Previous Year Question
Consider the following water bodies.
I. Lake Tanganyika
II. Lake Tonlé Sap
III. Patos Lagoon
Through how many of them does the Equator pass?
Only one
Only two
All the three
None
Correct Answer: D
Detailed Solution
The Equator is an imaginary line situated at 0° latitude. An examination of the actual latitudinal position of the three water bodies shows that none of them lies on the Equator.
Water body | Geographical position | Does the Equator pass through it? |
Lake Tanganyika | East-central Africa, approximately between 3°20′ S and 8°48′ S | No |
Lake Tonlé Sap | Central Cambodia, at approximately 12.8° N | No |
Patos Lagoon | Southern Brazil, approximately between 30° and 32° S | No |
I. Lake Tanganyika
It is a rift-valley lake situated in the western branch of the East African Rift System.
It is bordered by Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Even its northern end is situated at approximately 3°20′ S. Therefore, the Equator passes north of the lake, not through it.
By maximum depth, it is the world’s second-deepest lake after Lake Baikal.
II. Lake Tonlé Sap
It is an important freshwater lake situated in Cambodia in Southeast Asia.
It is connected to the Mekong River system. During the rainy season, high water in the Mekong reverses the flow of the Tonlé Sap River, greatly expanding the lake’s area.
It is situated at approximately 12.8° N; therefore, the Equator does not pass through it.
III. Patos Lagoon
It is a large coastal lagoon situated in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul.
It is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a long sandy barrier and is connected to the ocean through a narrow channel in the south.
It lies approximately between 30° and 32° S. Therefore, it is also situated considerably south of the Equator.
Thus:
Lake Tanganyika ✗ + Lake Tonlé Sap ✗ + Patos Lagoon ✗ = None