Which lake is the deepest point on the African continent?

Lake Tanganyika contains the deepest point on the African continent, reaching about 1,470 meters. The long, narrow lake lies in the Great Rift Valley and is shared by Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, and Zambia.

Tanganyika is one of the world’s oldest lakes, with an estimated age of around 9 to 12 million years. Its great age and isolation have produced exceptional biodiversity, especially among its hundreds of cichlid fish species. The lake is also the world’s second-deepest lake after Lake Baikal.

Lake Victoria is Africa’s largest lake by surface area, which makes it a common mix-up. Lake Malawi is also deep and biologically rich, but it does not reach Tanganyika’s maximum depth. Tanganyika drains westward through the Lukuga River into the Congo River system.