Which lake has the greatest surface area of any lake in Africa?

Lake Victoria has the greatest surface area of any lake in Africa, covering about 59,947 square kilometres.

The lake occupies a broad depression between Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya. It is Africa’s largest lake by area and the world’s second-largest freshwater lake by surface area, after Lake Superior.

Lake Victoria is relatively shallow compared with several other major African lakes. Its average depth is about 40 metres, while its deepest point is approximately 84 metres. This contrasts with Lake Tanganyika, which is much deeper but smaller in area.

The lake was named in 1858 by British explorer John Hanning Speke after Queen Victoria. Its large catchment supports major fisheries, transport routes, cities, and millions of residents, although pollution, invasive species, and changing water levels have created serious environmental pressures.