Which one of the following lakes of West Africa has become dry and turned into a desert ?
Show answer
Answer: B. Lake Faguibine in northern Mali near Timbuktu was once one of West Africa's largest lakes. Repeated droughts and lower Niger river floods since the 1970s dried it out, and much of its bed has turned into desert. UNEP has highlighted it as a climate change example.
Watch for: Students pick famous names like Victoria or Volta without checking region or status.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Wrong because Lake Victoria is in East Africa and is not dry.
- C. Wrong because Lake Oguta in Nigeria still holds water.
- D. Wrong because Lake Volta in Ghana is a large reservoir and is not dry.
Source to check: UNEP, 'Africa: Atlas of Our Changing Environment' (2008), Lake Faguibine section
Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.