The maximum depth of Baikal. Famous sayings about Baikal. Where are the deepest places of Baikal

Baikal - large lake in Russia, in the south Eastern Siberia, is located in the basin, which is surrounded by mountain ranges. Administratively located within Irkutsk region and the Republic of Buryatia.

Sergey Gabdurakhmanov / flickr.com Yuri Samoilov / flickr.com Vera & Jean-Christophe / flickr.com Délirante bestiole / flickr.com Vladislav Bezrukov / flickr.com fennU2 / flickr.com -5m / flickr.com Vladislav Bezrukov / flickr.com Voyages Lambert / flickr.com Vera & Jean-Christophe / flickr.com Sergey Gabdurakhmanov / flickr.com Kyle Taylor / flickr.com Seal on Lake Baikal (Sergey Gabdurakhmanov / flickr.com) Thomas Depenbusch / flickr.com Sergey Gabdurakhmanov / flickr.com Kyle Taylor / flickr.com Sergey Gabdurakhmanov / flickr.com seseg_h / flickr.com Richard Thomas / flickr.com Daniel Beilinson / flickr.com NASA's Earth Observatory / flickr.com Clay Gilliland / flickr.com Aleksandr Zykov / flickr.com Aleksandr Zykov / flickr.com Aleksandr Zykov / flickr.com

Exactly this deep lake in the world, its greatest depth reaches 1642 meters. It is also the largest natural reservoir in the world. fresh water. The lake basin is of tectonic origin and is a rift.

Lake Baikal is one of the most interesting natural attractions in Russia. Since 1996 it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The size of this reservoir is really impressive. The length of the lake from southwest to northeast is 620 km, and its width varies from 24 to 80 km. The area of ​​the reservoir is 31,722 sq. km, and the length of its coastline is 2100 km.

Baikal is the deepest lake in the world with greatest depth 1642 meters. At the same time, the average depth of this unique reservoir reaches 744 meters. The volume of water is 23,615 cubic meters. km, which is approximately 19% of the total volume of fresh lake water in the world. The water mirror is located at absolute elevations of 456-457 m.

More than 300 different streams flow into Lake Baikal, the largest of which are the Selenga, Upper Angara, Barguzin, Turka, etc. The only river flowing out of the lake is the Angara.

Baikal has 27 islands, the largest of which is Olkhon. Its area is 729 sq. km. The length of this island is more than 70 km, and the width is up to 15 km.

The water level in Baikal is subject to fluctuations. The difference between the highest and lowest annual levels usually does not exceed 23 centimeters. However, these seemingly small fluctuations lead to an increase or decrease in the volume of lake water by about 3 cubic kilometers. The level of Lake Baikal depends mainly on the amount of precipitation falling on the territory of its catchment area.

Baikal climate

During the cold period, it is always slightly warmer near the lake, and during the warm period it is cooler than in the surrounding area. In this respect, the Baikal climate is similar to that of the sea.

Mirror Baikal (Yuri Samoilov / flickr.com)

As in the case of the sea, such climate features are due to the fact that in summer the huge volume of lake water accumulates a huge amount of heat, and then, in autumn and winter, it gives this heat back. This is how the softening effect of the lake on the sharply continental climate of Eastern Siberia, which is characterized by strong contrast, is manifested.

The warming effect of the lake extends for about 50 km from its shores. In the cold season, the temperature on the coast of Lake Baikal can be 8-10 degrees higher than away from the lake, and in the warm season it is just as much lower than the temperatures of the surrounding area. Usually, this difference is about 5 degrees. Baikal smooths out not only annual, but also daily temperature fluctuations.

To a large extent, the climate of Lake Baikal is determined by its inland location, as well as the height of the mirror above sea level.

Average annual temperature and precipitation

The average annual temperature varies from 0.7 degrees below zero (in the south) to 3.6 degrees below zero (in the north). The tallest average temperature recorded in Peschanaya Bay in the west of the reservoir. It is 0.4 degrees above zero, which makes this bay the warmest place in all of Eastern Siberia.

The slopes of the eastern and south-eastern mountains are characterized by the maximum amount of precipitation. east coast Baikal (1000 - 1200 mm), and the minimum - west coast lakes, Olkhon Island and in the lower reaches of the Selenga (less than 200 mm).

Ice on Baikal

Baikal is under ice for about five months a year. The time of ice cover establishment varies from the last week of October (shallow bays) to the beginning of January (deep water areas).

Winter evening on Lake Baikal, Siberia, Russia (Thomas Depenbusch / flickr.com)

Spring ice drift begins at the end of April, and the lake is completely free of ice only in the first half of June.

Ice thickness by the end of winter is about one meter, in bays - up to two meters. The ice of Lake Baikal is interesting because, in especially severe frosts, it is torn apart by cracks into separate ice fields. The width of such cracks reaches 2-3 m, and their length is many kilometers.

The cracking of the ice cover is accompanied by loud rolling sounds. In addition, Baikal ice is famous for its amazing transparency.

Wind

A characteristic feature of the Baikal climate is its winds, each of which has its own name. The most powerful wind of Lake Baikal is the sarma, the speed of which reaches 40 m/s, and sometimes up to 60 m/s. It's strong squally wind blowing in the central part of the lake, from the valley of the Sarma river. Other Baikal winds: barguzin, verkhovik, mountain, kultuk and shelonnik.

Another one interesting feature local climate - a very large number of clear days per year, the number of which is even more than Black Sea coast Caucasus.

Nature of Baikal: flora and fauna

Baikal flora is very diverse and rich, it includes more than 1000 plant species. The slopes of the mountains located along the shores of the lake are usually covered with taiga.

Baikal cow, Siberia, Russia (Daniel Beilinson / flickr.com)

Siberian cedar and larch are found in abundance in the local forests. Birch, poplar, aspen, currant, etc. grow along the rivers. As for aquatic plants, there are approximately 210 species of algae. The Baikal fauna is represented by more than 2600 species and subspecies, more than a thousand of which are endemic. The 27 species of fish that live in the lake do not live in any other body of water in the world.

There are many kinds of fish in Baikal. Most unusual is the viviparous golomyanka fish, which is endemic to Lake Baikal. The main commercial fish is the Baikal omul. More than 80% of the total zooplankton biomass is another endemic species, the epishura crustacean. This crustacean is engaged in water purification, playing the role of a filter, and also serves as an important part of the diet of the Baikal omul and other organisms.

Nerpa on Baikal (Sergey Gabdurakhmanov / flickr.com)

Another well-known endemic of the lake is the Baikal seal, which is the only freshwater seal in the world. The largest rookeries of this most interesting animal are located on the Ushkany Islands, in the central part of Lake Baikal.

There is still debate among scientists about how the Baikal seal entered the lake, which is located so far from the oceans. It is assumed that it entered Baikal from the Northern Arctic Ocean along the Yenisei and Angara during the Ice Age. Of the animals that live in the Baikal forests, one can note the brown bear, wolverine, musk deer, red deer, elk, fox, squirrel, etc.

236 species of birds live on Baikal, of which 29 species are waterfowl. IN large quantities ducks and gulls are found here. Also, you can meet geese, screaming swans, gray heron, black-throated diver, golden eagle, etc.

Ecology

The unique nature of Baikal is notable for its fragility. All living organisms here are very sensitive to the slightest change conditions environment. The process of decomposition of pollutants in the lake is very slow. The ever-increasing anthropogenic load cannot but affect this fragile ecosystem.

Boat on Baikal (-5m / flickr.com)

Of the enterprises located directly on the banks of the reservoir, the most famous is the Baikal Pulp and Paper Mill, founded back in the 1960s.

The bottom runoff of the Baikal Pulp and Paper Mill spreads along the underwater slope of the Baikal depression. The area of ​​the pollution spot covers about 299 sq. km. Due to bottom runoff, the pulp and paper mill degrades the bottom ecosystems of Lake Baikal, and the emissions of this enterprise into the atmosphere negatively affect the adjacent taiga.

Despite many protests by environmentalists and activists, the Baikal Pulp and Paper Mill continued to produce pulp until the end of 2013. Now the plant has stopped its work, however, it will take many more years to eliminate its waste and restore the environment.

The pollution of the nature of this unique reservoir did not end at all with the closure of the pulp and paper mill. A major source of pollution of the lake is its most important tributary, the Selenga River, in the basin of which such big cities, as Ulan Bator and Ulan-Ude, as well as numerous industrial enterprises in Mongolia and Buryatia.

Partial pollutants come even from the territory of the Trans-Baikal Territory, from settlements located along the tributaries of the Selenga. Most of the treatment facilities in small settlements of Buryatia are not fully capable of coping with wastewater treatment.

Serious damage to the flora and fauna of the reservoir is caused by poachers.

Tourism

Lake Baikal is one of the most popular tourist sites in Russia, recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The starting points of most trips to the deepest lake in the world are Irkutsk ( southwestern part reservoir), Ulan-Ude (east of the lake) and Severobaikalsk (northern tip). Of these cities, it is most convenient to start your route directly to the lake.

An old motorcycle on the background of Lake Baikal (Vladislav Bezrukov / flickr.com)

To the south of Irkutsk, at the mouth of the Angara, is the village of Listvyanka, which is the most popular resort on Baikal. There is a developed tourism infrastructure in addition, numerous excursions are organized from here. On the southwestern coast of the reservoir there are also the cities of Slyudyanka and Baikalsk. The recreational zone Baikalskaya Gavan is located on the eastern coast.

Another well-known center of attraction for tourists is Olkhon Island, which is distinguished by a variety of natural landscapes. Olkhon can be reached by ferry from the village of Sakhyurta; the largest settlement of the island is the village of Khuzhir, where there is a fairly developed tourist infrastructure.

Where is Lake Baikal located? Lake Baikal is the cleanest and deepest freshwater lake our planet. Lake Baikal is also the largest reservoir of fresh, surface water on Earth. Baikal is famous for its crystal clean water. It is home to a large variety of fauna and flora. This magnificent lake is located in Asia and occupies part of the territory of Siberia in Russia. Lake Baikal is located and borders on the Republic of Buryatia and the Irkutsk region, not far from the city of Irkutsk. Baikal is considered one of the seven underwater wonders Sveta. Its name Baikal comes from two words of the Turkic language, it is “bay”, which means rich and “kul”, which means lake.

Depth of Lake Baikal and its dimensions?

The width of Lake Baikal, in its widest part, is 79.5 kilometers, and the width in its narrow part is 25 kilometers. The average width of Lake Baikal is 47.8 kilometers. The lake is located along a tectonic fault, which explains it great depth. The maximum depth of the lake is 1637 meters, which makes it the deepest in the world. And its average depth is 758 meters. Baikal covers an area of ​​31,722 square kilometers. More than 330 small rivers flow into this lake. There are 22 islands inside the lake. by the most big island on the lake is the island of Olkhon. In Lake Baikal there are about

23 615.390 cubic kilometers of the purest fresh water. This is almost 20% of all the world's fresh water reserves on Earth, which is located on the surface. He contains more water than all of the North American Great Lakes combined. It is also the oldest lake in the world. Since Lake Baikal has existed for more than 25 million years.

Features of Lake Baikal

One of its most important features is that the water on Lake Baikal is so clean that any object at its depth is already visible at a depth of 40 meters. In addition, Lake Baikal is also the most beautiful lake planets. It is one of the few sources of fresh water that continues to grow rapidly, growing at an average of 2 centimeters per year.

Flora and fauna on Lake Baikal

Lake Baikal has an impressive and unique flora and fauna. Scientists have determined the existence of about 2,600 species of animals and plants. Among them, about 70 percent of animals and plants are endemic. That is, this means that these animals and plants can only be found here on Lake Baikal. One of the most representative inhabitants of the lake's ecosystem is the Nerpa. This is a unique freshwater seal that lives in the northern part of Lake Baikal. Another symbol of the Baikal fauna is Omul. This is the most popular type of salmon fish in this lake. And another representative of Lake Baikal is Golomyanka. This fish is also called as "Baikal oil fish". This is a kind of unusual, beautiful fish, translucent in appearance. Which lives at a depth between 200 and 500 meters. This type of fish is famous for its decay, under the influence of sunlight, into separate parts, only bones remain from it. Foxes, eagles, deer, bears and many other species of animals and plants also live in this area.

Nature on Lake Baikal

Lake Baikal itself is genuine miracle but other than that it is surrounded by beautiful landscape. There are beautiful forests and rocky mountains here, so it is one of the most favorite places for Russians. Hiking, camping, kayaking, biking, fishing and other activities are organized here.

About Lake Baikal, the most famous writer of Russia, Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, said this: “Baikal is so amazing, and it’s not for nothing that Siberians treat it not like a lake, but like a sea. The water in it is unusually transparent, so that one can look into the depths as if through air; the color is soft turquoise, the most pleasing to your eye. And its shores are mountainous and covered with forest; around the impenetrable desert. Bears, sables, wild goats and other wild animals live here.”

History of Lake Baikal.

Since ancient times, many people have lived near Lake Baikal. Remains of human presence in the region have been found. This presence dates back to the Stone Age. Residents of the region consider this lake the most sacred place. Because of this, Lake Baikal was known as "sacred water" or "holy sea" and people here prayed, believed in the power of the lake. But, on Lake Baikal, the main migration of people occurred only after its discovery by the Russians in the 17th century. In 1643, Ivanov Kurbat, who was the first Russian to enter this region of Eastern Siberia. And in 1647, at the head of the expedition, Vasily Kolesnikov, reached the northern part of the coast of Lake Baikal.

From the very beginning, the Russian people were engaged in fishing and hunting in Lake Baikal. For this region lakes are the backbone of the economy.

Since the discovery of Lake Baikal, many expeditions have carried out their research. One of the first was a scientific expedition sent in 1723 by Peter I. Most of the scientific works on Lake Bakal had already been published by the Academy Saint Petersburg. However, only in the 19th century, in connection with the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway, were geographical and geological studies carried out. During the 20th century, many other studies were carried out in the lake, including a full survey organized by the Academy of Sciences. In 1976, the first satellite photographs of Lake Baikal were taken. Nevertheless, despite all these expeditions, there are still a lot of questions and mysteries.

Lake Baikal was declared in 1996 a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Unfortunately, over the past 50 years, many enterprises and settlements have been built on Baikal that pollute it. They negatively affect and have a terrible impact on the sensitive ecosystem of Lake Baikal. Garbage, chemical waste dumped by agricultural production, a growing flow of tourists, all this causes enormous damage to the fresh water reserves in the main reservoir of the Earth.

Due to the growing pollution of Lake Baikal, the authorities have taken some emergency measures to protect it. They banned the harvesting of timber and their transportation through Lake Baikal. A number of industries in the Republic of Buryatia were transferred to closed loop production. To stop pollution and population growth around the lake, emergency protection measures have been taken. natural environment. But, these activities are not enough to fight against the threat that looms over Lake Baikal. Currently, there are two main pollution threats: the city of Ulan-Ude with its wastewater and the Baikal Pulp and Paper Mill. Though about the second water pollutant of the lake, a decision was made to close it.

The future wonder of nature now depends on our decision to preserve it for our descendants. We are responsible and must fight for the preservation of this magnificent, wonderful lake Baikal. If you are in these parts, then be sure to visit these places and especially Lake Baikal, where you can spend your unforgettable.

Location

south of Eastern Siberia

Height num

23,615.390 km³

coastline length

Greatest depth

Average depth

Transparency

40 m, at a depth of up to 60 m

catchment area

560 thousand km²

Inflowing rivers

Selenga, Upper Angara, Barguzin, etc.
Total 336

flowing river

Geography

Water volume

Tributaries and runoff

Water properties

Islands and peninsulas

seismic activity

Origin of the lake

Flora and fauna

Settlement of the lake shore

Limnological research

deep sea drilling

Neutrino telescope

Pisis on Baikal

"Worlds" on Baikal

Ecology

Pulp and paper mill

Eastern oil pipeline

Attractions

Interesting Facts

Myths and legends about Baikal

Baikal in philately

Baikal- a lake of tectonic origin in the southern part of Eastern Siberia, the deepest lake on the planet Earth, the largest natural reservoir of fresh water. More than half of the year the lake is ice-bound, the freezing period is January 15 - May 1, navigation is carried out from June to September. Since 1956, the lake has become an integral part of the Irkutsk reservoir, as a result of which the water level has risen by 1.5 m.

The lake and coastal areas are distinguished by a unique diversity of flora and fauna, most of the species are endemic. Locals and many in Russia traditionally call Baikal the sea.

Geography

Geographical location and dimensions of the basin

Baikal is located in the center of Asia, in Russia, on the border of the Irkutsk region and the Republic of Buryatia. The lake stretches from north to southwest for 636 km in the form of a giant crescent. The width of Baikal ranges from 25 to 80 km.

The water surface area is 31,722 km² (excluding islands), which is approximately equal to the area of ​​countries such as Belgium, the Netherlands or Denmark. In terms of water surface area, Baikal ranks sixth among largest lakes peace.

The length of the coastline is 2,100 km.

Depths

Maximum lake depth- 1,642 meters was discovered in 1983 by L. G. Kolotilo and A. I. Sulimov during hydrographic work by the expedition of the GUNiO MO USSR at a point with coordinates 53 ° 14? sh. 108°05′11′ E / 53.249722° N. sh. 108.086389° E making it the deepest lake on planet Earth.

The maximum depth was charted in 1992. and confirmed in 2002 as a result of a joint Belgian-Spanish-Russian project to create a new bathymetric map of Lake Baikal, when depths were digitized at 1,312,788 points of the lake water area (depth values ​​were obtained as a result of recalculation of acoustic sounding data combined with additional bathymetric information , including echolocation and seismic profiling, one of the authors of the discovery of maximum depth - L.G.Kolotilo, was a participant in this project).

If we take into account that the water surface of the lake is located at an altitude of 455.5 m above sea level, then the lower point of the basin lies 1,186.5 m below the level of the world ocean, which makes the Baikal bowl also the deepest continental depression.

Average lake depth also very large - 744.4 meters. It exceeds the maximum depths of many very deep lakes.

Water volume

The water reserves in Baikal are gigantic - 23615.390 km² (about 19% of the world's fresh water reserves - all fresh lakes in the world contain 123 thousand km² of water). In terms of water reserves, Baikal ranks second in the world among lakes, second only to the Caspian Sea, but the water in the Caspian Sea is salty. There is more water in Baikal than in all five Great Lakes taken together and 25 times more than in Lake Ladoga.

Tributaries and runoff

336 rivers and streams flow into Baikal, but this number takes into account only permanent tributaries. The largest of them are Selenga, Upper Angara, Barguzin, Turka, Snezhnaya, Sarma. One river flows out of the lake - the Angara.

Water properties

The main properties of Baikal water can be briefly described as follows: it contains very few dissolved and suspended mineral substances, negligibly few organic impurities, and a lot of oxygen.

Temperature surface layers water in Baikal in summer is +8…+9 °C, and in some bays - +15 °C. The temperature of the deep layers is about +4 °C. The water in the lake is so transparent that individual stones and various objects can be seen at a depth of 40 m. At this time Baikal water happens to be blue. In summer and autumn, when a mass of plant and animal organisms develop in the water warmed by the sun, its transparency decreases to 8–10 m and the color becomes blue-green and green. Pure and clearest water Baikal contains so few mineral salts (100 mg/l) that it can be used instead of distilled water.

Ice

By the end of winter, the ice thickness on Baikal reaches 1 m, and in the bays - 1.5-2 m. severe frost cracks, which are locally called "stave gaps", break the ice into separate fields. The length of such fissures is 10–30 km, and the width is 2–3 m. Fractures occur annually in approximately the same areas of the lake. They are accompanied by a loud crack, reminiscent of thunder or cannon shots. It seems to a person standing on the ice that the ice cover is bursting just under his feet and he will now fall into the abyss. Thanks to cracks in the ice, fish in the lake do not die from lack of oxygen. Baikal ice is also very transparent, and the sun's rays penetrate through it, so planktonic algae, which release oxygen, flourish in the water. On the shores of Lake Baikal can be observed in winter ice grottoes and splashes.

Baikal ice presents scientists with many mysteries. So, in the 1930s, specialists from the Baikal Limnological Station discovered unusual forms of ice cover, typical only for Lake Baikal. For example, “hills” are cone-shaped ice hills up to 6 meters high, hollow inside. Appearance they resemble ice tents, "open" in the opposite direction from the coast. Hills can be located separately, and sometimes form miniature "mountain ranges". Also on Baikal there is another type of ice called "sokuy".

In addition, in the spring of 2009, Internet satellite imagery different parts of Baikal where they were found dark rings. According to scientists, these rings are formed due to the rise of deep waters and an increase in the temperature of the surface layer of water in the central part of the ring structure. As a result of this process, an anticyclonic (clockwise) current is formed. In the area where the current reaches maximum speeds, vertical water exchange increases, which leads to accelerated destruction of the ice cover.

Islands and peninsulas

There are 27 islands on Baikal (Ushkany Islands, Yarki Island and others), the largest of them is Olkhon (730 km²); largest peninsula- Holy Nose.

The lake is located in a kind of basin, surrounded on all sides by mountain ranges and hills. At the same time, the western coast is rocky and steep, the relief of the eastern coast is more gentle (in some places the mountains recede from the coast for tens of kilometers).

seismic activity

The Baikal region (the so-called Baikal rift zone) belongs to areas with high seismicity: earthquakes regularly occur here, the strength of most of which is one or two points on the MSK-64 intensity scale. However, strong ones also happen, so in 1862, during a ten-point Kudarinsky earthquake in the northern part of the Selenga delta, a land area of ​​​​200 km² with 6 uluses, in which 1,300 people lived, went under water, and Proval Bay was formed. Strong earthquakes were also recorded in 1903 (Baikal), 1950 (Mondinskoe), 1957 (Muiskoe), 1959 (Middle Baikal). The epicenter of the Middle Baikal earthquake was located at the bottom of Lake Baikal near the village of Sukhaya (southeast coast). His strength reached 9 points. In Ulan-Ude and Irkutsk, the strength of the main shock reached 5-6 points, cracks and minor damage were observed in buildings and structures.

Climate

The water mass of Lake Baikal influences the climate of the coastal area. Winters are milder here, and summers are cooler. The onset of spring on Baikal is delayed by 10-15 days compared to the surrounding areas, and autumn is often quite long.

The Baikal region is distinguished by a large total duration of sunshine. For example, in the village of Bolshoe Goloustnoye it reaches 2,524 hours and is a record for Russia. Days without sun in the same year locality there are only 37, and on the island of Olkhon - 48.

The special features of the climate are due to the Baikal winds, which have their own names - barguzin, sarma, verkhovik, kultuk.

Origin of the lake

The origin of Baikal still causes scientific controversy. Scientists traditionally determine the age of the lake at 25–35 Ma. This fact also makes Baikal unique. natural object, since most lakes, especially glacial origin, live an average of 10-15 thousand years, and then they are filled with silty sediments and become swampy.

However, there is also a version about the youth of Baikal, put forward by Alexander Tatarinov, Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences in 2009, which received indirect confirmation during the second stage of the Worlds expedition to Baikal. In particular, the activity of mud volcanoes at the bottom of Lake Baikal allows scientists to assume that the modern coastline of the lake is only 8 thousand years old, and the deep-water part is 150 thousand years old.

What is certain is that the lake is located in a rift basin and is similar in structure, for example, to the Dead Sea basin. Some researchers explain the formation of Baikal by its location in the zone of a transform fault, others suggest the presence of a mantle plume under Baikal, and others explain the formation of the basin by passive rifting as a result of the collision of Eurasia and Hindustan. Be that as it may, the transformation of Baikal continues to this day - earthquakes constantly occur in the vicinity of the lake. There are suggestions that the subsidence of the basin is associated with the formation of vacuum chambers due to the outpouring of basalts on the surface (Quaternary period).

Flora and fauna

According to the Limnological Institute of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 2,630 species and varieties of plants and animals live in Baikal, 2/3 of which are endemic, that is, they live only in this reservoir. Such an abundance of living organisms is explained by the high oxygen content in the entire thickness of the Baikal water.

The epishura crustacean, endemic to Baikal, makes up to 80% of the zooplankton biomass of the lake and is the most important link in the food chain of the reservoir. It performs the function of a filter: it passes water through itself, purifying it.

The most interesting in Baikal is the viviparous golomyanka fish, whose body contains up to 30% fat. It surprises biologists with daily feeding migrations from the depths to shallow waters. Of the fish in Baikal, there are omul, grayling, whitefish, sturgeon, burbot, taimen, pike and others. Baikal is unique among lakes in that freshwater sponges grow here at great depths.

History of settlement and study of Baikal

Settlement of the lake shore

The words local residents, recorded in the 1930s, until the 12th-13th centuries, the Baikal region was inhabited by the people of the Barguts. They were replaced from the west by the Buryats, who began to actively populate first the western coast of the lake, and then Transbaikalia. The first Russian settlements on the shores of Lake Baikal appeared at the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th centuries. The first Russian discoverer of Baikal was the Cossack Kurbat Ivanov.

The origin of the toponym "Baikal"

The origin of the name of the lake is not exactly established. Below are the most common versions of the origin of the toponym "Baikal":

• Bai-Kul (Turk.) - a rich lake
• Baigaal-Dalai (Mong.) - rich fire
• Bei-Hai (Chinese) - North Sea

The first Russian explorers of Siberia used the Evenki name "Lamu" (sea). From the second half of the 17th century, the Russians switched to the name adopted by the Buryats - "Baigaal" (pronounced "Beigkhel"). At the same time, they linguistically adapted it to their language, replacing the “g” characteristic of the Buryats with the more familiar “k” for the Russian language, as a result of which the modern name was finally formed.

Outstanding researchers, travelers and writers of Baikal

See related articles:

Limnological research

The branch of science that studies lakes is called limnology. In the Irkutsk Academic City there is a limnological institute that studies Baikal. Baikal is also studied by independent scientific organizations, such as the Baikal Research Center (ANO).

deep sea drilling

In the 1990s, Russian, American and Japanese scientists jointly implemented an international project for deep-sea drilling of Lake Baikal on Lake Baikal. Drilling was carried out in winter, from a research vessel frozen into the ice. Drilling made it possible to study the section of the sedimentary strata at the bottom of the lake, to detail its history. The results of drilling are especially valuable for the reconstruction of climatic changes in the territory of Eurasia.

Neutrino telescope

A unique deep-sea neutrino telescope NT-200, built in 1993-1998, was created and operates on the lake, with the help of which high-energy neutrinos are detected. On its basis, the NT-200+ neutrino telescope with an increased effective volume is being created, the construction of which is expected to be completed no earlier than 2017.

Pisis on Baikal

The first dives of manned submersibles on Baikal were made in 1977, when the bottom of the lake was explored on the deep-sea submersible "Pices" of Canadian production. In Listvenichny Bay, a depth of 1,410 meters was reached. In 1991, the Pisis sank to a depth of 1,637 meters from the eastern side of Olkhon.

"Worlds" on Baikal

In the summer of 2008, the Foundation for Assistance to the Preservation of Lake Baikal carried out a research expedition "Worlds on Baikal". 52 deep-sea manned submersibles "Mir" were immersed to the bottom of Lake Baikal.

Scientists delivered samples of water, soil and microorganisms taken from the bottom of Lake Baikal to the Research Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences named after P.P. Shirshov. The expedition continued in 2009.

Ecology

Pulp and paper mill

In 1966, production began at the Baikal Pulp and Paper Mill (BPPM), as a result of which the adjacent bottom areas of the lake began to degrade. Dust and gas emissions have a negative impact on the taiga around the BPPM, dry tops and drying of the forest are noted. In September 2008, the plant introduced a closed water circulation system designed to reduce the discharge of wash water. According to the source, the system turned out to be inoperable and less than a month after its launch, the plant had to be stopped.

Eastern oil pipeline

The Transneft company is building the Eastern Siberia - Pacific Ocean oil pipeline, passing in the Baikal region. Initially, it was planned that the pipeline route would pass in close proximity to the shore of the lake, and then, in the event of an oil spill, Baikal would be under the threat of an environmental disaster. Numerous protest actions of environmentalists and just caring people, including a protest rally of many thousands held in Irkutsk on March 18, 2006, and mainly a direct order from Russian President V.V. so that its thread runs no closer than 350–400 km from the lake.

Baikal - World Natural Heritage Site

In 1996, Baikal was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Resumption of activity of the pulp and paper mill

By Government Decree Russian Federation dated January 13, 2010, the ban on "production of cellulose, paper, cardboard and products from them without the use of drainless water use systems for production needs" was eliminated without any restrictions on the timing, volumes or concentrations of substances. It also drastically changes two more points regarding the storage, disposal and incineration of hazardous waste on the shores of Lake Baikal, which is included in the List of World natural heritage.

Organizations studying and protecting Baikal

• Pribaikalsky National Park
• Baikal ecological wave
• Baikal Research Center (ANO)
• Greenpeace Russia

Tourism

There are many ways to get to Baikal. As a rule, those who wish to visit it first go to one of the nearest large cities: Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude or Severobaikalsk, in order to plan their route in more detail from there. Driving along the Trans-Siberian Railway between Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude, you can admire the views of the lake for hours, stretching right outside the train window.

Listvyanka village, one of the most popular places tourism on Baikal. Get here from regional center You can by bus or boat in just over an hour.

In various areas around the lake, the Great Baikal Trail passes - a system of ecological trails and one of the finest ways for tourists to see the unique nature and enjoy breathtaking views and panoramas of Baikal. Most popular routes pass from Listvyanka village to Big Cats, on the Svyatoi Nos peninsula and in most other places where tourists can reach. On the eastern coast, Barguzinsky Bay is especially popular, where the construction of a tourist and recreational zone continues. In the village of Maksimikha, you can take a tour with a visit to the Svyatoy Nos peninsula (peninsula). Available horse and hiking. To the south are the settlements of Enkhaluk, Sukhaya. In these villages, private individuals organized the reception of guests, including in yurts. Thirty kilometers south of the mouth of the Selenga River there is a bay where two tourist camps have settled - Kultushnaya and Baikal surf. Several camp sites provide tourist services there. Almost in the very north of the lake there is a Khakusy resort.

Attractions

On Baikal and around it there are many monuments of nature, culture, as well as historical and archaeological sites. Listed below are just a few of them.

• Rock Shaman-stone
• Chivyrkuisky Bay and Ushkany Islands
• Chersky Peak - 2090 m above sea level
• Cape Burkhan on Olkhon Island
• Northern Baikal
• Sandy Bay
• Cape Ryty
• Cape Ludar
• Circum-Baikal Railway

Famous sayings about Baikal

Here are quotes about Baikal from various sources.

If all the water contained in Baikal is divided among all citizens of Russia, then each will have ~2700 railway tanks of 60 tons each.

Myths and legends about Baikal

• There is a legend that the father of Baikal had 335 rivers-sons and one daughter-Angara, they all flowed into her father in order to replenish his waters, but his daughter fell in love with the Yenisei River and began to carry her father’s waters to her beloved, in response to this Father Baikal threw a huge piece of rock at his daughter and cursed her.

Movies

• In 1969, the film studio. M. Gorky's film "By the Lake" was released.
• In 1992, the film studio "Lennauchfilm" released the popular science film "Baikal Legends" (directed by cameraman V. Petrov). The film tells about the geographical and natural features of the lake, as well as the history of the people living on its shores.

The largest natural reservoir of fresh water is located in Russia, on the territory of Eastern Siberia. Its shores and waters belong to the Irkutsk region and the Republic of Buryatia.

The most convenient way to get to Baikal is from Irkutsk - there are many types of transport and only 70 km to the lake. Ulan-Ude is located much further away, and there are much fewer communication options.

Climate zone, in which Baikal is located - temperate zone, however, due to the amazing and unique shape, bottom topography and coastline, the deepest lake on the planet is divided into three separate parts - South, Middle and North. Moreover, each of these zones has its own natural and climatic features, each is characterized by unique flora and.

The beauty of Baikal special energy this place unique flora and fauna, as well as the opportunity to go diving, hunting, fishing, photography, etc., attract millions of tourists from all over the world.

The length of Lake Baikal from north to south is almost 600 km, and the maximum depth of the reservoir is 1620 m. This is the deepest lake on planet Earth.

There are two main ways to get to the lake: by plane or by rail. By air you can take off from almost any major airport Russia (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Kazan, Vladivostok, etc.) and arrive by direct flight or with a transfer to Irkutsk or Ulan-Ude.

Similarly with rail transport: from almost any corner of Russia, regardless of the significance and size of the city or village, you can directly or by way of administrative centers Irkutsk region or the Republic of Buryatia.

It is noteworthy that in Africa there is a "twin brother" of Baikal - Lake Tanganyika. It is also distinguished by the uniqueness of the ecosystem, it has a similar shape to the Siberian counterpart, only its semicircle is turned in the opposite direction.

The distance from Moscow to Irkutsk by rail is almost 5,200 km. High-speed train overcomes it in 3.5-4 days.

Both Ulan-Ude and Irkutsk are located several tens of kilometers from Lake Baikal, and from these cities you can get to the lake by taxi, electric trains and trains, fixed-route taxi or bus. In summer, from Irkutsk, from the pier "Rocket", yachts and motor ships go to the lake.