Lakes are some of the most fascinating natural wonders that can be found on our planet. These beautiful bodies of water are surrounded by land and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some of them are small and can be found in the backyard of someone’s home, while others are massive and are surrounded by miles and miles of breathtaking scenery. Lakes can be fed by rivers or act as the source of water for rivers, and they are often home to a diverse range of plant and animal life. While most lakes are freshwater, there are some saltwater lakes that exist in different parts of the world.
The biggest concentration of lakes can be found in Canada, which is home to more than 60% of the world’s lakes. Finland is also famous for its lakes, with over 187,888 of them scattered across the country, earning it the nickname, “The Land of the Thousand Lakes.” From the serene beauty of Lake Como in Italy to the vast expanse of the Great Lakes in North America, the world’s lakes are truly wonders to behold. In this article, we will be listing the most famous lakes in the world.
Largest lakes by continent
Important Facts Related to the most famous Lakes in the World
1. Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is an impressive body of water with a unique status as both a lake and a sea. The Caspian Sea is located between Europe and Asia, with five bordering countries, and has a surface area of 371,000 square kilometers. It is the world’s largest inland body of water, and the maximum depth is 1,025 meters, making it one of the deepest lakes globally.
2. Lake Baikal – Deepest Lake
Lake Baikal, on the other hand, is the world’s deepest lake, located in southern Siberia, Russia. It is the largest freshwater lake in the world by volume, holding 22-23% of the world’s fresh surface water. With a maximum depth of 1,642 meters, Lake Baikal is also the seventh-largest lake by surface area and is the oldest lake in the world, with an estimated age of 25-30 million years. UNESCO declared Lake Baikal a World Heritage Site in 1996 due to its unique ecological value.
3. Lake Tanganyika – The longest Lake
Lake Tanganyika is located in Africa and is the longest freshwater lake in the world, with a length of 660 kilometers. It is also the second largest by volume and second deepest after Lake Baikal. The lake is known for its unique biodiversity and is home to many endemic species of fish and other aquatic life.
4. Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a group of interconnected freshwater lakes located in North America. They consist of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, with Lake Superior being the largest and Lake Ontario being the smallest. Lake Superior is the largest continental lake in the world by area, and Lake Michigan is the largest lake that is entirely within one country. The lakes are used as a major water transport corridor for bulk goods, and the Great Lakes Waterway connects all the lakes, while the Saint Lawrence Seaway connects them to the Atlantic Ocean. The Great Lakes region is also a popular tourist destination, offering many recreational opportunities and scenic views.
5. Dead Sea
The Dead Sea, also known as the “Salt Sea,” is a landlocked salt lake bordering Jordan to the east and Palestine and Israel to the west. It is Earth’s lowest elevation on land, at 423 meters below sea level. The sea has a salt concentration about ten times higher than the ocean, making it an extremely harsh environment for most forms of life. The high salt concentration also makes the sea a popular destination for tourists seeking to float effortlessly on the water’s surface.
6. Aral Sea
The Aral Sea was once one of the largest lakes in the world, located between Kazakhstan in the north and Uzbekistan in the south. However, Soviet irrigation projects in the 1960s led to the diversion of the rivers that fed the sea, causing it to steadily shrink. The lake has since become a symbol of environmental disaster, with the dramatic decrease in its size causing severe economic, social, and ecological consequences for the surrounding region.
7. African Great Lakes
The African Great Lakes are a series of lakes located in and around the East African Rift Valley. The lakes include Lake Victoria, the second-largest freshwater lake in the world, and Lake Tanganyika, the world’s second-largest in volume as well as the second deepest. The lakes are an essential source of water and food for millions of people living in the surrounding region. However, they are also facing several environmental challenges, including pollution, overfishing, and the introduction of non-native species.
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