7 African Countries That Got Their Names From Rivers

Africa has 67 major rivers scattered across the continent. The most popular ones are the Nile, Congo, Niger, Zambezi, Orange, and Limpopo rivers. Before infrastructural development began, the rivers were means of transportation, sources of water, and agricultural irrigation.

When some colonial masters decided to name their colony, they decided to use the most significant geographical landmark in the colony; hence, some countries were named after rivers. These countries include:

1,2. Niger and Nigeria

The Niger River is the third-longest river on the continent, after the Nile and the Congo.

Officially known as the Republic of the Niger, Niger is located in West Africa and was named after the Niger River.

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Nigeria, on the other hand, was named in 1897 by Flora Shaw, a British journalist. She also named it after the river Niger, which also flows through the country.

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3. Senegal

The Republic of Senegal got its name from the Senegal River, which borders it to the north and east.

The Senegal is also known as the River of Gold because it was an important ancient trade route for gold, explored in the 11th century by both Arab and European traders.

4. Gambia

The Gambia was named after the Gambia River. When Portuguese explorers reached the area in the 1400s, they borrowed a local name, which the British later anglicized to Gambia.

Gambia is the smallest country in Africa, and it is surrounded by Senegal on all sides except for the west, which is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean.

4,5. Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Congo are two different countries named after the Congo River, which flows throughout the countries. The river itself was named after the Kongo Kingdom. The Congo River is the world’s deepest river and the world’s third-largest river by discharge.

7. Zambia

Formerly known as Northern Rhodesia from 1911 to 1964, Zambia was renamed after independence from British colonial rule in October 1964. It was named after the Zambezi River.

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Oluwagbohunmi Bajela

Oluwagbohunmi is a content writer with a knack for storytelling that allows her simplify ideas and present them in a way that captures attention, builds understanding, and connects with readers.

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