What is the origin of the largest lake in the world. The largest lakes in the world

A lake is a depression in the land where groundwater and surface water flow. They accumulate in it and remain. Lakes are not part of the world's oceans. It seems that they are not common, but in fact their number reaches 5 million on the entire planet. And, of course, curious people will be interested in what is the largest lake among them?

It is not difficult to get an answer to this question if you dive a little into geography and conduct a comparative analysis. But in order not to do this, you just need to read the list below.

Largest lakes in the world

The top ten includes:

A little more about the lakes

Among the above-mentioned lakes, two of them deserve special attention: Verkhnee and Victoria. Both of them are freshwater, but this is not the main thing. Lake Victoria is the largest lake in Africa. Lake Superior is located on another continent, but nevertheless leads in area. In addition, it is the largest lake in America.

But there is one more lake that is not included in the top ten large lakes in size - Lake Ladoga. Its length is 219 kilometers and its area is 17,000 km2. The depth of the lake is 230 meters and it is located in Karelia. Its waters are fresh. Lake Ladoga is the largest lake in Europe. And this makes him even more famous.

The largest freshwater lake in the world is located in North America, on the territory of two different countries: the USA and Canada. This Lake Superior is one of a system of freshwater bodies called the Great Lakes. The five largest lakes in this system by area are: Superior, Huron, Michigan, Ontario, Erie. All lakes are distinguished by developed infrastructure, providing a comfortable stay for an incredible number of tourists. These are some of the most popular lakes in the world for travelers and vacationers.

Lake Superior is the largest in area and also has the greatest depth of all the Great Lakes. The border between the United States and Canada lies across its waters; in the north, on land adjacent to the water, lies the province of Ontario, which is a territorial unit of Canada. And in the west and south, Superior is surrounded by Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin, which are part of the United States.
The size of the lake is amazing: its area is 82.7 thousand square meters. km. The volume of all the water filling it is 11.6 thousand cubic meters. km. The greatest depth is 406 m.
This is not only the largest fresh water lake, but also one of the most dangerous. Due to the fact that the shores of the lake are rocky on the northern side and low and rugged on the south, strong winds often blow over its surface, which raise high waves. The lake also contains several large islands.

The largest freshwater lake in the world: history

The largest lake in the world was formed due to the melting of glaciers. The first people settled here 10 thousand years ago. Indian peoples appeared on its shores at the end of the first millennium. They gave it a name that translated as “Big Water,” so they were struck by its area. When the active migration of Europeans to the North American continent took place, the French were the first to appear here. They called the lake the Highest. The British interpreted its name as indicating that it is the largest freshwater lake in the world by area in North America. And only later, the lake began to be called Verkhnee.

Infrastructure, tourism

For now the glory the largest lake all over the world, a good climate and beautiful nature attract many tourists to the lake. In the summer, people relax, swim, and sunbathe on the sandy shores.
On the shores of the lake there are large cities and settlements: Duluth (Minnesota), Thunder Bay (Canada), Marquette (Michigan) and others.
The lake is home to fish that are caught by fishermen and industrialists: whitefish, sturgeon, trout and others. Along the waters of the lake there are shipping routes that connect all the Great Lakes, and large cities located on its shores also act as ports for ships.

Climate

Climate largest lake in the world can be called localized marine. It is characterized by moderate temperature, humidity, and frequent fog. Temperatures above water range from 0 to 13 degrees Celsius.

Water temperature

The water temperature changes at different times of the year. At depth, it is almost always 4 degrees Celsius. Storms often occur over the vast area of ​​freshwater. Waves can reach 6 meters in height. In winter, not the entire surface area of ​​the lake is covered with ice. In the center lakes of the world Ice does not form - only near the coast.

The largest lake in different countries

Victoria

Lake Victoria is located on the African continent and is the second largest lake in the world by area. Its dimensions: area - 68 thousand square meters. km; the volume of all available water is 2760 cubic meters. km. However, this is far from the deepest lake of peace. Its depth does not exceed 84 m.

Huron

Another lake of the Great Lakes system is Huron. It is the third largest freshwater lake in the world. Its area is 59.6 thousand square meters. km. The maximum depth in his case is 229 meters. In its waters there is the largest of all the islands in fresh water - Manitoulin. In general, the islands on this one of the most amazing world of lakes– about 30 thousand.

Michigan

This lake is the only one of the Great Lakes located on the territory of one state - the United States. It is the fourth largest freshwater lake in the world. Maximum depth – 281 m. Area – 58 thousand square meters. km. On the banks of this lakes of the world There are many places for elite recreation. And the most popular pastime for tourists is fishing.

Baikal

Lake Baikal is considered throughout the world one of the most beautiful, clean, and interesting lakes for tourism. Its nature, unique and diverse fauna, some of which live only here, are of interest not only to travelers, but also to scientists from all over the world. In terms of size, Baikal ranks fifth among all fresh water lakes in the world. Its area is 31.7 thousand square meters. km. It is the deepest lake in the whole world - the maximum depth is 1637 m.
It is also one of the most ancient and was formed as a result of a tectonic fault. More than half of the lake's surface is always covered with ice. Along the banks there are high mountain ranges.

When most people hear the word “lake,” they subconsciously imagine a small and quiet body of water surrounded by a visible shoreline. But do you know about lakes on the surface of which storm waves sometimes occur? Their size sometimes exceeds some seas. Let's find out about the 10 largest lakes on the planet. It is noteworthy that two of them are located in Russia. True, there is only one place where there is fresh water – Baikal.

Despite the fact that the Aral Sea is called a sea, in fact it is an endorheic salt lake located in Central Asia, near the border of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The salinity of the water in it reaches catastrophic levels - 55‰. Maximum depth – 38 m.

Over the past 50 years, sea level (and, accordingly, the volume of water it contains) has been rapidly decreasing. The reason is water intake from the main rivers feeding the Aral - Amu Darya and Syr Darya, for irrigation. By the way, before the start of the shallowing process, the Aral Sea occupied fourth place in the list of the largest lakes on the planet.

The collector-drainage waters that flow from the fields into the beds of the Syrdarya and Amu Darya rivers have led to the deposits of pesticides and other agricultural pesticides on 54 thousand km 2 of salt-covered territory. Previously it was the seabed. Dust storms constantly carry salt and harmful pesticides from here to a distance of up to 500 kilometers. The growth of agricultural crops is hampered, and local residents constantly suffer from diseases of varying severity. Recently, diseases of the eyes, liver and kidneys have spread significantly.

This is interesting: In 2001, after a long drop in water level, Vozrozhdenie Island, located in the Aral Sea, became a peninsula and was connected to the mainland by an isthmus. It is known that it was on this site that bacteriological weapons were tested in the USSR: the causative agents of anthrax, tularemia, brucillosis, plague, typhoid, smallpox and botulinum toxins were tested here on animals. Deadly viruses have remained viable, so rodents infected with them can spread them to nearby regions.

Scientists are sure: it is no longer possible to save the Aral Sea from extinction. Even if we immediately stop taking water from the rivers flowing into it, the previous water level will be restored in at least 2 centuries.

This is interesting: the Aral Sea in 1960 had an area of ​​almost 69 thousand km 2. By 2008, it had decreased to 10.5 thousand km 2. By the way, already in 2003 the sea split into two separate parts.

According to some scientists, the Aral Sea will completely disappear from the face of the Earth by 2020.

9. Nyasa

Lake Nyasa is located on the African continent, on the border between Mozambique, Tanzania and Malawi. Maximum depth – 705 m.

Nyasa occupies a fault depression located at an altitude of 472 meters above sea level. Its area is almost 31 thousand km 2. The banks are high, mostly steep and rocky. The lake is often subject to strong storms or surf that make navigation difficult. Therefore, passengers are transported along it only during the day.

Lake Nyasa is rich in fish (more than 230 species), large crocodiles, hippos, and many waterfowl live in it. Some scientists call Nyasa the birthplace of aquarium fish.

Great Bear Lake is considered the largest in Canada and the fourth largest in all of North America. It is located inside the Arctic Circle, at an altitude of 186 m above sea level. The area of ​​the lake exceeds 31 thousand km 2. Maximum depth – 413 m.

There are only 2 large settlements on the shores of Great Bear Lake - Deline (southwestern shore) and Echo Bay (northeastern shore).

7. Baikal

Seventh place in the list of the largest and first place in the ranking of the deepest lakes on the planet is Baikal.

The largest freshwater reservoir in Russia is of tectonic origin. It is located in the south of Eastern Siberia. Baikal is not only the deepest (1642 m) lake on our planet, surpassing many seas in depth, but also the largest reservoir of fresh water. The territories adjacent to its shores are distinguished by a wide variety of flora and fauna. Most of the species living here are endemic.

This is interesting: Local residents, and many Russians traditionally call Lake Baikal a sea.

For about six months the lake is covered with a layer of ice, and navigation on it is carried out only from June to September.

Baikal is located in the very center of Asia, at the border of the Irkutsk region and the Buryat Republic. In the shape of a crescent, it stretches from north to southwest for as much as 636 kilometers! And the width of Baikal in different places ranges from 25 to 80 kilometers.

The total water surface area reaches 32 thousand km 2. This is approximately equal to the area of ​​European countries such as Belgium, Holland or Denmark. And the total length of the Baikal coastline is 2100 kilometers.

The lake occupies a basin, and on all sides it is surrounded by high mountain ranges and hills. It is interesting that the western coast is rocky and steep almost everywhere, while the relief of the eastern coast is much flatter

This is interesting: The maximum depth of Baikal is 1642 m. For comparison: the greatest depth of the Black Sea is 2210 m, and the Sea of ​​Azov is only 13 m!

6. Tanganyika

Tanganyika is a huge lake located in the center of Africa and has very ancient origins.

In terms of volume and depth, Tanganyika ranks second after Lake Baikal. There are 4 countries on its shores - DR Congo, Burundi, Zambia and Tanzania.

The length of this reservoir is 650 kilometers, and the width is from 40 to 80. The total surface area is 34 thousand km 2. Maximum depth – 1472 m.

The lake is located at an altitude of 773 meters above sea level. Tanganyika is home to hippopotamuses, crocodiles, and hundreds of species of waterfowl. Fishing and shipping are well developed.

Due to the antiquity of the lake and the long period of isolation, many endemic organisms have developed in it. Of the 200 species of fish that live in the waters of the lake, more than 170 belong to this category.

This is interesting: Tanganyika is inhabited by living organisms to a depth of approximately 200 meters. Below this mark there is a high concentration of hydrogen sulfide in the water. That is, there is no life until the very bottom. The lower layer of the lake is a huge “burial ground” consisting of organic silt, as well as sedimentary mineral compounds.

The water temperature in Tanganyika also differs. The upper layer warms up to 24-30 degrees, with depth the temperature decreases. Closer to the bottom, the water temperature is only about 7 degrees. It is interesting that layers with different temperatures do not mix, because the density of the water is different and there is no bottom current.

The water of Tanganika is very clean and transparent (visibility is up to 30 meters). There is a lot of salt dissolved in it, so its composition is similar to highly diluted sea salt. By the way, its pH value is 9.0.

5. Michigan

In fifth place is Michigan in North America. The reservoir is entirely within the United States, south of Lake Superior. It is connected to Huron by the Strait of Mackinac. There is also access to the Mississippi River system - through the Chicago - Lockport canal.

From a hydrographic point of view, lakes Michigan and Huron are combined into one. However, geographically they are considered separate bodies of water.

The total area of ​​Michigan is almost 58 thousand km 2. Its length is 500 kilometers, width is about 190. The maximum recorded depth is 281 meters. Every year for 4 months the lake is covered with ice. The largest city on the coast is Chicago.

It is interesting that the name of the lake translated from the language of the Indians who lived here means “big water”.

4. Huron

Huron is located on the border between the United States and Canada. This is another one of the Great Lakes. Huron occupies 60 thousand km 2 of area. The maximum depth is 230 meters.

This is interesting: In the middle of the reservoir is Manitoulin Island. It is the largest on the planet, located in a fresh lake.

3. Victoria

Lake Victoria is located in East Africa, near the equator. Three countries have direct access to it: Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. Victoria fills the tectonic trough of the East African Plate. Located at an altitude of more than 1100 meters.

The lake was named in honor of the English Queen Victoria by the traveler John Speke, who discovered it in 1858.

Total area - 68 thousand km 2, maximum length - 320 km, width - 275 km, depth - 80 m. Lake Victoria is navigable. And large reserves of fish allow local residents to make a living by catching and selling them.

Victoria is very different from its deep-sea neighbors, lakes Tanganyika and Nyasa. The latter fill the gorges in the relief, and Victoria is only a shallow depression. Therefore, the maximum depth of the reservoir is only 80 meters. Compared to other lakes on our list, this is quite a bit.

Interestingly, this reservoir receives more water not from its numerous tributaries, but from rain.

This is interesting: About 30 million people live on the shores of Victoria.

2. Lake Superior

Lake Superior is the largest, deepest and coldest lake in the Great Lakes system, and also the largest freshwater lake on the planet. Its area is 82 thousand km 2. The maximum depth is 405 m. It is located between the USA and Canada.

The Lake Superior basin was formed in crystalline rocks as a result of tectonic movements, as well as erosion during the pre-glacial period.

The bulk of the water in it is melted ice left over when the glacier retreated.

In the north, the coastline is heavily indented. Islands and shores can rise 400 meters above its level. The area there is very picturesque.

Despite the fact that the Caspian Sea is called a sea, in fact it is a huge closed lake. It is located near the junction of Europe and Asia. It is called the sea only because of its size. Unfortunately, the Caspian is not a freshwater body of water, but a salty one. Moreover, the level of water salinity varies greatly: in the southeast it is 12‰, and near the confluence of the Volga it is only 0.05‰.

The shape of the Caspian Sea resembles the English letter S. Its maximum length is 1200 km, width is 435 km. The area of ​​the water surface is 371 thousand km 2. The greatest depth is 1025 m.

This is interesting: The territory of the Caspian Sea could simultaneously accommodate such European states as Portugal, Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Switzerland and Holland. Or all of Germany.

The total length of the sea coastline is approximately 6,700 kilometers. If we take into account the islands - about 7000 km. Almost all the shores of the Caspian Sea are low and smooth.

In the minds of the common man, a lake is a place where, sitting in the reeds with a fishing rod, you can fish in silence, far from the noise of civilization. In a certain sense, this is true; there are countless small nameless lakes on the planet. But there are other lakes that are more like seas, because their sizes are truly grandiose. The largest lakes in the world are huge navigable bodies of water, on the surface of which real storms occur and huge waves rise. These giant lakes are both fresh and salty.

The largest lake on Earth

The answer to the question of which is the largest lake is not at all clear. After all, you can compare lakes by depth, by area, by volume of water. Surprisingly, it turns out that the Caspian Sea, which everyone rightfully considers a sea, is actually a huge lake! He is the one who takes the lead in this category. After all, the area of ​​the largest lake is 371 thousand square kilometers with a maximum depth of 1025 meters. At the beginning of the last century, its area was 422 thousand square kilometers and over the last century it has become significantly smaller.

Although the Caspian Sea is a lake, its water is salty, but not to the same extent as in the seas. The largest salt lake is located where Europe and Asia meet. From north to south along the entire length of the lake, the climate also changes from subtropical to temperate continental. In addition to deposits of the world famous Caspian oil, the lake is rich in fish. There is especially a lot of sturgeon here, and, accordingly, black caviar.

The largest freshwater lake in the world

The largest fresh water lake is Baikal. Its area is 31,479 square kilometers. Baikal is also the deepest in the world - 1637 meters. This mountain lake, framed by mountain ranges, is fed by more than three hundred rivers and streams. The largest is Selenga, which replenishes half of the annual water supply in the lake. But only one river flows out of Baikal - the Angara.

The world's largest fresh water lake is also the deepest and cleanest on the planet. And the beauty of the surrounding area simply defies description. Baikal is shaped like a crescent. In the spring, when the ice drift passes, the transparency of the water reaches forty meters in depth. These clear depths are inhabited by a huge number of species of freshwater fish - from common carp and perch to valuable salmon and sturgeon.

In addition to fish, Baikal is home to a marine mammal adapted to fresh water - the Baikal seal or the Baikal seal, and the shores are inhabited by a variety of birds. It is interesting that the waters of the largest lake are inhabited by some species of fish and plants that are not found anywhere except here in other bodies of water. In recent years

Top 10 largest lakes in the world, according to: website
A lake is a closed depression of land into which surface and groundwater flows and accumulates.
Lakes are not part of the World Ocean.

I can hardly imagine deepening land with an area of ​​50 thousand square kilometers

1 Caspian Sea, area: 376 thousand sq. km, geographical location: Asia, altitude above sea level: -28 m, depth: 1025 m. This is the largest lake in the world, although due to the salinity of the water it is called a sea.

2 Upper, area: 82 thousand sq. km, geographical location: North America, altitude: 183 m, depth: 393 m. Interesting fact, the name of the lake in English sounds like Super. The largest freshwater lake.

3 Victoria, area: 68 thousand sq. km, geographical location: Africa, altitude: 1134 m, depth: 80 m. The largest lake in Africa

4 Huron, area: 60 thousand sq. km, geographical location: North America, altitude: 177 m, depth: 208 m.

6 Aral Sea, area: 35 thousand sq. km, geographical location: Asia, height above sea level: 3.5 m, depth: 54.5 m. The Aral Sea has been rapidly shallowing since the 80s of the last century. Today, the sea is divided into 2 Southern Aral and Northern Aral, with the Southern Aral almost completely disappearing, and they are trying to preserve the northern one in every possible way, including raising fish on an industrial scale.

7 Tanganyika, area: 34 thousand sq. km, geographical location: Africa, altitude: 773 m, depth: 1470 m.

8 Baikal, area: 32 thousand sq. km, geographical location: Asia, altitude: 456 m, depth: 1620 m. The deepest lake in the world.