The lower Ruvuma river is formed by the junction at 11° 25' S., 38° 31' E. of two branches of nearly equal importance, the longer of which, the Lujenda, comes from the south-west, the other, which still bears the name Ruvuma, from the west. Its source lies on an undulating plateau, 1,000 m (3,300 ft) high, immediately to the east of Lake Nyasa, at 10° 45' S., 35° 40' E., the head-stream flowing first due west before turning south and east.