Which lake is the largest permanent desert lake in the world?

Lake Turkana is the largest permanent desert lake in the world.

This saline, alkaline lake lies mainly in northern Kenya, with its northern end extending into Ethiopia. It covers roughly 6,400 square kilometres and is often called the “Jade Sea” because of its striking green-blue colour. “Permanent” distinguishes it from desert lakes that disappear seasonally or after unusually dry years.

Lake Turkana has no outlet to the sea. Water arrives chiefly through Ethiopia’s Omo River, along with the Turkwel and Kerio rivers, and is lost mainly through evaporation. The hot, arid climate concentrates salts and helps make the lake slightly brackish and unsuitable as a dependable drinking-water source.

The lake is also important scientifically. Its volcanic Rift Valley setting preserves rich fossil beds and evidence central to the study of human evolution. Its ecosystem includes Nile crocodiles, fish, waterbirds, and several islands, including the volcanic Central Island.

A modern concern is water management: the Omo River supplies most of the lake’s inflow, so dams and reduced river flow can affect its level and ecology.