Indonesia is located in a zone of tropical and subtropical climate, so it is characterized by dividing the year into two seasons - dry and wet. During the wet season, a lot of precipitation falls in the country, due to which a dense river network is formed. In Indonesia, the rivers are deep, which allows them to be used for navigation and as a source of electricity.
Rivers on the island of Kalimantan
One of the largest islands of the country is Kalimantan , or Borneo. It is here that the largest rivers of Indonesia are concentrated. Among them:
- Capuan Besar (1,040 km);
- Mahakam (920 km);
- Barito (900 km).
Their beginning is the mountain massif, from where they flow down the plains and pass through the marshes, after which their beds gradually change. Along some of them, cities are broken up, while others serve as transport connections between the cities of the island .
The main waterway of Kalimantan and Indonesia is the Capua River. During the seasonal rains, the pond is flooded, flooding nearby settlements. The last major flood happened in 2010, when the level of Capua Besar rose by 2 m, as a result of which several villages were affected at once.
The second largest river of Kalimantan in Indonesia is Mahakam. It is known for its biodiversity. In the lower reaches, its banks are buried in tropical jungles, while mangroves predominate in the delta of the river. Here lives a huge number of biological species, some of them are endemic, others are on the verge of extinction. Along the river are large-scale logging. There is also a developed fishery.
In central Kalimantan, the Barito River flows, serving as a natural boundary between some provinces. Near the city of Banjarmasin, it merges with smaller rivers, and then flows into the Java Sea.
In addition to the above rivers, on this island of Indonesia there are floodplain lakes, in which a large number of fish are found. These include Jempang, Semaayang, Loir and others.
Rivers on the island of Sumatra
The second no less interesting and full-fledged island of the country is Sumatra . Its rivers drain from the slopes of the Bukit Barisan Range, flow through the flat terrain and flow into the South China Sea and the Straits of Malacca. The largest rivers of this part of Indonesia are:
- Hari (800 km);
- Musi (553 km);
- Kampar (285 km);
- Rockan (265 km);
- Siac (260 km).
The Hari River is known for its river port of Jambi. Another port, Palembang, was built on the Musi River.
Besides lakes and rivers, this island in Indonesia is known for the most extensive tropical swamp in the world. Its area reaches almost 155 thousand square meters. km.
Rivers of New Guinea
This island is also characterized by a dense river network. There are more than 30 waterways, the sources of which are in the mountains of Maoke. The rivers in this part of Indonesia flow into the Pacific Ocean or the Arafura Sea. In the lower reaches they are navigable.
The most famous river basins of New Guinea are:
- Digul;
- Mamberomo;
- Oak-Tedi;
- Sepik;
- Fly.
The largest of these is the river Digul (400 km). Its source is located in the mountains of Jayavijaya, from where it rushes to the Arafura Sea. Vessels go mainly to its upper reaches. This river of Indonesia is full throughout the year, but after the rainy season its level increases by several meters.
The Mamberamo River is famous for the fact that many indigenous peoples of New Guinea have lived on its banks since long time, which for a long time were not familiar with the western civilization. The widest river of Indonesia has many channels, the banks of which are characterized by biodiversity.
Oak-Tedi is interesting because its source has the largest deposits of gold and copper. Unlike it, the river Sepik is more known for its landscapes. Here you can meet and dense tropical forests, and mountainous areas, and swampy terrain. Many environmentalists believe that Sepik is the largest wetland in the entire Asia-Pacific region that has not been affected by human influence.
In addition to the rivers, on this island of Indonesia there are Lake Paniyai and Sentani.
The rivers of the island of Java
The longest island of Indonesia is Java , which is the capital of the country, the city of Jakarta . On its territory are the following rivers:
- Solo. It is the largest river of this island in Indonesia, it has a length of 548 km. Its origins are located on the slopes of Meshali and Lava volcanoes, from where it is sent to the boggy valley. In the lower reaches the river strongly wriggles (meanders), after which it rushes to the Java Sea. Almost 200 km of its channel are navigable.
- Chiliwong. On the slope of the Pangrango volcano, a few kilometers from the town of Bogor, the river begins, which then flows through Jakarta. During the Dutch colonization, this river of Indonesia was an important transport artery and the main source of fresh water. Now, because of industrial and domestic waste, it is on the verge of an ecological catastrophe.
- Tsitarum . Is in the same sorry state. For a long time it has been used in water supply, agriculture and industry. Now the river bed is filled with industrial and domestic waste, so it is often called the dirtiest river in the world.