Which African lake is the largest by surface area?

Lake Victoria is the largest African lake by surface area. Covering approximately 59,947 square kilometres, it stretches across Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya and forms one of the defining features of East Africa.

The lake is part of the African Great Lakes and occupies a relatively shallow depression rather than a deep rift valley. Its average depth is about 40 metres, while its maximum depth is roughly 81 metres. The White Nile flows out of the lake near Jinja in Uganda.

Lake Victoria is also the world’s largest tropical lake and the second-largest freshwater lake by surface area, after Lake Superior. Its broad waters support major fisheries, transport routes and dense communities along the shoreline.

A frequent mix-up involves Lake Tanganyika, which is deeper and holds more water by volume, but has a smaller surface area. Lake Malawi is also large, yet it does not surpass Lake Victoria in area.