Lake Volta is the largest artificial reservoir in the world by surface area, entirely located within Ghana. Spanning an impressive 8,502 square kilometres (3,283 sq mi or over 2.1 million acres), it stretches from Akosombo in the south all the way to the northern regions of the country.
Formed by the construction of the Akosombo Dam, the lake plays a vital role in Ghana’s development, generating a significant portion of the nation’s electricity. The dam holds back the White Volta and Black Volta Rivers, which once met in what is now the heart of the reservoir, giving rise to the single Volta River that continues its journey southward, eventually reaching the Atlantic Ocean.
Lake Volta lies just six degrees north of the Equator and follows the Greenwich Meridian, with its northernmost point near the town of Yapei and its southern limit at the Akosombo Dam, some 520 km (320 miles) downstream.
Scattered across the lake are several islands, including Dodi, Dwarf, and Kporve, while the western shoreline is home to Digya National Park, one of Ghana’s oldest protected areas and a haven for wildlife.
