Lake Victoria

VICTORIA, LAKE, the largest lake in Africa and chief reservoir of the Nile, lying between o° 20' N. to 3° S. and 31° to 52' E. Among the fresh-water lakes of the world it is exceeded in size by Lake Superior only and has an area of over 26,00o sq.m. In shape it is an irregular quadrilateral, but its shores, save on the west, are deeply indented. Its greatest length from north to south is 25o m., its greatest breadth 200 M. Its coast-line exceeds 2,000 M. It fills a shallow depression in the central part of the great plateau which stretches between the western and eastern rift-valleys (see AFRICA), and has an eleva tion of about 3,720 ft. above the sea. Its greatest ascertained depth is a little over 270 ft., and it is remarkable for the severe and sudden storms which render navigation dangerous. It contains many archipelagos, the majority being near the coast-line. The lake is full of reefs, many just below the surface of the clear water. It is abundantly stocked with fish. The land surrounding the lake consists of gneiss, quartz and schistose rocks, covered with marl and red clay and in the valleys with loam.

Shores and Islands.

The shores of the lake present varied aspects. The western coast, which contains no large indentations, is, in the south, backed by precipices 30o ft. high, behind which rise downs to thrice the height of the cliffs. Going north, the hills give way to papyrus and ambach swamps, which mark the delta of the Kagera. Beyond the delta the hills reappear, and increase in height, till at the north-west corner they rise some Soo ft. above the water. This western shore is marked by north to south faults which run parallel to the lake at a short distance inland. The northern coast is very deeply indented and is marked by rocky headlands jutting into the waters. This high land is narrow, and streams which rise on its northern face drain north away from the lake. On a promontory about 3o m. east of the Katonga is Entebbe, the port and administrative centre of the Uganda Pro tectorate. The chief indentations on the north side are Murchison bay and Napoleon gulf. Napoleon gulf itself is deeply indented, one bay, that of Jinja, being the outlet of the Nile, the water here forcing its way over the Ripon falls through the rock-bound shore of the lake. The north-east corner of the lake is flat and

bare. A narrow channel leads into Kawirondo gulf, which, with an average width of 6 m., extends for 45 m. to Kisumu, the ter minus of the railway from the east coast of Africa. Hills dominate the south shore of the gulf and behind them is the Kasagunga range. Proceeding south the shore trends generally south-west, is marked by many deep inlets with bold bluffs and by mountains. At the south-east corner is Speke gulf, and at the south-west corner Emin Pasha gulf. Here the coast is barren and hilly, while long ridges of rock run into the lake.

Ukerewe, N. of Speke Gulf, is the largest island—almost a pen insula. Its wooded hills rise 65o ft. above the lake. It is popu lated with natives and some whites. At the north-west corner of the lake is the Sessi archipelago, consisting of 62 islands. The largest island in this group is Bugala. Most of these islands are forested, and some of them attain considerable elevation. Their scenery is of striking beauty. Buvuma island is at the entrance of Napoleon gulf and there are numerous other islands, the chief be ing Bugaia, Lolui, Rusinga and Mfwangani. The islands are of ironstone formation overlying quartzite and crystalline schists.

Rivers.

The Kagera, the largest and most important of the lake affluents, rises east of Lake Kivu, and enters the west side of the lake just north of 1 ° S. It is the most remote head-stream of the Nile (q.v.). The other rivers entering Lake Victoria from the west are the Katonga and Ruizi, both north of the Kagera. Between the Katonga and the Nile outlet, the rivers which rise close to the lake drain away northward, the watershed being the lake shore. On the north-east several streams reach the lake— notably the Sio, Nzoia and Lukos (or Yala). On the east the Mara Dabagh enters the lake between 1 ° and 2° S. It is, next to the Kagera, the largest of the lake tributaries. On the southern shores a number of short rivers drain into the lake. The only outlet of the lake is the Nile (q.v.).