Uganda has been called a land of lakes because almost a third of the country is covered by water.
Approximately 18% of Uganda’s land surface of 236,040 km2 is covered by water. The country has 165 lakes with internal surface water resources estimated at 39 km3 yr-1, while groundwater is believed to be around 29 km3 y-1.
The lakes are a home to different aquatic life and offer opportunity for fishing as well as boat cruising for tourists while viewing different wildlife
The key lakes include the following;
Lake George and Lake Edward are connected by the Kazinga Channel.
Smaller Lakes
The key smaller lakes include the following;
- Lake Nyabungo is located in Masaka District, Central Uganda,
- Lake Wamala is located in the districts of Mubende, Mityana and Mpigi in central Uganda.
- Lake Mutanda is located in Kisoro District in southwestern Uganda,
- Lake Kwania is in the Lira and Apac districts of the Northern Region of Uganda
- Lake Nyabikere, is only 13km from Fort Portal on Kamwenge Road
- Lake Nkugute is located along Mbarara-Kasese Highway in Rubirizi District
- Lake Kyaninga is a Crater Lake situated with the Fort Portal Crater field.
- Lake Saka located in Kabarole District in Western Uganda
- Lake Bisina is located in Eastern Uganda and was formerly called Lake Salisbury
- Lake Mburo is located in Kiruhura District in western Uganda
- Lake Bisina is Located on Kumi-Soroti Road in Kumi District
- Lake Opeta is located on Katakwi-Magoro Road in Katakwi district
- Lake Kitandra is located in Kanungu District adjacent to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest