Chapter 2 Biophysical Characteristics
11 Chapter 2 Biophysical characteristics INTRODUCTION The Limpopo River Basin is situated in the east of because of its orographic effect. There is also a southern Africa between about 20 and 26 °S and north–south rainfall gradient towards the Limpopo 25 and 35 °E. It covers an area of 412 938 km2. River. Figure 4 shows the basin in relation to major Rainfall varies from a low of 200 mm in the hot physical features of the subcontinent. The basin dry areas to 1 500 mm in the high rainfall areas. straddles four countries: Botswana, Mozambique, The majority of the catchment receives less than South Africa and Zimbabwe. Figure 5 shows the 500 mm of rainfall per year (Figure 7). The hot dry main overland transport routes, urban centres, areas receiving about 200–400 mm of annual rainfall rivers and nature conservation areas in the basin. are located mostly within the main Limpopo River Valley itself. CLIMATE Rainfall is highly seasonal with 95 percent Classification of the climate of the Limpopo occurring between October and April, often with River Basin a mid-season dry spell during critical periods of Climate conditions vary considerably in southern crop growth. It occurs on a few isolated rain days Africa, as the subcontinent lies at the transition of and isolated locations, seldom exceeding 50 rain major climate zones. The climate in the Limpopo days per year. Rainfall varies significantly between River Basin is influenced by air masses of different years, with maximum monthly rainfall being as origins: the equatorial convergence zone, the high as 340 mm compared with mean monthly subtropical eastern continental moist maritime rainfalls of 50–100 mm for January, February and (with regular occurrence of cyclones), and the dry March.
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