Tis Issat also known as the Blue Nile Falls – an impressive sight south of Lake Tana (Bruno D’Amicis)
Where is Lake Tana?
The source of the Blue Nile River
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Cultural heritage – some of the Ethiopian Orthodox churches date back to the 14th century (Bruno D’Amicis)
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Nearly 300 bird species live in Lake Tana’s surroundings (Bruno D’Amicis)
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Hippo at the Blue Nile outlet – close to Bahir Dar, a city on the shore of Lake Tana (Bruno D’Amicis)
Lake Tana, one of Africa's most unique wetland ecosystems and the source of 50% of Ethiopia's freshwater is located in the north-western part of the Ethiopian Highlands.
Lake Tana and its surrounding areas are situated in the Amhara National Regional State in the north west of Ethiopia. The Regional State's capital city Bahir-Dar is located on the southern shores of the lake.
Approximately 84 kilometres in length and 66 kilometres wide, Lake Tana is Ethiopia's largest lake and, at an elevation of 1840 meters above sea level, it is also the highest lake in Africa. It was formed by volcanic activity around 5 million years ago.
Waters of international significance
Around 40 rivers and streams flow into the lake from its large surrounding watershed area of around 15,000 km2. It is the source of the Blue Nile River, which, after joining with the White Nile in Khartoum , flows through Sudan and Egypt before emerging into the Mediterranean Sea. 85% of the water in the River Nile originates in Ethiopia and the Lake Tana watershed, meaning the area is of significant international importance in ensuring the water supply to all of the countries downstream.
| Lake Tana facts | |
|---|---|
| Ethiopian Regional State | Amhara National Regional State |
| Administrative units | The Lake Tana watershed consists of 347 Kebeles and 26 Woredas (districts) and 2 city administrations in four administrative zones |
| Altitude | 1840 masl |
| Size of Lake Tana | 3156 km², stretching 84 km north-south and 66 km east-west |
| Size of Lake Tana watershed | 15,096 km² |
project overview
Water for Life
The largest lake in Ethiopia, Lake Tana, is a source of life for 4 million people in the region. Over the course of the last decade, however, the consequences of increased industrialisation and development have been posing a threat to this vital water supply. more →
related topics
Regional Development
NABU promotes sustainable regional development worldwide. Our international projects always include income-generating activities, which comprehensively address all three dimensions of sustainability - balancing economy, ecology and social equality. more →
Protected Areas
NABU supports the creation, establishment and effective management of protected areas as part of our international activities. A special emphasis lies on UNESCO biosphere reserves, however, not exclusively. more →
Cooperations
We aim to shape production sustainably and environmentally-friendly while encouraging companies towards corporate responsibility. NABU is advising entrepreneurs how to improve production, processing and sales for no-harming practices and low carbon footprint. more →
Ecosystems
An ecosystem is a complex of living organisms. NABU focuses on restoring ecosystems to their original state and important regulatory functions such as carbon sequestration. Ideally, by creating conditions in which the ecosystem can recover on its own. more →