Ukerewe Island

Ukerewe

Ukerewe detached from coast in the southeastern region of Lake Victoria
Ukerewe
Geography
Location	Lake Victoria
Coordinates	2°01′45″S 33°00′35″E / 2.029300°S 33.009796°E / -2.029300; 33.009796
Area	530 km2 (200 sq mi)
Administration
Tanzania
Largest settlement	Nansio
Demographics
Population	150,000
Pop. density	283.02 /km2 (733.02 /sq mi)

Ukerewe is the largest island in Lake Victoria and the largest inland island in Africa, with an area of approximately 530 km². Ukerewe Island is situated in the Ukerewe District of Tanzania, 45 km (25 nautical miles / 3½ hours) north of Mwanza to which it is linked by ferry, but a shorter vehicle ferry crossing of only 3.8 km also links the island across the Rugezi Channel to a dirt road on the eastern lake shore, which runs to Kibara and Musoma. The shoreline of Ukerewe Island is carved into numerous bays and it is surrounded by at least a dozen smaller islands. Its largest community is Nansio.

Ukerewe is known for having a large population of Africans with albinism. Many of the first of them to live there were taken to and abandoned on the island by their families as children. Despite comprising an exceptionally high percentage of the island's population, they are still, as throughout Tanzania, an oppressed minority although on Ukerewe safer than elsewhere in Africa.

Coastal land, Ukerewe island, Tanzania

Sorghum field, Ukerewe island, Tanzania

Ukerewe Island-Mwanza Ferry leaving the port of Nansio