Oti River

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Oti River
Pendjari fluss.JPG
Oti River in Pendjari National Park in dry season; Benin left, Burkina Faso right
Map of rivers of Togo OSM.png
Togo with the Oti River (north) and the Mono River (south)
Location
Countries
Physical characteristics
Source 
  elevation150 m (490 ft)
Mouth Lake Volta of Ghana
  location
Gulf of Guinea
  coordinates
8°46′48″N2°34′29″W / 8.78000°N 2.57472°W / 8.78000; -2.57472
Length520 km (320 mi)
Basin size72,000 km2 (28,000 sq mi)
Discharge 
  location Mouth
Basin features
Designation
Official nameZone Humide de la Rivière Pendjari
Designated2 February 2007
Reference no.1669 [1]

The Oti River or Pendjari River is an international river in West Africa. It rises in Benin, forms the border between Benin and Burkina Faso, flows through Togo, and joins the Volta River in Ghana.

Contents

Geography

The Oti River is about 520 km (323 mi) long. Its headwaters are in Benin and Burkina Faso, it flows through Benin and Togo and joins the Volta River in Ghana. Tributaries on the left bank in Togo originate from the Togo Mountains to the south. One of its eastern tributaries is the Kara River, the confluence being on the Ghana–Togo border, where another tributary, the Koumongou River, joins from the south. The mouth of the Oti was formerly on the Volta River, but it now flows into Lake Volta reservoir in Ghana. [2]

The river crosses the northern part of Togo in a savannah-clad valley some 40 or 50 km (25 or 31 mi) wide. Along the margins of the river is gallery forest which floods periodically. The dry season here lasts from about November until April, with the hot dry Harmattan wind blowing from the north. At this time of the year the river's flow is minimal. Both the Oti and the Koumongou have floodplains, some 10 and 4 km (6.2 and 2.5 mi) wide, respectively. These flood extensively during the wet season, but during the dry season they become dry, dusty plains, with the occasional pond or lake in a depression. Cattle graze on the floodplains during the dry season. There is also some small-scale growing of crops, and the hunting of game takes place there. [3]

International borders

The river forms part of the international borders between Ghana, Burkina Faso, Togo, and Benin. [4]

Parks

The Oti River flows through Pendjari National Park in Benin [5] and the Oti-Kéran National Park in Togo. [3]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of Ghana</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Burkina Faso</span> Flora and fauna of the landlocked west African country

Burkina Faso is largely wild bush country with a mixture of grass and small trees in varying proportions. The savanna region is mainly grassland in the rainy season and semi desert during the harmattan period. Fauna, one of the most diverse in West Africa, includes the elephant, hippopotamus, buffalo, monkey, lions, crocodile, giraffe, various types of antelope, and a vast variety of bird and insect life. The country has 147 mammal species, 330 aquatic species including 121 species of fish and 2067 different plant species. Of the plant species, the dominant endemic species are shea tree and the baobab, the former plant species has immense economic value to the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Benin</span> Natural flora and fauna of Benin

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Togo</span> Flora and fauna of Togo

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of Burkina Faso</span> Country in West Africa

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benin–Burkina Faso border</span> International border

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burkina Faso–Togo border</span> International border

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References

  1. "Zone Humide de la Rivière Pendjari". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  2. Philip's (1994). Atlas of the World. Reed International. p. 101. ISBN   0-540-05831-9.
  3. 1 2 Hughes, R.H. (1992). A Directory of African Wetlands. IUCN. pp. 443–447. ISBN   978-2-88032-949-5.
  4. "Ghana - Rivers and Lakes". www.countrystudies.us. Retrieved 2017-08-17.
  5. "Parc National de la Pendjari". Archived from the original on 14 July 2017. Retrieved 21 November 2016.