|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries: |
Research categories | Follow us on Twitter |
Research categories
View all topics in the newsView all reference sources at Encyclopedia.com |
|||
Orange River
Orange River chief river of S Africa, c.1,300 mi (2,090 km) long, rising in the Maluti Mts., N Lesotho. It flows SW through Lesotho, then meanders northwest and west through central South Africa, forming the SW boundary of Free State and part of the South Africa–Namibia line before entering the Atlantic Ocean at Oranjemund. The Vaal River is its chief tributary. The lower Orange River flows through the southern part of the Kalahari and Namib deserts; in very dry years it does not reach the sea. At the mouth of the river are rich alluvial diamond beds. Shoals, falls (Aughrabies Falls is 400 ft/122 m high), irregular flow, and a sandbar at its mouth limit navigation, but the river is used extensively for irrigation. The South African Orange River Project, which includes the Gariep and Vanderkloof dams, provides water for irrigation, hydroelectric power generation, and municipal water supplies. Tunnels divert water to the Great Fish and Sundays rivers. |
|
|
Cite this article
"Orange River." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Orange River." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-OrangeRi.html "Orange River." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-OrangeRi.html |
|
Orange
Orange Longest river of South Africa. It rises in the Drakensberg Mountains in n Lesotho and flows generally w, forming the boundary between Free State and Cape Province. It continues w through the Kalahari and Namib deserts, forming South Africa's border with Namibia. It empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Oranjemund. Length: c.1300mi (2100km).
|
|
|
Cite this article
"Orange." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Orange." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-Orange.html "Orange." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-Orange.html |
|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries:
HighBeam™ Research, Inc. © Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.
The Encyclopedia.com advertising network includes:
