Which of the following statements with reference to Lake Turkana is/are correct? 1. It is the largest desert lake in the world.

Question

Which of the following statements with reference to Lake Turkana is/are correct?

1. It is the largest desert lake in the world.

2. The lake is situated in South Sudan along the eastern fringe of the Sahara desert.

3. The lake is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is also referred to as the 'Jade Sea'.

1. A. 1 only
2. B. 1 and 3 only (Correct answer)
3. C. 2 and 3 only
4. D. 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer

Option B — B

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is Option B.

Key Points

• Statement 1 is correct: Lake Turkana is the world's largest permanent desert lake, and also the largest alkaline lake on Earth.
• It lies in the Great Rift Valley and is fed chiefly by the Omo river, which supplies most of its inflow; it has no outlet, so water is lost only through evaporation — which is why it is saline and alkaline.
• Statement 2 is incorrect, and is the key to the question: the lake lies in KENYA, with its northern tip extending into Ethiopia.
• It is not in South Sudan, and it lies in the East African Rift Valley — not along the eastern fringe of the Sahara.
• Statement 3 is correct: the Lake Turkana National Parks (Sibiloi, Central Island and South Island) are inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• The lake is nicknamed the 'Jade Sea' for the striking turquoise-green colour imparted by algae.
• Additional context: the Turkana Basin is one of the world's richest hominid fossil sites — the 'Turkana Boy' Homo erectus skeleton was found here, earning the area the name 'Cradle of Mankind'.