Lake Tanganyika is the second oldest freshwater lake, second largest by volume, and second deepest in the world. It is the longest freshwater lake in the world.
The Lake Tanganyika basin has a population of more than 10 million people and the population density within the basin varies between 13 and 250 persons per km2. The countries in the basin are among the poorest in the world. Lake Tanganyika also has one of the richest freshwater ecosystems in the world, with over 2000 species, 500 of them not found anywhere else on earth, making the lake their home. Lake Tanganyika’s fisheries yield 165,000 to 200,000 tons of fish per year, employ around 100,000 people, and provide 25 to 40 percent of the protein needs of around 1 million people. The lake is threatened by high population growth, overuse of natural resources, invasive species, habitat degradation, pollution and climate change.
Quick Facts
Bio-physical and demographic characteristics
- Shared by Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Tanzania and Zambia
- Deepest lake in Africa, and largest among the Albertine Rift lakes
- Surface area = 32,600 km², shoreline = 1,828 km
- Basin has a population of >10 million people
- Population density of the basin varies between 13-250 persons per km2
- Riparian countries are among the poorest nations in the world
Governance
- Ecosystem services threatened by high population growth, overuse of natural resources, invasive species, habitat degradation, pollution, and climate change
- Rapidly growing population enhances deterioration in water quality of the lake
- Population exerts intense fishing pressure, especially in the northern and southern region
- ~ 30 invasive plants in the basin
Values and investment opportunities
- One of the richest freshwater ecosystems in the world with over 2000 species
- ~500 species endemic, and are not found anywhere else on Earth, and half of these are cichlid fishes
- Total of commercial and artisanal fisheries yield 165,000-200,000 tons per year
- Fisheries employ ~100,000 people and provide 25-40 percent of protein needs to 1 m people
- Lake is known for its ornamental fish as a source of aquarium stock
- Opportunities for cage fish farming, farming on slopes or strips of land between the rift escarpment and the lake, oil and gas development, and tourism in four national parks
Potential sustainable development interventions
- Increase awareness through sharing of information and best practices
- Devise internal funding mechanisms for sustainable management of the lake basin
- Scale up alternative livelihood programs to improve adaptive capacity and reduce dependence on vulnerable fisheries resources
- Promote community participation in implementation of best practices to manage resources
