Lake Albert (Africa)
Lake Albert | |
---|---|
DR Congo and Uganda | |
Max. length | 160 km (99 mi) |
Max. width | 30 km (19 mi) |
Surface area | 5,590 km2 (2,160 sq mi)[1] |
Average depth | 25 m (82 ft) |
Max. depth | 51 m (167 ft) |
Water volume | 133 km3 (32 cu mi)[2] |
Shore length1 | 782 km (486 mi) |
Surface elevation | 619 m (2,031 ft) |
Settlements | Ntoroko, Kaiso, Butiaba, Wanseko, Panymur, Mahagi Port and Kasenyi Port |
References | [2] |
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. |
Lake Albert, originally known as Lake Mwitanzige and temporarily Lake Mobutu Sese Seko, is a lake located in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is Africa's seventh-largest lake, as well as the second biggest of Uganda's Great Lakes.
Geography
Lake Albert is located on the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is the northernmost of the chain of lakes in the Albertine Rift, the western branch of the East African Rift.
It is about 160 kilometres (99 mi) long and 30 kilometres (19 mi) wide, with a maximum depth of 51 metres (167 ft), and a surface elevation of 619 metres (2,031 ft) above sea level.
Lake Albert is part of the complicated system of the upper
At the southern end of the lake, where the Semliki comes in, there are swamps. The Rwenzori Mountains are to the south of the lake and to the northwest, the Blue Mountains. The few settlements along the shore include Butiaba and Pakwach.
Water characteristics
Unlike the very deep Lake Malawi, Lake Tanganyika and Lake Kivu, Lake Albert's water temperature is relatively stable throughout, typically around 27–29 °C (81–84 °F), and even its deeper sections contain oxygen.[3]
The water has a
Animals
Lake Albert is home to many aquatic and semi-aquatic animals, including the
Fish and fishing
There are 55 fish species in Lake Albert.[6] After Nile crocodiles and larger carnivorous birds, the largest predator in the lake is the Nile perch (native; unlike in other Rift Valley lakes where it’s introduced & invasive), as well as the fearsome-looking elongate tigerfish, African tigerfish, and the electric catfish.
Additionally, there are a number of air-breathing
Lake Albert has fewer
History
Lake Albert is still known as Mwitanzige by the
In 1864, the explorers
European colonialists operated shipping on the lake. The British planned shipping on Lake Albert as part of a network of railway, river steamer and lake steamer services linking British interests in Egypt, east Africa and southern Africa. The
Heritage Oil and Tullow Oil have announced major oil finds in the Lake Albert basin, with estimates that the multi-billion barrel field will prove to be the largest onshore field found in sub-Saharan Africa for more than twenty years.[14]
In March 2014, a boat carrying Congolese refugees capsized in Lake Albert, killing more than 250 people.[15]
On 26 December 2016, a boat carrying 45 members and fans of a local village football team capsized in Lake Albert killing at least 30 people.[16]
On 24 December 2020, thirty people died when a boat capsized in en route from Uganda to Congo. The passengers were concerned about travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa.[17]
The Kibiro settlement on Lake Albert has cultural and archeological significance.[18]
Gallery
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Sir Samuel exploring the lake
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Rivers and lakes of Uganda
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Ferry
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Channel
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Giraffe by the lake
See also
References
- ^ "Major Lakes". Retrieved 9 Oct 2023.
- ^ a b "The Nile". Archived from the original on October 6, 2007.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4020-9725-6.
- ISBN 978-1-4020-9725-6.
- ^ "Ramsar Sites". ugandawildlife.org. Archived from the original on 31 July 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
- ^ S2CID 84735862.
- ^ "The Lake Albert light fishery". National Fisheries Resources Research Institute (Uganda). 2009. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4020-9725-6.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4020-9725-6.
- required.)
- ^ Jitze Couperus (2009-04-06). "Jitze Couperus". Biog: The World Biography Project. Archived from the original on 2011-09-10. Retrieved 2011-05-18.
- ^ a b c d "Behold, a Dream Unfulfilled". Ugandan Insomniac; Want to sleep, can't sleep. 2009-03-25. Retrieved 2011-05-18.
- ^ a b "darbykj's photostream". Flickr. 2007-12-09. Retrieved 2011-05-18 – via Yahoo!.
- ^ "Oil & Gas | National Environment Management Authority". www.nema.go.ug. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
- ^ "Uganda Lake Albert boat disaster 'killed 251 refugees'". BBC News. March 27, 2014. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
- ^ "At least 30 drown in Uganda Christmas drama on Lake Albert". MSN. Archived from the original on 2016-12-27.
- ^ Kamale, Jean-Yves (December 24, 2020). "Boat capsizes between Uganda and Congo, killing more than 30". Associated Press. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
- S2CID 128430380– via Springer Link.
External links
Category: Lake Albert (Africa)
- Cana, Frank Richardson; Garstin, William Edmund (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 1 (11th ed.). pp. 503–504. .
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Archived 2008-03-14 at the Wayback Machine
- World Lakes Database entry for Lake Albert Archived 2019-12-04 at the Wayback Machine
- "East African Railways and Harbours, Marine Services": photos of East African lake ferries including SS Robert Coryndon