LAKE TANGANYIKA AREA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T01019A000400070001-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 35
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 28, 2001
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: November 1, 1965
• Content Type: REPORT

S-E-C-R-E-T
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-RDP79TO1019A000400070001-9
T AFj TANGANYIKA AREA
CIA/BI GB 66-15
November 1965
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CAA&pW "019A000400070001-9
 S-E-C-R-E-T
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-RDP79TO1019A000400070001-9
CONTENTS
Page
I. Description of the Area . . . . 1
A. Setting . . . . . 1
B. Economy.-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
C. Tribal Distribution, Languages, and
customs . . . . . . . . . 4
D. Political Situation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
A. Navigation. . . . . . . . . . 11
B. Weather . . . . . ... . . . . . 14
C. Lake Traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
D. Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
E. Airfields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Maps and Photographs Following Page
Congo (L4opoldville) - Tanzania Boundary, 1:3,000,000
1
Tribes of the Lake Tanganyika Area, 1:2,000,000 . . . . 8
Ports of the Lake Tanganyika Area, 1:3,500,000 . . . . 17
Port of Kalundu, 1:2,500 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Kigoma Bay, 1:50,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Airfields of the Lake Tanganyika Area, 1:2,000,000. . . 22
* With copies 1 and 2, issued in October 1965.
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : gLjkP 7 1~1.019A000400070001-9
 Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA- 7 }-11)19A000400070001-9
LAKE TANGANYIKA AREA,
I. Description of the Area
A. Setting
Lake Tanganyika lies in a deep trough, or crack, in the earth's
crust and is surrounded by steep hills. It is 650 kilometers (400 miles)
long and between 40 and 80 kilometers (25 and 50 miles) wide. The
surface of the lake is about 773 meters (2,535 feet) above sea level,
and its deepest point is 660 meters (2,165 feet) below sea level. The
surrounding hills average about 2,000 meters (6,560 feet) above sea
level on the east and west and come down steeply to the lake in many
places, leaving very little flat land along the shore of the lake. At
the northern and southern ends of the lake the hills are much lower,
averaging about 1,000 meters (3,280 feet). Nearly everywhere, short,
swift streams and rivers have carved deep straight valleys in the hills.
Where they empty into the lake there may be small shallow areas in
which the bottom is gravel, sand, or mud; but most of the shore is
rocky and drops off steeply to great depths. Although many rivers flow
into the lake, it is drained by only one, the Lukuga River, which begins
at Albertville and flows west to the Congo River system.
Four countries border on the lake:
Republic of the Congo on the west
Tanzania on the east
Burundi on the northeast.
Zambia on the south and southwest
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 CIA-RDP79TO1019A000400070001-9
S-E-C-R-E-T
 A roved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-RDP79TO1019A000400070001-9
2 1 8 CONGO (LEOPOLDVILLE) -TANZANIA
Dsa.. A..,7,: r
ROUNDARY
25 50 75 Mlles
i
0 25 50 75 Kilometers
The Congo (Leopoldville) - Tanzania boundary is
the median line of Lake Tanganyika. Tripoints with
Burundi and Zambia also are located on the median
line. The exact position of the Zambia tripoint
remains unresolved because of the indefinite status of
the Congo-Zambia boundary betwecR Lake Mwetu
and Lake Tanganyika. The all-water boundary be-
tween Congo and Tanzania has a length of approxim-
ately 285 miles.
Atlantic
Ocean\
10
Indian
fak
e
e Oc
an
Nyasa
OZAMBIQU
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-RDP79TO1019A000400070001-9
 Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CI&--IEtELP7fp0t019A000400070001-9
The international boundaries between Congo and Tanzania and between
Congo and southern Burundi coincide with the median line of Lake
Tanganyika. At the southern end of the lake the boundary between
Congo and Zambia runs from the median line westward, and the boundary
between Zambia and Tanzania curves eastward from this lake tripoint
to the eastern shore northeast of Mpulungu.
All shores of the lake are served by motorable roads leading to
the interior, but only in the north does a motorable road follow close
to the shoreline for a considerable distance. This dry-season road
runs from Baraka, about 35 kilometers (22 miles) northeast of Fizi,
north to Kalundu and Uvira and continues around the northern end of the
lake to Bujumbura (formerly Usurnbura) and south to Nyanza, which is across
the lake from Burton Bay. The many footpaths throughout the area
connect villages, individual huts, and small agricultural plots.
Many are used by both animals and men.
The vegetation of the area is mainly savanna scrub, with grasses
and low thorny acacia trees predominating. The many small steep
valleys and the higher ridges may be thickly forested, but many of
the upper slopes are open woodland
25X1 C
During the wet season (October
to April) the grass grows fairly tall, and in the dry season much of
it is burned off by the natives. Wildlife is plentiful in this area.
Most of it is harmless and willing to give man a wide berth, but
some creatures such as buffaloes, leopards, and poisonous snakes
should be avoided. Most of the small.game animals, such as deer
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-RaP79T01019A000400070001-9
S-E-C-R-E-T
 Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIARJPC7T1~19A000400070001-9
and antelope, are good eating and are hunted for food by the natives.
B. Economy
Most of the inhabitants of the Lake Tanganyika area are subsistence
farmers, hunters, and fishermen. They are, or can be, almost entirely
self-sufficient, but a'few earn a cash wage by working for one of the
local transportation or agricultural enterprises.
The economic enterprises of the area are small and consist
largely of agricultural products for export, fishing and fish
processing, light industry, and transportation. Oil palm, coffee, and
sisal are grown commercially along the northeastern shore from Bujumbura
to Kigoma, and cotton is grown around the northern end of the lake from
Baraka to Rumenge. Oil palm is also grown south of Albertville.
Commercial fishermen are bases in Albertville, Bujumbura and Kigoma
as well as in several villages on the shores of the southern quarter
of the lake. Albertville and Kigoma are both railheads and important
points of transshipment, and Albertville has a cotton ginnery and a
cement plant. Hogs, sheep, and goats are raised on a small scale for
their meat and hides. The presence of tsetse fly along the eastern
and southwestern shores of the lake restricts the raising of cattle
to the northern two-thirds of the western shore. Almost all of the
money economy is in the hands of Belgians, Greeks, British, Indians,
and Arabs; but many of the small commercial fishing enterprises are
run by Africans.
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-RD579T01019A000400070001-9
 Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : 9I*F~DF7pT,11019A000400070001-9
C. Tribal Distribution, Languages, and Customs
The population of the Lake Tanganyika area is clustered at
intervals along the shores of the lake. Wherever there is enough land
for cultivation and particularly where rivers flow into the lake,
small communities have established themselves, and the people are engaged
in fishing and subsistence agriculture. The largest densely populated
areas are at the northern part of the lake -- from Uvira east to
Bujumbura and in the vicinity of Ujiji, which is served by the port
of Kigoma, the-terminus of the railroad from Dar es Salaam. Across the
lake at Albertville, also a rail center, is another densely settled
area. Mpulungu, a small port at the southernmost part of the lake,
is the center of a moderate concentration of population, and around
Abercorn,about 40 kilometers (25 miles) to the southeast, the density
increases considerably.
Most of the indigenous peoples of the lake area are short, stocky,
and dark skinned. The Ha in the north, however, and to some degree
the Fipa in the south tend to be taller, less stocky, and lighter in
color.
The diversity of the individual tribal languages is so great that
few, if any, are mutually intelligible. Nevertheless, certain commercial
languages are used for intercourse between tribes in fairly large areas.
From the Burundi - Tanzania border on the eastern side of the lake to
the Zambia Congo border on the western side Kiswahili is the most
important. Some English is also spoken in this area. The two
commercial languages on the Congo side of the lake north of Zambia
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-RD'79T01019A000400070001-9
S-E-C-R-E-T
 Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : c 1P FIN1019A000400070001-9
are Chi-Luba, spoken along the southwestern shore of the lake, and
Kingwana, a dialect of Kiswahili,?spoken along the rest of the western
shore. In Burundi the language most frequently heard is Kirundi,
which is also understood by some tribes near the border in Tanzania.
French is understood and spoken by some of the people in Congo and
Burundi.
The tribes are largely primitive peoples with little knowledge
of modern methods of agriculture and animal husbandry ,or of health and
sanitation. Unlike many Africans the tribes around Lake Tanganyika
keep dogs. Witchcraft and magic are.important parts of their culture,
and although individual practices may vary from tribe to tribe, the
goal is generally the same -- to gain the bewitched person's obedience.
Tribal magic has been used to create the illusion, during warfare, of
invincibility among tribesmen; some tribes have gone into battle
believing that enemy bullets would turn to water and be harmless to
them.
Summary descriptions of the most important lake tribes appear
below, in clockwise order around the lake. The boundaries depicted
on the tribal map are merely approximations.
The Rundi tribe is situated along the northeastern shore of the
lake, from the Ruzizi River southward to the Burundi - Tanzania border.
The Rundi are primarily agriculturists who cultivate bananas, beans,
peas, and maize and raise a few cattle, goats, sheep, and chickens.
Fishing is also important. The Rundi trade wax, hides, and salt with
neighboring tribes and produce palm oil for export. Their local
5
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-RDP79TO1019A000400070001-9
S-E-C-R-E-T
 S-E-C-R-E-T
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-RDP79TO1019A000400070001-9
markets are in Bujumbura and, probably,.Rumenges, both ports on the
lake. The Rundi are usually concentrated in villages of 20 to 40
beehive-shaped huts with thatched roofs. The people of a village are
usually related to each other.
The Ha and Jiji tribes are kindred people who are situated from
the Burundi - Tanzania border southward to about 5?30'S. Scattered
hamlets of Ha and Jiji are located along the shore, and the Kigoma -
Ujiji area is.densely populated by members of both tribes. They are
similar to the Rundi in language and culture and, with the aid of
irrigation, are successful agriculturists. Their staple crops are
sorghum and maize; other crops include bananas, manioc, sweet potatoes,
and peanuts. Fishing is important, as is the hunting of small game
by primitive weapons and snares. They keep cattle as well as some goats
and sheep and also bees and pigeons. The Ha carry on an extensive trade
through large markets in Kigoma and Ujiji.
The Baholoholo of Tanzania are located south of the Ha and Jiji
tribes and include a small number of Benda and Sowa people. The
Tanzanian Baholoholo are agriculturists who also do some fishing.
Sorghum. is their staple crop; a few cattle are owned by tribal chiefs.
Baholoholo villages are usually double rows of beehive-type huts.'
The Fipa tribal area lies south of the Baholoholo tribal area
and extends to the southernmost part of the lake. The Rungu tribe also
lives within its borders. Although the Fipa are Bantu in origin, the
men are much lighter in color than most Bantu, and the women have the
slender build and figure of the Hamites, to whom they are distantly
6
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : 9 T
 Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : Sri-T DMT%1019A000400070001-9
related. Fishing is the most important isdustry of the lakeshore
Fipa, with much of the catch going to the sisal estates in the north
and east. The staple crop is finger millet, and less important crops
include rice, manioc, and maize. The Fipa keep sheep and goats as.
well as a few chickens, and pigeons. Villages are compact but of
irregular plan, and the round huts with conical thatched roofs are
being replaced by rectangular huts. Unmarried boys live in special
bachelors' huts.
The Babemba are dominant from the boundary of the Fipa tribal
area at the southern end of the lake northward to about 7? 30'S. Although
the Babemba are primarily agriculturists,-those who live along the shore,
are engaged mostly in fishing. Their catchp chiefly the small d,
is sundried, salted, and then sold to inland tribes either through
Albertville or Kigoma. The staple food crops are finger millet,
sorghum, and manioc. Because of the presence of tsetse fly cattle
are not kept; but some chickens, pigeons, goats, and sheep are raised.
The villages consist of 30 to 50 conical huts. The Babemba participated
in the Albertville uprising in early 1964 but have since left the area.
The Batabwa are a heterogeneous group who bear a distant relation
to the Fipa across the lake. Their languages, however, are not mutually
intelligible. Finger millet, manioc, and peanuts are their staple
foods; fish is the chief export commodity. The Batabwa carry on a
fairly extensive trade, principally through markets in Baudouinville.
Batabwa villages consist of 20 to 40 huts housing 150 to 200 people.
7
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-RDP79TO1019A000400070001-9
S-E-C-R-E-T
 Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : iAllD01019A000400070001-9
The Baholoholo of Congo are located in and around Albertville
and southward to the tribal area of the Batabwa. They are culturally
related to the Baholoholo?on the Tanzanian shore of the lake. Their
languages, however, are not mutually intelligible. The Congolese
Baholoholo trade extensively in fish and agricultural products,
principally through markets in Albertville.
The Babuye tribe and its subtribe the Wagoma are situated north of
Albertville. Subsistence agriculture provides their main livelihood,
with manioc, beans, peas, sweet potatoes, peanuts, and maize as the
staple crops. Like many of the other lakeshore tribes, the Babuye
keep a few goats, sheep, pigs, and chickens. Fishing is less important
to the Babuye than it is to the Babemba and the Baholoholo. They
sometimes hunt small game to supplement their diet. Villages of.
square huts with pyramidal roofs are generally compact, but some Babuye
build their huts along the crests of ridges for defense purposes.
The Wabembe and Wabwari inhabit most of the northwestern shores
of the lake. These tribes are primarily agriculturists and small-game
hunters. Bananas comprise the staple crop, and some sheep, coats,
and chickens are kept. Fishing provides a major source of cash income;
the principal markets are in Uvira and Baraka. Wabembe and Wabwari'
villages generally have no more than 30 huts lined along both sides.,
of a street. The huts are rectangular and have bark walls and leaf-
thatched roofs.
The Wafule, also known as the Bafulero, occupy the extreme north-
western shores of the lake. They are an agricultural people who grow
8
Approved For Release 2001/04/27: CIA-RDP79TO1019A000400070001-9
S-E-C-R-E-T
 TRIBES OF THE LAKJ TANGANYIKA AREA
Approved1For Release 2001/0412 7 0 CIA- 9
Tribal Boundary
(Approximate only)
Tribal Name FIPA
4,5
s's
~I
WAFULE I
75
FI PA
BABE1 BA
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T01019A000400070001-9
 S-E-C-R-E-T
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-RDP79TO1019A000400070001-9
staple crops of sorghum, manioc, bananas, beans, and maize. Fishing
is important locally; and. cattle,. goats, and sheep furnish meat, milk,
and butter. The Wafule live in dispersed homesteads rather than
organized villages; their huts are beehive shaped and have grass-
thatched conical roofs. The Wafule played an important role in the
Uvira uprisings in 196+ and have supplied many tribesmen for the rebel
forces.
D. Political Situation
The current political situation on the Congo side of Lake
Tanganyika is one of ill-defined and continuing internal disputes
among the Congolese. The armed revolt of tribal elements at the
northern end of the lake against the Kasavubu-Tshombe government
during much of 1965 was put down in early October by Congolese Army
forces and, South African mercenaries under Colonel Hoare. These rebels
were being trained and supplied by Chicom and Castro Cuban cadre
groups reported to total about 50 men of each nationality. Supplies
and men came into the area from Dar es Salaam via the Central Railroad
to Kigoma, Tanzania. Materiel included two Soviet-built motor launches
and light arms of Chicom and Soviet Bloc origin. One training camp
for Congo rebels was established at Kigoma, and another was set up
at Baraka, on the west side of the lake, from which supplies and cadres
were transported to small rebel units. In this sector of the lake
interdiction, operations using armed launches manned by Fxee Cuban
crews were mounted against the rebel supply system.
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CY~fQEK9J1 019A000400070001-9
 Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : A--igD 01019A000400070001-9
To date there has been little evidence of Communist ideology
taking root among the Congolese in the region, nor does the Tanzania
Government under its president, Julius Nyere, subscribe in any fashion
to Communism. His motivation in allowing Chicom and Castro Cuban
personnel and equipment to transit Tanzania to help Congo rebels is
ascribed to his intense dislike for Tshombe, who until early October
was Premier of the Congo Republic and is still a powerful political
figure, even though he was dismissed by President Kasavubu. Given the
Congolese propensity for internal strife, a renewal of rebel activity
supported by Communist supply through Tanzania is likely.
10
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T01019A000400070001-9
S-E-C-R-E-T
 Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : Cl *A_Z19A000400070001-9
A. Navigation
Lake Tanganyika is some 650 kilometers (400 miles) long by 40
to 80 kilometers (25 to 50 miles) wide and covers an area of almost
34,000 square kilometers (13,125 square miles). The shoreline is
1,750 kilometers (1,087 miles) in length -- Republic of the Congo,
750 kilometers (446 miles) along the west shore; Burundi, 150 kilo-
meters (93 miles) on the northern part of the east shore; Tanzania,
650 kilometers (404 miles) on the east shore; and Zambia, 200 kilometers
(124 miles) at the southern end of the lake.
Navigation is currently a matter of pilotage; no navigational aids
are now being maintained. Variation of the magnetic compass is 5?
west near the northern end of the lake, slightly less than 6? west at
midlake (approximately 5?50' at Albertville), and approximately 6?30'
at the southern tip of the lake. The mean annual change in variation
is nearly zero. Before 1960 there were 18 navigation lights in use
on the lake to warn of shoal water, rocks, and islands and to identify
harbor entrances. All of these lights have been removed or damaged
so that, in all probability, they could not be placed in service again.
Prominent shore features provide good landmarks, and there is no problem
in operating in the deep offshore waters.
None of the rivers that flow into Lake Tanganyika are navigable
for any considerable distance, but the larger rivers probably are
navigable by canoe for short distances. The principal tributaries are
the Ruzizi River, which flows south from Lake Kivu and enters the northern
end of the lake, and the Malagarasi River, which flows into the lake
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA_F~D 7 T1Q1019A000400070001-9
 Approved For Release 2001/04/27: 6ii=fDf~1019A000400070001-9
south of Kigoma. Lake Tanganyika has only one outlet, the Likuga
River, which flows westward into the Congo - Lualaba River system from
a point 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) north of the Albertville harbor.
Lake Tanganyika is one of the deepest lakes in the world. The
average depth is about 1,000 meters (3,200 feet), and the shallowest
rock ledge in open water is some 50 meters (165 feet) below the surface
of the lake. The northern part of the lake has depths of more than
1,300 meters (4,265 feet), and in the southern part soundings of more
than 1,450 meters (4,750 feet) have been recorded. Along most of the
shoreline the bottom drops off sharply providing safe deep-water approaches.
In calm weather the clear water permits observation of the bottom to
a depth of 10 meters (33 feet).
In several areas rocks are near the surface of the lake some
distance from the shore. Rocky reefs lie up to 2 kilometers (1.2 miles)
from the shore off Rutuku, about 30 kilometers (18 miles) south of
Albertville; up to 1 kilometer (0.6 mile) from the shore off Kavalla
Island, 110 kilometers (25 miles) northeast of Albertville; and up to
1.5 kilometers (1 mile) out in the lake from Swima Bay, 30 kilometers
(18 miles) south of Uvira. Areas such as these present hazards when
the lake is choppy and are poor anchorages at any time, as anchors
often fail to grip the rocky bottom or become wedged in crevices and
are very difficult to retrieve.
Bottom conditions north of Albertville generally provide better
anchorages than those in the southern half of the lake. Bottoms are
muddy and waters shallow where major streams enter the lake -- for
12
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-RDP79TO1019A000400070001-9
S-E-C-R-E-T
 Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : -R-&-W9T01019A000400070001-9
example, off the northern shore of the lake, near Baraka on Burton
Bay on the west shore, off Nyanza.on the east shore north of Kigoma,
and off the mouth of the Malagarasi River some 30 kilometers (18 miles)
south of Kigoma. Similar conditions are found in Cameron Bay along
the Zambia shore at the southern end of the lake. In these areas
bars of continually shifting silt and sand are associated with shallow
waters, and offshore floating islands of grasses and water plants
are sometimes encountered. Partially submerged branches, tree
trunks, and stumps may be concealed in the floating grasses or may
drift singly.
The lake level varies considerably from season to season. The
average seasonal variation is about 800 millimeters (32 inches),
but it may be considerably more or considerably less, depending on
the amount of rainfall and the condition of the outlet, the Lukuga
River. The water is highest at the end of the rainy season (mid-April)
and lowest at the end of the dry season (mid-October). Variation in
lake level creates problems at both high and low water. A few years
ago low water levels prevented ships from entering harbors normally
used by lake traffic. To control the extreme low level of the lake
in 1951, an earth dam was constructed across the mouth of the Lukuga
River just north of Albertville.. In the early 1960's, in contrast,
the level of the lake was extremely high. Docks, rail yards, lakeside
housing areas, and warehouses in several ports were flooded at high
water. While the increased depth of water made navigation easier
in some places it also created hazards nearshore because pilings,
13
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CISA P 9 QJ019A000400070001-9
_fqj
 Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-RDP79TOT019A000400070001-9
stumps, and rocks that once were visible were submerged just below
the surface of the water. During.the late spring and summer of 1965
the lake level fell rapidly, and shallow waters have once again been
causing trouble in port areas. The earth dam at the mouth of the
Tukuga River is no longer maintained.
B. Weather
Two distinct seasons prevail on the lake: a dry season from
mid-April to mid-October and a rainy season from mid-October to mid-April.
The average annual railfall at Albertville is 1,170 millimeters
(46 inches), and about 75 percent of this falls during the rainy season.
Most of the rainfall is in the form of showers that occur in the late
morning on 2 days out of 3 during the rainy season but only occasionally
during the drier part of the year. As much as 50 to 80 millimeters
(2 to 3 inches) of rain may fall in one shower.
Temperatures are never extreme. At Albertville the coolest months
are May and June, when the maximum temperature is about 25? Celsius,
or centigrade, (78 ? Fahrenheit) and the minimum near 17 ?C (62F).
The warmest months are September and October, which have daily maximums
near 30?C (86?F) and minimums near 20?C (67?F). The highest temperature
ever recorded in Albertville was 34?C (91+?F) in September; the lowest
was 11 ?C (52 ?F) in June.
Winds at Albertville are chiefly from the southeast, or roughly
parallel to the long axis of the lake, but they shift frequently and
for short periods may blow from any direction. Most of the time
1!1
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-RDP79TO1019A000400070001-9
S-E-C-R-E-T
 Approved For Release 2001/04/27: CI~-~DP79T01019A000400070001-9
the winds have a velocity of less than 6 knots, but occasionally,
winds in excess of 50 knots accompany squalls. At Albertville,
winds generally spring up from the southeast shortly after sunrise
and increase in velocity until mid-afternoon. Choppy conditions
frequently prevail on the lake during the middle of the day, but
late in the day they gradually diminish. Strong winds at night are
uncommon. Land and sea breezes occur daily throughout the lake area.
During the night the cool air flows from the land over the lake, and
during the day the direction is reversed. Calms frequently occur at
dawn and dusk.
Storms that sweep across the lake from the southeast can be
dangerous for small boats. Squalls with winds in excess of 50 knots
may blow up with very little warning. In the space of half an hour
such a storm may develop from a practically clear sky. The wind shifts
to the southeast very sharply, rainfall may be very heavy, visibility
may be reduced to zero, and waterspouts sometimes accompany the storms.
Generally, these severe storms are of short duration, but occasionally,
the winds blow steadily from the southeast for several days in a row.
At such times a steady wind of 25 to 35 knots blowing across a long
sweep of the lake may whip up choppy waves more than 2 meters (6 feet)
high.
Visibility is best during the rainy season. Fog and haze may occur
during the early morning, but they burn off rapidly. After a morning
shower visibility may be unlimited. During the dry season early
morning fog and haze are also common, and in addition, smoke haze from
burning grass hangs low over the lake until the wind velocity increases
15
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-RDP79TO1019A000400070001-9
S-E-C-R-E-T
 S-E-C-R-E-T
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-RDP79TO1019A000400070001-9
later in the day. Smoke haze may also reduce visibility in the
evening during the dry season.
C. Lake Traffic
Boats of various types operate on Lake Tanganyika. The commercial
craft operated by Compagnie des Chemins de Fer du Congo Superieur aux
Grands Lacs Africains (CFL) and by East African Railways and Harbors
Administration (EARH) include packet steamers, self-propelled or
towed barges, and tugs. Packet steamers normally carry mail,
passengers, and perishable goods. One of these boats, the Baron Dhanis,
has a -.ength of 5!i meters (177 feet) and a beam of '8 meters and is
able to accoihmodate 110 passengers. Cargo transport is by large
barges, either self-propelled or towed by tugs. The most common
type of barge has a length of 52 meters (170 feet), a beam of 8.5 meters
(28 feet), and a load capacity of 600 tons. Tugs used on the lake are
similar to oceangoing tugs. The tug Urundi has an overall length of
42.5 meters (14+0 feet) and a beam of 8 meters (26 feet). It draws
2.2 meters (7.2 feet) of water. A convoy ordinarily consists of
one tug and six barges and calls for delicate maneuvering, especially
in rough water. A long cable tow is customary, and a barge train may
stretch out as far as 1,220 meters (4,000 feet). Commercial shipping
customarily sails regularly between ports on the lake and carries a
substantial tonnage of cargo to and from the railhead at Albertville
and the railhead at Kigoma. Schedules are still maintained; but because
of current military activity, all commercial traffic stays clear of
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : QI .R Z9T!Q1019A000400070001-9
 S-E-C-R-E-T
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-RDP79TO1019A000400070001-9
the western half of the lake north of Albertville.
Native craft of several types are found in all parts of the lake,
except the western half north of Albertville. Dhows -- some with
motors, others with sails only -- range in length from about 7.6 to
12.2 meters (25 to 4+0 feet). Motor launches range in length from
3.6 to 7.6 meters (12 to 25 feet) and are powered by both inboard
and outboard motors. Most of the native fishing boats are canoes --
some 5,000 are reportedly working on the lake. A number of fishing
boats are 3.6 to 1..6 meters (12 to 15 feet) long and are driven by
diesel motors of 90 to 120 horsepower. In some fishing operations
a motorboat tows a string of catamarans to and from the fishing grounds.
Most fishing boats work at night with strong lights to attract the fish.
D. Ports
Twenty-four towns on the shores of Lake Tanganyika have some
sort of port facility, but only Albertville, Kalundu, Moba, Bujumbura,
Kigoma, and Mpulungu can be considered to be developed ports.
Albertville, the principal lake port for the Congo, had a population
of 26,200 natives and 1,185 Europeans in 1955. Currently, the European
population is about 400. Albertville is the only Congolese port on
Lake Tanganyika that has direct rail connections with Angola and Zambia.
It is the lake base of the CFL lake fleet, and CFL steamer service
formerly connected Albertville with Moba and Moliro, to the south,
and with Kigoma, Kalundu, and Bujumbura (Usumbura) to the north.
(Detailed information on Albertville is contained in the Annex.)
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 :SCLA- RREP9, 01019A000400070001-9
 Aj
Kigali
Eivu n
ilungu
prc4v~d For"Pblease 2001/04/27 : GQA D 79WIO bO 1 VEA
grr,BeIe le,25J01/04/27 GIA-F~DP79I1J101
BUKAVU `,:; J
vtit~a~tL JLlVLNlJL
amanyola l TRUST TERR.-BELGIUM)
Kabim
'l.cirke
Kataki (1Uflgika
K Tembwe t ibwesa
Kasanga
 S-E-C-R-E-T
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-RDP79TO1019A000400070001-9
Kalundu, on the western shore of the lake near its northern end,
is the Congolese port serving the.town of Uvira. Kalundu itself is
only a small village. Anchorage is not possible here for a radius of
several kilometers. The harbor consists of a 1-hectare (2.4-acre)
basin, created in part by land excavation and in part by reclamation
from the lake. It is enclosed by three breakwaters that form a
U-shaped area open to the north. Some boats encounter difficulty
entering or leaving the port when a brisk wind is blowing from the
southeast. Facilities at Kalundu consist of about 110 meters (360 feet)
or quayage, five cranes of 5 to 6 tons, and five warehouses with a
total floor area of 17,140 square meters (184,281 square feet). The
customhouse has a floor area of 1,390 square meters (14,980 square
feet). Uvira is situated 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) north of Kalundu
and is 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the northern end of the lake. In
1955 it had a population of about 2,000. It has been a center for
exporting coffee, grain, cotton, and hides through the port of Kalundu.
Moba, located on the western or Congo shore of Lake Tanganyika
about 135 kilometers (84 miles) south of Albertville, is the terminus
of the CFL navigation line on the lake and a starting point for high-
ways leading to Albertville in the north and to Pweto in the south.
Facilities consist of a 140-meter (459-foot) pier, two cranes of 15.tons
each, and a warehouse with a floor area of 180 square meters (1,926 square
feet).
Bujumbura is located on the eastern shore of the lake at its northern
end. It is the capital of Burundi and that country's only port. Goods
18
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-RDP79TO1019A000400070001-9
S-E-C-R-E-T
 Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-RDP79TO1019A000400070001-9
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-RDP79TO1019A000400070001-9
 Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : C1,66P79i01019A000400070001-9
customarily enter Burundi by water through this port. A highway leads
from Bujumbura to Bukavu in Congo. There is no harbor, and anchorage
is feasible at only one spot offshore. A wharf 125 meters (410 feet)
long is built on reinforced-concrete piles, but it cannot be used in
high winds. There is a pier 128 meters (420 feet) long and 5 meters
(16-1/2 feet) wide. In the port are five cranes, with capacities
varying between 3 and 6 tons, and five warehouses with a total of
3,383 square meters (36,380 square feet) of floor area.
Kigoma is located on the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika toward
the northern end of the lake. It is the principal Tanzanian port on
Lake Tanganyika and is the lake base for the EARH. The approach to
the port is free from navigational hazards, and the channel has a
minimum depth of 4.8 meters (16 feet). There are 415 meters (1,358 feet)
of berthage with 3.6-meter (12-foot) depths alongside, 278 meters
(910 feet) of which belong to the Congo Customs. One quay is 204 meters
(670 feet) long and has three rail tracks, three motor cranes, and two
warehouses. The EARH berthage consists of a masonry quay 55 meters
(180 feet) long adjacent to a concrete wharf 23 meters (74 feet) long.
Additional berthage of 59 meters (194 feet) is available. Equipment
includes several jib cranes with lifting capacities of 6 tons and one
20-ton crane. The port has road and rail connections, and the Kigoma
railroad station, which is the terminus of the EARH's Central Line
from the Indian Ocean port of Dar es Salaam, is nearby. An electrically
operated side-haul marine railway is used by the EARH for craft repair.
I )ul.ungu, a small village at the southern end of Lake Tanganyika,
is Zambia's only port on the lake. It has steamer conre ctions with
19
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-RDP79TO1019A000400070001-9
S-E-C-R-E-T
 Approv&d For'Release ?206,1/04/27''CIA-FRDP~.RT01.01:9 (Oob40pb7D041-.9 .
Reniba ';' ' I _' ?? `?~` '
?
?
? ? ??? '4? ' , \
,,,sue _~ ?/~. \
utolele
wonga
ungu..`.
/
Scale 1:50,000
' 2 3O42
Kigungu
1 / 1
? I ~ C \
1 ??I l p I
AMia,ia~
H
- -Z?
~
? '
:
\ 1
t, r _ ,-- Mwanga,,,/ ,- '
tcl,, GOc ,-tL-
4 /,i E. Military
Approved For Release 2641641'E'atIAAD# 141 9040007-?6O'1-9
Lutale :MS
M"m
G urngat.1-'
Memorial
 S-E-C-R-E-T
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-RDP79TO1019A000400070001-9
Kigoma, Tanzania. The town of Abercorn is 40 kilometers (25 miles)
southeast of Mpulungu.
In addition to the principal ports above, 18 minor ports (none
of them in Zambia) on Lake Tanganyika are listed below:
Location
Congo
?
Baraka
0407 S
Kabimba
0532S
Kataki
0602S
Terribwe
0631S
Pala
0645S
Zongwe
o714S
Lunangwa
0752S
Moliro
0813S
Tanzania
Lagosa
0557S
Kipili
o6iis
Kibwesa
06285
Sumbwa
06465
Karema
0649S
Kirando
0725S
Kala
07265
Kasanga
0828S
Burundi
Rumenge
0359$
Nyanza
0421S
Approximate distances in kilometers by water from Albertville to
the principal and minor lake ports is as follows; reading clockwise
from Albertville.
Port Kilometers from Albertville
Kabimba
69
Baraka
252
Kalundu
297
Bujumbura
299
Rumenge
233
Nyanza
188
Kigoma
130
Lagosa
75
Kibwesa
101
Sumbwa
164
Karema
168
Kirando
222
Kipili
226
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA4R0P79T01019A000400070001-9
S-E-C-R-E-T
 S-E-C-R-E-T
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-RDP79TO1019A000400070001-9
Kala
296
Kasanga
355
ru.lul ru
378
K:K_`oliro
310
Lun_ang as
283
Zonae
183
Moba
142
Pala
101
Tembwe
70
I~.ataki
16
A ir'ields
Ton airfield:; with runways more than 900 meters (2,952 feet)
long have been identified in the Lake Tanganyika area. Six of them
are in Congo, two in Burundi, and one each in Tanzania and Zambia.
An additional 15 airstrips have been identified in the area, 5 in
Congo, and 10 in :Burundi. Most of these sites have runways less than
0'00 meters (1,068 feet) long. The best airfields are located at
Albertville, Como; Bujumbura, Burundi; and Abercorn, Zambia. Each
of the 25 air facilities is listed below and plotted on the enclosed
map of airfields.
Country
Congo
Albertville North
Albertville
Kerupini
Kimano
Yob a
Pepa
Airstrips
Fizi
Luvungi
Nekalagba
Nemba
Nyurzu
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-FiP79T01019A000400070001-9
S-E-C-R-E-T
 S-E_C-R_ ?..T
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-RDP79TO1019A000400070001-9
Country Airfields Airstrips
Burt:nai Bujumbura
Nyanza
Tanzania Kioma
Bujumbura (Old),
Bujumbura (Town)
Dumb iri
Bururi
Butarnenwa
Huninya
Kagari
Katumba
Mwaro
Nyamberi
22
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-RDP79TO1019A000400070001-9
S-E-C-R-E-T
 0 Nekalagba
Bu4menwa iQ"Q Nyamb e r e
Buj junbura
0 Mwaro
0 Bururi
Nemba
0 Kimana
Albertville Nbrth
!3; Bujumbura (Old)
Alb ertvi .l
Z A M B I A
TANZAN IAA
~bercorn
r-- F.I---- /I AA/A AI'7 . P-IA fll'11'17f1TAAAAf A AAAAAA7AAAA f1
000400070001-9
AIRFIELDS OF THE LAKE TANGANYIKA AREA
Established airfields
Q Airstrips less than
600 meters in length
- International boundaries
 S-E-C-R-E-T
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-RDP79TO1019A000400070001-9
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : 9AERQP 9Tg1019A000400070001-9
 Approved For Releases2001/04/2
P79T01019A00040 '0001-9
DISTRIBUTION LIST
TITLE OF REPORT
LAKE TANGANYI]I;&
DATE
REPORT NO.
GB 66-15
PROJECT NO.
62.2271
CLASSIFICATION 2 5X1 A
SWCREI'
CONTROL
NAME OF REQUESTER
NAME OF ANALYST
BRANCH
GD/N
GRAPHICS
See contents
COPY NO.
RECIPIENT
DATE SENT
1 and 2
dated October 1965 To requester, with annex
27Oct65
5X1A 3
dated October 1965 To requester M
1Nov65
4 and 5
dated November 1965 To requester, with annex
5NoV,65
6
dated November 1965 GD/N 25X1A
7
dated November 1965 D/OBI
8
dated November 1965 GD file
Consult GD/N re information in linnex.
FORM
12.64 2362
 Approved For Release 2001/04/27 : CIA-RDP79TO1019A000400070001-9
 Approved For Release-2001/04/27 : CIA-RDP79TO1019A000400070001-9
SECRET
REQUEST FOR PROJECT APPROVAL
DATE
TO
DIRECTOR OF BASIC INTELLIGENCE
15 October 1965
THRU
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT, OBI /VA
FROM
CHIEF, GEOGRAPHY DIVISION, OUM OBI
SUBJECT:
REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF PROJECT NUMBER 62.2271,.
1. SUBJECT OF PROPOSED PROJECT
Geographic Information on the Lake Tanganyika Area 25X1 C
2. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
To supply geographic information on Lake Tanganyika
in accordance with the attache tentative outline. This outline is a first re-
vision of the requester's list of requirements.
25X1A
3 . NAME OF REQUESTER 14. RESPONSIBLEXXXX ANALYS
5. BRANCH
GD/N
6. ION REQUESTED FROM (Specify)
25X1A
A. OTHER GRA DIVISIONS
B. OTHER CIA COMPONENTS OCR/(R, OCR/LY
C. OUTSIDE CIA CIA
7. ESTIMATED MAN-HOURS
8. TARGET DATE FOR ISSUANCE
100
Must be completed in 2 copies by 0900,
9. TYPE OF D/GG PUBLICATION 2.) 00tobar 1;965
To be determined
10. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DISTRIBUTION OF FINISHED REPORT
Requester wants 2 copies for transmittal to field and 3 more for DDP. 25X1 C
II. REMARKS:
25X1A
ATE 25X1A
R
e or o Basic gence w n
Enlee+ 1 irZ aui M211c
DATE dalitg'rsding and
d!asu!ficak6n
SECRET
Approved For Release 2001/04/27 CIA-RDP79TO1019A000400070001-9
FORM )') I
12.64 ''u (5)
 Approved For Release 2001/0 . DP79T01019A0004070001-9
15 October 1965
Lake Tanganyika Area
1. Tribal Distribution and Languages
Physical characteristics, habits, economy, trade
2. Principal towns
3. Regional Economics
Importance of area, minerals, food supply, transportation
4+. Coastal Conditions (up to 5 miles inland)
Terrain
Shore materials
Vegetation
Fauna: as food or danger
Lake Traffic
Local craft
River travel by craft of any size
Routes and patterns of travel
6. Navigation on Lake Tanganyika
Navigational aids
Magnetic deviation and annual change
Land marks
Obstructions, fixed and floating
Water levels and depth of water
Rainfall, temperature, winds
7. Inland transport connections
Road
Rail
Trail
Airfields within 25 miles of the coast
Air strips within 25 miles of the coast
E~ia't'3 lrarrr utantl
Approved For Release 20
Q IJ 27 ? CIA-RDP79TO1019A000400070001-9
LuJILT