Lake Victoria
lies between Mara, Mwanza and West
Lake, Tanzania; North Buganda, South
Buganda and Busoga, Uganda; and Nyanza
and Western, Kenya
Lake Victoria, the largest of all
African Lakes, is also the second
widest freshwater body in the world.
Its extensive surface belongs to the
three countries; the northern half
to Uganda, the southern half to Tanzania,
and part of the northeastern sector
to Kenya. The lake occupies a wide
depression near the equator, between
the East and West Great Rift Valleys,
but its drainage basin is relatively
small, being slightly less than three
times the lake's surface in area.
The lake water is drained at a rate
of about 600 m3 sec-1, at Jinja on
the northern shore, into the Victoria
Nile which flows northward via Lake
Albert and the White Nile forming
the uppermost reaches of the Nile
River.
The lake shore is highly indented,
and there are many isles in the lake,
some of which, especially the Sesse
Group, are known for their beautiful
landscape, health resorts and sightseeing
places.
Abundant prehistoric remains found
around the lake indicate the early
development of agriculture. There
are a number of coastal towns such
as Kisumu (Kenya), Entebe (Uganda),
Bukoba, Muwanza and Musoma (Tanzania),
connected with each other by ship
routes and also to the cities of the
Indian Ocean coast by railways. The
dam constructed in 1954 at Owen Falls
on the Victoria Nile supplies electricity
and water for various uses in Uganda
and Kenya.
Main geographical features includes:
Main islands: Ukerewe, Sesse, Ukara,
Kome, Lolui and Mfanganu and number
of outflowing rivers and channels
i.e. Victoria Nile etc.
|