The Limpopo River rises in central southern Africa, and flows generally eastwards to the Indian Ocean. The term Limpopo is the modified version of the original Sepedi name diphororo tša meetse, meaning ″gushing strong waterfalls". The river is approximately long, with a drainage basin  in size. The mean discharge measured over a year is 170 m³/s (6,200 cu ft/s) at its mouth. The Limpopo is the second largest river in Africa that drains to the Indian Ocean, after the Zambezi River.