UPSC CSE 2026 · PYQ · World Geography / Lakes · medium
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:
A.1 only
B.1 and 3 only✓ Correct
C.2 and 3 only
D.1, 2 and 3
Explanation
Lake Turkana is the world's largest permanent desert lake and the world's largest alkaline lake, so statement 1 is correct. It is located mainly in northern Kenya, with its far northern tip crossing into Ethiopia — NOT in South Sudan, and it lies near the eastern Rift Valley, not the Sahara desert; hence statement 2 is incorrect. The Lake Turkana National Parks were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, and the lake is famously nicknamed the 'Jade Sea' due to its striking turquoise-green colour caused by algae. Hence statement 3 is correct. Therefore statements 1 and 3 only are correct.
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