Cross River (Nigeria)
Cross River | |
---|---|
Location | |
Country | Cameroon, Nigeria |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | Cameroonian Highlands forests, Cameroon |
• coordinates | 5°23′30.6996″N 9°51′44.586″E / 5.391861000°N 9.86238500°E |
• elevation | 2,728 m (8,950 ft)[1] |
Mouth | Bight of Biafra |
• coordinates | 4°45′39.6″N 8°20′48.5″E / 4.761000°N 8.346806°E |
• elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
Length | 489 km (304 mi) |
Basin size | 52,471 km2 (20,259 sq mi)[2] to 53,590 km2 (20,690 sq mi)[3] |
Discharge | |
• location | Cross River Estuary, Bight of Biafra, Nigeria |
• average | (Period: 1979–2015) 83.52 km3/a (2,647 m3/s)[2] (Period: 1971–2000) 2,465.5 m3/s (87,070 cu ft/s)[4] |
Discharge | |
• location | Mamfe, Cameroon (Basin size: 6,810 km2 (2,630 sq mi) |
• average | (Period: 1967–1977)569.4 m3/s (20,110 cu ft/s)[5] |
• minimum | 32.3 m3/s (1,140 cu ft/s)[5] |
• maximum | 2,270 m3/s (80,000 cu ft/s)[5] |
Basin features | |
River system | Cross River |
Tributaries | |
• left | Mfi, Mbu, Bali, Munaya, Awa, Ibe, Ukpon, Ekpor, Udep, Calabar, Great Kwa |
• right | Bagwor, Mak, Mo, Mam, Munaya, Oyi, Obokum, Afi, Anyim, East Aboine, West Aboine, Enyong, Ikpa |
Cross River (native name: Oyono)[6] is the main river in southeastern Nigeria and gives its name to Cross River State. It originates in Cameroon, where it takes the name of the Manyu River.[7] Although not long by African standards its catchment has high rainfall and it becomes very wide. Over its last 80 kilometres (50 mi) to the sea it flows through swampy rainforest with numerous creeks and forms an inland delta near its confluence with the Calabar River,[8] about 20 kilometres (12 mi) wide and 50 kilometres (31 mi) long between the cities of Oron on the west bank and Calabar, on the east bank, more than 30 kilometres (19 mi) from the open sea. The delta empties into a broad estuary[9] which it shares with a few smaller rivers. At its mouth in the Atlantic Ocean, the estuary is 24 kilometres (15 mi) wide. The eastern side of the estuary is in the neighboring country of Cameroon.[10]
The major tributary of Cross River is the river Aloma, coming from
The Cross River forms a boundary between two
Cross River also gives its name to a national park and a family of languages.[13]
The Cross River Region is of great historical importance, being a) within the likely homeland from which Bantu speaking people migrated across most of Sub-Saharan Africa 3000–5000 years ago, b) the location of where the Nsibidi Script was created, and c) the location of Calabar, one of the largest centers during the Atlantic slave trade.[14]
Pollution
During some months of monitoring, iron, manganese, lead, arsenic, and chromium were identified in the water at levels hazardous for drinking; thus, the water was polluted with these heavy metals and could not be relied on to serve as a potable water supply for Nigerians.
References
- .
- ^ a b "River Basins".
- .
- ^ "Cross".
- ^ ISBN 2-7099-0804-2.
- ISBN 1-4400-9130-7.
- ^ L. Zapfack; J. S. O. Ayeni; S. Besong; M. Mdaihli (November 2001). "ETHNOBOTANICAL SURVEY OF THE TAKAMANDA FOREST RESERVE" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-08. Retrieved 2011-02-05.
- ^ "Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa, Nigeria". Archived from the original on 2010-05-05. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
- ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 7 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 510.
- ^ "Cross River | Nigeria, Map, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. 2023-09-12. Retrieved 2023-09-29.
- ^ admin. "Major Rivers in Nigeria (Details and Pictures) – Sea Empowerment and Research". Retrieved 2023-09-29.
- .
- ^ "Brief History of Cross River National Park". www.traveldigest.com.ng. Retrieved 2023-09-29.
- ^ "The Bantu Migration | World Civilization". courses.lumenlearning.com. Retrieved 2023-09-29.