| Bilate River | |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 6.6317°N 37.985°W |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | Ethiopia |
| Length: | ~250km (160miles) |
| Source1 Elevation: | 3382m (11,096feet) |
| Mouth Elevation: | 1175m (3,855feet) |
| Discharge1 Avg: | 16.6m3/s |
| Basin Size: | 5754km2 |
| City: | Dimtu |
| Tributaries Right: |
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The Bilate[1] is a river of south-central Ethiopia. It rises on the southwestern slopes of Mount Gurage near 6.0333°N 45°W, flowing south along the western side of the Great Rift Valley, to empty into Lake Abaya at 6.6317°N 37.985°W. It is the longest river flowing into Lake Abaya and also the one with the highest discharge. The 250 km long river is not navigable and has no notable tributaries. Along the middle of its course, the Bilate flows past the Bilate River volcanic field and its most territory covered by Halaba Zone.[2]
David Buxton recorded its importance as defining the boundary between the Sidamo district on the eastern side, and the Wolaita district on the western; he also described finding a weekly market beside a ford named Dimtu.[3]