Which Ethiopian lake is the source of the Blue Nile?

Which Ethiopian lake is the source of the Blue Nile? The answer is Lake Tana.

Lake Tana is Ethiopia’s largest lake, in the northwestern Ethiopian Highlands. Its principal outflow is the Blue Nile, which leaves the lake near Bahir Dar before continuing toward the Blue Nile Falls and Sudan. The lake is fed by rivers including the Gilgel Abay, Gumara, Rib and Megech.

Lake Tana is more than a geographic landmark. Volcanic activity helped form it about 5 million years ago, and its islands preserve historic Ethiopian Orthodox churches and monasteries. Seasonal rainfall can change its surface area and raise its water level by roughly 2 to 2.5 metres.

A common mix-up is with the White Nile or Lake Victoria, which are associated with the Nile’s other major branch. Lake Tana is specifically linked to the Blue Nile, one of the two great tributaries that join at Khartoum.