Prelims ask
Lesotho source, west, Atlantic, Vaal. Opposite of the Zambezi’s direction.
Africa
Orange
Longest river in South Africa.
- Source
- Drakensberg / Maloti highlands of Lesotho, where it is the Senqu.
- Countries
- Lesotho, South Africa, and the South Africa–Namibia border.
- Direction
- West.
- Mouth
- Atlantic Ocean.
- Length
- About 2,200 km.
- Major tributaries
- Vaal is the chief tributary. Caledon joins in the highlands.
- Delta or estuary
- Restricted mouth, often nearly closed by a sand bar. Not a large delta.
- Basin
- Boundary river with Namibia in the lower course. Alluvial diamonds. Gariep and Vanderkloof dams.
- One exam fact
- Rises on the eastern escarpment and flows west across the dry interior to the Atlantic.
Mains use
The clean extra-Indian example of a west-flowing river born on an eastern highland.