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| Lake Ihema | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Lake Ihema | |
| Location | Rwanda |
| Coordinates | 1°51′48″S30°48′40″E / 1.86333°S 30.81111°E /-1.86333; 30.81111 |
| Type | lake |
| Surface area | 100 km2 (40 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 5 m (16 ft) |
| Max. depth | 7 m (23 ft) |
| Surface elevation | 1,292 m (4,239 ft) |
Lake Ihema is a lake in the east ofRwanda, at the border withTanzania. The lake lies within the marshland of theKagera River in which it empties via a very short channel. With an area of 100 km2 (40 sq mi), it is the largest lake entirely inRwanda. Considering all other lakes in the country (including lakes shared with other countries), it would be the 3rd largest afterLake Kivu 2,700 km2 (1,040 sq mi) betweenRwanda and theDemocratic Republic of the Congo andLake Rweru betweenRwanda andBurundi at 133 km2 (50 sq mi) of which only 47 km2 (20 sq mi) are in Rwanda. The lake is located inKayonza District in the southern part ofAkagera National Park which contains more than another dozen of lakes, of which Ihema is the largest.
The lake is rich in biodiversity, except fish. It is home tohippopotamuses andcrocodiles. It has 550 species of birds, including remarkable species such as theshoebill (Balaeniceps rex) and thepapyrus gonolek (Laniarius mufumbiri). Among the endemic species, there areibises,jacanas,herons,plovers,sandpipers,malachite kingfishers,hawks and many others.[1]
