Shire River

{{Infobox river

| name = Shire River

| name_native =

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| name_other = Shiré, Chire

| name_etymology = Chewa chiri, "steep banks"{{Cite journal|url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/29778127|title=Shire, Shirwak and Nyasa |author=Price, T.|year=1966|journal=The Society of Malawi Journal|volume=19|issue=1|pages=15-19}}{{Cite web|url=https://historyofmalawi.com/?p=872|title=The Mighty Shire River – History Of Malawi}}

| image = Shire fluss nsanje.jpg

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| image_caption = The Shire near Nsanje, Malawi

| map = Shire (rivière).png

| map_size = 280px

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| subdivision_type1 = Country

| subdivision_name1 = Malawi, Mozambique

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| length = {{convert|402|km|mi|abbr=on}}

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| discharge1_avg = 486 m3/s

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| source1 = Lake Malawi

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| source1_coordinates= {{coord|14|25|25|S|35|14|10|E|display=inline}}

| source1_elevation = {{convert|474|m|abbr=on}}

| mouth = Zambezi

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| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|17|41|36|S|35|18|55|E|display=inline,title}}

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The Shire {{IPAc-en|'|sh|i:|r|ei}} is the largest river in Malawi.{{Cite web|url=https://worldsenz.blogspot.com/2010/12/shire-river-malawi.html|title=The Ruins of the Moment: Shire River, Malawi — Photos by Pete McGregor|date=December 20, 2010}} It is the only outlet of Lake Malawi and flows into the Zambezi River in Mozambique. Its length is {{convert|402|km|mi}}. The upper Shire River issues from Lake Malawi and runs approximately {{convert|12|mi|km|order=flip|abbr=on}} before it enters shallow Lake Malombe. It then drains Lake Malombe and flows south through Liwonde National Park where large concentrations of hippopotamus are common along its shores. Between the towns of Matope and Chikwawa, the middle river drops approximately {{convert|1300|ft|m|order=flip|abbr=on}} through a series of falls and gorges, including Kapachira Falls. Two hydroelectric dams have been built along the Shire northwest of Blantyre.

Beyond Chikwawa, the lower river turns southeast and enters the low-lying Mozambique plain. Its largest and one of its few perennial tributaries, the Ruo River, joins the Shire near the Malawian town of Chiromo. The muddy waters pass through a large stagnant area known as the Elephant Marsh before reaching the confluence with the Zambezi River south of the town of Sena, Mozambique.

In 1859, David Livingstone's Second Zambezi expedition traveled up the Shire river.{{cite book|last1=Briggs|first1=Philip|title=Malawi|date=2016|publisher=Bradt Travel Guides|isbn=9781784770143|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CQueDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA9|page=9|language=en}}

The river's valley is part of the East African Rift system.{{Cite web |url=http://mappoint.msn.com/(rddmzdbprlpfsl5504qmz245)/map.aspx?C=0%2c0&A=100000&L=WLD0409 |title=Live Search Maps |access-date=2007-08-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071203211025/http://mappoint.msn.com/(rddmzdbprlpfsl5504qmz245)/map.aspx?C=0%2C0&A=100000&L=WLD0409 |archive-date=2007-12-03 |url-status=dead }}

File:Ferry over Shire River in Mozambique.JPG

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