Kenya's Water Features

Bordering the countries Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda in Eastern Africa, KENYA abounds with water features. Southeast of Kenya is the Indian Ocean, the water body connected to the two largest rivers: Galana and Tana. Both rivers flow only through Kenya’s southern half. However, northern Kenya also has its own major water feature: Lake Turkana, which is located in the former Eastern and Rift Valley provinces and current Marsabit and Turkana counties. Located about 260 miles (less than 420 kilometers) northeast of the much larger Lake Victoria, the lake has two island parks and another park, which together forms the Lake Turkana National Parks. This park system is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997; the link provides interesting information about the lake, islands, and parks. Central Island N.P. and South Island N.P. are the island parks, while Sibiloi N.P. borders the lake’s northeastern shoreline. Extreme western Kenya is covered by the eastern fringe of Lake Victoria, dotted by multiple islands including Kimaboni, Koyamo, Mageta, Mfangano, Ndere, and Takawiri. Much smaller Kenyan lakes, most of which are located in the southwest portion of the country, include Baringo, Bogoria, Elementaita, Naivasha, and Nakuru.