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Rivers of Niger are indeed the sources of life and its sustenance on this dry, desert country. In a country like Niger whose major parts are composed of vast stretches of deserts, water is perhaps the most rarely found and priceless item here. Apart from some oasis found on the land, the Rivers of Niger have made life possible on the land, meeting the water requirements of the population. The total land area of Niger is drained by the twin river basins of Niger and Yoba. Together with Lake Chad and other seasonal pools, they comprise the main hydrographs in Niger.
The Yobe River, also called the Komadougou Yobe or the Komadougou-Yobe is another of the rivers in Niger, which flows through the country and Nigeria and empties itself in Lake Chad. Hadejia River is considered to be one of its primary tributaries.
Niger River
As the main river body of West African region, Niger River extends for over 2500 miles, flowing in a crescent form through Niger, Mali, Guinea, Nigeria and the Benin frontiers. At its mouth, the River Niger forms the huge Niger Delta before emptying itself into the Gulf of Guinea. Benue is the main tributary of this principal West-African river.
It is popularly assumed that River Niger was named by the ancient Portuguese explorers who settled on the land centuries ago. Though the twin African nations of Niger and Nigeria are named after this river, the local inhabitants of both these countries call River Niger through different names like Isa Ber in Songhay, Joliba, Quorra or Kworra and Jeliba in Manding. Like River Nile, the Niger River also experience heavy floods annually, from September to November.
The exceptional characteristic of the Niger River is its Inland Delta which had formed in a place where the land slope faces an abrupt decrease. As a result, the region is composed of lakes, swamps and intertwined streams. Both annual and seasonal floods have made the Niger River basin extremely fertile, facilitating extensive farming activities.
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