UPSC Prelims 2022 Q23: Geography – World Physical Geography
Which one of the following lakes of West Africa has become dry and turned into a desert?
- (a) Lake Victoria
- (b) Lake Faguibine
- (c) Lake Oguta
- (d) Lake Volta
Answer: (b) Lake Faguibine
Explanation
Lake Faguibine, Mali — a West African lake turned desert
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Location | Near Timbuktu, Mali, in the inland delta of the Niger River |
| Past | One of West Africa's largest lakes (about 590 sq km) |
| Cause of drying | Droughts of the 1970s–80s, less Niger flooding, blocked channels |
| Today | Mostly dry; sand and scrub where water once stood |
| Impact | Loss of fishing and farming for about 2,00,000 people |
| Restoration | UNEP and Mali government projects to reopen feeder channels |
Other lakes in the options:
| Lake | Status |
|---|---|
| Lake Victoria | East Africa; largest lake in Africa, not dry |
| Lake Oguta | Nigeria; a natural lake, still exists |
| Lake Volta | Ghana; one of the world's largest reservoirs |
Answer: (b) Lake Faguibine.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Lake Victoria is in East Africa and is Africa's largest lake.
- (b) CORRECT. Lake Faguibine in Mali dried up after the Sahel droughts and is now largely desert.
- (c) Incorrect. Lake Oguta in Nigeria still holds water.
- (d) Incorrect. Lake Volta in Ghana is a huge man-made reservoir behind the Akosombo Dam.
Key point
Lake Faguibine (Mali, near Timbuktu) dried up after Sahel droughts of the 1970s–80s; UNEP is helping restore it.
Remember
Lake Faguibine in Mali has dried up and turned into desert.
Common mistakes
- Choosing Lake Chad-type answers by habit; here the dried lake is Faguibine.
- Placing Lake Victoria in West Africa; it is in East Africa.
- Forgetting that Lake Volta is man-made.
Exam tip
Sahel drought victims: Lake Chad shrank; Lake Faguibine dried. Learn both.
Sources
- UNEP — Lake Faguibine project, Mali
- UNEP — Africa: Atlas of Our Changing Environment (2008)