Lake Kariba

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Lore & Background

Lake Kariba was filled between 1958 and 1963 after the Kariba Dam was completed at its northeastern end, flooding the Kariba Gorge on the Zambezi River. The dam was built on the orders of the government of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. The Zimbabwean town of Kariba was built for construction workers, while other settlements like Binga village and Mlibizi in Zimbabwe and Siavonga and Sinazongwe in Zambia expanded to house displaced people. The lake is over 223 km long and up to 40 km wide, covering an area of 5,580 km². Its storage capacity is 185 km³, with a mean depth of 29 m and a maximum depth of 97 m. It is the world's largest man-made reservoir by volume, four times as large as that created by the Three Gorges Dam. The enormous mass of water is believed to have caused induced seismicity, including over 20 earthquakes of greater than 5 magnitude on the Richter scale. The lake has several islands, including Maaze Island, Mashape Island, Chete Island, Sekula, Sampa Karuma, Fothergill, Spurwing, Snake Island, Antelope Island, Bed Island, and Chikanka. During the filling phase, decomposing vegetation created nutrient-rich water, fostering a vibrant ecology. The sardine-like kapenta was introduced from Lake Tanganyika and now supports a thriving commercial fishery. Other inhabitants include Nile crocodiles and hippopotamuses. Indigenous tigerfish thrive on the kapenta, encouraging tourism. Both Zambia and Zimbabwe are attempting to develop tourism along their respective shores. Wildlife includes fish eagles, cormorants, elephants, lion, cheetah, leopard, buffalo, and smaller plains game. The southern Matusadona National Park was once a haven for black and white rhinoceros, but recent poaching has dramatically reduced their numbers.

Reader's Guide

Lake Kariba is the world's largest artificial lake and reservoir by volume, four times as large as that created by the Three Gorges Dam. It lies 1,300 kilometres upstream from the mouth of the Zambezi River on the Indian Ocean, bordering Zambia and Zimbabwe. The lake was created between 1958 and 1963 after the Kariba Dam was completed, flooding the Kariba Gorge. Its creation displaced communities, leading to the expansion of towns like Binga, Mlibizi, Siavonga, and Sinazongwe. The lake's ecology supports a commercial fishery based on introduced kapenta from Lake Tanganyika, and gamefish like tigerfish attract tourism. The lake's mass has induced seismic activity, including over 20 earthquakes greater than magnitude 5. On 11 August 2026, the ferry Mbuya Nehanda running from Kariba to Chalala capsized, resulting in the death of at least 97 people, including 18 children. It is believed to be one of the deadliest boat disasters in Zimbabwe's history. The portion of Lake Kariba within Zimbabwe has been designated a recreational park within the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Estate.

Did You Know?

• Lake Kariba is the world's largest artificial lake and reservoir by volume, four times as large as that created by the Three Gorges Dam.
• The lake was filled between 1958 and 1963 after the completion of the Kariba Dam, flooding the Kariba Gorge on the Zambezi River.
• The enormous mass of water is believed to have caused induced seismicity, including over 20 earthquakes of greater than 5 magnitude on the Richter scale.
• On 11 August 2026, the ferry Mbuya Nehanda capsized, killing at least 97 people, including 18 children, in one of Zimbabwe's deadliest boat disasters.
• The sardine-like kapenta was introduced from Lake Tanganyika and now supports a thriving commercial fishery.