Why does the Caprivi Strip exist?
Namibia’s Caprivi Strip, a 280-mile-long panhandle, only exists as is because Germans thought the Zambezi would lead to the Indian Ocean. But the Caprivi Strip’s odd past—and turbulent present—are an accident. It only exists because someone forgot about the largest waterfall in the world.
Why did Germany take over the Caprivi Strip?
The territory was acquired by the then German South West Africa in order to provide access to the Zambezi River and consequently a route to the east coast of the continent and German East Africa.
Which rivers flow through the Caprivi Strip region?
Five mighty rivers flow through here – the Kwando, Okavango, Linyanti, Chobe and Zambezi Rivers. The Caprivi Strip is sandwiched between Angola, Zambia and Botswana near the tip of Zimbabwe and close to other outstanding holiday hotspots like Chobe National Park, Okavango Delta and Victoria Falls.
Does Zambia border Botswana?
The 135-meter-long (443 foot) boundary between Botswana and Zambia is the shortest land boundary in the world. The Botswana–Zambia border connects two tripoints on the Zambezi River, one with Namibia in the northwest to one with Zimbabwe in the southeast.
Is there a border between Zimbabwe and Namibia?
Zambia is on the right; Namibia at the top on the left; Botswana in the middle on the left and Zimbabwe bottom all the way across the bottom of the picture. The Zimbabwe–Botswana border runs only just this side of the ferry pier….References.
| hide Authority control | |
|---|---|
| National libraries | United States |
What was Namibia before?
German South-West Africa
Before its independence in 1990, the area was known first as German South-West Africa (Deutsch-Südwestafrika), then as South-West Africa, reflecting the colonial occupation by the Germans and the South Africans.
What river runs through Chobe National Park?
Cuando River
The Cuando River is a river in south-central Africa flowing through Angola and Namibia’s Caprivi Strip and into the Linyanti Swamp on the northern border of Botswana. Below the swamp, the river is called the Linyanti River and, farther east, the Chobe River, before it flows into the Zambezi River.
What is the former Caprivi Strip in Namibia?
The former Caprivi Strip is comprised of the Kavango Region and the Zambezi Region. The appeal of this area lies in an abundance of big game, birdlife, fish and vegetation that is not only completely untypical of the mostly dry Namibia, but also completely untamed.
What to see and do in the Caprivi Strip?
Excellent fresh water fishing, 400 bird species, water sports in an untouched wilderness area and off the beaten track game viewing have turned the Caprivi into a popular tourist destination. In close proximity to the Victoria Falls and Chobe National Park, the town of Katima Mulilo has become a popular tourist hub.
Where are the Caprivi Strip and Kavango located?
CAPRIVI, KAVANGO AND ZAMBEZI. The former Caprivi Strip is comprised of the Kavango Region and the Zambezi Region. The appeal of this area lies in an abundance of big game, birdlife, fish and vegetation that is not only completely untypical of the mostly dry Namibia, but also completely untamed.
Which is the largest settlement in the Caprivi Strip?
The width of the strip varies from about 32 km (20 mi) to 105 km (65 mi). Its largest settlement is Katima Mulilo, located at the point where the Zambezi reaches the Strip. When Namibia was a German colony, the Caprivi Strip was known in German as Caprivizipfel.