An astounding variety of deep lakes, including some well-known ones like Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika, and Lake Malawi, may be found on the African continent.
These lakes have an intriguing feature in that many of their boundaries are shared by several nations, demonstrating the interconnectedness of the area. The majority of the large lakes are located in the East African Rift Valley, an area renowned for its geological activity and breathtaking scenery, in the southern part of the continent.
Here are the top five deepest lakes in Africa as of 2023.
Lake Tanganyika (4,823 ft)
Africa is home to the intriguing and unique lake known as Lake Tanganyika. It is the second-deepest lake in the world behind Lake Baikal in Russia, reaching a maximum depth of 1,470 metres (4,823 feet), making it the deepest lake on the continent.
Not only is it deep, but it is also the longest lake in the world, at a maximum of 673 kilometres (418 miles) long and 72 kilometres (45 miles) wide. More than 350 different fish species can be found there, including the Tanganyika perch and the vibrant cichlid fish.
Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, and Burundi all share the Great Rift Valley’s Lake Tanganyika.
Lake Malawi (2,316 ft)
A spectacular African Great Lake that crosses three nations—Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania—Lake Malawi is also known as Lake Nyasa or Lago Niassa in Mozambique.
It is the second-deepest lake in Africa and one of the deepest lakes in the world, ranking sixth, with a remarkable depth of 706 metres (2,316 ft). Furthermore, at 29,600 square kilometres (11,400 square miles), Lake Malawi is the third-largest lake in Africa.
With more than 1,000 species identified, Lake Malawi is the lake with the greatest diversity of fish species in the world, accounting for about 15% of all freshwater fish species in the world. This diversity includes the lake’s distinctive, brightly coloured cichlid fish.
Lake Kivu (1,575 ft)
With a maximum depth of 480 metres (1,591 feet), Lake Kivu is the third-deepest lake in Africa. It is located on the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
48 km (30 mi) broad at its widest point, this lake measures roughly 89 km (55 mi) in length. Due to its unusual shape, it is difficult to determine its exact surface area; nonetheless, experts estimate that it has a surface area of over 2,700 km2 (1,040 sq mi), ranking it as Africa’s eighth-largest lake.
Additionally, this lake is one of the few in the world to have high concentrations of dissolved gases including carbon dioxide and methane.
Lake Edward (367 ft)
The smallest of the African Great Lakes and the 15th largest lake in the world, Lake Edward is situated on the boundary between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Lake Albert is the fourth-deepest lake in Africa with a maximum depth of 112 metres (367 ft). It is totally contained within either the Queen Elizabeth National Park or the Virunga National Park and is nourished by the Nyamugasani, Ishasha, Rwindi Rutshuru, Ntungwe, and Lubilia rivers. It is named after Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert.
The lake is a vital supply of fish for the nearby towns and is home to a variety of fish species, including tilapia and Nile perch.
Lake Turkana (358 ft)
The breathtakingly gorgeous Lake Turkana, commonly known as the Jade Sea or formerly as Lake Rudolf, is situated in the Kenyan Rift Valley. With a size of roughly 6,405 square kilometres (2,473 square miles), it is the world’s largest permanent desert lake.
The algae and mineral composition in the lake’s waters are what give it its distinctive greenish-blue colour. It is the fifth-deepest lake in Africa with a maximum depth of 109 metres (358 feet).
Conclusion
With a maximum depth of 1,470 metres (4,823 ft), Lake Tanganyika is the deepest lake in Africa. It’s followed by other deep lakes namely, lake Malawi, Lake Kivu, Lake Edward and lake Turkana. These are the 5 most deepest lakes in Africa.
