Cunene River Source

Monte Chimbango is an “inselberg” (island mountain) left over from intense geological erosion over millions of years.
With an altitude of 1929.74 m, it is the culmination of two river basins: The Cuanza River basin and the Cubango River basin.
It is also the highest point in the eastern part of Angola, to the right of the 16ºE Gr. meridian approximately the Huambo meridian.
In an area of about 850 000 km2 Chimbango is the culmination.
Morro Chimbango or Morro do Chinguar.
It is the highest point in the Cuanza basin, with an altitude of 1929.74 m.
The Northwest slope feeds the Cuanza river through the Alondo river and then the Cutato das Mongóias.
The Northeast and South slopes feed the second great river in Angola, the legendary Cubango which, after more than 1000 km, gives rise to one of the greatest nature sanctuaries: the Okavango Delta already in the territory of Botswana.
The Cubango River is endorheic, meaning its waters do not go to the sea, the Cubango River flows into an immense basin (Okavango Delta).
The Cunene River originates in the main watershed of Angola. (JESSEN Surface IV) On the southern slope, the Plateau descends with relatively uniform specificity, but with irregularities, until it is covered by the sediments that occupy the southern part of Angola.
The Cunene River follows the slope of the Pene Grides, carved into the ancient massif and only rejuvenated by the loosely fitted courses of this river and its tributaries, until beyond Capelongo, fifty kilometers further downstream, at an altitude of 1150 m, the river enters in the detrital deposits that will be linked to the sediments of the Cuanhama dam (altitude around 1100 m), which the river follows along the western edge.
Further, the river reaches the ancient "bed-rock", begins to have rapids and soon reaches the Ruacaná Falls, 124 m high, which mark the beginning of the international course.
The third part (Lower Course).
The ancient Cunene River was captured in the Quaternary by a river that certainly had a small flow, but which ran straight to the sea and therefore had a large slope.
The section rejuvenated by the capture It is approximately 380 km long and constitutes the third part of the Cunene River.
The River rejuvenates, has a strong erosive action and several waterfalls, fits into and crosses mountainous regions, sometimes with very hard rocks, with a great slope ( average 2.8 p. 1000).
The course of the Cunene River is around 1,200 km, of which 960 km exclusively in Angola. The Cunene river basin covers 272,000 km², of which 150,800 km² is in Angolan territory.
The Cunene River is one of the few permanent rivers in this arid region.
Its average annual flow is 174 m³/s at the mouth.
Downstream of them, the Cunene River flows at a height of 750 m and inflects towards the sea, which it will reach through a valley that is always embedded, with waterfalls and deep and wild canyon sections, in a desert region.
Three most important tributaries drained to the South.
An area that goes from the Cordillera Marginal, west of Huambo, to Chicala Cholohanga ex. (Vila Nova); To the east of this town, the direction is along the Cubango River; to the North, by the Queve or Cuvo River. These tributaries are, from the West, the Cunhongamua River, the Cuando River and the one to which it is customary to give the name of the Cunene River.
2500 m altitude, (Cunhongamua River ) The second originates in the vicinity of Chicala Cholohanga ex. (Vila Nova), in the middle of the Main Plateau, here at an altitude of 1840 m. (Rio Cuando) The third source is a dozen and a half kilometers further south, also on the Main Plateau, here a little dissected and at an altitude of 1750 m. (Rio Cunene) Coming from the mouth and taking each of these tributaries, let's see the length of the River Cunene to its sources: By the Cunhongamua River 1217 km, by the Cuando River 1220 km and by what is called the Cunene River 1203 km.
The main trunk of the Cunene River must therefore be considered as following the Cuando River and the River as originating in Chicala Cholohanga ex.(Vila Nova), the source of the City of Huambo.
The course of the Cunene River, which has a total length of around 1220 km, with three parts with distinct characteristics.
In the first, (Upper Course) from the sources until it enters the detrital deposits, the river follows the slope of the pene-plain; It has erosive action and the difference in level in relation to the preserved parts is remarkably constant (around 100 m).
The length of this part of the river is around 475 km and the average slope is 1.45 p. 1000.
In the second part, (Middle Course) with around 360 km, the River runs in the sediments of the Cuanhama basin (in the broadest sense).
Although already somewhat embedded, this part of the course corresponds to the final part of the old The Cunene River, which flowed into the Cuanhama Etocha-Chitado dam, flooded there and was lost by evaporation from an inland lake (represented today by the Etocha Caldera).
The slope of this part of the course is 0.22 p. 1000.
This second part of the course of Rio has final characteristics, but in reality a middle course position.