Natural Landscape/Landforms of Tanzania
Tanzania is officially the largest country in East Africa and is home to many amazing landscapes. Some with which carry much significance is the Great Rift Valley, which begins with Turkey and travels along the red Sea to Ethiopia, here it splits into 2 parts which turn into the eastern and Western parts. The Western branch of the Great Rift travels towards Tanzania first travelling through Uganda and Kenya. The Total length of the Great Rift Valley is approximately 9,700 kilometres. The emergence of the Great Rift Valley caused the derivation of several large lakes including Lake Natron, Lake Manyara and Lake Tanganyika which can help determine the lowest point of Africa as they travel at approximately 1,430 metres below the surface of Africa. Within Tanzania many rivers can be found but none of them are controllable causing their means to be a water supply to diminish. Large amounts of the rivers within Tanzania connect to salt water supplies. In particular the Pangani, Ruvu, Rufiji and Rovuma rivers which mouth into the Indian Ocean, The Kagera which is connected to the Mediterranean sea and the Malagarasi river which leads to the Atlantic Ocean. Because of the many sources of water presented within Tanzania it is known that it has more surface water than any other country in Africa.
Within Tanzania many mountainous structures can be found as a result of volcanic activity. Africa’s Highest Mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro which stands at approximately 5,895 metres is situated at the border of Tanzania and Kenya. Presently Tanzania still has a working volcano to the North located by Lake Natron called Ol Doinyo Lengai or “Mountain of God.” This Mountain is approximately 2,890 metres high and has had a full crater of lava since 1983. Tanzania also presents a narrow coastal strip with a slightly hilly central plateau averaging at an elevation of 1,200 metres. The dominant landscape within Tanzania is the Savannah (Serengeti), a mostly bear landscape which presents minimal foliage and is used as pastoral land, Tanzania is known mostly for its baron lands. Tanzania is also home to tropical forests and grasslands as well as presenting one of the most complex cave systems in the East Africa with ten caves that provide a network leading to limestone depositories, these tunnels are averaged at about 200 kilometres in length as well as being 13 metres high.
Within Tanzania many mountainous structures can be found as a result of volcanic activity. Africa’s Highest Mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro which stands at approximately 5,895 metres is situated at the border of Tanzania and Kenya. Presently Tanzania still has a working volcano to the North located by Lake Natron called Ol Doinyo Lengai or “Mountain of God.” This Mountain is approximately 2,890 metres high and has had a full crater of lava since 1983. Tanzania also presents a narrow coastal strip with a slightly hilly central plateau averaging at an elevation of 1,200 metres. The dominant landscape within Tanzania is the Savannah (Serengeti), a mostly bear landscape which presents minimal foliage and is used as pastoral land, Tanzania is known mostly for its baron lands. Tanzania is also home to tropical forests and grasslands as well as presenting one of the most complex cave systems in the East Africa with ten caves that provide a network leading to limestone depositories, these tunnels are averaged at about 200 kilometres in length as well as being 13 metres high.