Ghana contains Lake Volta, one of the world’s largest artificial lakes by surface area.
The lake was created when the Akosombo Dam was built across the Volta River. Filling began in 1965, and the resulting reservoir covers a vast area across southeastern Ghana. It supports fishing, transportation, irrigation, and electricity generation.
Lake Volta is sometimes confused with a natural lake because of its enormous size and branching shape. It is a reservoir, however, formed by a major engineering project. The Akosombo Hydroelectric Power Station remains an important part of Ghana’s energy system.
The lake stretches inland from the Gulf of Guinea region and is connected to Ghana’s wider Volta river system. Its creation also led to the relocation of many communities, making it an important subject in Ghana’s modern environmental and social history.