GRADE 5
Name:
Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria is Africa’s largest lake and has a surface area of 68,800 square kilometres.
In addition, it is the largest tropical lake in the world. Lake Victoria is the world’s
second largest freshwater lake; only Lake Superior in North America is larger. In
terms of its volume, Lake Victoria is the world’s ninth largest continental lake,
and it contains about 2,750 cubic kilometers of water. The lake was named after
Queen Victoria by the explorer John Hanning Speke, who was the first European to
discover it.
The lake receives most its water from precipitation and the largest stream flowing
into the lake is the Kagera River. The only river to leave the lake is the white Nile
(Victoria Nile) which leaves at Jinja, Uganda, on the lake’s northern shore.
© e-classroom 2015 www.e-classroom.co.za
Grade 5 Term 1: Social Science: Geography; Africa our continent
Africa’s three largest lakes
GRADE 5
Lake Tanganyika
Lake Tanganyika was discovered in the mid 1800s by the English explorers Richard
Burton and John Speke. They pursued it as the source of the Nile, arriving at its
shores in February of 1858, only to discover that the Ruzizi river flowed into it. It is
the longest fresh water lake in the world and the second deepest after lake Baikal
in Russia. The lake is divided among Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo,
Burundi and Zambia.
Lake Malawi
Lake Malawi was “discovered” by the missionary-explorer Dr David Livingstone,
who called it “Lake Nyasa”. It is the southernmost lake in the East African Rift system
and is located between Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. It is the ninth largest
lake in the world and the third largest and second deepest lake in Africa. It is totally
landlocked but because of its rich fish harvest, the Lake plays an important part
in the country’s economy. Fishing villages are scattered along the shore and the
traditional industry and practices are an attraction to visitors.
Activity:
Research the following information about Africa’s three
largest lakes mentioned in the text and tabulate your
answers in a clear and concise table:
The primary inflows and outflows of each lake; the maximum length and width;
average depth, water volume and surface area, lake type and basin countries.
Lake Name
Length
Width
Surface Area
Lake Type
Depth
Water Volume
Lake Victoria
Lake
Tanganyika
Lake Malawi
Lake Name
Basin Countries
Lake Victoria
Lake
Tanganyika
Lake Malawi
© e-classroom 2015 www.e-classroom.co.za
Grade 5 Term 1: Social Science: Geography; Africa our continent
Africa’s three largest lakes