{{Short description|River in Africa}} {{Infobox river | name = Ruvubu River | image_caption = The Ruvubu at its confluence with Kagera as seen from Rwanda. The Ruvubu comes from the left of the image. | map = Kagera catchment OSM.svg | mouth_coordinates = {{coord|2|23|23|S|30|46|52|E|display=it}} | mouth_elevation = {{cvt|1322|m}} | other_name = Rurubu, Ruvuvu | subdivision_type1 = Countries | length = {{cvt|313.8|km}}<ref name="HydroATLAS">{{Cite journal |last=Linke |first=Simon |last2=Lehner |first2=Bernhard |last3=Ouellet Dallaire |first3=Camille |last4=Ariwi |first4=Joseph |last5=Grill |first5=Günther |last6=Anand |first6=Mira |last7=Beames |first7=Penny |last8=Burchard-Levine |first8=Vicente |last9=Maxwell |first9=Sally |last10=Moidu |first10=Hana |last11=Tan |first11=Florence |last12=Thieme |first12=Michele |date=2019-12-09 |title=Global hydro-environmental sub-basin and river reach characteristics at high spatial resolution |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41597-019-0300-6 |journal=Scientific Data |language=en |volume=6 |issue=1 |doi=10.1038/s41597-019-0300-6 |issn=2052-4463 |pmc=6901482 |pmid=31819059}}</ref> | mouth = Kagera River | discharge1_max = {{cvt|239.876|m3|adj=ri1|sigfig=4}} | discharge1_avg = {{cvt|100.707|m3|adj=ri1|sigfig=4}} | discharge1_min = {{cvt|23.799|m3|adj=ri2|sigfig=4}} | discharge1_location = Mouth<ref name="HydroATLAS" /> | progression = Kagerai → Lake Victoria → White Nile → Nile → Mediterranean Sea | basin_size = {{cvt|12230.3|km2|adj=ri0|sigfig=4}}<ref name="HydroATLAS" /> | tributaries_left = Kinyankuru, Ndurumu, Kavurugu, Cizanye | tributaries_right = Mubarazi, Ruvyironza, Nyabaha, Kayongozi | subdivision_name1 = Burundi, Tanzania | source1 = Nyagasumira River | source1_location = Gitega, Burundi | source1_elevation = {{cvt|2030|m}} | source1_coordinates = {{coord|-3.684350|29.808489}} | mouth_location = Kagera Region, Tanzania | basin_population = 4,055,031 (2016)<ref>{{Citation |last=Center For International Earth Science Information Network-CIESIN-Columbia University |title=Gridded Population of the World, Version 4 (GPWv4): Population Count |date=2016 |url=https://beta.sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/data/set/gpw-v4-population-count |access-date=2025-06-20 |publisher=Palisades, NY: NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC) |doi=10.7927/H4X63JVC}}</ref> }} The '''Ruvubu River''' (also spelt '''Rurubu''' and '''Ruvuvu''') is a river in central Africa whose waters gather from the most distant, southern portion of the Nile basin. It has a total length of {{convert|416|km|mi|abbr=off}} and a drainage basin of {{convert|14,000|km2|abbr=on}}.{{citation needed|date=July 2025}} It rises in the north of Burundi, near the town of Kayanza and then does a southward arc through Burundi, being joined by the Ruvyironza River near Gitega. From there it runs northeast, through the Ruvubu National Park, up to the Tanzanian border. After a stretch along the border, the Ruvubu crosses properly into Tanzania, before joining the Kagera River on the Tanzania–Rwanda border approximately {{convert|2|km|mi|abbr=on}} upstream from Rusumo Falls.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|author=((The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica))|title=Ruvubu River|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia Britannica|date=5 April 2025|access-date=3 July 2025|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Ruvubu-River}}</ref><ref>{{cite thesis|last=Nzeyimana|first=Lazare|title=Rusumo Dam-Social Challenge in Kagera River Basin: Participation of Affected People|date=August 2003|institution=Linköping University|degree=MSc|id=diva2 22853|url=https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A22853&dswid=932|access-date=3 July 2025|via=Digitala Vetenskapliga Arkivet|location=Linköping, Sweden}}</ref>{{rp|17}}
The Ruvubu gets its name from the Kirundi word for hippopatamus, imvubu, because the river is home to a large population of hippos.<ref>{{cite book |author=INECN |year=1990 |title=La Preservation de Notre Patrimoine Naturel |publisher=Les Presses Lavigerie, Bujumbura}}</ref>
==Course==
The Ruvubu River originates on the Congo-Nile ridge at Ngoga, at an altitude of {{convert|2,300|m}}. It flows from northwest to southeast to Mugera, and from there, takes a northeast direction. It flows for {{convert|285|km}} through Burundi, and drains most of Burundi’s part of the Nile watershed. Its watershed covers {{convert|10,200|km2}} and covers the center of Burundi.{{sfn|Projet de developpement local pour l’emploi|pp=25–26}}
Tributaries on both banks include the Kinyankuru River, Ndurumu River, Nyakigezi River, Nkoma River, Mubarazi River, Ruvyironza River, Nyabaha River and Kayongozi River.{{sfn|Projet de developpement local pour l’emploi|pp=25–26}} Most of these rivers have their source on the Congo Nile ridge. The Ruvubu passes through the Buyenzi, Kirimiro and Bweru natural regions. The Ruvubu marshes are largely flooded and occupied by permanent swamps.{{sfn|Igirukwishaka|Bararunyeretse|Habonayo|Bangirinama|2023|p=48}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==Sources== {{refbegin}} *{{citation |url=https://bi.chm-cbd.net/sites/bi/files/2023-09/plantes-envahissantes%20-Ruvubu-Jean%20Bosco-et-al-2023.pdf |accessdate=2024-08-30 |last1=Igirukwishaka |first1=J.B. |last2=Bararunyeretse |first2=P. |last3=Habonayo |first3=R. |last4=Bangirinama |first4=F. |title=Contribution à la caractérisation des plantes envahissantes des marais de la rivière Ruvubu |language=fr |journal=Bulletin Scientifique sur l'Environnement et la Biodiversité |date=6 September 2023 |archive-date=2024-07-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240715025434/https://bi.chm-cbd.net/sites/bi/files/2023-09/plantes-envahissantes%20-Ruvubu-Jean%20Bosco-et-al-2023.pdf |url-status=live }} *{{citation |location=Bujumbura |date=November 2019 |ref={{harvid|Projet de developpement local pour l’emploi}} |title=Projet de developpement local pour l'emploi |publisher=Agence Burundaise pour la realisation des travaux d’interet public |url=https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/pt/164831576045405829/pdf/Evaluation-de-lImpact-Environnemental-et-Social-pour-la-Construction-du-Centre-de-Sante-de-Nyakeru-dans-la-Province-de-Gitega-du-Centre-de-Sante-de-Nyamabuye-dans-la-Province-de-Kirundo-et-du-Centre-de-Sante-de-Cagizo-dans-la-Province-de-Muyinga.pdf |accessdate=2024-08-30 |language=fr }} {{refend}}
{{Rivers of Burundi}} {{Rivers of Tanzania}}
Category:Rivers of Burundi Category:Rivers of Tanzania Category:Kagera River Category:International rivers of Africa Category:Burundi–Tanzania border Category:Border rivers
{{Burundi-river-stub}} {{Tanzania-river-stub}}