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UPSC Prelims 2026 GS Paper 1, question 39

Topic: World and physical geography

Q39

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 :

  1. (a) 1 only
  2. (b) 1 and 3 onlyCorrect answer
  3. (c) 2 and 3 only
  4. (d) 1, 2 and 3

Solution.

Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only

  1. Statement 1 is correct: Lake Turkana in the East African Rift is the world's largest permanent desert lake and largest alkaline lake.
  2. Statement 2 is incorrect: Lake Turkana lies primarily in northern Kenya (with its northern tip extending into Ethiopia), not in South Sudan or along the Sahara desert.
  3. Statement 3 is correct: Lake Turkana National Parks are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the lake is famously called the 'Jade Sea' because of its greenish-blue algae.