Lake Victoria

1. Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest lake and world’s largest tropical lake, is a key source of the Nile river and supports millions of people through fisheries.
2. But recent algal blooms (due to pollution and nutrient overload) have turned its water green, signalling a severe ecological stress and an urgent need for pollution control, sustainable agriculture and ecosystem restoration.
3. Why Is the Green Colour Dangerous?
   1. The green colour indicates excessive growth of algae (eutrophication) and high nutrient levels from Agricultural runoff, Urban sewage and Industrial waste.
   2. This leads to oxygen depletion in water, fish deaths and water contamination (threat to drinking water supplies). If unchecked, the lake’s ecological balance could collapse.
4. About Lake Victoria:
   1. It is situated in East Africa and lies mainly across Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya.
   2. The Equator passes through the lake, making it a tropical freshwater body.
   3. After Lake Superior, it is the second-largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area.
   4. It has a maximum length (north to south) of 359 km and maximum width of 240 km.
   5. The lake fills a shallow depression located in a vast plateau region which lies between Western Rift Valley and Eastern Rift Valley.
   6. The main river flowing into the lake is the Kagera River.

FAQs

Q1. Why has Lake Victoria turned green? 

Due to algal blooms caused by nutrient overload from agriculture, sewage, and industrial waste.

Q2. Where is Lake Victoria located? 

It lies across Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya in East Africa, with the Equator passing through it.

Q3. How large is Lake Victoria? 

It is Africa’s largest lake, the world’s largest tropical lake, and second-largest freshwater lake by surface area after Lake Superior.

Q4. Which river flows into Lake Victoria? 

The Kagera River is the main inflow, while the lake itself is a key source of the Nile.