(And if there is, who cares?)
A quadripoint is a spot on the earth where four countries (or smaller geopolitical areas) meet at one point. When we were on our first trip to southern Africa, on a boat on the Chobe River, our guide pointed downstream towards the spot where the Chobe flows into the Zambezi and said “That’s where four countries, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe meet, in the middle of the Zambezi River.”. We never gave it a second thought until 13 years later, when planning our return to southern Africa, and remembered having (almost) visiting Namibia before.
We’ve moved beyond just Googling for answers, and consulted ChatGPT, more all-knowing than the Great and Powerful Oz himself:
Does a Botswana–Namibia–Zambia–Zimbabwe quadripoint exist?
ChatGPT
No, there is no quadripoint (a point where four countries meet) between Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Botswana and Namibia share a border in the north, and Namibia shares borders with both Zambia and Zimbabwe in the east and northeast respectively. However, the borders between these four countries do not intersect at a single point.
There is, however, a tripoint (a point where three countries meet) between Botswana, Namibia, and Zambia. This tripoint is located in the Zambezi river, near the point where the Caprivi Strip (now officially known as the Zambezi Region) of Namibia meets Zambia and Botswana.
Is that tripoint at the confluence of the Chobe and Zambezi rivers?
ChatGPT
No, the tripoint between Botswana, Namibia, and Zambia is not located at the confluence of the Chobe and Zambezi rivers.
The Chobe River is a tributary of the Zambezi River and forms part of the border between Botswana and Namibia, but it does not meet the Zambezi River at a tripoint with Zambia. Instead, the tripoint is located further to the east, where the Zambezi River forms the boundary between Namibia and Zambia, and the two countries meet Botswana at a single point in the middle of the river.
This tripoint is located approximately 70 kilometers (43 miles) downstream from the Victoria Falls, and about 20 kilometers (12 miles) upstream from where the Zambezi River enters Lake Kariba.
Aren’t there two tripoints there?
ChatGPT
Yes, you are correct. There are actually two tripoints where Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe meet, and both are located in the Zambezi River.
The first tripoint is located to the east of the Caprivi Strip, where the Zambezi River forms the border between Namibia and Zambia. This tripoint is also the meeting point of the boundaries of the Eastern Caprivi Strip Game Reserve (Namibia), the Sioma Ngwezi National Park (Zambia), and the Chobe National Park (Botswana).
The second tripoint is located further downstream in the Zambezi River, near the confluence of the Cuando River (also known as the Linyanti River) and the Zambezi River. This tripoint is also the meeting point of the boundaries of the Chobe National Park (Botswana), the Hwange National Park (Zimbabwe), and the Sioma Ngwezi National Park (Zambia).
So, in summary, there are two tripoints in the area where Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe meet.
Free Research Preview. ChatGPT may produce inaccurate information about people, places, or facts.
Hmmm. ChatGPT sounds very authoritative, but seems to have this one wrong. The Cuando is the Chobe (ref. Britannica) and as the map below (credit Sovereign Limits) clearly shows, both tripoints are at the confluence of the Cuango/Chobe just 135 metres apart, “…the shortest land boundary in the world.” I guess that technically Chat GPT is right if “further downstream” means just 135 metres!
Geography nerds rejoice! Two tripoints and the shortest international boundary in the world. Shame that there’s no quadripoint though; that would have been really exciting!
