The main
lake
A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...
s within, or bordered by,
Rwanda are as follows:
Lakes
*
Lake Kivu
Lake Kivu is one of the African Great Lakes. It lies on the border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, and is in the Albertine Rift, the western branch of the East African Rift. Lake Kivu empties into the Ruzizi River, whic ...
, between Rwanda and the
Democratic Republic of Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquially "La RDC" ), informally Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly and also colloquially Zaire, is a country in ...
to the west, is by far the largest
*
Lake Muhazi
Lake Muhazi ( rw, Ikiyaga cya Muhazi) is a long thin shallow lake in the east of Rwanda. The bulk of the lake lies in the Eastern Province, with the western end forming the border between the Northern and Kigali Provinces.UN Field Support It is ...
, about twenty kilometres east of
Kigali: a long, narrow lake running roughly east–west and extending north and south into a number of tributary valleys
*
Lake Ihema, in the
Akagera National Park
Akagera National Park is a protected area in eastern Rwanda covering along the international border with Tanzania. It was founded in 1934 and includes savannah, montane and swamp habitats. The park is named for the Kagera River which flows alo ...
in the far east of the country, by the border with
Tanzania
Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands ...
*
Lake Rweru in the south-east, which is shared with
Burundi
*
Lake Burera
Lake Burera or Bulera is a lake of northwestern Rwanda, at the border with Uganda. With an area pf , it is the second largest lake entirely in Rwanda after Lake Ihema (). Considering all other lakes in the country (including lakes shared with othe ...
, a mountain lake in the north (1862 metres above sea level)
*
Lake Ruhondo
Lake Ruhondo is a lake of northwestern Rwanda. It is located near Lake Bulera on the outskirts of Musanze. It is located at the base of Rwanda's largest volcano, the Kalisimbi Volcanic mountain.
Lake Ruhondo and is one of two lakes formed out ...
, just to the south of
Lake Burera
Lake Burera or Bulera is a lake of northwestern Rwanda, at the border with Uganda. With an area pf , it is the second largest lake entirely in Rwanda after Lake Ihema (). Considering all other lakes in the country (including lakes shared with othe ...
, separated from it by a spine of hills
*
Lake Mugesera
Lake Mugesera is a lake in the Eastern Province, Rwanda.
The lake is in the Central Plateau, southeast of Kigali.
The lake is part of a complex of lakes and wetlands in a flat valley running in a SSE direction, wide. The Nyawarungu River meande ...
, about 30 km south-east of
Kigali, is a narrow lake consisting of five east–west bays joined at the western side
*
Lake Cohoha South, south of
Kigali on the border with
Burundi
There are a number of smaller, shallow lakes in the flat, swampy region between Lake Mugesera and Lake Rweru.
See also
*
References
* The
IUCN Directory of African Wetlands by Robert Mepham (Google-books link a
* http://www.gov.rw/government/geography.html
{{Authority control
Lakes of Rwanda, *
Rwanda
Lakes