NYAN'ZA, VICTORIA, a great fresh-water lake in central Africa, discovered by rapt. Speke in 1858, explored • by Speke and Grant in 1862. The most authentic information that we have about the Victoria Nyanza is, however, derived from the exploration and circumnavigation of it by Stanley in 1875. The native name, Nyanza. signifies "the water." Its southern point is iu lat. 2° 44' s., long. 33° east. Its northern shore runs nearly parallel to the equator, and is about 20 m. to the n. of it. It is estimated to be about 220 m. in length, and 180 in breadth. It is of no great depth; the surface is about 8,800 ft. above sea-level. There are a number of islands near its shores, the chief of which are Ukerewe in the s.e., and Sasse in the north-west. At its n.e. extremity, lake BarLigo, described by the natives as a long narrow basin, seems to he connected with the Victoria Nyanza by a narrow channel. The countries on the w. shores of the lake
enjoy a mild and genial climate, and the rainfall is below that of many parts of Britain, being only 49 inches. Artesa, king of Uganda, seems to be the most powerful monarch on the shores of the lake, his sway extending over a large portion of the northern and western coasts. His subjects possess a considerable degree of civilization. The most considerable tributary of the Victoria Nyanza is the Shimiyu (see NILE), which flows into its southern extremity in long. 33° 33' east. The Nile emerges from the n. end of the Victoria Nyanza at Napoleon bay, precipitating itself over the Ripon falls. North west from lake Nyanza lies what Speke called Luta N'Zige lake, which was described as it narrow reservoir . about 230 in. long, through the northern end of which the Nile passes. This lake is now known as the Albert Nyanza (q.v.).