Which of the following statements with reference to Lake Turkana is/are correct ? 1. It is the largest desert lake in the world. 2. The lake is situated in South Sudan along the eastern fringe of the Sahara desert. 3. The lake is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is also referred to as the ‘Jade Sea’. Select the answer using the code given below :

(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 3 only ✓ UPSC's answer
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Why the answer is (b)

• Lake Turkana, in the arid north of Kenya (its northern tip in Ethiopia), is the world's largest permanent desert lake and the largest alkaline lake — statement 1 is correct.

• Its greenish algae-tinted water earned it the name 'Jade Sea', and the Lake Turkana National Parks (Sibiloi, Central Island and South Island) are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, now on the 'in danger' list — statement 3 is correct.

• Statement 2 is wrong on both counts: the lake is in Kenya, not South Sudan, and it lies in the East African Rift far from the Sahara.

• The region is famous for hominid fossils found by the Leakeys at Koobi Fora, and its inflow from the Omo River is threatened by Ethiopia's Gibe III dam.

• Hence 1 and 3 only, option (b).

Why the other options are wrong

(a) 1 only: Statement 3 is also correct: it is a World Heritage Site called the Jade Sea.
(c) 2 and 3 only: Statement 2 is wrong: the lake is in Kenya, not South Sudan, and not near the Sahara.
(d) 1, 2 and 3: Statement 2 is wrong, so all three cannot be correct.

Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026, held on 24 May 2026. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.