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Discover Tanzania, Lake Nyasa
Lake Nyasa is one of the African Great Lakes. It is located between Tanzania, Malawi, and Mozambique. It is the southernmost lake in the East African Rift (EAR) system. The lake is also called Lake Malawi and Lago Niassa in Malawi and Mozambique, respectively. Lake Nyasa is between 350 miles (560 km) and 360 miles (580 km) long and approximately 47 miles (75 km) wide at the widest point. Lake Malawi’s total surface area is about 11,400 square miles (29,600 sq. km).
By volume, Lake Nyasa is the 5th largest freshwater lake globally. By area, it is the 9th largest lake globally and ranks as the second deepest and the 3rd largest lake in the African continent. Globally, no other lake has as many fish species as Lake Nyasa, including not less than 700 cichlid breeds. The Mozambique government officially declared the Mozambique part of the lake a reserve on the 10th of June 2011. In Malawi, a section of Lake Nyasa is part of the Lake Malawi National Park.
Lake Nyasa is considered a non-mixing lake (meromictic) because the water layers don’t mix. Moderately small thermal and chemical ingredients maintain the unending stratification of the lake’s water as well as the oxic-anoxic borderline (relating to the water’s oxygen content).
Generally speaking, the best time to head to the country of Tanzania is between early May to late October. This also means the highlands will be accessible to you if you are planning to spend more time around the country. Avoid Lake Nyasa in January and February, as this is when the rainy season hits.