Largest lakes by State/Territory. Conclusion. Volume by water – 2,100 cubic kilometers. The lake borders for countries: Tanzania, Zambia, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Matt Rosenberg is an award-winning geographer and the author of "The Handy Geography Answer Book" and "The Geography Bee Complete Preparation Handbook. A lake is defined as an area filled with water and surrounded by land, except for any inlets or outlets such as a river or stream. The pristine lake is the largest in Canada but is covered in ice and snow for most of the year. Volume by water – 2,225 cubic … The Largest Lakes in the World. Location – Canada. In fact, lakes large and small account for around eight per cent of this country’s 9,984,670 square kilometres — more area than any other nation. Although Lake Superior is the second largest lake in the world by surface area, it is the fourth-largest by volume, with a volume of 12,000 km3. If we would include the Caspian Sea on the list, we’d find it dwarfing everything else. The Caspian Sea is located between Asia and Europe, and covers an area of approximately 371,000 km2. Largest Lakes in the World by Volume Lake Superior, part of the North American Great Lakes. (25,700 square kilometres), and Great Slave Lake, … More than half is among the top five. Some of the largest lakes in the world by volume are highlighted below. Although pollution, invasive species, and species extinction are threatening Issyk-Kul, conservation efforts have achieved naming it a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. These lakes are the largest waterbodies, whether natural or constructed. Being located in an active continental rift zone; the lake is speculated to grow even deeper due to the gradual caving in of land along with the gradual widening of the rift. It has an average depth of about 279 ft (85 m), and its maximum is 925 ft (282 m). Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/largest-lakes-in-the-world-4158614. The lake is shared by the United States (US) and Canada and is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Like most of the other North American bodies of water, Lake Michigan was carved out 10,000 years ago by the glaciers. Therefore, since the volume of a lake changes, estimates of its volume can vary depending on the source and time of measurement. This also makes Lake Baikal the deepest lake in the world, with a depth of 1,187 meters. Lake Superior is the world’s largest freshwater lake in terms of area. Issyk-Kul lake is located in the Tian Shan mountains of eastern Kyrgyzstsan. These lakes are big. Although it is not the largest by surface area, Lake Baikal is well known as the deepest lake by volume. Rosenberg, Matt. Located in a geological rift valley in south-eastern Siberia, Lake Baikal is 636 kilometres (395 miles) long, with … Lake Tanganyika is estimated to be the second largest freshwater lake in the world by volume, and the sixth largest lake in the world by area with an area of 32893 square kilometers. Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake with a surface area of 82,170 sq. They cover a combined area of 94,250 square miles and hold 5,439 cubic miles of water. It is the only lake that is entirely in the US; the other four are cross-border lakes. Lake Superior’s is North America’s biggest lake in terms of water volume. Other websites rank lakes based on the area of each lake’s surface or the depth of the lakes. It is just after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. The Caspian Sea has been classified as both a lake and a sea. Lake Superior drains into Lake Huron via the St. Mary's River. The lake is drained by the Congo River system and ultimately empties into the Atlantic Ocean. This lake holds 78,200 cubic km of water by volume which is around 3.5 times more water by volume than every one of the five of the Great Lakes consolidated. At 45,410 square miles (117,600 km 2), Lake Michigan-Huron is the largest of the Great Lakes in terms of surface area, being 48% of the total, and is the largest lake in the world after the Caspian Sea. Preservation efforts had the 16 bird species in mind, as between 60,000 and 80,000 birds overwinter there. Lake Michigan is the only lake among the Great Lakes which is located entirely in the United States. The greatest of the Great Lakes has a surface area of 31,700 square miles (82,100 square kilometers) and a volume of 2,900 cubic miles (12,000 cubic kilometers). Lake Michigan is the 5th largest lake in the world. These lakes are known as the world’s biggest lake. Its national park is a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, as it has more than 400 fish species, nearly all endemic. km (31,700 sq. It’s a vibrant lake with various species of fish such as Char, Trout, and Salmon. In terms of its volume, Lake Victoria is the world’s eighth largest continental lake, and it contains about 2,750 cubic kilometers (2.2 billion acre-feet) of water. Four out of five of them also rank in the top 10 largest lakes in the world in terms of volume. There are 11 major types of lakes that can be classified according to their formation and other characteristics. Their vast size and volume, rolling waves, great depths, and strong currents have acquired them the nickname “inland seas.” The lakes formed about 14,000 years ago, at a time the … 3,997,600. The lake is about 563 km (350 mi) long, 257 km (160 mi) wide, and reaches a maximum of 400 m(1,300 ft) in depth.The 10,000-year-old Lake Superior is home of about fifty-eight orchid species. ThoughtCo. Located between Ontario, Canada and New York state in the U.S., the lake has an average depth of 382 ft (86) m and a maximum depth of 802 ft (244 m). Lake Michigan is the third largest lake of the Great lakes by area and second by volume. It occupies the western portion of Lake Michigan–Huron. Here are the *largest lakes and reservoirs in Colorado, in order by volume (acre-feet): *The volumes listed are approximate from Wikipedia. It is a rift lake like Tanganyika, and it is meromictic, meaning that its three distinct layers do not mix, providing different habitats for different species of fish. The lake is divided among four countries – Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, and Zambia. Lake Tanganyika, one of the largest lakes in the world in terms of volume. The average depth is 913 ft (278.4 m); and the maximum depth is 2,192 ft (668 m). It is one of the African Great Lakes and is located within four countries, namely Zambia, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Tanzania. With a volume of 78,200 cubic kilometers, it contains about 3.5 times more water than all five of North America’s Great Lakes combined. #10 Great Slave Lake. 10 – Loch Shin, Scotland (Approximate Area: 8.7 sq mi) Wiki Info: Three miles to the north of Lairg is a monument to remember an early attempt to tame the Highlands. It’s also the third deepest 3,363 feet (1,025 meters). The lake is located in the southern part of Siberia. To add to the accolades, it might also be the one of the oldest on the planet, no less than 25 million years. Lake Baikal is a Russian rift lake and the world’s biggest freshwater lake by volume. It has an average depth of about 235 ft (71.7 m), and it has a maximum depth of 1,463 ft (446 m). A total of 84 islands are found within its waters. Lake Superior. The only Great Lake that is entirely in the United States, bordering the states of Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. It’s easy to look at a map and roughly size up bodies of water, but consider the following: Lake Erie, Ont. The volume of most lakes around the world varies throughout the year and changes over time. Only about 2.5 percent of the Earth’s water is liquid freshwater, and the world’s lakes hold 29,989 cubic miles (125,000 cubic km) of it. More than 1,000 species of plants and animals there are unique to the region, found nowhere else. Note: For some lakes, "Largest Lakes - Water Volume" is unknown or does not apply, so this comparison may show fewer lakes than you originally selected.Suggest a new lake. Lake Tanganyika is a freshwater lake with a volume of 18,900 km3, ranking as the second-largest freshwater lake in the world by volume, after Lake Baikal. 2. Largest of the Great Lakes by volume, having more water than the other four combined. While a lake's surface area is relatively constant, its volume may change several times during the year. It was formed due to glacial movements and has a water volume of 11,600 km 3 (2,800 cubic miles). It holds 18,761 cubic miles (78,200 cubic kilometers) of water by volume, more than three times more water than all of the U.S. Great Lakes combined. From November to June, there is almost always a layer of ice on the lake. Also known as: Lake Sam Rayburn, McGee Bend Reservoir. The largest freshwater lake by surface area in the world at 31,802 square miles (82,367 sq km), Lake Superior is more than 10,000 years old and holds 10 percent of the world’s freshwater. It has an average volume of 78,200 km3, accounting for about 40% of the world’s lacustrine waters. ThoughtCo, Apr. 3. It is also the world’s longest freshwater lake. mi), which is greater than combining Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. Lake Baikal is also the deepest lake in the world, with a maximum depth of 1,642 m. In terms of surface area, it ranks as the seventh-largest in the world, covering an area of approximately 31,722 km2. Lake Superior is not only the largest lake in the United States, it is also the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area. "The Largest Lakes in the World." Lake Michigan derives its name from the Ojibwe word Search Results. Sam Rayburn Reservoir, lovingly called "Big Sam", and formerly known as McGee Bend Reservoir, is the largest lake … It covers an area of 1,040 square kilometers (4… Before dams were built on the St. Lawrence River, fish such as eel and sturgeons migrated between Lake Ontario and the Atlantic. Of the world’s 10 largest lakes by surface area, five are Canadian. This lake accounts for over 20% of the world's unfrozen fresh water which is more water than all of the all of the Great Lakes … The lake is fed by more than 200 rivers, the largest of which include the Nipigon River, Pic River, Pigeon River, and the St. Louis River. Lough Neagh is the largest water body in the UK by this measure, although Loch Ness is the largest by volume and contains nearly double the amount of water in all the lakes of England and Wales combined. (The Caspian is generally regarded as a saline lake, but is also regarded as a sea; geologically it is oceanic. People in Tanzania, Mozambique, and Malawi rely on Lake Malawi for freshwater, irrigation, food, and hydroelectricity. By using ThoughtCo, you accept our, Baikal, Asia: 5,517 cubic mi (22,995 cubic km), Tanganyika, Africa: 4,270 cubic mi (17,800 cubic km), Lake Superior, North America: 2,932 cubic mi (12,221 cubic km), Lake Malawi (Lake Nyasa), Africa: 1,865 cubic mi (7,775 cubic km), Lake Michigan, North America: 1,176 cubic mi (4,900 cubic km), Lake Huron, North America: 849 cubic mi (3,540 cubic km), Lake Victoria, Africa: 648 cubic mi (2,700 cubic km), Great Bear Lake, North America: 550 cubic mi (2,292 cubic km), Issyk-Kul (Isyk-Kul, Ysyk-Köl), Asia: 417 cubic mi (1,738 cubic km), Lake Ontario, North America: 393 cubic mi (1,640 cubic km). Lake Michigan is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume of water and the third-largest by surface area. Enare Träsk, also known as Inari in English is located in Finland, north of the Arctic Circle in Finnish Lapland. It is also the deepest lake in the world, with its deepest point at (1,741 m)—even deeper than the Caspian Sea. Its average depth is 195 ft (59 m), and its maximum depth is 750 ft (229 m). b) Icebound for 8 months in a year #9 Great Bear Lake. We will take a look at names, locations and the approximate area in miles… Loch Shin, Scotland. Lake Baikal in Russia is the largest lake on Earth when measured by volume. "The Largest Lakes in the World." The lake has a surface area of 31,722 square km, a volume of 23,615.39 cubic km, and a maximum depth of 5,387 ft. The five lakes, Lake Huron, Superior, Michigan, Erie, and Ontario form the largest freshwater hold of 21% of the Earth’s fresh water. The volume of water in the Caspian Sea is almost 3.5 times more than all five of the Great Lakes of North America combined. Lake Malawi, also known as Lake Nyasa in Tanzania and Lago Niassa in Mozambique, is an African Great Lake and the southernmost lake in the East African Rift system, located between Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. Lake Tanganyika, like some other large lakes on this list, was formed by movements of tectonic plates and thus is called a rift lake. Could be errors here, take it with a grain of sand. The Largest Lakes in the US by Surface Area, All About the Great Lakes of North America, Biography of Robert Cavelier de la Salle, French Explorer, Geography and Facts About the World's 5 Oceans, Rift Valley - The Crack in the Planet's Crust in Eastern Africa, M.A., Geography, California State University - Northridge, B.A., Geography, University of California - Davis. The freshwater lake with the greatest volume is Lake Baikal in Siberia, Russia, with an estimated volume of 23,615.390 cubic kilometres (5,665.63 cubic miles). Classified as an endorheic basin (a basin without outflows), the Caspian Sea is the largest lake in the world both in size and volume. The lake borders on the states of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota in the United States, and the province of Ontario in Canada. The lake borders on the states of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota in the United States, and the province of Ontario in Canada. Lake Baikal is situated in southern Siberia and is the world’s largest freshwater lake, accounting for about 22% of all fresh surface water in the world. It is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. During the dry season, some of the rivers or streams that feed a lake dry up, resulting in less water entering the lake, causing a net decrease in volume. The lake is also the largest lake in Asia and the deepestone in the world. The largest freshwater lake by surface area in the world at 31,802 square miles (82,367 sq km), Lake Superior is more than 10,000 years old and holds 10 percent of the world’s freshwater. Michael Runkel / robertharding/Getty Images. It has an average depth of 958 ft (292 m); and is 2,316 ft (706 m) at its deepest. The largest inland body of water on our planet is the Caspian Sea, but it isn't on this list—politics between the five countries surrounding it (Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan) have declared it neither a sea nor a lake. Named after Queen Victoria, the lake is located in Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya. One factor responsible for changes in volume is the season. It has a length of 1,199 km at its longest traverse. The lake is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and hosts a great variety of flora and fauna including several species of en… It is the fourth largest fresh water lake in the world by volume, the ninth largest lake in the world by area—and the third largest and second deepest lake in Africa. 5, 2021, thoughtco.com/largest-lakes-in-the-world-4158614. It is a protected UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The 31,500 square kilometre lake dates back 25-30 million years, making it the oldest lake in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions © 2021 worldatlas.com, The Largest Lakes By Volume In Each Continent. It spans across 82,100 km 2 (31,700 sq mi) and is located both in Canada and the United States, which also makes it the largest lake in North America.. It's average depth is 483 ft (147 m), and its maximum at 1,332 ft (406 m). However, it is the largest inland body of water in the world, and can be classified as the world’s largest lake in terms of both surface area and volume. https://www.thoughtco.com/largest-lakes-in-the-world-4158614 (accessed April 11, 2021). Lake Michigan – 22,404 square miles. But what about water volume? It has an average depth of 135 ft (41 m) and a maximum of 266 ft (81 m). Caspian Sea. Lake Superior Plunging over 1,632 meters deep, it is both the deepest and the oldest lake in the world, with many arguing that it should be deemed a sea. Other factors that affect a lake's volume include evaporation, diversion of rivers that feed the lake, increased water usage, and decreased depth. Rosenberg, Matt. However, during the rainy season, the number of rivers that drain into a lake increases, as well as the amount of rainwater that enters the lake, resulting in a volume increase. All of the water in the Great Lakes flows through Lake Ontario. Lake Baikal, in southern Siberia, Russia, holds one-fifth of the world's fresh water. Great Bear Lake lies within the Arctic Circle and entirely within Canada's Northwest Territories. Lake Superior is the largest and northernmost of the Great Lakes, and the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area. Loch Morar is the deepest of the UK's lakes and Loch Awe the longest. Lake Victoria is the world’s second largest freshwater lake by surface area (only Lake Superior in North America is larger). The deepest lake in the world, Lake Baikal is also the world’s largest freshwater lake by volume. ). Volumes fluctuate. Rosenberg, Matt. Measuring at 5,387 ft (1,642 m) deep, the lake is over a mile deep. Lakes can also be ranked by volume or surface area. Here are the 1169 lakes we have listed - compared by Largest Lakes - Water Volume.. The following is a list of the largest 100 lakes of the United States by normal surface area.The top twenty lakes in size are as listed by the National Atlas of the United States, a publication of the United States Department of the Interior.The area given is the normal or average area of the lake. While nothing in comparison the world’s largest lakes, they are still impressive none the less. The lake holds nearly 22 to 23% of the freshwater resources of the planet. Additionally, it is the third largest freshwater lake by water volume–it contains more water than all the other Great Lakes combined! The lake is fed by more than 130 rivers, the largest being the Volta River. ", ThoughtCo uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Chicago, one of three largest cities in the United States, is located on its western shoreline. This table includes the ten largest fresh water bodies by area. During the winter months, up to 95% of Lake Superior’s surface area ices over. In addition to being the second largest by volume, Lake Tanganyika is the second oldest and the second deepest, at 4,710 ft (1,436 m). Facts:-a) Deepest lake in North and South America at 614 meters max depth. It measures 410 miles (660 km) long, the longest of any freshwater lake. (2021, April 5). Lake Victoria is the largest lake in Africa by surface area ([69,485 sq km]), but only the third in volume. About half a million people live near it. In this article we used volume. Lake Tanganyika is also the second oldest and the second deepest lake in the world. The North American Great Lakes aren’t great just because Americans say they are. Lake Huron, bordering the United States (Michigan) and Canada (Ontario), has 120 lighthouses on its beaches, but its bottom is home to more than 1,000 shipwrecks, which are protected by the Thunder Bay Marine Sanctuary. This colossal lake stores the largest volume of fresh water in the world within its area of 31,722 sq.km. How Many Countries Are Recognized By The United States. With a volume of 23,615.39 km3, it is the world’s second-largest lake by volume.