UPSC Prelims 2026Question 39Geography

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’.
Select the answer using the code given below:

Options

(a)1 only
(b)1 and 3 only
(c)2 and 3 only
(d)1, 2 and 3

Correct answer: b

Decision rule

One false clause condemns the whole statement: check the country and the physiographic region separately before accepting any location claim.

Explanation

Correct Answer

(b) 1 and 3 only

Explanation of the Correct Answer

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

Correct.

Lake Turkana is widely described as the largest desert lake in the world.
It is also the largest alkaline lake in the world.
UNESCO identifies Lake Turkana as the largest desert lake and the most saline lake of East Africa. (UNESCO World Heritage Centre)

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

Incorrect.

Lake Turkana is not situated in South Sudan.
It is located mainly in northern Kenya, with its far northern end extending into southern Ethiopia.
It lies in the East African Rift Valley, not along the eastern fringe of the Sahara Desert.

Statement 3: The lake is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is also referred to as the ‘Jade Sea’.

Correct.

Lake Turkana National Parks were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.
The site was later extended in 2001.
Lake Turkana is also popularly known as the “Jade Sea”, due to its striking blue-green colour. (UNESCO World Heritage Centre)

Therefore, statements 1 and 3 only are correct.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option	Verdict	Explanation
(a) 1 only	Incorrect	Statement 1 is correct, but statement 3 is also correct because Lake Turkana National Parks are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the lake is called the Jade Sea.
(b) 1 and 3 only	Correct	Lake Turkana is the world’s largest desert lake and is associated with a UNESCO World Heritage Site; it is also called the Jade Sea.
(c) 2 and 3 only	Incorrect	Statement 3 is correct, but statement 2 is incorrect because the lake is in Kenya/Ethiopia, not South Sudan.
(d) 1, 2 and 3	Incorrect	Statement 2 is incorrect.

Relevant Supplementary Information

Lake Turkana: Key Facts

Parameter	Details
Lake	Lake Turkana
Popular name	Jade Sea
Location	Mainly northern Kenya; northern tip extends into Ethiopia
Region	East African Rift Valley
Former name	Lake Rudolf
Type	Saline, alkaline, endorheic lake
Outflow	No major surface outflow; water mainly lost by evaporation
Major inflow	Omo River from Ethiopia
Global distinction	Largest desert lake in the world
UNESCO site	Lake Turkana National Parks
UNESCO inscription	1997; extended in 2001
Conservation status	Listed as World Heritage in Danger since 2018
Associated national parks	Sibiloi National Park, Central Island National Park, South Island National Park

Important Lakes of Africa: Comparative Table

Lake	Countries / Region	Important Feature
Lake Turkana	Kenya, Ethiopia	Largest desert lake; Jade Sea; UNESCO World Heritage Site
Lake Victoria	Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya	Largest lake in Africa by area
Lake Tanganyika	Tanzania, DRC, Burundi, Zambia	One of the deepest and oldest freshwater lakes
Lake Malawi / Nyasa	Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania	Rich fish biodiversity, especially cichlids
Lake Chad	Chad, Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon	Shrinking lake in the Sahel region
Lake Albert	Uganda, DRC	Part of the Nile system
Lake Kivu	Rwanda, DRC	Known for dissolved methane and carbon dioxide
Lake Tana	Ethiopia	Source region of the Blue Nile
Lake Nasser	Egypt, Sudan	Artificial reservoir created by Aswan High Dam

Similar Prelims-Trap Facts on Lake Turkana

Statement / Theme	Correct Understanding	Common Trap
Largest desert lake	Lake Turkana	Confusing it with Lake Chad or Lake Nasser
Country location	Mainly Kenya, partly Ethiopia	Placing it in South Sudan
Desert association	Arid East African Rift region	Linking it with Sahara Desert
UNESCO status	Lake Turkana National Parks are World Heritage Site	Assuming the entire lake alone is the listed site
Popular name	Jade Sea	Confusing it with Red Sea or Dead Sea
Main inflow	Omo River	Confusing it with Nile or Congo river system
Lake type	Saline, alkaline, endorheic	Assuming it is a freshwater lake

Key Takeaways from the Tables

Point	Explanation
Lake Turkana = Kenya/Ethiopia	It is mainly in northern Kenya, with a northern extension into Ethiopia.
Not in South Sudan	This is the main trap in the question.
Largest desert lake	It is regarded as the world’s largest desert lake.
Jade Sea	The nickname comes from its blue-green appearance.
UNESCO connection	Lake Turkana National Parks are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
East African Rift, not Sahara fringe	The lake belongs to the East African Rift landscape.

Point	Explanation
Lake Turkana = Kenya/Ethiopia	Mainly located in northern Kenya, with its northern end extending into Ethiopia.
Not South Sudan	The location statement in the question was incorrect.
Largest desert lake	This is the most important geographical distinction of Lake Turkana.
Jade Sea	The lake is popularly called the Jade Sea because of its blue-green appearance.
UNESCO connection	Lake Turkana National Parks are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
East African Rift, not Sahara	It belongs to the East African Rift landscape, not the Sahara Desert fringe.
Omo River is crucial	The lake depends heavily on inflow from Ethiopia’s Omo River.

Context and Current Relevance

Lake Turkana is ecologically important for fish, birds, crocodiles and fossil-rich landscapes.
The World Heritage site has been on the List of World Heritage in Danger since 2018 due to hydrological and development pressures. (UNESCO World Heritage Centre)
Its dependence on the Omo River makes it vulnerable to upstream dams, irrigation projects and climate variability.

Table: Lake Turkana — Key Facts

Parameter	Details
Lake	Lake Turkana
Former name	Lake Rudolf
Popular name	Jade Sea
Location	Mainly northern Kenya; northern end extends into Ethiopia
Region	East African Rift Valley
Desert association	Arid/semi-arid East African region, not Sahara Desert
Global distinction	Largest desert lake in the world
Lake type	Saline, alkaline and endorheic
Outflow	No major surface outflow
Main inflow	Omo River from Ethiopia
UNESCO site	Lake Turkana National Parks
UNESCO inscription	1997; extended in 2001
Associated national parks	Sibiloi National Park, Central Island National Park, South Island National Park
Conservation concern	Hydrological changes due to upstream projects and climate variability
Main exam trap	It is not in South Sudan and not on the Sahara fringe

Table: Important Lakes of Africa

Lake	Countries / Region	Important Feature
Lake Turkana	Kenya, Ethiopia	Largest desert lake; called the Jade Sea; UNESCO World Heritage Site
Lake Victoria	Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya	Largest lake in Africa by area
Lake Tanganyika	Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Zambia	One of the deepest and oldest freshwater lakes in the world
Lake Malawi / Nyasa	Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania	Known for rich fish biodiversity, especially cichlids
Lake Chad	Chad, Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon	Shrinking lake in the Sahel region
Lake Tana	Ethiopia	Source region of the Blue Nile
Lake Albert	Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo	Part of the Nile system
Lake Edward	Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo	Located in the Western Rift Valley
Lake Kivu	Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo	Known for dissolved methane and carbon dioxide
Lake Nasser	Egypt, Sudan	Artificial reservoir formed by Aswan High Dam

Table: Lakes and Their Special Titles / Features

Lake	Region	Special Feature / Title
Lake Turkana	Kenya-Ethiopia	Largest desert lake in the world
Lake Victoria	East Africa	Largest lake in Africa
Lake Tanganyika	East-Central Africa	One of the deepest freshwater lakes
Lake Baikal	Russia	Deepest freshwater lake in the world
Caspian Sea	Eurasia	Largest enclosed inland water body
Dead Sea	Jordan-Israel-Palestine region	Very high salinity; lowest land elevation region
Lake Titicaca	Peru-Bolivia	Highest navigable lake among large lakes
Lake Superior	North America	Largest freshwater lake by surface area
Lake Chad	Sahel region	Major shrinking lake due to climatic and human pressures
Aral Sea	Central Asia	Classic example of ecological disaster due to river diversion

Table: East African Rift Valley Lakes

Lake	Country / Countries	Important Point
Lake Turkana	Kenya, Ethiopia	Largest desert lake; alkaline and endorheic
Lake Victoria	Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda	Lies between branches of the East African Rift system
Lake Tanganyika	Tanzania, DRC, Burundi, Zambia	Deep rift lake
Lake Malawi / Nyasa	Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania	Rift lake with high fish diversity
Lake Albert	Uganda, DRC	Part of the Albertine Rift
Lake Edward	Uganda, DRC	Albertine Rift lake
Lake Kivu	Rwanda, DRC	Methane-rich rift lake
Lake Natron	Tanzania	Highly alkaline lake; important flamingo breeding area
Lake Nakuru	Kenya	Alkaline lake; flamingo habitat
Lake Naivasha	Kenya	Freshwater rift valley lake

Table: Similar Prelims-Trap Facts on African Lakes

Statement / Theme	Correct Understanding	Common Trap
Lake Turkana location	Mainly Kenya, partly Ethiopia	Placing it in South Sudan
Lake Turkana desert association	Arid East African Rift landscape	Linking it with Sahara Desert
Lake Turkana nickname	Jade Sea	Confusing it with Red Sea or Dead Sea
Lake Turkana type	Saline, alkaline, endorheic lake	Treating it as a freshwater lake
Lake Victoria	Largest lake in Africa	Confusing it with Lake Tanganyika
Lake Tanganyika	Very deep and old rift lake	Calling it Africa’s largest lake by area
Lake Chad	Sahelian shrinking lake	Confusing it with Lake Turkana
Lake Tana	Source region of Blue Nile	Confusing it with White Nile source
Lake Nasser	Artificial reservoir	Treating it as a natural lake
Lake Kivu	Methane-rich lake	Confusing it with volcanic crater lakes only

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