Lake victoria on africa outline map. Victoria (lake). Video about Lake Victoria in Africa

African lake Victoria is located in the heart of Equatorial Africa. Its waters are located on the territory of three states: Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. This is one of the most picturesque lakes on this continent. Its area is 68 thousand km². The average depth does not exceed eighty meters. It was named after its discoverer D. Speke. Locals call it Nyanza, which means "big water".

Lake Victoria is located quite high, reaching 1134m. In terms of the size of its water area, it exceeds the Aral and Sea of Azov and ranks third after the Caspian Sea and in the territory North America. The lake is full. The surrounding shores are mostly low and swampy. And only the southwestern shores abruptly drop into the lake with steep cliffs.

African hell

Lake Victoria is one of the most dangerous waters for navigation. Its low banks open the way to all winds, and its high location above sea level makes the weather unstable. Storms and hurricanes often occur here, accompanied by the appearance of tornadoes. The climate here is quite terrible. Sweltering heat combined with high humidity during the wet season is followed by long periods of severe drought. Myriads of poisonous insects await their victims. This reservoir evaporates millions of tons of water and never becomes shallow. And yet, where Lake Victoria is located, Africa has been preserved at its most in its original form. The pond is teeming with fish. This attracts millions of waterfowl, both local and migratory. Here you can also find few of which are left in other places.

African Nessie

Lake Victoria has its own Nessie. Only, unlike the Scottish one, the local one is seen quite often. Eyewitnesses describe it as an animal 4.5 m in length. His head is the size of a lion's. Two white fangs protrude from its mouth. It is covered with scales and has a wide spotted back, as well as a thick and long tail. The animal is very aggressive. Perhaps it's a dinosaur. But Lake Victoria is very young education. It was formed only 750 thousand years ago, when dinosaurs had already become extinct.

Drought

Unprecedented drought recent years in Africa led to the fact that the water level in the reservoir decreased by 1 meter, which had never happened before. This led to the shutdown of many hydroelectric power plants located in its basin. This greatly undermines the economy of the entire lakeside region. Moreover, it has deteriorated very much ecological situation. The waters are poisoned by chemical fertilizers, sewage, and uncontrolled waste discharges from enterprises.

Interesting Facts

Some interesting facts.

Lake Victoria produced the United States' first black president. His father grew up on its banks in Kenya in the town of Nyagoma Kogelo.

Only on this lake can you find the sitatunga antelope, which has disappeared in other places.

And only in these waters lives the extraordinary lang fish, whose gills work on the principle of lungs. Such fish gave rise to land animals.

Lake Victoria is the largest freshwater lake Africa and the largest tropical in the world. Other names of the lake are Victoria Nyanza, Ukerewe. In size, Victoria resembles an entire state. It has been proven that it is from this reservoir that the great Nile originates.

Located in the tectonic trough of the East African Platform, the lake occupies the border territory of several countries: Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. About 30 million Aboriginal people live in the vicinity of the lake. Western and southern shores inhabited by the Wahaya tribe, which is famous for its ability to grow the best coffee on the continent. The most ancient tribe in the area is the Luo tribe.

Panorama of Lake Victoria in Africa - Google Maps

National parks and reserves are organized around Victoria. The most popular of them is National Park Rubondo Islands in Tanzania. According to some reports, there are about 500 species of birds in this park. Despite the fact that Kenya's share is very small, these coasts are the busiest trade routes.

The best time to visit Lake Victoria is from June to September. The protection of the lake and its surroundings is currently being carried out by the partner organization Living Lakes OSIENALA. This non-profit public organization not only protects the region’s environment, but also fights poverty in nearby settlements.

Story

The lake was discovered by British traveler and explorer John Speke in 1858. He named it in honor of the then reigning Queen Victoria. In turn, local residents called it Nyanza, which translated meant “lake.” Therefore, until the 1920s, the reservoir was called Victoria Nyanza.

The geological history of Victoria begins approximately 400 thousand years ago, which makes it possible to consider it a relatively young body of water. The lake dried up and refilled with water 3 times, which is associated with ice ages that reduced the amount of precipitation. The last such cycle ended approximately 14,700 years ago, when Victoria filled with water again.

Today, Victoria is quite polluted by sewage and chemical waste from industrial plants, which has consequences for the ecosystem. At the same time, there is a gradual decrease in water level. The prospects for the attraction are not bright, like all life in Africa.

Fauna of Lake Victoria

The fauna of the reservoir includes more than 200 species of fish, of which the main commercial fish is tilapia (tilapia) and its varieties. These fish from the cichlid family have long developed the talent to survive even in difficult conditions. For many millennia, they crowded out other fish because they did not want to share their food source.

In the 40s of the 20th century, British scientists decided to reduce the number of cichlids and introduced Nile perch. Their efforts paid off. Moreover, the number of cyprinids, which previously served as food for cichlids, also increased. Tilapia introduced into the lake also reproduced successfully, especially after the rains of the 1960s. After heavy rainfall, fish now have new breeding grounds.

On the shores of the lake there are no dangerous African animals such as lions and buffaloes, but there are crocodiles and hippos. There are a lot of hippos in the waters, but cases of them attacking people are rare; one should be more wary of hippos - the statistics of deaths from their mouths is disappointing. It is also quite possible to meet poisonous snakes and dangerous insects here; it is better to move accompanied by a guide.

There is also a legend about a monster called "Lukwata", which, although not dangerous, is very playful. According to local stories, it capsizes fishing boats and scares people, but be careful - no one died because of it. It’s up to you to believe it or not, but in fact it can really exist, because the reservoir has not yet been fully studied.

The reservoir was featured in the horror film “Piranha 3D”, but there is no cause for concern - these bloodthirsty fish are not found here.

Fishing

Today Lake Victoria is largest center fishing in Africa, local markets filled with fish from the pond. As a rule, representatives of African tribes fish in small canoes with a triangular sail. The fact that the lake abounds with crocodiles does not scare them at all. International fishing competitions are also held here annually.

In the vicinity of Victoria there is a developed tourist fishing. They mainly catch perch, catfish, eels, tetras, carp, tiger fish and other species. The highlight of the catch may be the ancient lang fish, which is found nowhere else in the world. However, the main object for fishing is the famous Nile perch. These predators can reach 140 kg in weight and 170 cm in length.

Fishing by tourists is actively supported by locals. On the coast there are many comfortable fishing bases. Travelers are served by guides and assisted in fishing with bait, which significantly increases the chance of getting an excellent trophy. One of the most popular such bases is Mfangano Island Camp, located near the port of Kisumu and Mwanza International Airport, from where you can, for example, order a taxi or walk a kilometer. You can get to Mwanza by railway from nearby African countries.

Video about Lake Victoria in Africa

There are three central African countries around Lake Victoria - Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. The White Nile flows from this reservoir. Introducing Interesting Facts about Lake Victoria.

Research

Scientists believe that the lake was formed 400 thousand years ago. Geologists claim that the lake completely dried up several times. The last time it dried up was about 17 thousand years ago.

The first map of the lake was created by Arab merchants in 1160 AD.

The name of the lake in honor of the English Queen Victoria was given by the British explorer John Henning Speke, who an amusing trip and studied geographical feature in 1858. He claimed that the Nile River flows from the reservoir, and it is the lake that is the source of this largest African river (it was considered the longest in the world, but the South American Amazon turned out to be a little longer).

Geography

The lake is the third largest in the world by area, the second largest in the world among freshwater lakes, the largest in Africa, and also the largest in the world among lakes located in the tropics. The area is almost 70 thousand square kilometers. Only the Caspian Sea (salt) and North American Lake Superior (freshwater) lakes are larger.

The most great depth- 84 meters, average depth - 40 meters. The maximum length is 322 kilometers, the maximum width is 275 kilometers.

80% of the water in the lake is brought by rains, 20% of the water is brought by rivers that flow into the reservoir. The most large river, flowing into the lake - Kagera, its tributary Rivubu is considered the source of the Nile.

Nature

Lake Victoria - interesting facts about nature. The lake is home to lang fish, which, according to scientists, lived 300 million years ago.

There are many Nile crocodiles in the waters - these are the second largest crocodiles on the planet, reaching six meters in length. In water, a crocodile reaches speeds of up to 30 kilometers per hour, on land - up to 17 kilometers per hour. This predator is very dangerous; thousands of people die from its teeth every year.

There is a hippopotamus in the lake. Hippos can attack the boat and capsize it. These seemingly clumsy animals kill many people every year. Hippopotamuses reach five meters in length and can weigh up to five tons.

On Rubondo Island there is a nature reserve, which is home to about 500 species of birds. The most common are pelicans, herons, flamingos, eagles, and ibises. Many tourists come to see the birds. Rubondo Island also has a significant population of sitatunga antelope, whose backs are covered with vertical white stripes, so they vaguely resemble a zebra.

Among the large herbivores there are buffaloes and elephants, and among the smaller herbivores there are brown-red antelopes, waterbucks, and topis.

Among the plants, the most common are date palms, mimosa, tamarisk, cypress, and acacia.

Ecology

The water of the lake is polluted by fertilizers, which are washed off by rain from the fields, as well as by petroleum products.

At the end of the 20th century, water hyacinth was introduced into the lake. Since the plant has no natural enemies, it began to multiply quickly, and today it occupies large area lakes. Plants are placed so densely that not enough sunlight gets into the water column, and animals and animals suffer from this. vegetable world lakes.

Industrial fishing also harms the ecology of the reservoir. Three decades ago there were 500 species of fish in the lake; now about 200 species of fish have survived.

Lake Victoria gives rise to the famous Nile River, this is the most... big lake in Africa and the second largest freshwater lake in the world after Lake Superior. total area Victoria is 70,000 sq. km, which is comparable in size to the whole of Ireland.

The lake was named after Queen Victoria by the English traveler and explorer of Africa John Henning Speke, who first discovered it in 1858. The area of the lake is 68 thousand square meters. km, length – 320 km, maximum width – 275 km, and maximum depth, which is 80 m, allows Victoria to be considered one of the deepest lakes in the world. After the construction of the Owen Falls Dam on the Victoria Nile River in 1954, the lake was turned into a reservoir, as a result of which the water level increased by 3 m.

The Kenyan part of the lake (Kisumu) occupies 3785 square meters. km and at the same time is a water border with Tanzania and Uganda, while visiting these neighboring countries possible only when crossing the earth's border.

This place is famous for its pristine beauty, as well as unique flora and fauna. Not far from its territory there are famous nature reserves and National parks, as well as the very attractive tourist hinterlands of Africa.

Many islands scattered around the lake have become a haven for numerous birds. Flows into the lake high-water river Kagera, and the Victoria Nile River flows out. Victoria fills the shallow depression between the eastern and western sides of the Great African Gap valley, producing great amount water from rains is more than from all its tributaries.

Almost 30 million Aboriginal people live in the vicinity of the lake. On the southern and western shores live the Wahaya people, who knew how to grow coffee long before the arrival of Europeans.

The waters of the lake are home to a huge number of crocodiles. Victoria is home to the fossil lang fish, which lived here 300 million years ago. This rare fish is a transitional link in evolution - between ordinary fish and land animals.

The Tanzanian part of the lake is the most visited by tourists, compared to its Kenyan and Ugandan parts. The lake is a rather wild and unsafe place, where severe storms can sink ferries and numerous fishing boats. The main cities of this region that should be highlighted are Bukoba, Muzoma and Mwanza, which are essentially small river ports with a calm atmosphere.

Here you should not expect luxury five-star accommodation, but rather be prepared for minimalist and spartan living conditions. However, for an avid traveler this is not a hindrance at all, because in such remote places you can discover a lot of interesting things. On the territory of the lake, it is recommended to visit the island of Ruboondo, whose territory is 240 square meters. km is a national park, and the most rarely visited in all of Arfica.

Rubondo is a paradise for over four hundred various types birds. Here you can see eagles, herons, storks, ibises, kingfishers, and cormorants. The main live attraction is the timid Sitatunga antelope.

The surroundings of the lake are also ideal place for ornithological safaris. Guests are attracted here by the existing local residents a legend about a mysterious animal that they had spotted more than once in Lake Victoria. A large freshwater creature, which they call a lukwata, was chasing the fishermen's boats, trying to capsize them. They say that one European, crossing the lake on a boat, even managed to see the huge head of this creature.

Over the past 25 years, Lake Victoria cichlids have become the focus of attention among biologists studying evolution. It turned out that it was impossible to explain the origin of more than 500 species using Darwin's theory of evolution, who believed that it took millions of years to create a species. The little fish turned out to be a real puzzle for scientists.

Of all the lakes that formed along the fault, the so-called Great Freshwater Lakes East Africa- Tanganyika, Malawi and Victoria - provide an illustration of the process of animal evolution in action. The waters of these lakes, separated from other bodies of water by large expanses of parched, barren land, are home to several hundred species of fish that are found nowhere else in the world. Lake Victoria is the shallowest and youngest of the three lakes, being approximately 750,000 years old. It changed, at times overflowing and flooding neighboring reservoirs, replenishing them with new species of fish, and then dried up, which again led to isolation.

Every person visiting Kenya should never miss the opportunity to experience the unique and exciting attractions of this African country. And anyone who wants to make their holiday in Kenya unforgettable - in the good sense of the word - should definitely go to Lake Victoria.

Lake Victoria is believed to have been discovered by African explorer John Henning Speke in 1858. Although in fact the first information about the lake dates back to 1160. Arab traders traveled these lands in search of gold and other valuables. They depicted Lake Victoria on the ancient map of Idrisi; even then it was considered the source of the Nile.

Geographical coordinates lakes on the map: 1°04?00? Yu. latitude 32°52?00? V. longitude.

Here's where Lake Victoria is located on the world map:

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Lake Victoria was formed as a result of the uplift of the surrounding land. Today its height above sea level is 1134 m.

Length: 320 km. Width: 275 km Area: 68,000 km. sq. The depth of the lake can reach up to 80 meters in places, but on average it is 40 meters.

Lake Victoria is the second largest freshwater lake in the world and, at the same time, the largest lake in Africa. It is considered the most important of all the sources of the Nile. The lake got its name from the English Queen Victoria (as did Victoria Falls, by the way). But not only the lake itself, which rather looks like an inland sea, but also the surrounding landscapes are among the unique and most beautiful sights of Kenya. Travel to this part of the country is recommended by everyone who has been here. This attractive, natural attraction in Kenya is unique in many ways. Firstly, here you can conduct a full and interesting vacation. First of all, tourists who dream of relaxing in nature will feel like they are in paradise here. Here guests can get acquainted with the diverse flora and fauna of these regions. The state border with Tanzania and Uganda runs right along the surface of the lake. There are many islands on the lake that can be reached by boat or speedboat. Probably the most beautiful of all the islands are the islands of Mfangano and Rubondo. It is considered particularly attractive and adds a special charm to a holiday in Kenya. And the opportunities for sports, on and in the lake itself, complement big picture. Fishing lovers will not be able to help but fall in love with these places – it’s simply impossible.

The local waters are famous for the extraordinary diversity of species of its inhabitants. In Africa, a similar diversity of underwater fauna can be found, in addition to Lake Victoria, only in lakes Malawi and Tanganyika. And this fact also turns this lake into one of the most attractive places in Africa. The lake is home to one of the most unusual fish in the world - protoptera. The uniqueness of the protopter is that it can breathe through both gills and lungs. This is the connecting link between fish and us.

But the attractions of Kenya in this part of it are not limited to the lake itself. The territories adjacent to the lake (see African savanna) in themselves are worthy of getting to know them closely. The people living here are incredibly hospitable and friendly, showing their openness even to complete strangers. Here and there along the shores of the lake you can see not only small sleepy fishing villages, but also quite large port cities. Three countries - Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda - are firmly connected by sea, or rather lake routes. Trade between these states is carried out primarily using water transport.

Landscape beauties, too, will not leave anyone indifferent. Describing all these pictures is a thankless and difficult task. To be convinced of the truth of these words, you need to see everything with your own eyes. Traveling to Kenya is unforgettable experience. And Lake Victoria will not be the last place in them.

Video: Lake Victoria and the Nile. Fishing, rafting and kayaking. From the program “Around the World”