Which one of the following lakes of West Africa has become dry and turned into a desert ?

The correct answer is Lake Faguibine.

Here is a step-by-step explanation of why this is the correct choice:

1. Geographical Location of Lake Faguibine:
Lake Faguibine is situated in Mali, a landlocked country in West Africa, north of the Niger River's Inner Delta. Historically, it was one of the largest lakes in West Africa, playing a vital role in local agriculture, fishing, and ecosystem maintenance.

2. The Process of Drying and Desertification:
Beginning in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the region suffered from severe droughts, combined with sand dunes encroaching on the channels that fed the lake from the Niger River. Because the water channels became blocked and the local climate became increasingly arid, the water supply to the lake stopped. By the late 1980s and 1990s, the lake had completely dried up, turning its former fertile basin into a desert area characterized by blowing sand and dust storms.

3. Why other options are incorrect:
• Lake Victoria: This is the largest lake in Africa, located in East Africa (bordered by Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania), and it has not dried up into a desert.
• Lake Oguta: This is a natural freshwater lake located in Imo State, Nigeria (West Africa), and it remains a functional lake.
• Lake Volta: Located in Ghana, this is one of the largest artificial reservoirs in the world and remains filled with water.