Many of us at the request “Name the largest lake in Africa” will answer with confidence that this is Victoria. Being the source of the Nile River, it is the second largest planet in terms of size among all freshwater lakes. According to official information, it was discovered by the Englishman D. Speke in 1858. The locals called this reservoir “big water”. However, the discoverer called him Victoria - the name of the Queen of England.
Many scientists have been debating for a long time about what reservoirs Victoria belongs to. According to some, this is an inland sea, but others claimed that it was a large lake. As a result, the fact that the reservoir is filled with fresh water made everyone converge on the second option.
Location
The largest lake of the mainland (Africa) is located in its very heart. The total area of the reservoir is more than 68 thousand square kilometers. According to this indicator, it exceeds even some seas (for example, the Azov and Aral Sea). The lake is located simultaneously on the territory of three states: Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. For them it is a center of trade, shipping and fishing.
The average depth of the lake is 80 meters. Due to its location at an altitude of about 1134 m above sea level, it belongs to the category of alpine. The average annual water temperature is about +22 degrees.
Outlines
Africa's largest lake has an irregular oval shape. Its dimensions in length and width are 350x200 kilometers, respectively. Almost everywhere except the southwestern region, the shores are swampy and low. There are a huge number of different capes, bays, bays and even peninsulas.
There are also many islands of different sizes on the lake. Among the largest of them are Mansome, Ukereve, Kome and Ruvondo. Researchers of the reservoir along with archaeologists found evidence that several million years ago its area was much larger.
Climate
For the entire existence of the lake, a special climate has formed on its coast, in conditions of which high humidity is combined with exhausting heat. In addition, the area is characterized by both long tropical rains and long periods of drought. The largest lake in Africa is distinguished by the fact that there is no clear division into seasons on its territory. The change of seasons is determined by such a parameter as the amount of precipitation. In particular, their minimum number falls in winter, and vice versa in summer.
The most water months are April and May. The lake level at this time can rise by 600 millimeters. The air temperature almost never drops below +25 degrees. Concepts such as frost and snow are not known to locals at all.
The largest lake in Africa is raised by tectonic and volcanic processes quite high, so there are all the winds that are characteristic of the continent. Even the slopes of the mountains with passes are unable to protect against them. Now the reservoir is one of the most dangerous on the planet due to hurricanes, tornadoes and storms. Due to the hot climate, a large volume of water evaporates (approximately 93 cubic kilometers per year). Despite this, a shallow lake never happens. Scientists attribute this to the unusual nature of the water cycle.
Flora and fauna
The plant and animal worlds in the region of the reservoir are similar to those on the entire continent. On the banks of the plants, banana palms, reeds, reeds and papyrus are most often found. Many locals grow coffee and bamboo. Africa's largest lake is a habitat for crocodiles and hippos. In addition, more than one hundred species of fish are found in the reservoir. Among them are those who live exclusively here.
Separate words deserve the birds inhabiting the coastal zone. Their flocks totaled millions of individuals, so the terrain here is often painted in all colors of the rainbow. The most common are the Venetian crane, flamingos and various species of herons.
The main problem of the lake
Around the middle of the twentieth century, the local ecosystem found itself on the verge of complete destruction. The number of endangered plant and animal species began to increase. A vivid example of this is rhinos, which are massively exterminated by hunters in order to obtain valuable horns used in pharmacology. In addition, over the past few decades, the number of leopards, elephants, giraffes, lions and hippos has been reduced several times here.
Major cities and ports on the coast
As noted above, the largest lake in Africa is located in three countries. Each of them has its own commercial ports and large cities on its coast. In particular, for Tanzania such is Mwanza. It is through this port city that the state carries out trade in significant volumes. Nearby is one of the largest deposits of diamonds and gold in East Africa , the export of which accounts for the lion's share of the country's budget.
On the northern coast, the largest port is Entebbe (Uganda), which acts as a transfer point. The fact is that all products delivered here on the lake are transported to the capital of the country by road. As for Kenya, its largest city on Lake Victoria is Kissima. Almost all goods from industrial regions of the country are brought into it, after which they are delivered as directed.