats: Tropical rainforests, savannahs, plains and arid Sahara Desert. Africa is also considered the continent where the first people appeared.

The African continent has the highest concentration of national parks, with 335 as of 2014, protecting over 1,100 mammal species, 100,000 insect species, 2,600 bird species and 3,000 fish species. In addition, there are hundreds of game reserves, forest reserves, marine reserves, national reserves and nature parks.
Serengeti National Park

Zebra migration in the Serengeti National Park

The Serengeti National Park in Tanzania is one of the oldest and most famous nature reserves in Africa. The park is famous for the annual migration of millions of wildebeest and hundreds of thousands of gazelles and zebras, as well as predators, which is one of the most impressive natural spectacles in the world.
The Serengeti National Park covers an area of ​​12,950 square kilometers and counts. This park is considered the place where the natural ecosystem is least disturbed.

national reserve Masai Mara
Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya and is named after the Maasai people who inhabit these regions. It is famous for its lions, leopards and cheetahs, as well as the annual migration of zebra, Thomson's gazelle, and wildebeest.

The Masai Mara is relatively small, but it has an amazing concentration of wildlife. The park is home to 95 species of mammals, amphibians and reptiles and over 400 bird species.

bwindi national park
Bwindi National Park is located in southwestern Uganda in East Africa. The park includes 331 square kilometers of jungle forests and can only be reached on foot. Located on the eastern edge of the Rift Valley, the park has a rich ecosystem. It also big variety fauna, including a number of endemic butterflies and one of the richest concentrations of mammals in Africa. The park is home to nearly half of the world's mountain gorillas, sadly numbering only 340.

Amboseli National Park
Amboseli National Park is one of the most popular parks in Kenya. Located in the south of the country, on the border with Tanzania, it offers one of the most breathtaking views of Mount Kilimanjaro with its 5985 meter high peak rising above the plains. Amboseli attracts visitors primarily because of its huge herds of elephants. The park is also home to many predators such as the lion, cheetah and leopard.

Kruger National Park
The Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa and one of the largest national parks in the world, with an area of ​​19,485 square kilometers. It is also the first national park in South Africa. It was opened in 1926, although the park has been protected by the state since 1898. Kruger Park has the largest number of species of large mammals.

Chobe National Park
Chobe National Park is located in the northwestern part of Botswana, near the border of Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia and is famous for its amazing elephant population. It contains an estimated 50,000 elephants, possibly the highest concentration of Africa's elephant. The best time to visit Chobe is during the dry season from April to October.

Etosha National Park
Etosha National Park is located in northwestern Namibia. It covers an area of ​​22,270 square kilometers. The park is home to hundreds of species of mammals, birds and reptiles, including several rare and endangered species such as black rhinos.

Central Kalahari
The Central Kalahari Game Reserve in Botswana's Kalahari Desert covers an area of ​​52,800 km², about twice the size of Massachusetts, making it the second largest game reserve in the world. The park contains wild animals such as giraffes, brown hyena, warthog, cheetah, wild dogs, leopards, lions, blue wildebeest.

The Bushmen have inhabited the Kalahari for thousands of years. These tribes still live here and roam the area as nomadic hunters.

Auvash National Park
Auvash National Park occupies only 514 sq. km, located in the picturesque part of the Rift Valley between two lakes. It is considered an important habitat for bird populations, especially kingfishers, storks, pelicans, flamingos and eagles.

Ngorongoro
Ngorongoro is located in northwestern Tanzania. In fact, this is the impressive Ngorongoro Crater, dormant volcano which left behind a crater. The steep slopes of the crater have become a habitat for a wide variety of wildlife. The region also has great importance in the study of the origin of man, because it was here that some of the earliest human remains were found, including traces of his stay here 3.5 million years ago.

Hot and friendly Africa gladly opens the doors of its most intimate and interesting places. Safari - please, wild and exotic animals - please. Whole animal world Africa is open to visitors, and you can see it in the most beautiful and famous national parks and reserves in Africa.

It is with them that we want to introduce you in this article, transfer them to the world of animals and birds and show what secrets mysterious Africa keeps in itself.

This park is famous for the annual migration of zebras, wildebeests, gazelles and, accordingly, predators that hunt them. The national park is considered one of the most undisturbed ecological systems in the world. Also, it is the oldest park in Africa.

The park is located in Tanzania, the coordinates of the park are 2°19′51″ S. sh. 34°50′00″ E e. Upon arrival, you can stop at the Serengeti Safari Camp and spend an unforgettable time traveling through the valleys and expanses of Tanzania.

Perhaps this is the most famous and popular reserve in Africa. It is located in one of the districts of Kenya, called Narok. Reserve coordinates - 1°29′24″ S. sh. 35°08′38″ in. e. It is named after the tribe that lives here.

From September to October, an impressive event takes place in this reserve - the migration of wildebeests. In general, the reserve is a continuation of the Sarengeti National Park. But most of all it is famous for the lions that live here in large numbers.

Upon arrival, you can stay at one of the many campsites that are located on the territory.

Unlike the previous two, this park is located in the jungle, and you can only travel through it on foot. This park is located in the Albertine Valley, the coordinates of the park are 1°03′29″S. sh. 29°42′01″ in. d.

Here you can enjoy nai large quantity variety of trees in Africa. The park is also home to exotic and stunningly beautiful butterflies.

Gorilla safari is popular here and there is even a cottage called Gorilla Safari Lodge. The official website of the park will inform you about all the details of your stay in it.

It is both a nature reserve and a national park at the same time. Also, this is the very first national park in Africa. He counts the most a large number of mammals, the most popular of which are lions, rhinos, elephants, leopards and buffaloes. The park coordinates are 24°00′41″ S. sh. 31°29′07″ E d.

It works from 6.00 to 17.30, on its territory you can stay both in private campsites and in ordinary parking lots. On the official website, you can book a safari and arrival time.

Already from the name it becomes clear that it is located in the Kalahari Desert in Botswana. This is the second largest nature reserve in the world. Desert, you think what to do there. Despite this, the park contains salt lakes and ancient riverbeds along with sand dunes. This park has the largest concentration of wild animals in the world.

by the most famous residents are white rhinos, crocodiles, hippos, giraffes, wild dogs, cheetahs, hyenas and of course lions and leopards. Reserve coordinates - 21°53′22″ S. sh. 23°45′23″ E e. Of course, the infrastructure is developed here and everyone can visit and even hunt wild animals.

National parks and nature reserves in Africa have a special charm, and it’s not even about famous safaris, it’s more about the fact that they have retained their original beauty, untouchedness, grandeur and a certain inaccessibility. These factors attract millions of tourists from all over the world to unravel the mysteries and mysteries of the beautiful African nature.

The tropical waters of Malawi (the second name is Nyasa) are characterized by a large number of fish. Such a variety of fish kingdom is not found in any other lake on the planet.

Origin of the lake basin of Lake Nyasa

Several million years - this is how experts estimate the age of such a reservoir as Lake Nyasa. The origin of the basin of reservoirs can be associated with a volcanic or tectonic fault, due to exogenous factor, convergence of glaciers and other situations.

The Lake Basin of Malawi arose as a result of a tectonic rift. That is, the origin of Lake Nyasa is connected with the grandiose - the East African graben. As a rule, such lakes are the largest and deepest in the world. the globe. Lake Nyasa is no exception.

The origin of the Malawi Basin, according to some sources, calls into question the continued existence of Africa. In the future, this fault may tear the continent from south to north along a line. This will lead to a change in the slope of the land and the direction of the flow of water in the rivers.

Discovery history

If it was not difficult for scientists to trace the origin of Lake Nyasa, then its discovery is not entirely clear. For Europeans, the history of this geographical feature began nearly four hundred years ago. Then, in 1616, a Portuguese named Gaspar Bucarro, during his journey through the northeast of the lower reaches, which flows into Indian Ocean, made the first discovery of Lake Nyasa. It turned out that, although Bucarro was the European discoverer of the reservoir, this did not receive wide publicity, and the information itself was buried in the Portuguese state archives. So long time the discovery of Lake Nyasa was attributed to the Scottish missionary and great explorer of Africa - David Linvingston.

He, not knowing anything both about the explorer Bucarru himself and about his discovery, in 1858 led a large expedition to the Zambezi basin. And on September 16, 1859, he announced the opening date of the southernmost of the Great Lakes of East Africa - Lake Nyasa. By the way, it is worth noting: if his attempt to climb up the Zambezi had not failed, then maybe he would not have started exploring the Shire River and would not have stumbled upon the “lake of stars,” as the explorer himself called Nyasa in his diaries.

Origin of the name of the lake

As already mentioned, one of the largest has two names - Nyasa and Malawi.

"Nyasa" is consonant with the ancient name of Lake Victoria - "Nyantsa". These two words come from different but related languages ​​that belong to the same big language family- Bantu. Hence their same meaning - " big water"or" a large pond.

The second name - Malawi - comes from the Malawi ethnic group, which makes up more than half of the population of the African republic of the same name. Incidentally, the latter belongs to most of reservoir. But this will be discussed later.

Due to the duality of the name on different maps, you can find both Lake Malawi and Lake Nyasa.

Geography

Where is Nyasa located? The lake fills a crack in earth's crust Rift basin, which is located in the southern point Great Rift systems. And the latter stretched between the outskirts of the Red Sea and the lower reaches of the Zambezi River.

Due to the peculiarities of the area where Nyasa is located, the lake has an elongated shape, reaching a length of 584 km with a width of 16 to 80 km in different places. The area of ​​​​the reservoir is 29,604 km, and it lies at an altitude of almost five hundred meters (more specifically, 472 m) above sea level.

The maximum depth of Lake Nyasa reaches 706 m, and the average is 292 m. This means that the most deep places are below sea level. The bottom of the lake has no sudden changes, the depth indicators gradually increase from south to north.

The relief of the coastline is not monotonous. In some parts of the coast, mountains and peaks rise (from 1500 to 3000 m above sea level), in others the coastal plain spreads, which expands at the confluence of this water body big rivers.

Lake Nyasa on the map of Africa can be found at the coordinates: 11 ° 52 ′ south latitude and 34 ° 35 ′ east longitude.

Climate

The climate in the territory where Lake Nyasa is located is subtropical, and tends to change: in the mountains there is an invigorating coolness, in the Malawi valley itself it is moderately warm, and in the region lower river really hot.

Autumn and winter are warm and mostly dry, with occasional rain. The minimum temperature mark at this time does not fall below +22 0 C, and the maximum fluctuates at +25 0 C. And even then it is in the mountains. On the plain, the temperature is slightly, but higher: +27 ... +30 0 С.

In late spring - early summer, the rainy season begins. The air temperature drops to +15 ... +18 0 C in the mountains, and +20 ... +25 0 C in the plains.

Hydrography

Lake Nyasa is fed by fourteen rivers. Among them, an important place is occupied by Bua (or, as it is sometimes translated, Bwa), Northern and Southern Rukaka, which carry their waters from the west, Dwanga, Ruhuhu - from the northeast, Songwe - from the northwest and Lilongwe - from the southeast. west.

The Shire River is the only outflow of the reservoir. It emerges from Malawi in the south and flows towards the Zambezi.

The great depth of the lake means no less volume of the Nyasa water mass - 8,400 km 3. But, despite this, its flow is 63 km 3 of water per year. Of this volume, only 16% flows down the Shire River, the remaining 84% evaporates from the surface. Due to such features, the period of water renewal near the lake is quite long: according to experts, it takes 114 years to completely replace the water mass.

The salinity of Lake Nyasa is within 0.4 grams per 1 liter. The water itself is similar in composition to the water of Lake Tanganyika - the same hard and hard. Both reservoirs are characterized by the same temperature, which, depending on the season, ranges from 23.5 to 27.5 0 C.

Biology

Lake Malawi has one of the most diverse ecosystems of any freshwater body of water on the planet. It is inhabited by 500 to 1000 species of fish, represented by eleven families.

Each site, in separate bays and on the coasts, has its own fish kingdom. But the most common inhabitants are lake cichlids, which are divided into two groups: pelagic and coastal. Pelagic cichlids - predatory fish, for the most part live in the thickness of the species away from the coast. Their opposite is coastal cichdids. They differ in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, ways of feeding and behavior.

But fish are not the only inhabitants of the waters of Lake Nyasa. The pond was chosen by crocodiles and African whooper eagles, inhabiting it in large numbers.

In general, the animal world can boast of no less diversity of its representatives. Buffaloes, rhinos, zebras, antelopes, giraffes, predatory lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas and jackals roam around the lake. Such a multitude of wild animals is due to the versatility of nature. Here with mountain tropical wet forests savannas side by side with green palms, airy acacias and majestic baobabs.

Political distribution

Three countries are located around the magnificent lake: Mozambique, Malawi and Tanzania. For a long time there was a dispute between the last two about who owns the waters of the reservoir. And all because of the fact that different years the borders of possession were defined differently: before the First World War, the line passed between the former Nyasaland and the German East Africa, and after 1914 - the lake was on the account of Malawi.

Sometimes these disputes led to clashes. But today the passions have subsided a little, and Malawi is no longer trying to restore its rights to the object we are considering. Although the belonging of the disputed part to Tanzania is not officially recognized.

With all this, part of Nyasa and its basin is proportionally divided as follows: Malawi is subject to 68% of the reservoir, Tanzania - 25%, and Mozambique - only 7% of the basin.

fishing

A large number of fish contributed to the formation of such a craft as fishing. The annual volume of fish caught here was five to seven thousand tons per year, of which 2/3 were caught by local African fishermen.

The development of the fishing industry has led to the emergence of small fishing villages on the shores of Lake Nyasa, which live solely on the sale of their catch. Of course, the inhabitants use a small fraction of the booty themselves, but a large part goes for sale - fish is smoked or dried and sold in this form, most often through intermediaries.

More recently, Lake Nyasa has become a place for industrial fishing, and not only by locals, but also by foreigners. This activity is completely market oriented. Fishermen, unlike African fishermen, have fully equipped modern vessels at their disposal.

Despite the great demand for fish, the deep-water part of the reservoir remains underused - improved equipment is needed to expand fishing areas, respectively, more money. In the meantime, there is enough production closer to the coast, no one will be ready for extra expenses.

Tourism

The beauty of Lake Nyasa in itself could be the reason for the pilgrimage of tourists. But the fish kingdom has become not only a fishing specialization, but also a bait for divers.

Today there are special tours to Lake Malawi for those who like to dive and admire the beauties underwater world. How else? After all, such a variety aquarium fish along with the transparency of the water (visibility is achieved at a distance of thirty meters), there are no analogues in all of Africa.

Usually such tours include both day diving and night diving. In addition to swimming, hiking and transport walks along the picturesque shores of the lake are available for vacationers.

But not only divers come here. In 1934, some parts of the territory were declared forest reserves and bird sanctuaries, and in 1972 their area increased several times, which led to the creation of a national park. For example, ornithologists can make several discoveries by observing the large population of fishing eagles that love to hunt and nest on lake shores.

The journey to Nyasa, like its history, will not leave anyone indifferent!