Top 10 Biggest Lakes In the World
Want to know about which are the biggest lakes in the world? You will be shocked to know that some of these are so large that you might confuse them with a sea! Here we are going to talk about the top 10 biggest lakes in the world that everyone should know about.
10 Big Lakes In the World That You Should Know About
The 10 big lakes in the world that you should know about are:
Caspian Sea
Although the name mentions "sea" this is a lake and the name is accorded because of its giant size. It is not a freshwater lake and it is partially salty as it is a part of the Paratethys Sea. It has some great caviar.
Diameter
371,000 km2
Location
Located between the continents of Europe and Asia. Bordered by Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.
Lake Superior
If we go by volume, then this is the third-largest lake in the world. The Lake means "big sea water" and is known for carrying goods across the lake. The lake measures more than 400 metres deep in some places and hence it is quite giant.
Diameter
82,100 km2
Location
Borders the US states of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.
Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria is often known to be the main reservoir for the River Nile. The Lake is home to more than 200 different types of fish. The Lake was named after none other than Queen Victoria who is the wife of John Hanning Speke. However, the Lake is a spot where numerous deaths take place every year.
Diameter
68,870 km2
Location
Spreads across Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is connected to Lake Michigan. The Lake stretches for 3800 miles and it is spread across more than 38,000 islands. This lake is quite popular for causing numerous shipwrecks and hence it needs experts to steer across this Lake.
Diameter
59,600 km2
Location
Connected to Lake Michigan via the straits of Mackinac.
Lake Michigan
The term "Lake Michigan" refers to "Great Water". It is one of the top five lakes in North America. The depth extends to around 280 metres. The shoreline is quite risky and is extremely prone to rip currents. This is quite a popular spot and it spreads across places like Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin if we consider East to West.
Diameter
58,000 km2
Location
Spreads across Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin.
Lake Tanganyika
Do you know that the term "Tanganyika" means a great lake that spreads across out like a plain? This is the world's longest as well as the second-oldest freshwater Lake. The Lake flows between four continents: Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This Lake flows directly into the Atlantic Ocean. There are quite a few crocodiles in the Lake!
Diameter
32,600 km2
Location
Flows between the countries of Tanzania, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia.
Lake Baikal
This is an exceptionally popular Lake in Russia and if we measure across the volume then this is the largest Lake on Earth. This is one of the only Lakes in the world that has oxygenated water to sustain. The Lake has more than 1700 different species of plant and animal species. Around Lake Baikal, there are more than 27 islands which are not inhabited. Not only that, there are tons of streams that flow into this Lake. A lot of people do not know this but Lake Baikal is the clearest on Earth. The water usually comes from snowmelt from the Siberian Mountains.
Diameter
31,500 km2
Location
Located in Russia
Great Bear Lake
The Great Bear Lake is located in Canada and it is the largest freshwater lake which is at the moment located within the borders of Canada. The depth of the Great Bear Lake is more than 440 metres. There are a variety of fresh fishes as well at the Great Bear Lake. Some of the rivers that are connected to Great Bear Lake are Dease, McTavish, McVicar, Keith and Smith.
Diameter
31,000 km2
Location
Located in the northwest territories of Canada on the Arctic Circle.
Lake Malawi
Lake Malawi is also known as Lake Nyasa and it is at the moment the third largest lake in Africa. This is a Lake that is currently the fourth largest lake on Earth if we go by the volume. Lake Malawi has quite an entire ecosystem with unique fishes as well as plants. This particular lake is also known to house cichlid fish. There are some areas that allow you to indulge in fishing as well. If we consider the depth of the lake, then it is the second most deep lake in Africa.
Diameter
29,500 km2
Location
Spreads across Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique which is along the East Coast of Africa.
Great Slave Lake
Finally, the 10th largest lake in the world at the moment is none other than Great Slave Lake. It is the second-largest lake in the Northwest Territories of Canada. During the times of winter, this particular lake freezes as well and it is quite a site to watch. If you visit the Lake during the summer times then you will be able to see some sailors who enjoy fishing. The Great Slave Lake is one of the deepest lakes in North America and it is about 614m. The enslaved people from the Dene tribe lived around this area and hence it gets the name.
Diameter
27,000 km2
Location
Located in Canada
The top 10 Lakes that we are talking about are quite popular and each of them has some unique characteristics as well. Some of these do remain frozen and as we have mentioned not all of them have freshwater. There are hundreds of lakes around the world and these 10 do deserve special mention for the sheer size they have. If you delve deeper then you will be able to come across a plethora of underwater species as well which is quite fascinating.
