Lake Oku
title: "Lake Oku" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["lakes-of-cameroon", "northwest-region-(cameroon)", "volcanic-crater-lakes"] topic_path: "general/lakes-of-cameroon" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Oku" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox lake"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Lake Oku |
| image | Lake Oku Cameroon.jpg |
| coords | |
| type | Crater lake |
| basin_countries | Cameroon |
| area | 243 ha |
| depth | 32 m |
| max-depth | 52 m |
| elevation | 2227 m |
| pushpin_map | Cameroon#Africa |
| pushpin_map_alt | Location of Lake Oku in Cameroon. |
| :: |
|name =Lake Oku |image = Lake Oku Cameroon.jpg |caption = |image_bathymetry = |caption_bathymetry = |coords = |type = Crater lake |inflow = |outflow = |catchment = |basin_countries = Cameroon |length = |width = |area = 243 ha |depth = 32 m |max-depth = 52 m |volume = |shore = |elevation = 2227 m |islands = |cities = | pushpin_map = Cameroon#Africa | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_alt = Location of Lake Oku in Cameroon. | pushpin_map_caption = | website = | reference =
Lake Oku is a crater lake on the Bamenda Plateau in the Northwest Region of Cameroon. It is located at 2227 m on Mount Oku, and is completely surrounded by cloud forest.
The lake lies in an explosion crater formed in the last phase of development of the Oku Massif, a large volcanic field with a diameter of about 100 km. Mount Oku is a stratovolcano that rises to 3,011 m.{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K48ZMBWtoi4C&pg=PA35 |chapter=OKU |page=35 |title=Alkaline rocks and carbonatites of the world, Part 3 |author=Alan Robert Woolley |publisher=Geological Society |year=2001 |isbn=1-86239-083-5}} The lake is the subject of many myths among the local people.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZM1vqsue1BMC&pg=PA36 |page=36 |title=Figures de l'histoire et imaginaire au Cameroun |author=Pierre Fandio, Mongi Madini |publisher=Editions L'Harmattan |year=2007 |isbn=978-2-296-03838-7}}
The lake is the only known habitat of the Lake Oku Clawed Frog. The surrounding Kilum-Ijim Forest is a nature reserve, set up by BirdLife International, and home to many rare species.{{cite web |url=http://www.cameroontourist.com/cameroon-desitinations/lakeokuboyodivisionnwregion |title=Lake Oku (Boyo Division, NW Region) |work=Cameroon Tourist |accessdate=2011-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708112653/http://www.cameroontourist.com/cameroon-desitinations/lakeokuboyodivisionnwregion |archive-date=2011-07-08 |url-status=dead
References
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