Lake Tana

Lake Tana

Lake Tana is the source of the Blue Nile and the largest lake in Ethiopia. Located on a highland at an altitude of 1,840 meters in the northwestern part of the country, it stretches approximately 84 kilometers in length and 66 kilometers in width, with a maximum depth of 15 meters. The lake is fed by the Reb River and the Gumara River, and its surface area varies depending on the season and rainfall, generally ranging from 3,000 to 3,500 square kilometers. After the construction of a barrage at the point where Lake Tana flows out as the Blue Nile, the water level of the lake is regulated, allowing for control over the flow into the Tis Abay waterfall and the hydroelectric power plant.

The number of islands in the lake changes with the water level, which has dropped by six feet over the past 400 years. According to the Portuguese missionary Manoel de Almeida in the early 17th century, there were 21 islands, seven to eight of which had large monasteries. When James Bruce visited the region in the 18th century, local residents reported that 45 islands were inhabited, though he believed only 11 were. A modern geographer named 37 islands, estimating that 19 of them once had monasteries or churches.

Lake Tana

Must-visit reason: The largest lake in Ethiopia

Continent: Africa【Africa】

Country/Region: Ethiopia[Ethiopia]

Province/State: Amhara Region [Amhara Region]