Shebele, Webe

Shebele, Webe (wĕ`bē shābĕl`ē), or Webi Shibeli (shēbā`lē), river, c.1,000 mi (1,610 km) long, rising near Mt. Guramba, central Ethiopia, E Africa, and flowing SE into central Somalia. It comes within c.20 mi (30 km) of the Indian Ocean near Mogadishu but turns southwest and parallels the coast for c.200 mi (320 km) before entering a swamp N of the Jubba River. The river is usually dry in February and March. The river's lower valley is part of the chief agricultural region of Somalia; sugarcane, cotton, and bananas are grown.