Which of the following statements with reference to Lake Turkana is/are correct ? 1. It is the largest desert lake in the world. 2. The lake is situated in South Sudan along the eastern fringe of the Sahara desert. 3. The lake is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is also referred to as the 'Jade Sea'. Select the answer using the code given below :

The correct answer is Option B (1 and 3 only).

Statement 1 is correct: Lake Turkana is the world's largest permanent desert lake. Situated in an arid, hot environment receiving less than 250 mm of annual rainfall, it is also the world's largest alkaline lake and the fourth-largest salt lake globally by volume.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Lake Turkana is not situated in South Sudan or along the Sahara desert. It is located in the East African Great Rift Valley. The lake lies predominantly in northern Kenya, with its far northern tip crossing into southwestern Ethiopia. Its primary tributary is the Omo River, which originates in the Ethiopian Highlands and provides more than 90% of the lake's water influx.

Statement 3 is correct: The lake and its surrounding protected areas, comprising Sibiloi, Central Island, and South Island National Parks, were collectively inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. Furthermore, Lake Turkana is famously referred to as the 'Jade Sea' due to the striking, iridescent blue-green colour of its waters, which is caused by the presence of blue-green algae or cyanobacteria.

Takeaway: Remember Lake Turkana as the 'Jade Giant of the Rift Valley'. It is a vital Kenyan-Ethiopian geographical landmark, globally recognised for its record-breaking desert-lake scale, unique alkaline ecosystem, and profound paleoanthropological significance.