Atlas des pays du Nord-Tanganyika

The biggest reservoir of fresh water in Africa, second deepest lake in the world, and major reservoir of biodiversity, Lake Tanganyika and its catchment exert a major control over Africa's resources, settlements, and economies. Shared by five countries, the watershed contributes to the Congo River. The level of the lake, which reflects the water balance between inputs (rain, runoff) and losses (discharge at the outlet, evaporation), is sensitive to regional atmospheric circulation. The fluctuations reach 70 cm at the seasonal scale, but considerable variations (more than 100 meters) are recorded at the millennial scale, thus illustrating the considerable impact of climate changes. The lakeside population (more than 12 million inhabitants) is differently distributed, with the highest concentrations concerning the North. A cross-border cooperation for the socio-economic development and for the sustainable management of the lake resources has been undertaken, especially for drinking water production, maritime transport fisheries management and environmental preservation : water quality, soil husbandry and biodiversity