Kwango

a river in Central Africa, in Angola and the Republic of Zaïre. The Kwango is the largest left tributary of the KasaiRiver in the Congo River basin. The Kwango is approximately1, 200 km long and drains an area of 263, 500 sq km. The riverrises in the Lunda plateau and flows north in a broad, deepvalley, forming a number of rapids and waterfalls. Its maintributaries are the Wamba and Kwilu rivers on the right. Thewaters of the river rise in the rainy season, between Septemberor October and April. The lowest water level occurs in August.The average annual discharge in the lower course is 2, 700 cu mper sec. The river is navigable in its lower course, from its mouthto the Kingushi rapids, a distance of 307 km. It is partiallynavigable in its middle course, between Kingushi and the Franz Josef waterfalls, a distance of approximately 300 km. The riveris used for fishing.