The largest lake in the world. List, names, descriptions, maps and photos of the largest lakes in Russia

It is the deepest and one of the most ancient. Baikal is located in the deepest cleft on the surface of the planet. This cleft is the most complex and least understood fault zone in the earth's crust. The depth of the lake is on average 745 meters, and the most deep point reaches a mark of 1637 meters. The lake stretches for 636 km, and its width reaches 80 km. The surface of the lake is 31,000 km2.

it ancient lake arose 20-30 million years ago as a result of tectonic shifts. Fresh and clean water in the lake is preserved due to two factors. Firstly, the endemic Baikal epishura lives in it - a microscopic crustacean that filters great amount algae and bacteria. In addition, most of the watershed of Lake Baikal is supported by rocks. Thus, the inflow of water on the way to the lake almost does not come into contact with sediments and minerals. This is an oligotrophic lake, and the water in it has excellent drinking qualities.

365 rivers flow into Baikal, among which the Yenisei is the largest river in Siberia. The lake contains 20% of the reserve fresh water on the surface of the earth. The volume of fresh water in the lake is 26,000 cubic kilometers. The ancient reservoir is considered one of the cleanest in the world. Water extracted from the depths of the lake can be drunk without pre-treatment. In winter, the lake freezes and is covered with ice.

The most oligotrophic lake in the world

Lake Superior, belonging to the system of freshwater lakes in North America, is the largest freshwater lake in the world in terms of water surface area. Its surface occupies 82,170 km2. It contains as much water as all the Great Lakes combined: 11,600 cubic kilometers. The fresh water reserve of the lake is 10% of the total supply on the surface of the planet Earth.

A rare thing is connected with Lake Superior - the snow effect of the lake, when the winter air over the warm surface of the water is saturated with steam, turns into clouds, and then precipitation falls in the form of snow.

The amount of water in the lake is enough to flood the Northern and South America to a depth of 30 cm. The deepest mark in the lake is 400 m. More than 300 rivers and streams flow into Lake Superior.

If the shoreline of the lake were stretched in a straight line, then it could connect Bahamas and Duluth, a city in Minnesota, USA.

On average, the transparency of the water in the lake reaches 8 meters in depth. This is the cleanest and most transparent of the Great Lakes and the most oligotrophic lake in the world. The lake is 563 km long and 257 km wide. In summer, the sun sets on the western shore of the lake 35 minutes later than on its southeastern shore.

The largest lake in the world by area is the Caspian Sea. But it is not freshwater. The salinity of the water in it is approximately one third of the salinity of the water in the seas of the planet.

Lake Superior is one of the youngest lakes in the world. He is only 10,000 years old.

Freshwater hydra is a typical representative of intestinal animals that lives in lakes, ponds and backwaters of rivers. The first to see and describe the hydra was A. Leeuwenhoek, the inventor of the microscope and a well-known naturalist.

The structure of freshwater hydra

This polyp looks like a short, gelatinous and translucent tube the size of a grain, surrounded by a corolla of 6-12 tentacles. At the anterior end of the body there is a mouth opening, the posterior end narrows into a long stalk with a sole at the end. A well-fed one has a length of about 5 mm, a hungry one is much longer.

Nutrition and lifestyle

Freshwater hydra with cyclops, daphnia, and fish fry. It attaches to plants with its sole and slowly swings, moving its long tentacles in all directions, looking for prey. The tentacles are covered with sensitive cilia, when touched, a stinging thread is thrown out, paralyzing the victim.

Prey is pulled by a tentacle to the mouth opening and absorbed. Having digested what is swallowed, the hydra throws out the remnants of digestion through the same hole. With a successful hunt, this small predator can absorb a huge amount of food, several times its volume. Having a translucent body, the hydra takes on the color of the food eaten and is red, green or black.

Reproduction of freshwater hydra

With good nutrition, freshwater hydra quickly begins to bud ( asexual). Kidneys grow from a small tubercle to a fully formed individual in a few days. Initially, young hydras are connected to the mother's body, but after the formation of the sole, they separate and begin an independent life. Hydra usually buds in summer.

When cold or unfavorable (hunger) hydra multiply, formed in the outer layer of the body. A mature egg is covered with a strong shell and falls to the bottom of the reservoir. After the formation of eggs, the old individual usually dies. Reproduction with eggs is sexual reproduction. That is, both methods of reproduction are replaced in life.

Freshwater hydra regeneration

Hydras have an amazing ability to regenerate. If an individual is cut into two parts, then each tentacle and sole will grow very quickly. There are known experiments carried out by the Dutch zoologist Tremblay, in which he managed to obtain new hydras from the smallest pieces and even splice halves of different hydras together. As modern studies have shown, such restoration of tissues and organs is provided by animal stem cells.

The largest lakes in the world include the Caspian Sea, Lake Superior, Victoria, Huron, Michigan, the Aral Sea, Tanganyika and Baikal. These bodies of water, larger than some seas, and on which large storm waves arise.

Three of the largest lakes in the world

tops the list of most big lakes Caspian Sea. It is located at the crossroads of Asia and Europe. It is called the sea because of its huge size. It is an endorheic salt lake. The area of the sea is 371,000 sq. km. The length from west to east is 315 km, from north to south - 1200 km. There are about 50 islands, a dozen peninsulas and bays on the lake. Rivers such as the Terek, Volga, and Ural flow into the Caspian Sea. The reservoir washes the shores of Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Russia and Azerbaijan. On the banks are the large cities of Baku, Turkmenbashi, Makhachkala, Kaspiysk. 101 species of fish live in the Caspian Sea, and you can also meet a seal. On the shelf of the reservoir, work is underway to extract oil, limestone, salt, sand and clay.

The second place in the ranking is occupied by Lake Superior, located on the border of the USA and Canada. It has an area equal to 82700 sq. km. Lake Superior is also the largest freshwater body of water in the world. It is located at an altitude of 183 m above sea level and was formed due to the melting of glaciers. The coastline is indented, steep and rocky. The lake is rich in trout, sturgeon, whitefish and other fish species. Developed shipping. The main ports are Thunder Bay, Ashland, Superior and Duluth.

Closes the top three largest lakes in the world - Victoria. It is located in East Africa, on the border of three states - Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The area of the lake is 68,000 sq. km. Victoria is also considered the second largest freshwater lake on the planet. There are many islands in the reservoir. Fishing and shipping are well developed on the lake. The river Kager flows into it and the longest river in the world, the Nile, flows out. The reservoir was discovered by the Englishman John Speke in 1858 and named it in honor of Queen Victoria.

Other large lakes on the planet

In fourth and fifth place in the list of large lakes are the reservoirs of Huron and Michigan, which are part of the North American Great Lakes. Michigan and Huron are connected by the Strait of Mackinac. Huron is home to Manitoulin, considered the most big island in the world, located on a fresh lake. Lake Michigan is located entirely within the United States. Cities such as Chicago, Milwaukee, Evanston and Hammond rise along the coastline.

In sixth place is

A lake is a natural body of water limited by the boundaries of the lake bed and not having direct communication with the sea or ocean. In total, there are approximately 5 million lakes of various sizes in the world. The total area of their water surface is 2,500,000 sq. km, which is 1.8% of the surface of our planet. Some lakes are very tiny, and the largest are comparable in size to some seas.

1. Caspian (371,000 sq. km)

The Caspian Sea - this is it, the most big lake in the world. The peoples who lived at different times on its banks gave it up to 70 names. There is a theory that about 10,000 years ago the Black and Caspian Sea were a single body of water, and at present the Caspian is the world's largest salt lake. The current name of the lake comes from the tribes of the Caspians, who inhabited in the second millennium BC. e. southeast of Transcaucasia. Now the territories of five states go to the shores of the Caspian Sea: the largest coastline belongs to Turkmenistan, and the rest of the coast is divided by Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia and Kazakhstan. The Iranians, for example, call it the Khazar Sea.
Although formally the Caspian is a lake, since it does not have access to the sea, but at the same time it has an oceanic crust under it. This is the largest lake on the planet, to a greater extent due to the fact that the largest European river, the Volga, flows into it. It cannot be called an endorheic reservoir either, since water from the Caspian Sea enters the Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay, carrying excess salt from the basin.
The water level in the Caspian is subject to strong fluctuations. A particularly noticeable drop in the water level was observed in the last century, when hydropower plants were built one after another on the Volga, reducing the flow of the largest donor of the Caspian. To prevent this, a dam was even built to block the flow of water into Kara-Bogaz-Gol. But the decision was unsuccessful - soon the bay almost dried up, and the level of the Caspian Sea began to rise rapidly. In the end, in 1992, the dam was blown up, after which the Kara-Bogaz-Gol was again filled with water, and the sea level stabilized. In recent years, a gradual decrease in the level of the Caspian Sea has been observed again.

2. Upper (82,414 sq. km)

Lake Superior is part of the American Great Lakes system. On its northern shores is the territory of Canada, and on the south - the United States. The average depth of the lake is 147 meters. This is the largest freshwater lake in the world in terms of the size of the water surface. It often plays out violent storms with waves up to 10 m high. Among the locals, legends about a ghost ship and mysterious waves are popular.
Due to the turbulent nature of the lake, many ships rest at its bottom, unable to cope with the waves, including huge bulk carriers. This is not at all surprising, given the nature of the local weather. Even in the distant past, the Indians who lived along the shores of the Great Lakes observed incredibly high waves on them that arose quite unexpectedly and fell on the shore, demolishing everything in their path. They called them "Three Sisters". Scientists still do not know the reasons that generate such huge waves.
There are several islands on Lake Superior, the largest of which is Isle Royal, 72 km long and 12 km wide. It is now a national park.

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3. Victoria (69,485 sq km)

This Central African lake is the second largest freshwater body of water in the world and the largest in Africa. It is located on the territory of three states: Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Its coastline has a length of 7000 kilometers, and the average depth is 40 m (maximum - 80 m).
This is the warmest of the large lakes in the world, since the upper layer of water several meters thick warms up to 35 degrees in it, and even in July (the coldest month here) the water is not colder than 20 degrees. The English discovered this lake in the 19th century and named it after their queen, while the local Africans call it Nyanza. They tried to find a common name for the peoples inhabiting its shores, but so far to no avail. Fishermen, confident in the infinity of lake resources, call it "the lake of the gods."
Nyanza gradually languishes, and fertilizers and pesticides, washed off by rains from the surrounding fields, kill it. This provoked the rapid development of water hyacinth on the surface of the lake, which instantly grows, depriving the inhabitants of the lake depths of light and oxygen: the fish die, and the fishermen's boats get stuck in the thickets of hyacinth. Fishermen, watching the decline in catch, fall into pessimism. Scientists believe that Victoria is about 400,000 years old. During its long history, the lake has dried up three times, but if nothing is done today, it may finally die.

4. Huron (59,600 sq km)

Huron is the second largest lake in the Great Lakes system. Its shores are divided between the Canadian province of Ontario and the US state of Michigan. The depth of the lake reaches 229 meters, but in the southern part of the water area it is shallower. A depth of 1.5 m stretches from the shore for 10 meters. The lake is named after the Indian tribe of the Hurons, who once inhabited its shores. The bottom of the Huron is a graveyard of ships that sank during storms and others were washed ashore. The shores of the lake are very picturesque, with rich fauna and flora, so they attract many vacationers. But winter weather is often bad here due to winds from any of the three oceans surrounding North America, so it's best to get here on vacation in the summer. Huron is connected to Lake Michigan by the Strait of Mackinac or Mackinac. Sometimes these lakes are considered a single lake due to similar characteristics.
Currently, the ecology of the Great Lakes is rapidly deteriorating. Many species of fish have disappeared in them, and the chemical composition of the water is changing. The governments of the United States and Canada have developed a decades-long program to improve the local ecosystem.

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5. Michigan (58,000 sq km)

Of all the Great Lakes, only Michigan is located entirely within the United States and is therefore considered the largest lake in this country. Hydrographically, Michigan forms a single whole with Lake Huron, although geographers consider them separately. The Michigan Canal is connected to the Mississippi, the largest river in North America. The depth of the lake reaches 85 m. Translated from the language of the Indians, the name of the lake means “big water”, which is not accidental, because Michigan is quite a bit smaller than Huron and Lake Superior. There is even a myth about their monster - the "plesiosaur" (so that the Scots are not conceited). To this was added gossip about a blue-eyed werewolf terrorizing the locals.

6. Tanganyika (32,893 sq km)

In Central Africa, there is another huge lake Tanganyika with an average depth of 570 m with a maximum depth of 1470 m. This is the longest freshwater lake in the world with a coastline of 1828 km, which makes it look more like a river on maps. There are many species of fish in Tanganyika, of which 170 live only here. There are also various mollusks, as well as leeches, and larger animals - hippos, crocodiles and herons. But only 10% of the waters of the lake, located near the surface and containing oxygen, are suitable for life. From a depth of 100 m, the water becomes completely dead. The ecological situation on the lake is worsened by the activities of industry and household waste. Because of the poisoned water, epidemics often break out along the shores of the lake. The expansion of the water hyacinth on the surface of the lake continues.

7. Baikal (31,722 sq. km)

Lake Baikal is the deepest (1642 m) and has the largest supply of clean fresh water in the world. The coastline of the lake stretches for 2100 km. On all sides Baikal is surrounded by mountains and taiga, belonging to the Irkutsk region and Buryatia. The lake stretches for 620 km from the southwest to the northeast, forming a crescent-shaped figure. 330 rivers flow into Baikal, and the flow occurs through the only river Angara. In the lake itself and on its shores, there are unique species of plants and animals, many of which live only here. Local peoples call Baikal the sea, which it deserves.

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8. Big Bear Lake (31,080 sq km)

Great Bear Lake is considered the largest inland body of water located entirely in Canada. His maximum depth is 413 meters. The Great Bear Lake is located in the Northwest Territories of Canada at the latitude of the Arctic Circle. The height above sea level is 186 m. The basin of the lake was formed by a glacier moving south in the distant past. The Great Bear River originates from the lake, which flows downstream into the Mackenzie River, which continues its course to the Beaufort Sea.
Gilbert Labin discovered uranium deposits near the lake in 1930, which contributed to the history of our civilization. It was from here that uranium and plutonium were taken and enriched, from which the first atomic charges were made, two of which were intended for the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Later, due to the unprofitability of mining, the local mine was closed when new uranium deposits were found in other parts of Canada. The Big Bear Lake is navigable, the main ports are Deline and Port Radium. The lake is freed from ice usually not earlier than the end of July.

9. Malawi (Nyasa) (30,044 sq km)

Nyasa is a component of the African Great Lakes and is the third largest natural body of water in Africa. The maximum depth of Lake Malawi is 706 m, which makes it the sixth in the world and the second in Africa in this indicator.
This lake is of tectonic origin. It contains 7% of the world's fresh water reserves. It is located in the south of East Africa rift valley, in a deep depression passing through countries such as Tanzania, Mozambique, Malawi. 14 rivers flow into Lake Nyasa, including such large ones as the North and South Rukuru, Ruhuhu, Dwangwa and Bua, and flow through the Shire River, which flows from the southern side of the lake and is a tributary of the Zambezi. The shores of the lake are steep, strong storms with surf are not uncommon on it, which complicate navigation here.

You can look at the flowing water endlessly. And if the water falls from a great height, then even more so. Fortunately, nature spoils us with such chic ...

10. Great Slave Lake (28,930 sq km)

This lake is the deepest in all of North America, as its depth reaches 614 meters. It is located in Canada, in the Northwest Territories, and its height above sea level is 156 meters. Like other large lakes in this part of Canada, Great Slave Lake has the same glacial origin. Its eastern and southern shores rest against the granite rocks of the Canadian Shield, while the western and northern ones face the Badlands - this is the name of the Canadian tundra. The lake is cold, it is covered with ice from October to June.
The culprits strange name the lake became the Spavie Indians who lived on its shores in the past. The name of the tribe turned out to be consonant English word“slave” - “slave” or “slave”, hence such a distortion arose.

The total area occupied by all the lakes of the planet is about 2.5 million km², which is 1.8% of the surface of the globe. There are a large number of lakes of various sizes - there are small ones, and there are those that exceed some seas in area.

This collection presents the ten largest lakes in the world.

10th place: Great Slave- the fifth largest and deepest lake in North America, with an area of 28568 km² and a depth of 614 meters. It is located in the Northwest Territories of Canada at an altitude of 156 meters above sea level. Together with other large lakes of this region, Bolshoe Slave is the remnant of a vast post-glacial reservoir. Southern and eastern shores cut into the granite edges of the Canadian Shield, and the northern and western borders on the Badlands - the Canadian tundra. Cold, freezing from October to June, the lake got its name from the slave Indians who lived in this area. By pure chance, the name of the tribe is very similar in sound to the English "slave", which translates as "slave", "slave".

9th place: Malawi, also known as Nyasa, - a lake of tectonic origin, containing 7% of the world's fresh water. It is part of the African Great Lakes and is the third largest lake in Africa with an area of 29,600 km². The depth of the reservoir is 706 meters, which makes it the second deepest on the African continent and the sixth in the world. Lake Malawi, located in the south of the East African Rift Valley, fills deep depression between Mozambique, Tanzania and Malawi. It feeds on the waters of 14 rivers, among which the most important are Ruhuhu, South and North Rukuru, Bua and Dwangwa. Only one river flows out of Malawi - the Shire, which flows in the southern part of the lake and flows into the Zambezi River. Strong storms and surfs often rage along the steep shores of the lake, which makes navigation very difficult.

8th place: Big Bear- the largest lake in Canada and the fourth largest in North America. The area of the reservoir is 31153 km², the depth is 413 m. The lake is located in the Northwest Territories of Canada on the Arctic Circle at an altitude of 186 meters above sea level. The basin of the Great Bear Lake was formed due to the glacier that covered this area in the past. The Big Bear River flows out of the lake, which merges with the Mackenzie River, which in turn carries water into the Beaufort Sea. In 1930, Canadian explorer Gilbert Labin discovered uranium deposits in this territory, which played a significant role in the history of mankind - uranium mined in the mine built here was used to make bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

7th place: - the deepest (1642 m) lake in the world and the largest reservoir of fresh water. The area of its water surface is 31,722 km², and the length of the coastline is 2,100 km. Surrounded by mountain ranges and taiga, the reservoir is located on the border of the Republic of Buryatia and the Irkutsk region. Baikal stretches from northeast to southwest for 620 km, forming the shape of a giant crescent. More than 330 rivers flow into the lake, and only one flows out - the Angara. Baikal and its coastal territories abound with unique representatives of flora and fauna, most of which are endemic (i.e. found only here).

6th place: - the second deepest and second largest freshwater lake in the world, located in the western part of the East African Rift, which is called the Albertine Rift. One of the largest lakes on the planet, with a total area of 32,900 km², belongs to four countries - Tanzania, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi. Elongated from north to south, the reservoir has a length of 673 km, which gives it the status of the longest lake in the world. The main tributaries are the Ruzizi and the Malagarasi, and the only river flowing out of Tanganyika is the Lukuga River. The lake is home to a large number of endemics (190 out of 250 fish species living in Tanganyika), including those from the cichlid family, whose bright representatives are very much appreciated in the aquarium fish market.

5th place: - the only one of the five Great Lakes of North America, located entirely in the United States. Its area is 57,750 km² and it is the third largest among the North American lake quintet. The depth of the lake is 281 m, the height above sea level is 177 m. With the help of the wide Strait of Mackinac, Michigan is connected to Lake Huron, and the Chicago-Lockport shipping channel connects it to the Mississippi River. The reservoir got its name from the word mishigami, translated from the language of the Ojibwe Indians meaning "big water". The first European to reach Lake Michigan in 1634 was the French explorer Jean Nicolet. The states of Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois have access to the lake, and the largest cities on its coast are Highland Park and Evanston, Chicago, Green Bay and Milwaukee, Hammond and Gary.

4th place: - one of the North American Great Lakes, located on the territory of Canada and the USA. With an area of 59,600 km², it has the second largest water surface in North America. The depth of the lake is 229 m, the height above sea level is 176 m. The French were the first to discover it, who gave it a name derived from the name of the Huron Indian tribe that lived here. The lake is replete with islands - there are up to 30 thousand of them, one of them - Manitoulin - is the largest island in the world, located in a freshwater reservoir. Huron is also known for the fact that a huge number of sunken ships are stored in its waters. According to the Great Lakes Museum of Shipwrecks, about 6,000 ships sank in total in the lake, but some historians claim that the total number of shipwrecks exceeds 25,000. Several wrecks are found in shallow water, which attracts a large number of diving enthusiasts to these places.

3rd place: - one of the African Great Lakes, located on the territory of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. it the largest lake in Africa and the largest tropical lake in the world. Its area is 68 thousand km², its length is 320 km, and its depth is 80 m. The lake lies in a tectonic trough formed on the East African platform, at an altitude of 1134 m. The African pearl was discovered in July 1858 by the English traveler John Henning Speke, who and gave the lake the name of Queen Victoria of Great Britain. The lake is fed mainly by atmospheric precipitation and many small tributaries. The largest tributary is the Kagera River, which flows into the western part of the lake; two rivers flow out of the lake: the Victoria Nile and Katonga. Lake Victoria seems to be a real paradise for anglers, according to scientists, about 100 species of fish live here, many of which are endemic.

2nd place: - the largest (82.7 thousand km²) of the five North American Great Lakes and the largest freshwater lake in terms of water surface area in the world. It is located at an altitude of 183 m above sea level in a lake bowl formed by a glacier in the ancient rocks of the Canadian Shield. Lake Superior lies on the border of the United States and Canada - in the north it borders on the Canadian province of Ontario, in the west and south - on the US states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota. The coldest body of water in North America is fed by the waters of more than 200 rivers, the largest of them are Nipigon, Peak, Brul, Michipicoten. The water flow is carried out along the St. Marys River, which connects the Superior to Lake Huron. Since the lake is not protected by mountain ranges, it is blown from all sides by winds blowing from the ocean. As a result of this, seiches are often formed on the surface of the reservoir - huge waves, which often lead to significant destruction of the coast.

1st place: - the world's largest enclosed body of water (lake), with a surface area of 371 thousand km². The water in the lake is salty - from 0.05% to 11-13%. The maximum depth is 1025 m. The reservoir, the bed of which is formed by the earth's crust of the oceanic type, is located at the junction of Asia and Europe. There are five states on its shores - Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. The lake, shaped like the Latin letter S, has a length of approximately 1200 km, and its width ranges from 195 to 435 km. Such large rivers as Volga, Ural, Sulak, Terek, Emba flow into it. In the east, the Caspian adjoins the salt lake Kara Bogaz Gol. His animal world has 1809 species, of which 415 are vertebrates, while the flora is represented by 728 species. More than 100 species of fish live in the Caspian Sea, as well as marine mammals - the Caspian seals.

On our incredible beautiful planet There are so many beautiful places in nature. The mystery of some of them has not yet been fully unraveled, they frighten with their desert silence, centuries-old trees and thousand-year-old stones. Travelers, tourists and just vacationers have long trodden the path to others. All the paths there have long been studied, every stone has been photographed and the path has been concreted...

Among all natural phenomena, lakes can be distinguished into a separate category. They are not as huge as the sea, not as fast as the river, but there is something special in their magical beauty and mysterious silence. It attracts to these places like a magnet and does not want to let go back. In this compilation, you can see the 10 largest lakes in the world, which at the same time are simply fabulously beautiful, and learn interesting facts about them.

Caspian Sea

Despite its inaccurate name, it is the largest lake on our planet. It is located at the junction of Europe with Asia, and it got its name because of its huge size. The shape of the Caspian resembles the Latin letter S. The coastline of the Caspian Sea is almost 7,000 kilometers long. Its maximum depth is 1,025 meters. In this regard, it is second only to Baikal.

Victoria

This lake is the third largest in the world in general and the second of fresh lakes. It is located simultaneously on the territory of Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. British traveler John Henning Speke discovered this lake in 1858 and named it after Queen Victoria. The area of the reservoir is 68 thousand square meters. km, length 320 km, maximum width 275 km. The northern coast of this lake crosses the equator. There are 30 million people living in the vicinity of Victoria.

Michigan

The area of this North American lake is approximately 57,750 sq. km. It is the only one of the Great Lakes that is entirely within the United States. It is covered with ice for about four months of the year. The states of Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin have access to the lake.

Huron

One of the North American Great Lakes, which is located simultaneously in the United States and Canada. It is located a little north of the lake Michigan, and is connected to it by the Strait of Mackinac. The Huron area is approximately 59.6 thousand km. square (the second largest among the Great Lakes). The state of Michigan and the Canadian province of Ontario overlook this lake. The name of the reservoir was given by the French by the name of one of the Indian tribes.

Upper

The largest, coldest and deepest of the North American Great Lakes, the second largest in the world, the largest in the world of freshwater. Origin Upper Lake It is associated with the melting of the ice sheet, during the retreat of which a number of large reservoirs were formed, which changed their outlines many times.

Aral Sea

it salt Lake in Central Asia, on the border of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Over the past few decades, the water level in it has been constantly decreasing due to the constant withdrawal of water from the Amudarya and Syrdarya rivers for irrigation purposes. Water flowing from the fields into these two rivers has caused the deposition of pesticides and other hazardous chemicals on the bottom of the lake. Dust storms lift and carry chemicals over long distances. That's why locals severely ill with respiratory and other diseases.

Tanganyika

Large lake, which is located in Central Africa. It was discovered in 1858 by English travelers R. Burton and J. Speke. The shores of the reservoir unite four countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Zambia and Burundi. The area of the lake reaches 34 thousand km. sq. Its shore consists mainly of rocks. Hippos, crocodiles are found in the lake, the local population is engaged in fishing, shipping is developed. Living organisms are found in this lake only up to 200 meters deep, and then the water is saturated with concentrated hydrogen sulfide.

Baikal

The deepest lake on our planet. It is located in Southern Siberia and has a tectonic origin. The lake and the area around it are unique in terms of the quantity and diversity of their flora and fauna. More than half of this lake is covered with ice. Baikal is surrounded by mountain ranges from all sides.

Big Bear Lake

The largest lake in Canada, which is located in the Arctic Circle. It has an outflow to the Mackenzie River. Incredibly beautiful paintings can be observed in the vicinity of the reservoir.

Nyasa

This lake is simultaneously located in Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania and Malawi. Its area is approximately 30.8 thousand km. sq., and the depth is up to 706 m. The shores are very high and rocky. This reservoir is very rich in fish, and crocodiles, hippos are also found in it, various waterfowl have chosen the shores.

All of us at the word "lake" imagine a kind of quiet body of water, surrounded by a visible line of the coast. There will be no such lakes in this article. Have you ever heard of lakes where storm surges occur and are larger than some seas? I present to your attention a selection of "the largest lakes in the world", which includes the 10 largest lakes. The article is divided into three pages to accommodate more interesting information and photos. Read, rate, leave comments and feedback in the discussions.

10th place

So, at the end of the list of the largest lakes in the world, we have a lake called Nyasa. It is located simultaneously in Africa, in Mozambique, Tanzania and Malawi.

It is located in a discharge depression at an altitude of 472 m. The area is 30.8 thousand sq. km. Depth up to 706 m (in the northern part of the reservoir, where its bottom lies significantly below sea level). The shores are steep and rocky, high, especially in the north and northeast.

The southern part of the basin lies in a wide depression, the banks are framed by a narrow strip of the coastal plain. The average annual inflow of water into the lake (river runoff plus precipitation) is about 72 km2, evaporation is about 66 km3.

The lake is rich in fish (about 230 species), in particular species of tilapis, crocodiles, hippos, and many waterfowl. With the light hand of some scientists, it is called the birthplace of aquarium fish. Also, Lake Nyasa is characterized by severe storms and surfs near steep banks, which impede navigation (passengers are transported only during the day).

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9th place

9th place - Big Bear Lake

Big Bear Lake- the largest lake in Canada, the fourth largest in North America. The lake is located on the Arctic Circle, between 65 and 67 degrees north latitude and 118 and 123 degrees west longitude, at a level of 186 m above sea level.

The lake has an outflow through the Great Bear River into the Mackenzie River. The only settlements on the lake are Deline on the southwest end and Echo Cove on the northeast side.

On this lake you can see such beauty)

8th place

In eighth place in the list of the largest lakes in the world - Baikal- concurrently also deepest lake planets.

Baikal is a lake of tectonic origin in the southern part of Eastern Siberia, the deepest lake on the planet Earth, the largest natural reservoir of fresh water. The lake and coastal areas are distinguished by a unique diversity of flora and fauna, most of the species are endemic. Locals and many in Russia traditionally call Baikal the sea.

More than half of the year the lake is ice-bound, the freezing period is January 15 - May 1, navigation is carried out from June to September. Since 1956, the lake has been an integral part of the Irkutsk (Baikal) reservoir of long-term regulation, formed by the dam of the Irkutsk hydroelectric power station.

Baikal is located in the center of Asia, in Russia, on the border of the Irkutsk region and the Republic of Buryatia. The lake stretches from north to southwest for 636 km in the form of a giant crescent. The width of Baikal ranges from 25 to 80 km.

Olkhon Island

The water surface area is 31,722 sq. km, which is approximately equal to the area of countries such as Belgium, the Netherlands or Denmark. The length of the coastline is 2,100 km.

The lake is located in a kind of basin, surrounded on all sides by mountain ranges and hills. At the same time, the western coast is rocky and steep, the relief of the eastern coast is more gentle (in some places the mountains recede from the coast for tens of kilometers).

7th place

Lake Tanganyika- a large lake in Central Africa. This is one of the largest lakes in the world and is equally ancient in origin. In terms of volume and depth, Tanganyika ranks second after Lake Baikal. The shores of the lake belong to four countries - the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Zambia and Burundi.

The lake is about 650 km long and 40-80 km wide. The area is 34 thousand sq. km. Lies at an altitude of 773 meters above sea level in the tectonic basin of the East African Rift Zone. Coastal landscapes, as a rule, are huge rocks and only on the eastern side of the coast are gentle. On the west coast the steep side walls of the East African Rift Zone, which form the coastline, reach 2,000 m in height. The coastline is dotted with bays and bays. The largest of them is Burton Bay. The lake is fed by several tributaries. The only outflowing river - Lukuga (Lukuga) begins in the middle part of the west coast and flows west, connecting with the Zaire River, which flows into the Atlantic.

The lake is home to hippos, crocodiles, and a lot of waterfowl. Fishing and shipping are well developed.

The antiquity of the lake and the long period of isolation resulted in the development of a large number of endemic organisms, including those from the family Cichlidae (cichlids). Of the more than 200 species of fish living in the lake, about 170 are endemic.

Tanganyika is inhabited to about a depth of 200 m, below this mark there is a high concentration of hydrogen sulfide and life is absent to the very bottom. This layer of the lake is a huge "burial ground" consisting of organic silt and sedimentary mineral compounds.

The water temperature of Tanganyika strictly differs in layers. So, in the upper layer, the temperature ranges from 24 to 30 degrees, with a decrease at great depths. Due to the different density of water and the absence of a bottom current, the layers do not mix, and the temperature at the lower horizons reaches only 6-8 degrees.

The depth of the temperature jump layer is about 100 m. The Tanganika water is very transparent (up to 30 m). Many salts are dissolved in it in small concentrations, so that in its composition it resembles a highly diluted marine one. Water hardness (mainly due to magnesium salts) ranges from 8 to 15 degrees. Water has an alkaline reaction, pH 8.0 - 9.5.

The lake was discovered in 1858 by English travelers R. Burton and J. Speke.

6th place

The sixth largest lake in the world is Aral Sea

Collector-drainage waters coming from the fields into the Syrdarya and Amudarya channels have caused deposits of pesticides and various other agricultural pesticides, appearing in places on 54 thousand square kilometers of the former seabed covered with salt. Dust storms carry salt, dust and pesticides to a distance of up to 500 km. Sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride and sodium sulfate are airborne and destroy or slow down the development of natural vegetation and crops. The local population suffers from a high prevalence of respiratory diseases, anemia, cancer of the larynx and esophagus, as well as digestive disorders. Diseases of the liver and kidneys, eye diseases have become more frequent.

In 2001, as a result of a drop in the water level, Vozrozhdeniye Island was connected to the mainland. On this island, the Soviet Union tested bacteriological weapons: the causative agents of anthrax, tularemia, brucellosis, plague, typhoid, smallpox, as well as botulinum toxin were tested here on horses, monkeys, sheep, donkeys and other laboratory animals. This is the reason for the fear that deadly microorganisms have retained their viability, and infected rodents may become their distributors in other regions.

According to the calculations of scientists, it is no longer possible to save the Aral Sea. Even if we completely refuse to take water from the Amu Darya and Syr Darya, the previous water level in it will be restored no earlier than in 200 years.

The Aral Sea once occupied 68 thousand square kilometers and was the fourth largest in the world. Now its area is about 10% of that recorded in the 60s of the last century. Pictures from 1989 and 2003:

This is a photo from 2008

From the 1950s to the present, projects have been repeatedly proposed for the construction of a canal for transferring water from the Ob basin to the Aral Sea basin, which would significantly develop the economy of the Aral Sea region (in particular, Agriculture) and partially revive the Aral Sea. Such construction will require very large material costs (on the part of several states - Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan), therefore, there is no talk of the practical implementation of these projects yet.

Some scientists predict the complete disappearance of the Aral Sea by 2020...

5th place

In the middle of the list of the largest lakes in the world is lake michigan- one of the North American Great Lakes.

The only one of the Great Lakes that is entirely within the United States. Located south of the lake The upper one is connected to Lake Huron by the Mackinac Strait, to the Mississippi River system - the Chicago-Lockport Canal.

From the point of view of hydrography, Michigan and Huron form a single system, but geographically they are considered to be separate lakes.

Square Michigan- about 57,750 km2 (the third largest among the Great Lakes), about 500 km long, about 190 km wide. The surface height above sea level is 177 m (as in Huron), the depth is up to 281 m. It is covered with ice for about four months a year. Islands - Beaver, North Manitou, South Manitou.

The states of Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin have access to the lake. Big cities on Lake Michigan include Chicago, Evanston and Highland Park (Illinois), Milwaukee and Green Bay (Wisconsin), Gary and Hammond (Indiana).

The name of the lake comes from the word mishigami, which means "big water" in the Ojibwa language. The first European to discover the lake was the Frenchman Jean Nicolet in 1634.

4th place

Lake Huron is the fourth largest lake in the world. It is a lake in the USA and Canada, one of the North American Great Lakes. Located east of Lake Michigan, connected to it by the Strait of Mackinac. From the point of view of hydrography, Michigan and Huron form a single system (they are connected by the Mackinac Strait), but geographically they are considered to be separate lakes.

The Huron area is about 59.6 thousand km2 (the second largest among the Great Lakes). The surface height above sea level is about 176 m (as in Michigan), the depth is up to 229 m.

The states of Michigan and the Canadian province of Ontario have access to the lake. The main ports on Huron are Saginaw, Bay City, Alpina (USA) and Sarnia (Canada).

The name of the lake, introduced by the French, comes from the name of the Huron Indian tribe.

Manitoulin is located on Huron - the most big Island peace, located in a fresh lake.

3rd place

Closes the top three largest lakes Victoria- a lake in East Africa, on the territory of Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. Located in the tectonic trough of the East African platform, at an altitude of 1134 m. This is the 2nd largest fresh lake world after Lake Superior and the largest lake in Africa

The lake was discovered and named after Queen Victoria by British traveler John Henning Speke in 1858.

Square Lake Victoria 68 thousand square kilometers, length 320 km, maximum width 275 km. It is part of the Victoria Reservoir. Lots of islands. The high-water Kagera River flows in, the Victoria Nile River flows out. The lake is navigable, the locals are engaged in fishing on it.

The northern coast of the lake crosses the equator. The lake with a maximum depth of 80 m belongs to fairly deep lakes.

Unlike its deep-water neighbors, Tanganyika and Nyasa, which lie within the gorge system of Africa, Lake Victoria fills a shallow depression between the eastern and western sides of the Great Gorge valley. The lake receives a huge amount of water from the rains, more than from all its tributaries.

30 million people live in the vicinity of the lake. on the south and western shores The lake is inhabited by the Haya people, who knew how to grow coffee long before the arrival of Europeans. Main ports: Entebbe (Uganda), Mwanza, Bukoba (Tanzania), Kisumu (Kenya), near the northern coast of Kampala, the capital of Uganda.

2nd place

On the second place confidently entrenched lake superior- the largest, deepest and coldest of the Great Lakes and, concurrently, the largest freshwater lake in the world.

In the north, Lake Superior is bounded by the territory of the Canadian province of Ontario, in the west by the US state of Minnesota, in the south by the states of Wisconsin and Michigan.

The basins of Lake Superior and the northern part of Lake Huron were worked out in the crystalline rocks of the southern part of the Canadian Shield, the basins of the other lakes - in the thickness of limestones, dolomites and sandstones of the Paleozoic of the North American Platform. The basin of the Upper Lake was formed as a result of tectonic movements, pre-glacial river and glacial erosion.

The origin of the water mass of the Upper Lake is associated with the melting of the ice sheet, during the retreat of which a number of large lakes were formed in this area, which repeatedly changed their outlines.

In the northern part of the Great Lakes, the coastline is dissected, the islands and shores (up to 400 m high) are rocky, steep, very picturesque, especially the shores of Lake Superior and the northern part of Lake Huron.

Fluctuations in the level of the Upper Lake are artificially regulated for the purposes of navigation, energy, etc. The amplitude of seasonal fluctuations is 30-60 cm, the highest level is observed in summer, the lowest in winter. Short-term level fluctuations caused by strong surge winds and seiches reach 3-4 m, the height of the tides is 3-4 cm

1 place

The Caspian Sea tops the ranking" The largest lakes in the world"Despite the fact that it is called the sea, in fact it is the largest drainless lake on the planet. It is located at the junction of Europe and Asia, and it is called the sea only because of its size. The Caspian Sea is a drainless lake, and the water in it is salty, from 0.05 ‰ near the mouth of the Volga to from 11-13 ‰ in the southeast.

The Caspian Sea is similar in shape to the Latin letter S, its length from north to south is about 1200 kilometers, from west to east - from 195 to 435 kilometers, an average of 310-320 kilometers.

The Caspian Sea is conditionally divided according to physical and geographical conditions into 3 parts - the Northern Caspian, the Middle Caspian and the Southern Caspian. The conditional border between the North and Middle Caspian runs along the line Chechen (island) - Tyub-Karagansky cape, between the Middle and South Caspian - along the line Zhiloy (island) - Gan-Gulu (cape). The area of the Northern, Middle and Southern Caspian is respectively 25, 36, 39 percent of the total area of the Caspian Sea.

The length of the coastline of the Caspian Sea is estimated at about 6500 - 6700 kilometers, with islands - up to 7000 kilometers. The shores of the Caspian Sea in most of its territory are low-lying and smooth. In the northern part, the coastline is indented by water channels and islands of the Volga and Ural deltas, the shores are low and swampy, and the water surface is covered with thickets in many places.

On the east coast limestone coasts adjoining semi-deserts and deserts predominate. The most winding coasts are on the west coast in the area of the Apsheron Peninsula and on the east coast in the area of the Kazakh Gulf and Kara-Bogaz-Gol.

The territory adjacent to the Caspian Sea is called the Caspian Sea.

Area and volume of water Caspian Sea varies greatly with water level fluctuations. With a water level of 26.75 m, the area is approximately 371,000 km square kilometers, the volume of water is 78,648 cubic kilometers, which is approximately 44 percent of the world's lake water reserves. The maximum depth of the Caspian Sea is in the South Caspian depression, 1025 meters from its surface level. In terms of maximum depth, the Caspian Sea is second only to Baikal (1620 m) and Tanganyika (1435 m). The average depth of the Caspian Sea is 208 meters. At the same time, the northern part of the Caspian Sea is shallow, its maximum depth does not exceed 25 meters, and the average depth is 4 meters.

In continuation, read also about the most beautiful lakes in Scotland, which is dedicated to a separate photo tape.