Question map
Which one of the following lakes of West Africa has become dry and turned into a desert ?
Explanation
The correct answer is Option 2: Lake Faguibine. Located in Mali, West Africa, this lake was once one of the largest in the region, fed by the annual flooding of the Niger River. However, since the severe droughts of the 1970s and 1980s, the lake has almost entirely dried up, transforming into a desert landscape characterized by sand dunes and dry vegetation.
The other options are incorrect for the following reasons:
- Lake Victoria: It is the largest lake in Africa, located in East Africa, and remains a massive freshwater body.
- Lake Oguta: A smaller finger-shaped lake located in Nigeria (West Africa) that remains a functional freshwater lake.
- Lake Volta: Located in Ghana, it is one of the world's largest man-made reservoirs and is currently very much intact.
Therefore, Lake Faguibine is the only lake among the choices that has historically succumbed to desertification due to ecological shifts and reduced river inflow.
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Full viewThis is a 'Disaster Geography' question. UPSC rarely asks about stable features; they target water bodies undergoing rapid environmental change (shrinking, drying, or dying). While the specific name 'Faguibine' is obscure, the context (Sahelian desertification) is a standard textbook theme.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
- Statement 1: Has Lake Faguibine in Mali (West Africa) become dry and turned into a desert?
- Statement 2: Has Lake Victoria (East Africa) become dry and turned into a desert?
- Statement 3: Has Lake Oguta in Nigeria (West Africa) become dry and turned into a desert?
- Statement 4: Has Lake Volta in Ghana (West Africa) become dry and turned into a desert?
- Direct statement that Lake Faguibine "has been dry or nearly dry since the 1970s."
- Notes significant social impact: more than 200,000 farmers and fishermen were forced to abandon their livelihoods, consistent with long-term drying.
- Describes steady environmental degradation in the Mali portion of the basin, supporting the notion of land becoming more arid.
- Specifically cites the region becoming "prone to wind erosion," a process associated with desertification.
Lists Mali among countries where desertification is particularly extensive and severe, and highlights Sahel droughts that drive land degradation.
A student could note that Lake Faguibine lies in Mali's Sahel zone and therefore is in a region prone to drying and convert that into a hypothesis to check with maps or local lake reports.
Explains that in regions of unreliable rainfall, lakes can dry completely during dry seasons and that lakes in hot dry regions disappear by evaporation/percolation.
Combine this general rule with rainfall trends for the Faguibine basin to assess whether reduced inflow could have dried the lake.
Identifies the Sahel (including Mali) as a worst-affected area for soil erosion and related land degradation, which can accompany loss of surface water bodies.
Use the linkage between Sahel land degradation and hydrological change to infer that lakes in the region are vulnerable, then check local hydrology for Faguibine.
Gives UNCCD definition: prolonged droughts cause desertification and spread of deserts in adjacent areas, linking climatic variation to loss of productive land.
A student could apply this definition to assess whether extended droughts in Mali could have turned a lakebed into desert-like terrain and seek drought records for the area.
Notes West African trade winds become dry and dust-laden by the time they reach continental interiors, reducing moisture inland.
Combine this atmospheric pattern with the lake's inland location to argue the region has climatological tendencies that support drying; then verify with local climate data for Faguibine.
- Gives Lake Victoria's area and depth, showing it is a very large water body (not dry).
- A lake covering 67,000 km2 with average depth 41 m is inconsistent with being 'dry' or a desert.
- Refers to 'Deoxygenation of the deep water of Lake Victoria', which indicates the presence of deep, oxygenated water layers (i.e., substantial standing water).
- Discusses limnological issues (eutrophication, deoxygenation) rather than drying up, implying the lake remains a water body experiencing ecological change.
- States that tropical equatorial lakes like Lake Victoria 'exhibit two rainy seasons', indicating ongoing hydrological input.
- Regular rainy seasons argue against the lake having become a desert.
Identifies Lake Victoria as the world's second-largest freshwater lake by surface area, implying a very large body of freshwater.
A student could compare the lake's large surface area to known cases of lakes that desiccated and check whether such large freshwater lakes typically vanish by recent climatic change or require long-term processes.
States the general physical rule that lakes dry up in regions of unreliable rainfall or hot deserts due to evaporation, percolation and outflow.
Use this rule with basic climate maps of East Africa to see if Lake Victoria's basin has the hot desert climate required for total desiccation.
Describes the Savanna (Sudan) climate as a transitional tropical belt in East Africa, implying regional climates include savanna rather than true desert.
Check whether Lake Victoria lies within the savanna band (which has distinct wet seasons) — if so, full desertification would be less likely without major climate shift.
Places important paleoanthropological sites east of Lake Victoria, indicating long-term habitability and ecosystems in the general region.
Combine this with modern land‑use and climate data to assess whether the region around the lake historically supported life and whether that would allow rapid conversion to desert.
Notes that Maasai were confined to an arid zone in south Kenya and north Tanzania, showing presence of arid areas in the broader region.
A student could map the Maasai arid zone relative to Lake Victoria to judge whether nearby aridification could plausibly dry the lake.
States a general rule: lakes are temporary and in regions of unreliable rainfall lakes can dry up; in hot deserts lakes disappear by evaporation/percolation/outflow.
A student could check whether Lake Oguta's local rainfall regime is 'unreliable' or desert-like (using climate data or a map) to judge plausibility.
Gives the definition and drivers of desertification: prolonged droughts and human/climatic factors can turn drylands into deserts.
A student could look for evidence of prolonged drought, land degradation or human impacts in the Lake Oguta watershed (reports, satellite imagery, rainfall trends).
Explains West African wind/rainfall pattern: trade winds bring rain to coasts but are drier inland, implying spatial rainfall gradients across West Africa.
Using a map, a student could locate Lake Oguta relative to coastal vs. interior zones to infer whether it should receive coastal rains or drier inland air.
Describes the Harmattan, a dry, dusty trade wind from the Sahara that affects Nigeria and reduces moisture during dry months.
A student could check seasonality at Lake Oguta (timing and intensity of Harmattan) to assess whether seasonal drying, rather than permanent desertification, is likely.
Describes the Savanna/Sudan climate as a transitional belt in West Africa with distinct wet/dry seasons, indicating many West African areas are not true deserts but seasonally dry.
A student could determine if Lake Oguta lies within a savanna/transitional zone (using regional climate maps) to judge whether drying would be seasonal versus permanent desert conversion.
- States the Akosombo dam depends on annual inflow stored in Lake Volta, implying the reservoir is an active water body.
- Links Lake Volta directly to national power supply (about 70% of Ghana’s power), which would be inconsistent with the lake being dry.
- Notes the Volta River Authority manages water levels in Lake Volta, indicating the lake is monitored and maintained rather than dry.
- Mentions management in response to evapotranspiration and unpredictable rainfall, implying ongoing water presence and variability rather than permanent desiccation.
- Reports seasonal peaks in lake-surface water temperature (LSWT) and chlorophyll-a in Lake Volta, indicating active aquatic conditions and biological activity.
- Describes correlations with seasonal winds, which is evidence of an existing, dynamic water body rather than a dried desert.
States that lakes in regions of unreliable rainfall can dry up completely and that in hot deserts lakes disappear by evaporation and percolation.
A student could check Lake Volta's regional rainfall regime and evaporation rates (or seasonal water-level records or satellite imagery) to judge whether such drying is plausible.
Explains that prevailing trade winds in West Africa can be dry and dust-laden by the time they reach continental interiors (reducing moisture inland).
Compare Ghana's position relative to prevailing dry winds and the source of moisture to assess whether climatic drying pressures affect Lake Volta.
Describes the Harmattan — a dry, dust-laden wind in West Africa that can reduce humidity and bring arid conditions seasonaly.
A student could examine the seasonal timing and intensity of Harmattan impacts in Ghana vs. observed lake levels to see if persistent drying is supported.
Identifies the Savanna/Sudan climate belt in West Africa as a transitional climate between humid forests and hot deserts, implying spatial climate gradients.
Use a regional climate map to place Lake Volta relative to the savanna/desert belts; if Lake Volta lies well south of desert belts, wholesale conversion to desert is less likely.
Describes desert landforms and playas (temporary dry lake beds) that occur where lakes evaporate and are dry much of the time.
Check whether Lake Volta shows characteristics of a perennial reservoir versus a playa (e.g., continuous inflow from rivers like the Volta) using maps or satellite imagery.
- [THE VERDICT]: Bouncer (if relying on rote memory) / Sitter (if using Map Logic). Source: Current Affairs (DownToEarth/UNEP reports on Sahel).
- [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: Environmental Geography > Desertification. Specifically, the 'Sahel Transition Zone' where the Sahara is expanding southward.
- [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Memorize the 'Dying Lakes' list: Lake Chad (shrunk 90%), Aral Sea (Kazakhstan/Uzbekistan - desiccated), Lake Urmia (Iran - shrinking), and the Salton Sea (USA). Also, map the 'Great Green Wall' countries (Senegal to Djibouti).
- [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: Do not memorize every lake in Africa. Instead, overlay a 'Climate Map' on a 'Political Map'. Identify which countries lie on the 'Desert Frontline' (Mali, Niger, Chad). Any lake in this band is vulnerable to desertification; lakes in the tropical south (Ghana/Nigeria) are not.
Desertification in Mali and the Sahel results from recurring droughts, climatic variation and increased land pressure from farming and livestock.
High-yield for UPSC physical and environmental geography questions: explains regional land degradation, humanitarian impacts and policy responses (e.g., UNCCD). Connects to topics on climate change, agriculture, and rural livelihoods and helps answer questions on causes and consequences of land degradation.
- Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 6: Environmental Degradation and Management > dESErtIfIcatIon or dESErtISatIon. > p. 17
- Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 8: Natural Hazards and Disaster Management > 8.62 Environment and Ecology > p. 69
- Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 6: Environmental Degradation and Management > SoIl EroSIon. > p. 18
Lakes in climates with irregular rainfall can dry up seasonally or permanently through evaporation, percolation and outflow, leading to loss of open-water bodies.
Useful for questions on hydrology, inland water bodies and climate impacts: helps explain why inland lakes shrink or disappear and links to water resource management and disaster mitigation topics.
- Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 9: Lakes > General > p. 81
- Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 7: Arid or Desert Landforms > Landforms Due to Water Action in Deserts > p. 73
The position of the ITCZ and dry trade-wind air masses from the Sahara create strong wet/dry seasonality that reduces rainfall inland and affects lake persistence in Mali.
Core for physical geography and climate sections: explains spatial rainfall patterns, drought frequency in West Africa, and implications for agriculture and water bodies; useful for map-based and cause-effect questions.
- Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 30: Climatic Regions > Winds > p. 437
- Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 17: The Savanna or Sudan Climate > Distribution > p. 165
- Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 28: Temperate Cyclones > Continental Tropical Air Masses (cT) > p. 397
Lake Victoria lies in the East African Rift system context, which governs the distribution and depth of major lakes in the region.
High-yield for UPSC: links physical geography (plate tectonics, rift formation) to regional hydrology, biodiversity and human evolution; helps answer questions on continental rifting, lake origins and regional development. Useful for comparative questions on Rift lakes vs other lake types.
- Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 9: Divergent Boundary > 9.2. The Great Rift Valley > p. 129
- Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 9: Divergent Boundary > Rift Valley Lakes > p. 128
- Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 13: Cultural Setting > ORIGIN OF MANKIND > p. 1
There is a clear distinction between long-lived freshwater lakes and ephemeral desert playas that dry up under arid conditions.
Important for paper II/GS geography: explains why some lakes persist while others disappear, underpins questions on water resource management, desertification and climatic controls on lakes. Enables evaluation of claims about a lake 'turning into a desert'.
- Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 9: Lakes > General > p. 81
- Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 9: Divergent Boundary > Rift Valley Lakes > p. 128
The savanna/Sudan climate features distinct wet and dry seasons that strongly affect surface water availability and lake levels in East Africa.
Relevant for environment and geography sections: helps predict seasonal fluctuations of lakes, links climate zones to human livelihoods and land-use change, and aids in assessing regional vulnerability to drying or desertification.
- Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 17: The Savanna or Sudan Climate > Distribution > p. 165
- Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 9: Lakes > General > p. 81
Desertification is land degradation in arid and semi-arid areas caused by climatic variation and human activities, leading to spread of deserts.
High-yield for questions on land degradation, environmental policy and Sustainable Development Goals; links physical geography (climate, drought) with human geography (land use, livelihoods) and policy responses (UNCCD). Enables answers on causes, consequences and mitigation of expanding deserts.
- Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 8: Natural Hazards and Disaster Management > 8.62 Environment and Ecology > p. 69
The 'Great Green Wall' Initiative. Since Lake Faguibine highlights the problem (desertification in the Sahel), the next logical question is the solution: The pan-African project to plant a wall of trees across the Sahel from Senegal to Djibouti to stop the Sahara's expansion.
Use the 'Latitude Logic' hack. West Africa has horizontal climate bands: Coast (Wet/Rainforest) -> Inland (Savanna) -> North (Sahel/Desert).
1. Lake Victoria (Equatorial/Rainy) -> Impossible.
2. Lake Volta (Ghana) & Lake Oguta (Nigeria) -> Coastal/Tropical belts -> Unlikely to become 'desert'.
3. Lake Faguibine (Mali) -> Mali is largely Saharan/Sahelian. It is the only option geographically positioned to be swallowed by a desert.
Link this to GS-3 (Security & Environment): The drying of Sahelian lakes (like Faguibine and Chad) destroys livelihoods (fishing/farming), forcing migration. This resource scarcity directly fuels the rise of insurgent groups (like Boko Haram and ISWAP) as unemployed youth are recruited. It is a 'Climate-Conflict' nexus.