Africa is a continent of many lakes but as it happens, each of the large water bodies has distinct, if not strange characters separating it from the rest.
Tanganyika: The Deepest
For instance, Lake Tanganyika, shared between Tanzania, Burundi Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo is the deepest lake by average depth with its deepness reaching 570 meters below water surface.
Tanganyika is also the deepest Lake by maximum depth with its abyss engraved deep down to 1.5 kilometers.
On the other hand, Lake Tanganyika is also the longest on the continent stretching to 670 square kilometers.
Victoria-Nyanza: The largest
Lake Victoria, touching shores in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania happens to be the largest by surface area encompassing nearly 69,000 square kilometers, containing 18,750 cubic kilometers of water.
Nyasa-Malawi: The Clearest
Striding between Tanzania and Malawi, Lake Nyasa is the clearest on the continent. The visibility of Nyasa (also known as Malawi) is up to 30 meters depth in most parts of the Lake.
Lake Malawi also features a variety of endemic and most beautiful fish species.
Turkana: The Saltiest
The largest saline lake by surface area happens to be Lake Turkana located between Northern Kenya and Southern parts of Ethiopia with a surface area of 6,405 Square Kilometers. It has the saltiest waters in Africa with a salinity percentage of 43.
Assal: Lowest in Africa
Located in Djibouti the lowest lake by altitude mapped on the lowest point in Africa is Lake Assal with an elevation of 155 meters “Below Sea Level!”
Retba: the colored western one
Lake Retba in Snegal is the western most lake on the continent. Also known as Lac Rose, Retba lies north of the Cap Vert peninsula in Senegal, some 35 kilometers north-east of the capital, Dakar, in Northwest Africa.
Retba is named for its pink waters caused by Dunaliella salina algae. The Lake is also the second saltiest on the continent with salinity reaching 40 percent in some areas.
Kariba: Largest water reservoir made by humans
The largest man-made lake by volume is actually the ‘Kariba Dam’ which is described to be more of a lake, with water content of 180 Cubic Kilometers.
Volta: Biggest thing mad ever dug
Meanwhile the largest man-made lake by surface area is the Volta Dam covering 8,502 square kilometers.
Nyos: And death became the lake
Lake Nyos of Cameroon, with its infamous Limnic eruptions is the most dangerous lake having killed over 10000 people and livestock in 1986.
Tchad: Killed by Global Warming
Lake Tchad is the biggest victim of global warming and climate change. Tchad was once the largest Lake on the African continent and the sixth largest in the world but due to global warming it has been reduced to almost a trickle.
Kupe Mouanenguba: Twin Lovers
Twin Lake Kupe Mouanenguba are the closest lakes in the world sometimes referred to as the male and female lakes happen to be a pair of crater lakes on Mount Manenguba in Cameroon.