Is Lake Victoria in Kenya or Uganda? : Africa is known for its great wildlife safaris and diverse cultures but there is also Africa’s largest inland lake, Lake Victoria is also the world’s largest tropical lake. This Great African Lake, which spans 68 800 square kilometres and is surrounded by Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya, is situated in East Central Africa, hidden away in an old basin.
Comprising many archipelagos shared by the three countries, the vast lake is situated in a shallow depression between the Eastern and Western Rift Valleys. The most beautiful sights in the Lake Victoria Basin are the 84-island breath taking archipelago known as the Ssese Islands and Africa’s largest island park, Rubondo Island National Park.
A robust transport sector coexists with a vibrant fishing and agricultural activity around Lake Victoria. Maize, coffee, tea, and coffee farming -whether for commercial or subsistence purposes – are examples of agricultural activity. Lake Victoria is home to 500 varieties of fish, including the dreaded Nile Perch, an invasive species introduced in the 1950s.
Outdoor enthusiasts and lovers of the natural world will enjoy a safari trip to Lake Victoria. It’s also a chance to discover more about Lake Victoria’s population. The great lake is the ideal add-on destination for visitors to Tanzania and Uganda who are visiting those countries to witness the gorillas or the yearly migration of wildebeests because of its convenient proximity to the major safari game reserves in those countries.
Is Lake Victoria in Kenya or Uganda? : History of Lake Victoria
Along with Richard Francis Burton, his travelling partner, John Hanning Speke made the historic discovery of Lake Victoria in 1858 while searching for the Nile’s source. Lake Victoria was given its name by Speke in honour of the current English Queen. When Speke asserted that Lake Victoria was the source of the Nile River, it sparked a great deal of discussion within the scientific community.
Henry Morton Stanley, a Welsh-American explorer who had circumnavigated the lake at the time and claimed that the large outflow was located near Ripon Falls on Lake Victoria’s northern bank, verified its presence.
Before Speke arrived, Arab traders who travelled the inland roads in quest of gold and ivory, as well as those who obtained slaves from the area, were well-aware of Lake Victoria. An old map of the lake that was found dates to about the year 1160 AD.
Is Lake Victoria in Kenya or Uganda? : Facts about Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria’s shoreline stretches about 5 180 square kilometres (2 000 miles).It is quite varied, ranging from the flat and desolate coasts of the channel to the Gulf of Kavirondo and Winam Gulf to the 90-meter high cliffs and lush papyrus swamps at the Kagera River delta. The Ssese Islands are a series of islands in Lake Victoria that are well-known. This amazing archipelago, which consists of 84 islands, is situated in Uganda’s northwest near Lake Victoria. Compared to other big lakes in Africa with much smaller surface areas, Lake Victoria has a lower water volume and is somewhat shallow.
Rainfall provides up to 85% of the water in Lake Victoria, with evaporation accounting for 15% of the total water loss. The largest river that empties into Lake Victoria is the Kagera River. The White Nile, sometimes known as the Victoria Nile, and the Katonga River emerge from the Great Lake.
The 500 miles of the Victoria Nile continue northward after emptying into the lake at Ripon Falls, close to Jinja. It cascades down the Murchison Falls, into Lake Albert, and then onto the Albert Nile. The river ends here in Uganda and begins its journey into Sudan. The renowned Nile River is the only river that emerges from Lake Victoria.
Lake Victoria is the main source of water contributions for the longest branch of the Nile River. Lake Victoria is thought to have created more than 400 000 years ago. Lake Victoria has a surface size of around 800 square kilometres, or 26,600 square miles, with a shoreline that stretches 3,440 kilometres.
In Lake Victoria, there are more than 3,000 inhabited islets. Lake Victoria is the ninth-largest continental lake in the world by volume. There are roughly 2 424 cubic kilometres of water in it. At its deepest point, Lake Victoria is 80–84 metres (262–275 feet) deep, with an average depth of 40 metres (130 feet).
Three nations share the surface area of Lake Victoria: Tanzania (49%), Uganda (45%), and Kenya (6%).Lake Superior, located in North America, is the only freshwater lake bigger than Lake Victoria. Geological research indicate that Lake Victoria has dried up entirely a few occasions. More than 17,300 years have passed since then. Uganda produces hydroelectricity by running two big hydroelectric dams on Lake Victoria. The largest inland fishing sector in Africa is sustained by Lake Victoria. Lake Victoria was used to harvest a variety of fish species, including native ones like tilapia and haplochromine cichlids and exotic ones like marbled lungfish, Nile perch, silver butter catfish, and elephant fish.
The introduction of Nile Perch in the 1950s to expand the fishing business has resulted in significant issues due to the species’ severe invasiveness. 500 000 tonnes of Nile perch were fished annually from Lake Victoria at its height in the early 1990s, but overfishing has caused a major decrease in recent years.
The MV Bukoba ferry capsized in Lake Victoria in May of 1996. This ferry accident claimed the lives of at least one thousand persons, making it one of the deadliest maritime incidents in African history. Other names for Lake Victoria are Lake Nyanza, Nam Lolwe (Luo), and Nnalubaale (Luganda). Reverting to the original name of the Great Lake is becoming more and more popular across Africa.
The Lake Victoria Basin is home to about 30 million people. The globe is very concerned about the Great Lake since it is facing various serious environmental problems, including as water pollution, overfishing, degradation of the island forests, and an overabundance of water hyacinth.
Cities around Lake Victoria
Kisumu
In the Lake Victoria region, on the Kenyan side of the Great Lake, Kisumu is the biggest city by the lake and the third largest city in Kenya after Mombasa and Nairobi. The bustling markets that line the city’s streets are the reason for this lively lake port’s fame. The city still possesses a lot of its traditional cultural heritage as well as an Impala sanctuary because it hasn’t been heavily affected by commercial expansion.
Entebbe
Entebbe is situated near Lake Victoria’s northern shoreline in central Uganda. The bustling metropolis lies roughly 45 kilometres away from Kampala, Uganda’s largest and capital city. The majority of visitors arrive at Entebbe International Airport, board a private charter jet to their lodging in Lake Victoria, and then ride the boat to the island.
The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre and the Entebbe Botanical Garden are two well-liked activities to undertake when visiting Entebbe. From Entebbe, you can also take a day trip to the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary.
Musoma
Situated on the beaches of Lake Victoria, Musoma is a town in northern Tanzania, near the Kenyan border. It has a long history and serves as the Mara region’s administrative capital.
There are several historically significant German structures that were once government buildings. The Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere Museum has an exhibition of documents that chronicle Tanzania’s early history, the emergence of nationalism, and the struggle for independence.
If you’re staying in Musoma, you can reserve an overnight stay at an island lodge or take a boat journey to one of the neighbouring islands in Lake Victoria. The excursion to Matvilla Beach is the most well-liked activity in Musoma. It is well-known for its eye-catching granite boulders and lively eateries and pubs by the lake.
Mwanza
Tanzania’s main port on Lake Victoria is the city of Mwanza. The majority of the goods produced in the Great Lakes region flow via the industrial harbour, which serves as its economic centre. Harvests from cotton, coffee, and tea plantations are included in this. The Sukuma, Tanzania’s largest ethnic group, make up the majority of the city’s population in Mwanza. They are subsistence farmers and fishers, leading humble lifestyles.
If you wish to visit the relatively nearby Rubondo Islands National Park, Mwanza is a fantastic area to stay.
