Scientists estimate that there are over 300 million lakes worldwide. These bodies of water, entirely surrounded by land, can be either freshwater or saltwater. They vary in size, from small pools to vast inland seas, and support diverse ecosystems. Lakes can be found in high mountains, near seashores, and even in arid deserts. In addition to providing drinking water and supporting fisheries, lakes also offer countless recreational opportunities, such as boating, hiking, fishing, and sailing. Curious which of these lakes stand out from the pack? Below, discover where to find the seven largest lakes in the world.
7. Lake Baikal – Russia (12,200 Square Miles)
Located in eastern Siberia, Lake Baikal has a surface area comparable to the entire country of Belgium. Baikal is the deepest lake in the world, plunging to depths of over 5,300 feet, and it holds one-fifth of the planet’s total unfrozen freshwater reserve. Formed approximately 20 million to 25 million years ago, it’s one of Earth’s oldest lakes, too.
The waters of Lake Baikal and its surroundings provide a habitat for thousands of animal species, including around 2,000 bird species and 58 fish species. Remarkably, almost two-thirds of the lake’s plants and animals, such as the Baikal dolphin, are endemic. The Baikal Nature Reserve is one of the best places to experience the wildlife and nature up close. While travel to Russia is currently not possible for U.S. citizens, attractions around the lake include ice skating in winter, riding the scenic Circum-Baikal Railway, and visiting rugged Olkhon Island.
6. Lake Tanganyika – East Africa (12,700 Square Miles)
Lake Tanganyika is the longest freshwater lake in the world and the second-deepest lake, reaching 4,700 feet below the surface due to a sheer coastline created by East Africa’s Great Rift Valley. Spanning the countries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia, Tanganyika is known for its unique biodiversity and over 350 fish species, including the goliath tigerfish and great and small Nile perch. As such, the area is a popular destination for sport fishing.
Many of Tanganyika’s marine animals are also endemic, with 98% of its cichlids found nowhere else on Earth. Although crocodiles inhabit much of the shoreline, Mpulungu, a lakefront town in northern Zambia, is a favorite swimming spot. Visitors can also check out Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park for a chance to see chimpanzees.
5. Lake Michigan – United States (22,300 Square Miles)
The third-largest of the Great Lakes, Lake Michigan is the only one of the five lakes located entirely in the United States. Over 12 million people live along its shores, in both small towns and big cities such as Chicago, Green Bay, and Milwaukee. The lake’s ecosystem supports everything from fruit orchards and forests to savannas, tallgrass prairies, and wetlands.
Near the northeastern corner of Lake Michigan, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is home to the largest freshwater sand dunes on Earth. Wildlife also thrives here, including 140 bird species. Meanwhile, spanning the Straits of Mackinac — which connects Lake Michigan with Lake Huron — is the 5-mile-long Mackinac Bridge, one of the world’s longest suspension bridges. Another area of interest for visitors is the Indiana Dunes National Park, one of the country’s most biologically rich national parks.
4. Lake Huron – Canada and United States (23,000 Square Miles)
Only slightly smaller than the state of West Virginia, Lake Huron is shared by Michigan and Canada’s Ontario province. The lake provides drinking water, outdoor recreation, and employment opportunities to some 3 million people in both the U.S. and Canada. Lake Huron also has the longest shoreline — 3,827 miles — of all of the Great Lakes.
Visitors will find plenty to explore along beaches such as the 7-mile-long Sauble Beach and 8.7-mile Wasaga Beach. There are also approximately 30,000 islands in Lake Huron, including the popular Benjamin Islands. The lake’s eastern section is called Georgian Bay, and it shelters the shipwreck-filled Fathom Five National Marine Park. According to Ojibwe legend, a dragonlike panther called Mishipeshu inhabits its deep waters.
3. Lake Victoria – Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda (26,828 Square Miles)
The source of the Nile, the world’s longest river, Lake Victoria is Africa’s largest lake and the world’s largest tropical lake. Shared by three countries in the continent’s southeastern region, it was formed around 400,000 years ago. English explorer John Hanning Speke arrived here in 1858 and named the lake after Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.
Historically a trade route for local communities, Lake Victoria continues to support the regional economy through both industry and tourism. It’s home to the world’s largest freshwater fishery, providing employment for approximately 200,000 people. It also has several dams that generate hydroelectricity. Pristine beaches line the lake’s 2,137-mile coastline, most notably Uganda’s Ssese Islands.
2. Lake Superior – Canada and United States (31,700 Square Miles)
Its name is no accident: Lake Superior is the mightiest of North America’s Great Lakes and the world’s largest freshwater lake, home to 10% of the world’s fresh surface water. Superior’s meandering 2,725-mile-long shoreline borders Ontario and the states of Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
Formed by volcanic activity about a billion years ago, the lake has long been a vital migration route for Indigenous groups and European settlers. But not all journeys reached their destination: An estimated 350 ships have run aground or sunk in Lake Superior’s waters, with half still undiscovered. Today, the lake is a hot spot for kayaking, fishing, and swimming. Isle Royale National Park occupies a wilderness archipelago in the middle of the lake, with its own lakes and superb scuba diving.
1. Caspian Sea – Eurasia (143,200 Square Miles)
Though it’s called a sea, the Caspian Sea is actually the world’s largest inland body of water, occupying an area roughly equivalent to that of Germany or Japan. Set between five countries (Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan) in Eastern Europe, the Caspian Sea takes its name from the ancient Caspi peoples who once inhabited the region. Until around 11 million years ago, it was connected to both the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.
Exhibiting both freshwater and saline characteristics, the Caspian Sea has rich biodiversity and shelters several unique species. One of these is the sturgeon fish, which is prized for producing caviar. Around its shores are bustling cities such as Aktau, Kazakhstan, and Baku, Azerbaijan, along with coastal destinations including Chalus Beach and Ramsar Beach in Iran.
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