Kafue, river in central Zambia, a tributary of the Zambezi River. The Kafue is 950 km (590 mi) long. From its source in the Copperbelt near the border of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Kafue flows southeast through hilly terrain to Kitwe, then southwest to Kafue National Park, where it turns south, forming part of the park's eastern border. At Meshi Teshi Gap, the river turns sharply east and continues through the Kafue Flats. From just south of Lusaka where the Kafue is dammed, the river drops about 700 m (about 2,300 ft) through the Kafue Gorge. Kafue Dam (1968-1972) impounds Kafue Gorge Reservoir. It has a generating capacity of 900,000 kilowatts, making Zambia self-sufficient in hydroelectricity and providing surplus power for export to neighboring countries. The Kafue continues east to join the Zambezi at the Zimbabwe border. Navigation on the river is restricted by waterfalls and rapids.

Infertile soil, low rainfall, and tsetse-fly infestation limit the agricultural potential of much of the Kafue basin. However, there are large cattle ranches and irrigation schemes in the Kafue Flats, as well as pockets of agricultural development elsewhere. Kafue National Park occupies 22,400 sq km (8,649 sq mi) of the sparsely populated, central part of the basin. The park contains much wildlife and is one of Zambia's leading tourist attractions.