Kalambo River

{{Short description|River in Rukwa Region, Tanzania and Mbala District, Zambia}}

{{No footnotes|date=December 2024}}

{{Infobox river

| name = Kalambo River

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| image_caption = Kalambo Falls

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| subdivision_type1 = Country

| subdivision_name1 =Rukwa Region, Tanzania

| subdivision_type2 = Country

| subdivision_name2 =Northern Province, Zambia

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| length_km = 50

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| source1 = Ufipa Plateau

| source1_location = Zambia

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| source1_elevation = {{convert|1800|m|ft|abbr=on}}

| mouth = Lake Tanganyika

| mouth_location = Tanzania

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| mouth_elevation = {{convert|770|m|ft|abbr=on}}

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The Kalambo River forms part of the border between Zambia and Tanzania. It is a comparatively small stream which rises on the Ufipa Plateau in Rukwa Region,Tanzania north-east of Mbala at an elevation of about {{convert|1800|m}} and descends into the Albertine Rift, entering the southeastern end of Lake Tanganyika at an elevation of about {{convert|770|m}}, in a straight-line distance of only about {{convert|50|km}}.{{Citation needed|date=May 2020}} This accounts for its main claim to fame, its waterfall, Kalambo Falls, which is Africa's second highest falls (after South Africa's Tugela Falls). Below the falls, the river runs in a deep gorge.{{Citation needed|date=May 2020}}

The site of the river includes important archaeological sites.