Where is lake victoria on the map. African lake victoria. Video about Lake Victoria in Africa

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

The lake is named after Queen Victoria by the English traveler and African explorer 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 of 80 m, makes Victoria one of the deepest lakes in the world. After the construction of the Owen Falls Dam on the Victoria Nile in 1954, the lake was turned into a reservoir, as a result of which the water level in it rose by 3 m.

The Kenyan part of the lake (Kisumu) occupies 3,785 sq. km and at the same time is a water border with Tanzania and Uganda, while visiting these neighboring countries is 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 are the famous nature reserves and National Parks, as well as very attractive tourist depths of Africa.

The many islands scattered around the lake have become a haven for numerous birds. The high-water Kagera River flows into the lake, and the Victoria-Nile River flows out. Victoria fills a shallow depression between the east and west sides of the Gorge, receiving vast amounts of rainwater - more than any of its tributaries.

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

A huge number of crocodiles are found in the waters of the lake. Victoria is home to the fossil lang fish that 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 there are severe storms, sinking 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 rely on luxurious five-star accommodation, but rather be prepared for minimalism 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 sq. km is a national park, and the most rarely visited in the whole of Arfica.

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

The surroundings of the lake are also ideal locations for bird watching safaris. Guests are also attracted here by the legend among local residents about a mysterious animal that they have noticed more than once in Lake Victoria. A large freshwater creature, which they call lukwata, chased fishermen's boats, trying to turn them over. It is said that one European who crossed the lake by boat even managed to see the huge head of this creature.

Over the past 25 years, Lake Victoria cichlids have become the focus of evolutionary biologists. It turned out that it is 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 have formed along the fault, the so-called Great Freshwater Lakes of East Africa - Tanganyika, Malawi and Victoria - are illustrations of the evolutionary process of the animal kingdom in action. In the waters of these lakes, separated from other bodies of water by large expanses of arid, 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, about 750,000 years old. It changed, from time to time overflowing and flooding neighboring water bodies, replenishing them with new species of fish, and then drying up, which again led to isolation.

Our planet is amazingly picturesque and diverse. She conquers travelers with wonderful reservoirs, powerful rocks, spacious plains. On the territory of Africa, USA there is a wonderful lake - Victoria. If we consider the first area, then it occupies three large stretches of land: Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. It covers each of the regions and in total is 68 thousand square kilometers. Its width is 275 km, and its depth is no more than 80 meters. The lake was first found and explored in 1858 by the traveler Speke. He decided to name his find himself and notify the authorities about it. As you know, the lake became known as Victoria (in honor of the Queen of England). It is considered alpine, as it is located in a tectonic trough, and is also located at an altitude of 1134 m above sea level.

Interesting information

Lake Victoria has long been considered a sea. All this is due to the enormous size and depth of the waters. It ranks third in size among freshwater lakes and has the shape of a giant irregular oval. The length is 350 km, and the width is on average 200 km. Sometimes there are swampy areas, less often - crystal clear. There are rocks around the perimeter, which abruptly break off and create the impression of a giant shield. Lake Victoria is full of headlands, coves and peninsulas. They perfectly connect, flow into each other and create indescribable landscapes. Vessels that cross the lake usually hide in bays during storms and bad weather. The climate here is very peculiar, it has been forming over the years. One day it can be exhaustingly hot, and the next it can be humid and cold. Gusts of wind always shake the waters, even huge rocks and capes are not able to protect from this. By the way, the lake was recognized as one of the most dangerous in the world.

Lake in the USA

Lake Victoria (USA) is located east of Michigan. It was discovered by the French and is replete with islands. Its area is 59,600 square kilometers and the depth is 229 meters. According to legend, many ships sank and are kept in the lake. It is great for snorkeling, diving and attracts thousands of tourists every year. In a freshwater reservoir among all the islands, Manitoulin is considered the main and largest.

It should be noted that Lake Victoria (Africa) has nothing to do with the American one. Its area is 68 thousand square kilometers, its depth is 80 meters. It is navigable, has a wide variety of fish, and its coast crosses the equator. The only similarity to the US lake is the presence of various islands. It flows into the Kager River and fills the depression between the sides of the eastern and western valley of the Great Gorge. Due to partial rains, the water is constantly replenished and enriched with essential trace elements. The lake is home to crocodiles and lang fish (a rare species that lived about 300 years ago). She is able to breathe and retain air in the gills, as in the lungs. Such inhabitants of the waters are considered very rare and at the same time the pride of local residents. Lake Victoria in Africa is the second largest in the world in comparison with other freshwater lakes.

Every person visiting Kenya should by no means miss the opportunity to experience the unique and exciting sights of this African country. And those who want to make their vacation in Kenya unforgettable - in the good sense of the word, must 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 also depicted Lake Victoria on the ancient map of Idrisi, even then it was considered the source of the Nile.

Geographic coordinates of the lake on the map: 1 ° 04? 00? NS. latitude 32 ° 52? 00? v. longitude.

This is where Lake Victoria is located on the world map:

Sorry, the card is temporarily unavailable Sorry, the card is temporarily unavailable

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

Lenght: 320 km. Width: 275 km Area: 68,000 km. sq. The depth of the lake can be 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 also the largest lake in Africa. It is considered the most important of all the sources of the Nile. The lake got its name after the English Queen Victoria (as, by the way, and Victoria Falls). 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 landmark in Kenya is unique in many ways. Firstly, here you can spend a full and interesting vacation. First of all, tourists who dream of outdoor recreation will feel like they are in paradise. Here guests can get acquainted with the most diverse flora and fauna of this region. The state border with Tanzania and Uganda runs right along the water surface of the lake. There are many islands on the lake that can be reached by boat or boat. Probably the most beautiful of all the islands are the islands of Mfangano and Rubondo. It is considered to be especially attractive and gives a special charm to Kenya holidays. And the possibilities of playing sports, on and in the lake itself, complete the overall picture. Fishing lovers cannot help but fall in love with these places - it is simply impossible.

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

Photo: These are the cows found near Lake Victoria in Africa. © Antony Kaminju

But the sights of Kenya in this part of it are not limited to the lake itself. The territories adjacent to the lake (see African savannah) are in themselves worthy of a close acquaintance with them. The people living here are incredibly hospitable and benevolent, showing their openness even to complete strangers. On the shores of the lake, here and there 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 mainly using water transport.

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

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

Lake Victoria is often called the sea.
Indeed, the size of Victoria exceeds the area of ​​even such rather large bodies of water on our planet as the Aral and Azov seas.
In addition, it is rightfully considered the third largest freshwater lake in the world. In terms of its area, it is second only to the Caspian Sea and the Upper Lake, which is part of the American Great Lakes group. However, it is not only the size that makes Lake Victoria one of the inland seas. The shipping conditions and balance of waters in Victoria are most characteristic of the sea.
Yet Victoria is one of the largest lakes in the world. It is filled with fresh water, while sea water contains a large amount of dissolved salts. Only this circumstance turned out to be decisive when scientists were struggling with the question of which group of reservoirs to rank Victoria: whether it is a lake, or whether it is an inland sea. The question was resolved in favor of the former.
Along the outlines of the shores, the lake resembles a giant irregular oval. Its length from southwest to northeast reaches 350 km, width - 200 km. Basically, its shores are low and swampy, with the exception of the southwestern ones. They are based on an elevated plateau. Abruptly abrupt high cliffs meet here with lake water. One gets the impression that they, like a giant stone shield, cover the coast from the onset of the water element. There are especially many bays, bays, capes and peninsulas here. They are the main elements that make up the coastal landscape. In times of terrible storms and hurricanes, bays and bays become the only refuge for ships crossing the lake. There are many islands, both large and small. The largest of them are Ukereve, Sese, Mansome, Ruvondo and Kome. Archaeologists and geographers have found evidence that Lake Victoria occupied a much larger area several million years ago. Scientists were able to calculate the age of this reservoir. It turns out that the lake bowl was formed in the Tertiary period, and by the onset of the humid Quaternary period, the lake had increased significantly. At that time, it occupied the territory of the modern state of Uganda. Moreover, its eastern shores bordered the coastline of Lake Rudolf.
All types of winds that form over the African continent dominate the surface of the lake. This is an open lake, raised by volcanic and tectonic processes to a fairly high altitude. In addition, its low shores do not pose a serious obstacle to the winds. Even mountain slopes and passes are not able to protect the lake from strong gusts of wind. The movement of air masses is the cause of storms and hurricanes. Due to frequent storms and tornadoes that arise above the surface of the water, the lake is now recognized as one of the most dangerous (in terms of navigation) bodies of water on earth.
Over the course of several million years, a special climate has developed on the shores of Lake Victoria. The sweltering heat here is combined with high levels of air humidity, and prolonged tropical downpours are often replaced by long periods of drought. Travelers who come here usually complain about countless poisonous insects. Quite frequent in these parts are various diseases, which are carried by the same insects.
On the Victoria Coast, there is no division of the year into spring and summer. There is no snow or frost here. The average air temperature rarely drops below + 25 ° C. At the same time, the average annual water temperature is at least + 22 ° C. The change of seasons of the year is determined by the amount of precipitation. So, in the winter season there is a minimum number of them. It often does not rain at all for several months. But with the arrival of summer, water columns literally fall from the skies onto the coast. At the same time, tropical showers, flooding everything around, can continue for several days. April and May are considered especially rich in water. In just these two months, the water level in the lake increases by 400–600 mm. Wet monsoon winds are also a source of power for the lake. They bring up to 1500–2000 mm of precipitation annually.
With a hot climate and strong winds on the Victoria Coast, much of the rainfall evaporates. Scientists were able to calculate the amount of moisture returning to the sky. It turns out that up to 93 km³ of water evaporates from the surface of the lake every year. This value is somewhat higher than the volume of water that the Nile carries out into the sea during the year, and is only slightly less than two annual water flows on the Dnieper. However, despite such a large amount of evaporating water, Victoria is never shallow. This phenomenon is explained by the special nature of the water cycle that occurs over the surface of Victoria and the coastal area adjacent to the lake.
Experts have determined that up to 98 km³ of precipitation falls within the lake's surface. The winds forming over Victoria pick up water vapor, which is concentrated in the air currents. Part of the moisture is carried by winds to other regions of Africa, and the rest returns to the lake, falling out in the form of precipitation.
But precipitation is not the only source of power for the lake. A large amount of water is brought to Victoria by its tributaries. According to scientists, the total volume of water brought by rivers is 16 km³. Thus, together with atmospheric precipitation, the lake receives up to 114 km³ of moisture. At the same time, as already mentioned above, 93 km³ of water evaporates from the surface of Victoria. The remaining 21 km³ of moisture enters the Victoria Nile River, and then goes to the Mediterranean Sea, on the way being fed by the tributaries of the Nile.
The annual fluctuations in water levels in Victoria are not significant. The average indicators of such fluctuations are only from 20 to 40 cm. However, the most significant for the water balance of Victoria are the changes in the water level observed over several centuries. Such secular fluctuations often reach 2–3 m. In addition, quite serious water level rises periodically occur on Lake Victoria. The largest of these events was noted at the end of the 19th century, as well as in the period from 1961 to 1964.
The flora and fauna of the Victoria coast is typical of the African continent. Plants such as papyrus, reeds and reeds have become a worthy decoration of the Victoria coast, and banana palms, which grow in abundance on the Victoria coast, have long become a kind of symbol of the African continent. Locals in some areas grow cotton and coffee on separate plots.
The numerous bays of the lake and the estuaries of nearby rivers are home to hippos and crocodiles. Locals call them "mamba". They are huge and strong animals. The body length of individual individuals is often 5–6 m. For a long time, fishing has been developed on Lake Victoria. For many fishing tourists, the African reservoir seems to be a real fish paradise. According to scientists, up to 100 different species of fish live in the lake. Moreover, most of them are not found anywhere else, except in the waters of the lake. The species composition of birds living on the coast is no less diverse. Often, the coast of Victoria is painted in a variety of colors of the rainbow - these are millions of birds gathered in huge flocks. Here you can meet flamingos, crowned crane, various species of herons and other birds.
Like many other areas of our planet, the ecosystem of the coast of Lake Victoria by the middle of the 20th century was also on the verge of destruction. The number of rare and endangered species of plants, animals and birds has increased. By now, even such an animal as a rhinoceros has become quite rare on the coast of the lake. In large quantities, it is exterminated by local hunters, hoping to get money for rhino horns, which are used in the manufacture of medicines.
Over the past decades, the number of leopards on the coast of Victoria has declined sharply. Compared to the beginning of the 20th century, now it is rare to find giraffes, elephants, lions and hippos here.
The largest port city of Tanzania, located on the Victoria coast, is Mwanza. It is connected to the main industrial regions of the country by several railways and highways. Various goods are sent from Tanzania to other African states located on the shores of Lake Victoria. Mainly traded are locally produced products: sisal, sorghum, meat and wool. It must be said that not far from the port are the main deposits of gold and diamonds in East Africa. The export of precious metals and stones is the main source of income for the country's budget. In addition, Mwanza is considered the main transshipment point for the transfer of products and goods entering Tanzania by sea (the country is washed by the Indian Ocean).
The largest port on the northern coast of Victoria, in the state of Uganda, is the city of Entebbe. The products and goods delivered to the port are then loaded onto cars, which transport them to the capital of the state, Kampala.
The largest port in Kenya is Kissima. By rail, a wide variety of goods brought into the country from the industrial hinterland are transported across the lake to the ocean port of Mombasu.
Lake Victoria is of great importance to the three African countries, not only as a center for fishing, shipping and trade. Lake water is the main supplier of hydro resources and relatively cheap electricity. Victoria's power is used to irrigate fields as well as turbines at a power plant called Owen Falls. The power plant supplies electricity to all areas of Uganda, as well as to many parts of Kenya.
The erection of a dam on the lake caused a slight rise in the water level. However, modern scientists have been able to find ways to regulate the flow of lake waters.

Owen Falls Dam.

Owen Falls Dam is not designed as a multipurpose facility. The waterworks were built to provide electricity to Uganda. The total capacity of the Owen Falls HPP is 300 thousand kW.
Lake area Victoria without islands - 76 thousand sq. km. The average annual amplitude of level fluctuations is 30 cm, the maximum long-term up to 1961 is 1.65 m.In 1962 it exceeded this previous maximum by 54 cm, in 1963 - by 106 m and in 1964 - by 141 cm and reached 3.06 m.
Average annual balance of the lake: precipitation -84.4 cubic meters. km, inflow -12.7 cubic meters. km, which is 97.1 cubic meters. km, the expenditure part of the balance: runoff - 20.4 cubic meters. km, evaporation - 76.7 cubic meters. km. It is difficult to say to what extent Lake Victoria was able to regulate the flow of the Nile in Sudan and Egypt, since half of the water coming from the Great Lakes region evaporates in the Sudd swamp region of Sudan. To reduce losses due to evaporation, it is undoubtedly necessary to build a canal and carry out other hydraulic engineering and reclamation measures in the area.
It was assumed that the construction of the hydroelectric power plant would cause spontaneous industrial development, but energy consumption was lower than expected. This is due, in particular, to the fact that the transmission of electricity over long distances is limited by climatic conditions (the area is prone to frequent thunderstorms, high relative humidity, etc.).
Despite the fact that the Owen Falls reservoir is the largest in volume in the world, it caused relatively minor changes in the nature and economy of the surrounding territories, since the lake shores were not intensively built up and populated, and the level exceeded in relation to the maximum long-term up to 1961 only 1.4 m. Only the ports had to be refurbished. Fishing, which has always been the main occupation of the coastal population, continues to develop intensively, and fish catches significantly supplement the lack of protein in the diet of the local population.

Until the middle of the 19th century. Lake Victoria remained inaccessible to Europeans.

The search for the source of the Nile brought results in 1858, but it was not until 1859 that John Henning Speke announced that he had discovered the largest lake and source of the White Nile in East Africa.
To confirm his discovery, he had to return again to the shores of the lake, to which he gave the name of the Queen of Britain - Victoria.
On July 30, 1858, the Englishman John Henning Speke (1827-1864) was the first of the Europeans to find himself on the shores of a huge lake in East Africa. The Arabs called this lake Ukereve, and the locals called it Nyanza. Speke found it possible to map the lake under the name Victoria-Nyanza.
The explorer of Africa himself came from a wealthy family and went on dangerous journeys across the Black Continent, apparently by vocation.
In India, where Speke served as an officer in the British colonial army, he met the traveler Richard Francis Burton (1821-1890). Together they explored Somalia (1854-1855 and 1856-1859) and discovered Lake Tanganyika in 1858. After that, Burton, due to an attack of malaria, had to stay in the city of Tabor (now - Tanzania), and Speke made a trip to the lake on his own, about which he had already heard a lot from local residents. Speke suggested that the lake he discovered was the source of the White Nile, since he already knew from the local population that a large river flows from this lake in the north, along which large ships once sailed.
Speke knew that the ruler of Egypt, Muhammad Ali Pasha (1769-1849), undertook three expeditions to the upper Nile to control mining in Sudan and the slave trade. The reason for the impossibility of large ships entering Lake Speke was the rapids in the upper reaches of the Nile.
However, Burton, who believed that Tanganyika was the source of the Nile, did not agree with Speke. But Burton had to stay again due to illness, now in Aden, and Speke in 1859 in London reported on his discovery. The Royal Geographical Society sent a new expedition to check the reliability of the discovery and link it to previous research. This time, along with Speke in 1860, the Scotsman James Augustus Grant (1827-1892) set off.
This time, the researchers discovered the main tributary of the lake - the Kagera River. July 21, 1862 Speke went to the source of the Nile. He sent a telegram to London: "Neal is all right."
But Burton and another prominent African explorer, David Livingston, questioned Speke's findings. Speke's two books in the years that followed did not resolve these doubts. Although the description of the route, ethnographic materials, herbaria, maps, climate observations and other materials from Speke's expeditions, as well as the published book by Grant, seemed to have convinced anyone. But then the opinion that rivers begin in the mountains and cannot flow out of the lake seemed undeniable. In addition, measurements of the depth of the lake, made in different parts of it, gave unequal results.
In 1864, shortly before a public dispute with Burton, who was eager to prove that the lake consists of two isolated bodies of water, Speke was killed while hunting from a careless shot. Burton became convinced of the correctness of his opponent after his death. But with Neal, it really turned out to be all right.

Lake Victoria is unique in its beauty, flora and fauna.

It is the dependence of the lake level on rains that largely determined its shallowing in recent years. Scientists explain the decrease in precipitation not only by the general warming of the climate, but also by active deforestation in Africa, including in the vicinity of the lake.
There is no reason to hope that this process will stop. For example, a report by the Swiss research institute Biovision, published in 2010, says that African countries need to triple agricultural production by 2050, since the continent's population continues to grow and in 40 years may reach two billion people. This means that deforestation for agricultural land will continue.
It will not be possible to improve the food situation in the area of ​​Lake Victoria at the expense of fishing - the same report provides data that over the past 10 years on the lake, fishing has decreased in some areas by 10 times. Back in 2008, the Ugandan government announced that it would be forced to stop deliveries abroad of one of the main export fishing objects of the republic - the Nile perch. Poaching was said to be the reason for the decrease in the catch. However, environmental pollution of the lake also led to a decrease in fish stocks in it.
Environmentalists already predict the death of all life in the lake in the next 50 years due to clogging sediment at the bottom and general environmental pollution. Chemical fertilizers, sewage sewage, industrial waste disposal have already created a serious threat to all living things in the waters of the lake and on its shores. Another threat to Lake Victoria is the so-called water hyacinth, or eichornia. It was once brought from Asia by Europeans, who decorated artificial ponds and reservoirs with this truly beautiful aquatic plant. But today, this delicate purple flower has taken over the entire lake - its thickets are destroying fish, obstructing navigation and blocking the entrance to the harbor, as well as clogging the filters and pipes of the power plant at Owen Falls. The waters belonging to Uganda are already 80% blocked by the water hyacinth. They are trying to fight dangerous beauty with the help of pesticides.
Another attack is the so-called killer algae, which, when multiplying, release toxins that kill fish and are dangerous to humans. An outbreak of reproduction of such algae in 2009 in the area of ​​the city of Entebbe has already led to a massive death of fish and a lack of drinking water. The reason for this phenomenon could be the accumulation of organic debris.
Conservationists are calling to declare Lake Victoria the property of the entire planet and save it by international conservation organizations under the auspices of the United Nations.

Lake Victoria - general information:

Lake area: 68 870 km².
Lake length: 320 km.
Lake width: 275 km.
Volume: 2,760 km³.
Coastline length: over 7000 km.
Maximum depth: 80 m.
Average depth: 40 m.
Height n. at. m: 1,134 m.

Equatorial monsoon, two rainy seasons
the average temperature in January is about + 22 ° С, in July - about + 20 ° С.
Average annual precipitation is 1500-1600 mm.

Lake Victoria is located in eastern central Africa along the equator. Three countries have access to it: Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. hit the road with a travel agency in Samara "Hot Vouchers" and get to know this and other, no less interesting places in Africa.

This picturesque lake was discovered by Arab traders and their map dates back to around 1160 AD. But its name is quite European. The fact is that his first serious research was carried out by the Briton John Henning Speke, who named the lake in honor of Queen Victoria, who ruled in England at that time.

John Henning Speke, who arrived at the lake in 1858, claimed that it was the source of the Nile River. This opinion caused a lot of debate in the scientific community before it was accepted.

Here are some interesting facts about Lake Victoria in Africa:

• It is the largest lake in Africa, with a surface area of ​​68,800 square kilometers.
• Victoria is the largest tropical lake in the world.
• It is the second largest freshwater lake in the world, second only in surface area to Lake Superior in North America.
• Lake Victoria is about 400 thousand years old.
• The average depth is 40 meters and the deepest point is 84 meters.
• Roughly 80 percent of Victoria's water comes from rainfall. The remaining 20 percent comes from small rivers flowing into the lake.
• Geological studies have shown that the lake has completely dried up somewhat. The last time it was about 17300 years ago.

The largest river flowing into the lake is the Kagera. Two rivers flow out of the lake: White Nile and Katonga.

Ecological situation on the lake

Lake Victoria, the legendary source of the Nile and the cradle of early human evolution, is losing its inhabitants. The scientist fears that if measures are not taken in the near future, all life in the lake may disappear.

Factors that have a negative impact on the ecological health of the lake:

• Wastewater pollution combined with fertilizers and chemicals from farms.
• Water hyacinth. This plant was introduced to Africa at the end of the 20th century as an ornamental plant. It began to multiply rapidly and covered large areas of the lake. Dense vegetation blocks the sunlight needed for underwater life.
• Fishing on an industrial basis. The demand for fish is growing rapidly along with the population of Africa. This has driven fish populations down to dangerously low levels.

Lake Victoria has experienced the largest mass extinction of vertebrates in our time. Thirty years ago it boasted about 500 species of fish. More than half of them have already disappeared.