BANGWEULU, a shallow lake of British Central Africa, formed by the head streams of the Congo. It lies between io° 38' and i i ° 31' S. and is cut by 3o° E. Bangweulu occupies the north-west part of a central basin in an extensive plateau, and is about 3,700 ft. above the sea. The land slopes gently to the depression from the south, east and north, and into it drain a considerable number of streams, turning the greater part into a morass of reeds and papyrus. The greatest extent of open water is about 6o m. N. to S. and 4o m. E. to W. There are several islands in the lake, the largest being Kirui, Kisi and Mbawali. South of Bangweulu the swamp extends to 12° 10' S. Into this swamp on its east side flows the Chambezi, the most remote head stream of the Congo. Without entering the lake the Chambezi mingles its waters in the swamp with those of the Luapula. The Luapula, which leaves Bangweulu at its most southern point, is about a mile wide at the outflow, but soon narrows to 300 or so yd. West of the Luapula and near its outflow lies Lake Kam polombo, 20 m. long and 8 broad at its southern end (see CONGO). The flood waters of the Chambezi and other streams, which de posit large quantities of alluvium, are gradually solidifying the swamp, while the Luapula is believed to be, though very slowly, draining Bangweulu. The waters of the lake do not appear to be anywhere more than 15 ft. deep.
Though heard of by the Portuguese traveller, Francisco de Lacerda, in 1798, Bangweulu was first reached in 1868 by David Livingstone, who died six years later among the swamps to the south. It was partially surveyed in 1883 by the French traveller, Victor Giraud, and first circumnavigated by Poulett Weatherley in 1896.
See P. Weatherley in Geog. Journ. vol. xii. (1898) and vol. xiv. p. 56i (1899) ; L. A. Wallace in Geog. Journ., vol. xxix. (19o7), with map by 0. L. Beringer. Giraud's Les Lacs de l'Afrique squatoriale (Paris, 189o) and Livingstone's Last Journals (1874) may also be consulted.