TANGANYIKA

The Lake Tanganyika lies 773m. above sea level within the Africa Great Rift Valley on western Tanzania. It stretches 667km from Burundi to northern Zambia at a depth of more than 1433 meters. Lake Tanganyika is the longest freshwater lake in the world and the second deepest lake after Lake Baikal in Russia. It is also the lowest point in Africa. The lake is located in Kigoma and Rukwa regions Surrounded by mountains on both sides and lying close to the Equator, the weather around the Lake is hot and sticky on the shores, but cooler on the mountains particularly in the northern end. Since 1962 the lakes waters have been dropping by 45cm a year. However, with an area of 32,900 sq. km. it will be a long time before the lake turns into a grand deep canyon. The Lake contains volume of water seven times more than that of Lake Victoria, which is the largest in Africa. The waters of Lake Tanganyika host more than 500 varieties of fish species ,the largest concentration of fish species in the world. The most famous fishes areTanganyika sardine (Stolothrissa Tanganikae), locally known as dagaa, a local delicacy. The abundance of fish provides a source of income to local people living around the lake. The lake plays a crucial travel and trading role with neighboring countries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zambia. the important trading center is Ujiji Town The Gombe Stream National Park in the north of Lake Tanganyika and Mahale Mountains, famous for rainforest-dwelling chimpanzees, baboons, forest birds and reptiles lies south of Kigoma Town on the lake shore .