It is located in East Africa, on the territory of Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. It is located at an altitude of 1134 m. The area is 68 thousand km2 (the second largest - after Lake Superior - from fresh lakes in the world). The greatest length is 320 km, width is 275 km. Average depths are 40 m (the largest is 80 m).
The northern, eastern and southern shores are low-lying, sandy, with many bays. The western coast is more elevated and leveled. The total length of the coastline is over 7 thousand km. The largest bays are Kavirondo and Spica. 
The lake is surrounded by savannas; in the northwest, a humid equatorial forest rises to the shores. It feeds mainly due to atmospheric precipitation and the waters of numerous rivers, among which the river is the most abundant. Kagera is the source of the Nile. The average annual income is 114 km3 (16 km3 from rivers, 98 km3 from precipitation); annual evaporation from the surface is 93 km3. The flow (21 km3) is carried by the Victoria Nile and is regulated by the Owen Falls hydroelectric dam, 2.5 km below the river's exit from the lake.
The strongest storm activity caused by hurricane winds during tropical thunderstorms on a vast (68,635 km2) open water space at a relatively shallow depth ensures good mixing of the layers and saturation of the water with oxygen.
A huge number of bays, bays and islands create a rich variety of all kinds of underwater landscapes - from sandy and silty soils overgrown with reeds and aquatic vegetation, to rocks and scree. The transparency of water in open places reaches 8 meters (less near the coast); pH varies in the range from 7.1 to 9.0.
Mysteries of Lake Victoria
Over the past 25 years, the cichlids of Lake Victoria have become the focus of evolutionary biologists. It turned out that it was impossible to explain the origin of more than 500 species using the theory of evolution of Darwin, who believed that it takes millions of years to create a species. 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 of East Africa - Tanganyika, Malawi and Victoria - are an illustration of the process of animal evolution in action.
In the waters of these lakes, separated from other bodies of water by large expanses of dry, barren land, there are several hundred species of fish that are not found anywhere else in the world. Lake Victoria is the shallowest and youngest of the three lakes, at around 750,000 years old. It changed, at times overflowing and flooding neighboring reservoirs, replenishing them with new species of fish, and then drying up, which again led to isolation. The main phenomenon of Lake Victoria - the fantastically rapid formation of species and subspecies - has not yet found an acceptable explanation. In the same places, after a few years, completely different species and subspecies are caught, it seems that they appear literally from nowhere.
The number of variations not described scientifically under the letters SP is increasing every year. In 1996, after analyzing the sediments at the bottom of the lake, scientists came to an important conclusion? 12,400 years ago, the lake completely dried up, which means that 500 species must have evolved at an unprecedented rate (all this happened already during the existence of man!). The consistency of such a theory was confirmed by the example of Lake Nabugabo, separated by 4000 years from Victoria by a sandy spit.
In Nabugabo, 5 new species were found, differing from the initial Victorian ones only in the color of the males. The ability to change already in the next generation can be observed even in an aquarium! In 1996, it was found that some species have changed their habitat, others have begun to change their color. New, previously unknown species, presumably hybrids, also appeared.
Victoria has its own Nessie. Locals claim that a mysterious huge animal lives in the lake. The creature they call lukvata often chases pies and tries to knock them over. Back in 1902, Sir Henry Johnston published in a book about Uganda information about an unusual animal that lives in Lake Victoria: "Among local residents there is a legend that the dragon Lukvata lives in the waters of the lake...
One European managed to see this creature. Sir Clement Hill crossed the lake in 1900 on a small steam boat and saw a large square head that looked like a fish. Moreover, the unusual creature behaved very aggressively, trying to grab a native sitting on the bow of the ship. The same creature has been observed for many years, except local residents, the ex-commissioner of the province of Grant, the American athlete Bronson and others. Some mistook him for a fish, others for a giant python. They only agreed that it was not a crocodile. When the statement of a hunter named Johnston appeared in the press, he simply did not Judge for yourself: according to him, the animal, about 4.5 meters long, had a head the size of a lion, but spotted like a leopard.
Two long white fangs protruded from the upper jaw. The monster was covered in scales like an armadillo, had a wide spotted back, a thick and long tail, and left footprints the same size as those of a hippopotamus, but with claw marks, like those of reptiles. Summarizing many observations, the famous Belgian zoologist Bernard Euvelmans, author of the book "Secrets of Mysterious Beasts", concludes that this mysterious animal may well be a dinosaur: "There is a view of dinosaurs as giants," he writes.
This makes it difficult for experts to admit that such a giant survived without being noticed. But among them were animals of medium size, and even dwarfs, sort of pocket dinosaurs the size of a pigeon. What is sensational about the fact that among the ten-meter cannibal crocodiles, small forms of dinosaurs have been preserved?
Lake Victoria problems
Prior to the introduction of the Nile perch (Lates niloticus/Lates sp.), 500 species of cichlids or more lived in the lake. At the moment, 2/3 of the species are extinct or their populations are in critical condition. Of the 109 species discovered at the beginning of the lake research, 90% have become extinct. But the perches that have bred grow to fantastic sizes (they say that they caught 1.5-meter specimens). The Nile perch is an expensive fish. It is bought willingly and in large quantities for the inhabitants of Europe. Every day it hits the tables of 2 million Europeans. Yes, Europeans, because everything that is caught is exported. Everything is under tight or brutal control. Local fish do not see, or rather, they see, because they both catch and process it in numerous factories along the shores of the lake.
With the ill-conceived introduction of the Nile perch (Lates niloticus) into Lake Victoria as a fishery target, the entire unique endemic cichlid fauna has been seriously threatened. Breeding and preserving these rare creatures in an aquarium will save cichlids for civilization. In the US and Europe, conservation programs for the cichlids of Lake Victoria have been in place and developed for a number of years.
Water level
An unprecedented drought in East Africa has caused the water level in Lake Victoria to drop to its lowest level in 80 years. Compared to the early 1990s, the water level has dropped by almost a meter. Local fishermen are forced to leave their homes, ferry traffic has ceased, hydroelectric power stations are almost non-functional due to the lack of water sufficient to ensure the normal operation of the turbines. Reducing the discharge from Owen Falls from 1,010 tons of water per day to 340 tons of water per day will make it possible to raise the water level in the rivers that feed Lake Victoria, and therefore in it itself, according to Minister of Water Resources Maria Mutagamba, which will allow the resumption of power plants.Kenyan experts name two main reasons for this phenomenon. Firstly, these are general climatic changes, which have led to a reduction in precipitation throughout the region. The most negative impact is exerted by the human factor. In February last year, UN Chief Hydrologist Daniel Cool delivered a report in which he accused Uganda of theft. It turns out that the Ugandans secretly diverted water from the lake to their power plants to ensure a stable supply of electricity.
However, it is clear that the reason for the fall in the water level of Victoria is not so much the enterprising people of Uganda as the almost complete absence of rain in Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea and Djibouti. More than 11 million people are at risk of starvation due to a drought that has left these countries without water and reduced pasture to a minimum, according to the UN International Food Programme.
Lake Victoria pollution
The second largest natural reservoir of fresh water in the world, Lake Victoria, is predicted to die in 50 years from the deposition of clogging sediment on its bottom and general environmental pollution in the region. The main culprit of the catastrophic situation, the staff of the International Center for Research on Agricultural and Forest Lands (ICRAF) and the Ministry of Agriculture of Kenya blame the chemical fertilizers used on nearby farms. The second source of pollution of the lake is the sewage of the cities of the region. Intensive research work has been going on for 18 months. Scientists are trying to determine as accurately as possible the chemical composition of the sedimentary layers at the bottom of the lake, their correspondence to the components of the soils surrounding Victoria, the possibility of poisoning the reservoir with fertilizers and sewage.
The delicate purple flowers of eichornia, or water hyacinth, are unusually beautiful, as are smooth, oval leaves shining in the sun. Water hyacinth was once brought from Asia to Africa by European colonizers who decorated ponds with it in the gardens of their estates. However, those who live on the shores of Lake Victoria are not up to beauty. Eichornia crassipes, as this noxious aquatic weed is called in Latin, is considered a terrible scourge here. Eichornia was first seen in the African Lake Victoria in the early eighties.
Today, this weed has taken over the entire lake, killing fish, blocking harbors and depriving entire villages of their livelihood. Particularly affected by eichornia is Uganda, located in the north of Lake Victoria, where coastal waters are covered by this weed by 80%. After gluttonous weevils and specially designed harvesters were unable to cope with the pale purple scourge, the government of Uganda relied on poisons. Despite the protests of the National Environmental Protection Agency, the authorities have already begun to use the substance 2.4 D, known as one of the main components of the Orange defoliant used by the Americans during the Vietnam War.
Recently, even environmentalists watching the spread of water hyacinth are beginning to understand that the use of merciless herbicides is the lesser of two evils. Eichhornia also affects trade relations between the three countries located on the shores of Lake Victoria - Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. Cargo ships and ferries are almost unable to break through the dense carpet that covers the water. Uganda experiences intermittent power outages as eichornia clogs filters and pipes at the hydroelectric power plant at Owen Falls.
The ichthyofauna of the lake is a unique natural phenomenon, unfortunately, endangered. So far, only a few private collections make it possible to get acquainted with the whole variety of fish of this group.
The largest of them, not only in Russia, but probably in the world, is the collection of Anatoly Zhukovin, who for several years painstakingly collected rarities through various importing companies.
Due to their rarity and high cost, Victorian fish have not yet become widespread among nature lovers. There is a chance that this will never happen. As you read these lines, another species of cichlid from Lake Victoria has disappeared from the face of the earth ...
BoatmanThe population of Europe first learned about Lake Victoria in 1858. Its discoverer is the British explorer John Henning Speke, who presented a report on his journey to Africa at the Royal Geographical Society. He named the lake after the queen and suggested that the Nile flows from it.
The local population calls the reservoir Nyanza. There were attempts to come up with another name for the lake, which would be able to unite the ethnonyms of different peoples living on its shores, but so far they have not been successful.
Main characteristics
Lake Victoria is located in the East African Plateau. Its area is 68 thousand square meters. km, maximum depth - about 80 m, volume - 8400 cubic meters. km. The length of the coastline is 7 thousand km. The length of the reservoir is 320 km, and the width is 240 km.
The main source of water supply of the reservoir is precipitation, to a lesser extent - the water of tributaries.
The Kagera River flows into the lake, and the Victoria Nile flows out. In 1954, the Owen Falls Dam was built, turning Victoria into a reservoir. There are many islands in the waters of the lake: Ukerve, Sese, Rubondo and so on.
The reservoir is actively used by the local population for navigation and fishing. The main ports are Kisumu, Jinja, Mwanza.
Most of the coasts are low and gentle, heavily indented and swampy. In the southwest, the line of contact between water and land is steep and high.
Almost 30 million people live in the water area. The area is covered with shrouds, and in the northwest - with evergreen equatorial forest. In the east, gold and diamonds are being mined.
Climate features
Lake Victoria is located in the tropical climate zone. The average temperature fluctuates around 20-22 °C. The rainy seasons come twice a year: from March to May and from October to December. Quite often, under the influence of hurricane winds, the strongest storms cover the reservoir.
In recent decades, there has been a trend towards a decrease in the amount of precipitation in this region. Scientists suggest that over time, this can lead to a catastrophic decrease in fresh water supplies and pastures for livestock, which will endanger the lives of the local population.
African flavor
Victoria is not only an interesting geographical feature, but also a center of attraction for tourists from all over the world. What is it that attracts them? First of all, the opportunity to plunge into the authentic atmosphere of Aboriginal life, as well as natural beauties and unique animal world. The best time to travel is from August to September.
View of the lake from Kenya 
The streets of KisumuThe African shroud fascinates with its landscapes. Endless plains interspersed with majestic hills and adorned with islands of greenery amaze with their pristine beauty. The strongest impressions from the contemplation of landscapes can be obtained at dawn and sunset, thanks to the play of natural colors.
In this area there are large trading cities, and fishing villages with huts and shabby sails of boats, as well as plantations of the best coffee and sugar cane on the mainland. The population of the coasts and islands of Victoria honors their traditions and gladly initiates travelers into them.
Among the settlements, you should definitely visit Kisumu - a city with colonial architecture, Musoma - a fishing port, Butiama - a village with an archaic way of life, in which the first president of Tanzania, Julius K. Niere, was born. It is also worth taking a ride on the lake accompanied by a guide who will tell you the mysterious legends associated with this amazing place.
Port in Uganda
Unique fish
Lake Victoria is an excellent place for fishing enthusiasts. More than 200 species of fish are found in its waters. Tilapia is of the greatest commercial importance. There are several large fishing centers on the islands.
The most attractive trophies are Nile perches, whose weight can reach 200 kg, as well as lang fish. The latter are found only in Victorian waters. The uniqueness of these fish lies in their ability to breathe with both gills and lungs. Langs appeared more than 300 million years ago and were a transitional link between ordinary fish and land creatures.
Paradise for animals
Traveling along the coasts of Victoria is a great opportunity to observe animals in their natural environment. Moreover, due to the proximity of different natural zones, you can see both the inhabitants of the rainforest and the inhabitants of the savannah.
For example, the luscious greenery of the Kakamega Forest in Kenya is home to various primates, lizards, hundreds of species of birds, butterflies, as well as antelopes, porcupines, mongooses and so on.
Among the national parks of Lake Victoria, the reserve on Rubondo Island (Tanzania) is the most popular. It is forbidden to travel by car here, but this is even for the better, because you can see more animals on foot.
On an island of 458 sq. km relic forests are adjacent to swamps, meadows and shrouds. Therefore, a variety of representatives of the fauna live in the reserve. Only here is the sitatunga - a shy antelope with elongated and widely spaced hooves. Also in Rubondo you can see hippos, crocodiles, green monkeys, pythons, chimpanzees, elephants, mongooses, giraffes, porcupines and other exotic animals.
Bird lovers will also enjoy a lot of pleasure from visiting the national park. Royal kingfishers, paradise flycatchers, cormorants, ibis, storks, goliath herons and so on live here. No less attractive is the fauna of the island. About 40 species of orchids grow on its territory.
Sunset on Lake VictoriaThreats to Victoria
Outwardly, the shores and water surface of the lake seem like an earthly paradise, but they are fraught with many dangers. In no case should you swim in the reservoir: firstly, it is teeming with crocodiles, and secondly, the water is infected with schistosomiasis.
The tsetse fly also lives on the islands, from the bite of which a person can become infected with sleeping sickness. There are other dangerous insects that carry malaria and yellow fever.
Not every traveler can withstand the specific climatic conditions, which combine high humidity and heat. It should also be remembered that there are often very strong storms on the lake.
Environmental problems
The ecological situation in the water area of the lake is deteriorating every year. The reasons for this are deforestation, population growth, the development of the fishing industry, the discharge of sewage and industrial waters, and so on.
In addition, the situation is negatively affected by the artificial engraftment of exotic plants and animals. For example, lilies brought to Africa in the last century have grown in the waters of Victoria. These plants, which have incredible resistance, consume a large amount of oxygen, which is bad for the number of fish. They also block inflows, complicating navigation.
Lake Victoria is a unique African body of water, impressive not only for its size, but also for its pristine beauty and diversity of natural resources. Here you can admire stunning landscapes, watch animals, go fishing and photography, as well as get in touch with Aboriginal traditions. The main thing is to carefully plan your trip and take care of your safety.
Scientists have warned that Lake Victoria, the second largest freshwater lake in the world after the Great Lakes, is in danger of disappearing. The area of the lake is divided between three countries: Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. Fishermen call Lake Victoria "Nalubale", which means "Lake of the Gods", and believe that its resources are endless.
However, scientists claim that the reality is quite different. Overfishing and water pollution have significantly affected the lakes. A fisherman from Uganda said that the catch of fish decreased last year:
“My name is Kavesi Edi and I have been fishing in Lake Victoria for 10 years. Recently, the catch is very small, and life is hard ... Today you can catch about 10 kg of fish, and earlier from 100 to 500 kg.
Since the 1980s, Lake Victoria's biodiversity has declined by 50%, especially in fish. More and more fertilizers and pesticides get into the waters of the lake, which are washed away by rain from agricultural land. This led to the active growth of algae, which in turn reduced the amount of oxygen for the fish.
Lake Victoria is inhabited by water hyacinth. The plant grows rapidly, forming a kind of carpet on the surface of the water, which impedes the movement of boats, and clogs part of the Owen Falls Dam. Water hyacinth uses the oxygen in the water and prevents sunlight from entering. Fish and aquatic plants such as plankton cannot live without oxygen or sun. Therefore, the spread of water hyacinth also needs to be controlled. One way is to constantly clear the lake by hand, or "set" weevils on the hyacinth. Additionally, perch farming has led to the extinction of hundreds of cichlid species. Many of which are endemic and found nowhere else in the world. Perch are known to quickly reduce populations of smaller lake fish.
Deforestation of neighboring regions, construction, global warming also threaten the ecosystem of Lake Victoria. Experts highlight the need for more efforts to reduce the pressure on the lake from overfishing, industrial pollution, eutrophication and sedimentation, and to preserve the lake's ecosystem for future generations.
Interesting facts about Lake Victoria
- Lake Victoria has an area of 68,800 square kilometers, making it the largest lake in Africa and the largest tropical lake in the world.
- The maximum depth of Lake Victoria does not exceed 84 meters, and the average depth is 40 meters.
- Lake Victoria is located in the western part of the Great Rift Valley of Africa. The lake was formed 400,000 years ago by the uplift of a block of the earth's crust, which blocked the movement of rivers from the east.
- During its 400,000-year history, the lake has completely dried up three times.
- Until the 20th century, Lake Victoria was considered the source of the White Nile, the longest tributary of the famous Nile River. However, in 1937, the German explorer Burkhard Waldecker explored the lake basin and determined that the source of the White Nile is the Kagera River.
- Lake Victoria has over 3,000 islands.
) - a national park, on the island of Maboko (Kenya) in the Miocene deposits, the remains of a marmoset monkey of the genus Victoriapithecus were found.
The lake was discovered and named after Queen Victoria by the British traveler John Henning Speke in 1858.
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The local population called Lake Nyanza (actually lake). J. Speke added the name of Queen Victoria to the local name, and the lake until the 1920s. called Victoria Nyanza. At present, Victoria belongs to three states, and each of them has several names formed from the ethnonyms of the peoples living on the shores of this lake. In the 1960s, these countries discussed the issue of giving the lake a new, common name for all. Names were offered in Swahili, used in all three countries: Uhuru, - freedom, independence; Shirikisho - union, an association; Umoja - unity but no decision was made.
Formation
The lake occupies a gentle tectonic trough in the northern part of the East African plateau, dammed from the north by a lava flow. It arose in the middle of the Anthropogenic period during the formation of the Albert and Edward lake basins in the central branch of the East African fault zone, which disrupted the former flow into the Congo basin. The new runoff system was turned to the east, to a trough on the plateau, where a huge reservoir was formed, the area of which was especially large in the pluvial epochs. The ancient lake received a runoff to the west, into Lake Albert and further into the Nile system through the river. Victoria Nile at the formation of Murchison Falls. Victoria and Lake Kyoga to the north are relics of an ancient reservoir.
Discovery of the lake by Europeans
On July 30, 1858, the English traveler and explorer John Henning Speke discovered Lake Nyanza to Europeans and named it after Queen Victoria. There are notes from his travels, where, based on information received from the local population, he suggests that the lake is the source of the Nile. Returning to London, he proclaimed in the Royal Geographical Society the discovery of the source of the Nile River. In 1860, Speke led another expedition to Lake Victoria, during which he discovered the Kagera River, which flows into the lake, as well as the Victoria Nile River, which flows out of it and forms the Nile River at its confluence with the Blue Nile. By descending the Victoria Nile, and then following the same path overland, he thus proved that he had discovered the source of the Nile. Nevertheless, disputes in Europe continued until the return of the expedition of Henry Stanley, correspondent for the New York Herald Tribune and famous traveler. He made three expeditions to Africa, one of which went to Lake Victoria and confirmed Speke's claim.
Climate
Average rainfall for the period 1956-1978 in millimeters
City January February March April May June July August September October November December Total for a year Jinja 64 85 141 195 140 69 70 83 100 141 161 87 1336 Entebbe 88 101 179 260 235 121 69 79 72 126 179 111 1620 Kalangala 135 137 239 340 322 162 96 94 114 159 210 208 2216 Bukoba 150 180 254 398 316 89 51 66 102 153 195 193 2147 Kagondo 119 152 219 362 234 47 26 40 94 115 201 161 1770 Mwanza 102 114 156 177 71 16 15 21 25 99 158 146 1100 Musoma 59 84 123 182 101 24 21 22 31 53 117 78 895 Kisumu 71 98 155 234 175 79 63 90 84 87 139 102 1377 Geography
The shores are strongly indented, low and flat, often marshy; in the southwest, high and steep. The length of the coastline is more than 7000 km. Large bays - Kavirondo, Speke, Smith Sound. There are many islands with a total area of about 6 thousand km² (the largest are Ukereve and the Sese islands).
Near the eastern shores - mining of gold and diamonds. The lake is connected to the coast Indian Ocean railway Kisumu - Mombasa and Mwanza - Tabora - Dar es Salaam.
north coast lakes are crossed by the equator. The lake with a maximum depth of 80 m belongs to fairly deep lakes.
Unlike its deep-water neighbors, Tanganyika and Nyasa, which lie within Africa's gorge system, Lake Victoria fills a shallow depression between the eastern and western sides of the Great Gorge valley. The lake receives a huge amount of water from the rains - more than from all its tributaries.
30 million people live in the vicinity of the lake. People live on the southern and western shores of the lake haya who knew how to grow coffee long before the arrival of Europeans.
Hydrology
The lake is fed mainly from precipitation, from which it receives almost 80% of its total inflow. In addition, numerous rivers, tributaries and streams flow into it. The average water inflow is 114 km 3 regardless of the sources. About 16 km 3 comes from tributaries, and 98 km 3 from precipitation. Annual evaporation from the surface reaches 93 km3. It is believed that over all the years of observation, the amount of water evaporating per year remains practically unchanged. The average amplitude of lake level fluctuations is 0.3 m, and the maximum annual amplitude of the indicated 45-year observation is 1.74 m.
Research into the water balance of Lake Victoria was started in 1938 by Hurst and Phillips. They are based on changes in water levels and precipitation using data dating back to 1896. The average annual rainfall is up to 1151 mm, the water flow is 276 mm, the runoff is 311 mm. Measurements and estimates are not accurate, as the role of precipitation is underestimated, however, the water balance has been calculated quite accurately.
More extensive studies were carried out in 1970 by Bowie and Baker, who carefully analyzed the components of the balance in the waters of the lake. From the records of 8 long-term stations in the lake, it follows that the average annual precipitation reaches 1,650 mm. The data was updated by the Institute of Hydrology in 1984. It was reported that the average annual rainfall from 1949 to 1281 mm, and for 1961 - 2201 mm.
Between 1961 and 1964, the regime of the lake underwent a significant change. These years are characterized by continuous and torrential rains that raised the water level by 2.5 m. In addition, the Nalubale ("Owen Falls") Dam was built in 1954 and regulates the flow into the Victoria Nile River. This event led to the creation in 1967 of the Organization for Hydrometeorological Research of Lakes (WMO) as an affiliate of WMO (World Meteorological Organization) and the UNDP Program (United Nations Development Program).
The level of the lake largely depends on the amount of rain. AT last years they have decreased, which is explained, in addition to the general warming of the Earth's climate, also by the destruction of the forests of Africa, and the area around the lake. In 2010, the lake level reached its lowest level in 80 years, almost one meter lower than in 1990. Lake level measurements have been carried out since 1896. The highest level was recorded in 1906 and 1917, but it remained relatively stable until 1961 of the year .
Water balance of Lake Victoria for the period 1956-1978.
Year Rainfall inflow (mm) The tributary from the river. Kagera (m 3 x 10 6) Inflow from all sources (m 3 x 10 6) Inflow from all sources (mm) Outflow (m 3 x 10 6) Outflow (mm) Difference between inflow and outflow (m 3 x 10 6) Lake level near Jinja city (m) 1956 1787 4918 19 326 288 19 636 293 - 310 10,91 1957 1727 6299 18 121 270 20 112 300 - 1981 11,02 1958 1622 5412 14 629 218 19 671 294 - 5042 10,94 1959 1702 4730 13 310 199 18 434 275 - 5124 10,84 1960 1827 6160 17 526 262 20 348 304 - 2822 10,87 1961 2370 4895 21 856 326 20 577 307 + 1279 11,94 1962 1919 9114 36 136 539 38 716 578 - 2580 12,39 1963 2121 10 941 34 664 517 44 788 668 - 10 124 12,91 1964 2011 11 045 32 332 483 50 476 753 - 18 144 12,88 1965 1663 7760 17 428 260 46 878 700 - 29 450 12,48 1966 1889 7951 21435 320 42 950 641 - 21 515 12,32 1967 1752 6421 21 448 320 37 832 565 - 16 384 12,31 1968 2114 10 375 32 600 487 43 305 646 - 11 305 12,58 1969 1770 8923 21083 315 46 006 687 - 24 923 12,36 1970 1865 8477 27 572 412 44 282 661 - 16 710 12,45 1971 1639 7030 20 139 301 39 510 590 - 19 371 12,17 1972 1975 7587 19 950 298 37 540 560 - 17 590 12,35 1973 1749 7717 19 982 298 38 467 574 - 18 485 12,05 1974 1657 7331 20 946 313 35 046 523 - 14 100 11,97 1975 1826 6082 18 968 283 33 326 497 - 14 358 12,04 1976 1781 5932 14 409 215 34 835 520 - 20 426 11,82 1977 1938 6980 29 147 435 35 999 537 - 6852 12,13 1978 2041 8525 35 575 531 39 383 588 - 3808 12,56 Average for the period 1858 7418 22 982 343 35 136 524 - 12 154 Animal and plant world
Lake Victoria has more than 200 species of fish, of which the main commercial species are tilapia and Nile perch.
A huge number of crocodiles live in its waters, and a representative of an ancient group of freshwater fish still lives here - a protopter that can breathe both with gills and lungs. This unique fish is the link between common fish and land animals.
The tsetse fly lives on the coast and islands.
Rubondo
On the territory of the lake there are nature reserves and national parks. AT national park Rubondo Islands - Rubondo Island(450 sq. km) cannot be driven by car in order to preserve the environment, which allows during hiking see animals from a closer distance.
Ecological situation
The ecological state of the lake is in serious danger due to the intensive growth of the local population, clear-cut deforestation along the entire coast, an overdeveloped fish export industry, the appearance and engraftment of exotic plants and animals and, as a result, the disappearance of more than 50% of the local
Lake Victoria is one of the seven African Great Lakes located in the Rift Valley of the East African Rift. The area of the reservoir is 68.8 thousand square meters. km. This is the second largest freshwater lake in the world. In the first place is Lake Superior in North America with an area of 82.1 thousand square meters. km. But among the tropical lakes of the planet, the African reservoir ranks first. In Africa, it is also considered the largest. But in terms of the volume of fresh water (2750 cubic km), it only reaches 9th place.
The length of the lake is 337 km. The width is 250 km. The maximum depth is 83 meters and the average depth is 40 meters. The reservoir is located at an altitude of 1133 meters above sea level. The length of the coastline is 4828 km. It is divided between three countries: Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. All figures are from US Gazetteer.
Lake Victoria
The coastal strip around the lake is considered one of the most densely populated on the planet. More than 30 million people live in it. The equator passes through the northern part of the lake. Right on it is the city of Entebbe. 40 km southeast is the capital of Uganda, Kampala. It is home to 1.2 million people. In the south of the reservoir is the city of Mwanza with a population of 1.2 million people. It refers to Tanzania. On the west coast is the city of Bukoba with a population of 100 thousand people. And in the Bay of Winam in the northeast is the Kenyan city of Kisumu. It has 345 thousand inhabitants.
Concerning geological history, then Lake Victoria is considered relatively young. Its age is estimated at 400 thousand years. The reservoir periodically dried up and was again filled with water. According to experts, there were 3 such cycles. The last time the lake dried up was 17,300 years ago. Refilled with water 14,700 years ago. This is associated with ice ages, during which the amount of precipitation sharply decreased. But it is the rains that feed the lake by 80% with water, and only 20% falls on the tributaries.
Lake Victoria on the map
There are a lot of tributaries that feed the reservoir. The main one is considered Kagera river. Its length is 420 km. It flows into a vast body of water from the east, but its main attraction is that the river is considered the source of the great African river Nile. Actually, the Kagera has its own tributary Rukarara. It is from its source that the waterway is calculated, ending in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea.
In the north, the Victoria Nile flows out of Victoria, which is renamed the White Nile further downstream, and then, after the confluence of the Blue Nile, a single water stream is formed, which bears the name Nile. The second major river flowing out of the lake is called the Katonga. It rushes its waters to the west and after 220 km flows into Lake George in Uganda, which is connected by the Kazinga Canal to Lake Edward.
The Nzoya River also flows into the reservoir. Its length is 257 km. It is an important waterway in Western Kenya. There are many waterfalls on it, which means a great energy potential. Lake Victoria itself contributes to the development of electricity. energy through a dam near the city of Jinja in Uganda. This is where the Victoria Nile flows out of the lake. But the water level in the reservoir is very capricious and unpredictable, so the hydroelectric power station does not work with full efficiency. In addition, there is an opinion that the hydroelectric station takes more water than was provided for by the agreement between the states.
These are the ships sailing in Victoria
Water transport well developed on a huge body of water. Since the early years of the 20th century, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya have been connected by ferries. In 1963, the fastest ferry built in Kenya was put into operation. In 1966, a rail ferry was created between Kenya and Tanzania.
But the achievements of civilization sometimes bring people grief. On May 21, 1996, the Bukoba ferry sank in the lake. It carried passengers between the Tanzanian cities of Bukoba and Mwanza. The ship was designed for 430 passengers and 850 tons of cargo. The tragedy happened 56 km from Mwanza. The ferry went to the bottom at a depth of 25 meters, killing 987 people. The main cause of the accident was the overload of the vehicle. This tragedy is considered one of the largest in Africa.
Lake Victoria was discovered in 1858. Mankind owes this to the British officer John Hennig Speke (1827-1864). He reached the south coast while exploring Central Africa. Seeing a huge expanse of water in front of him, the Englishman named it after Queen Victoria. The officer also stated that he had finally found the source of the Nile, as he considered that the great river flows from this huge body of water. But this statement caused disagreement with his partner Richard Francis Burton (1821-1890). All this gave rise to long discussions.
Any schoolboy these days knows that John Speke was right. The Nile really flows out of Victoria, and a huge body of water also provides food and work for a huge number of people who live on its banks. The picture is overshadowed only by the merciless lake pollution. Industrial enterprises dump untreated wastewater into it. The lake bottom serves as a place of burial of chemical fertilizers and household waste. All this negatively affects the ecosystem. The situation is exacerbated by a decrease in the water level in the reservoir. So the prospects are not bright, and life on the banks of Victoria is hard and difficult.
Yuri Syromyatnikov