Which lake is the deepest in the world. Fluctuating water in a pond. Three of the largest lakes in the world

Imagine that you are swimming in a deep lake and cannot see the bottom of it. You only feel freezing cold water below you and the abyss of water, stretching to infinity. Many people are afraid of the deep, and even the best swimmer in the world can feel fear after hearing about the legends and mysteries that envelop the bottomless waters of the most deep lakes peace. The depths of any lake vary with climate and rainfall seasons, but in general there are certain constants. Today we explore the ten deepest lakes in the world, learn about their history and secrets.

10. Lake Matano

Lake Matano is of tectonic origin and is located in South Sulawesi in Indonesia. It is an important freshwater resource in the area and the most deep lake countries with a maximum depth of 590 meters. Lake Matano is known for its extremely clear waters and many native species fish. On its shores there are large reserves of nickel ore.

9. Crater Lake

With a colorful volcanic past, Crater Lake is located in Oregon's Crater Lake National Park. It is a place of immeasurable beauty, surrounded by cliffs 600 meters high, with two small islands. Crater is a breathtaking open sea, a real laboratory for photographers. It is the deepest lake in the United States, with a maximum depth of 594 meters and the most clean water V North America(in terms of the absence of contaminants). The lake is fed by the melting of winter snow. Crater was formed 7,700 years ago after strong eruption, but legends can tell much more about him. indian tribe Klamath speaks of a violent war between Llao, the spirit underworld who lived in Mount Mazama and Skello - the spirit upper world. Llao fell in love with Loch, the daughter of the Indian chief Klamath, but was rejected and decided to punish people with the curse of fire. Skello came to help and after a long fight, he managed to defeat Llao, whom he imprisoned in the depths of Mount Mazama. Finally, he covered the hole with a magnificent lake.

8. Great Slave Lake

The Great Slave Lake covers an area of ​​11,000 sq. miles of the Northwest Territories of Canada and reaches 615 meters deep, making it the deepest lake in North America. Due to low temperatures in the area for eight months of the year, the lake is almost always partially frozen, and during the winter the ice is so strong that trucks and trailers drive over it. Although there is no physical evidence yet, rumor has it that an unidentified large creature lives in the Great Slave Lake. Many speak of a large hump in the water, usually mistaken for a rock until it sinks back into the depths of the sea, or of an alligator-like monster with a pointed head. One Roman Catholic priest even saw a large creature with the head of a dragon that came out onto the shores of the lake. The creature was subsequently named Slavey.

7. Lake Issyk Kul

In the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, in northern mountains Tien Shan, Issyk-Kul is located - a lake with salt water, on the site of which a very developed metropolis was located 2,500 years ago. The average water depth is 304 meters, while the deepest point drops to 668 meters. According to legend, during pre-Islamic times, the king of the local ruler had the ears of a donkey. He managed to hide them, while killing all his hairdressers in order not to reveal the secret. One day, one of the barbers ran away and revealed a secret that caused the water to rise and flood the kingdom. Indeed, archaeological finds have indicated the presence of an advanced ancient civilization on the site where Issyk-Kul Lake is currently located. It is one of the deepest lakes in the world.

6 Lake Malawi

Also known as Lake Nyasa, Lake Malawi is the most south lake in the East African Rift Valley system located between Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. At 706 meters deep, it is the second deepest lake in Africa and thanks to its tropical waters, more species fish than in any other lake on Earth. The researchers studied the sediments of Lake Malawi and found that 100,000 years ago the water level dropped to approximately the current level, turning the land around the lake into a semi-desert and arid habitat. According to some scholars, this may be the reason why early man fled Africa to other parts of the world.

5. Lake San Martin

The lake located in Patagonia is called O'Higgins in Chile and San Martin in Argentina. It is the deepest lake in the Americas with a maximum depth of 835 meters (measured at the O'Higgins Glacier). The lake is very irregular and consists of eight well-defined arms with milky blue water percolating through the stony rock. The lake is named after the South American heroes José de San Martin from Argentina and Bernardo O'Higgins from Chile, who fought for the liberation of the country.

4. Lake Vostok

Of the 140 subglacial lakes on Earth, Vostok is the largest and deepest, with a maximum depth of 899 meters. Located under the Russian station Vostok, 3962 meters below the surface of the central Antarctic ice sheet, is the most unexplored lake on Earth. British and Russian scientists discovered it only in 1996. average temperature water in Lake Vostok is -3 °C. But despite the negative temperature, the lake is in a liquid state, due to the high pressure from the weight of the ice.
The scientists also found that the icy core could be over 420,000 years old. This means that the lake closed over 500,000 years ago. So far, there is no evidence of life in Lake Vostok. Despite this, if any species live in the lake, they will most likely develop traits to survive in the oxygen-rich environment of this deep lake.

3. Caspian Sea

Between southern regions Russian Federation and northern Iran is the largest closed body of water on Earth. The Caspian Sea is a salt water lake (salinity approximately 1.2%) that is landlocked due to continental drift 5.5 million years ago. A remnant of the ancient Tethys Ocean (just like the Black, or Mediterranean Sea), the Caspian Sea is the third deepest lake in the world, at 1,025 meters deep. The fauna in the Caspian basin is very rich: many sturgeons, Caspian white fish, Caspian roach, Caspian bream and many rare species of salmon. The Caspian Sea is very rich in energy resources, including oil and gas deposits discovered since the 10th century.

2. Tanganyika

Divided between Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo (45%), Tanzania (41%) and Zambia, Tanganyika is the deepest freshwater lake in Africa and the second deepest in the world with a maximum depth of 1470 meters. The lake was accidentally discovered in 1858 by two British explorers, Richard Burton and John Speke, in their search for the source of the Nile. There are numerous stories about cold-blooded serial killer named Gustav on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. It is a 6 meter long crocodile that weighed 600 kilograms and was responsible for killing hundreds of people.

1. The deepest lake - Baikal

Also known as the “blue eye of Siberia”, Lake Baikal is located in southern Siberia on the Russian-Mongolian border. Known as the deepest lake in the world with a maximum depth of 1636 meters, Baikal contains more water than all the Great Lakes in general. Lake Baikal is a large ecosystem, with over 1,700 species of flora and fauna, two-thirds of which are found only here. Completely surrounded steep mountains and dense forests, the lake was formed approximately 25-30 million years ago, making it one of the oldest lakes in geological history. This huge body of water also has its own legend: a giant animal, its own Loch Ness monster Baikal. No one can say for sure if this story is true, but the monster of Baikal exists in the minds of people and haunts their thoughts.

The wonders of nature are relentless, especially when it comes to lakes and reservoirs. In their vicinity you can really see the most spectacular natural phenomena. The lakes below are known for their picturesque places hidden in the bosom of nature.

The untouched purity of their waters, as well as a wide variety of flora and fauna, can surprise any person. Some of these lakes are popular destinations for tourists, while others receive a rare influx of travelers due to their remoteness.

We bring to your attention an overview of the 7 deepest lakes in the world.

1. Lake Baikal

Area and depth - its area is 31,722 km (12,248 sq mi) and its maximum depth: 1.642 m (5.387 ft).

Lake Baikal is the deepest lake in the world and the oldest freshwater lake (formed 20-25 million years ago). It was listed world heritage UNESCO in 1996 - having the largest volume fresh water: one fifth of all fresh water in the world is in Lake Baikal. It is also considered one of the brightest lakes - on a sunny day you can see crystal clear water up to 40 meters deep.

The second name of the lake is “Pearl of Siberia”. Baikal is rich in biological varieties - about 1000 plants and 2500 animal species are represented in the region of this incredible lake. One of the brightest representatives of the fauna is the famous Baikal seal, which is one of the three species of freshwater seals in the world.

Lake Baikal is located in remote location and is annually covered with ice for five months. Therefore, it boasts a large influx of tourists.

2. Lake Tanganyika

Area and depth - the surface area of ​​the lake is 32,900 km (12,700 sq mi), and average depth 1,470 m (4,820 ft).

Lake Tanganyika is the longest freshwater lake and the second deepest lake in the world. The waters of the lake flow into Atlantic Ocean, and the main source of water is the Congo River.

Tanganyika was first discovered by British explorers back in 1858, when they were conducting an expedition in search of the source of the Nile. On local language it translates as " more lake spread like a plain.

Tanganyika is famous for its rich aquatic life, with over 250 different species of fish, as well as a huge number of invertebrate species such as molluscs and crustaceans. Most of the population in this region (about 1 million people) survives only thanks to the fish caught from the lake.

Tanganyika annually receives thousands of tourists who kayak, dive and even organize sport fishing competitions in its waters.

3. Lake Vostok

Area and depth - its area is 12,500 km 2 (4,830 sq mi) and its maximum depth is from 510 m (1,700 ft) to 900 m (3,000 ft).

The mainland Antarctica has 400 subglacial lakes and Vostok is the largest of them. Interestingly, the water in the lake is under ice, which is about 2 miles thick.

Lake Vostok got its name from the Russian research station of the same name. By the way, what is noteworthy, at this station was registered the most low temperature in the world, which was -89.2 degrees Celsius, and at that moment the lake was directly below it.

4. Lake San Martin / O'Higgins

Area and depth – the area of ​​the lake is about 1,013 km, the length coastline- 525 km., and the maximum depth - 836 meters (2,742 feet).

This lake is known as O "Higgins in Chile and San Martin in Argentina. It has a very unusual shape, consisting of eight branches. It is mainly fed by the waters of the Mayera River, and flows into Pacific Ocean across the Pascua River.

Lake San Martin / O "Higgins is the deepest in South America and has a unique milky light blue water color. It is quite inaccessible and is in one of the least populated areas continent. Until the 1990s, except for some rare species of animals and plants, no one else lived on Lake San Martin / O'Higgins. Only recently people began to settle near its waters.

5. Lake Malawi

Area and depth – the area of ​​the lake is 29,600 km 2 (11,400 square miles), the maximum depth is 706 m (2316 feet).

Lake Malawi is the ninth largest lake in the world and the second deepest in Africa. This is a meromictic lake, that is, a lake that has layers of water that do not mix with each other.

It was first discovered by Portuguese traders in 1846. Lake Malawi is home to a huge variety of fish, which are the source of food for most of the inhabitants of the regions adjacent to it. Malawi is also called the "Lake of Stars" because of the light from the lanterns of thousands of fishermen, which resemble stars from above.

Every year, many tourists gather on the shores of Lake Malawi to enjoy all nature. water beauty. They go kayaking or water skiing are engaged in scuba diving. Also very popular in this region sailing.

6. Lake Issyk-Kul

Area and depth - The surface area of ​​the lake is 6236 square kilometers (2408 square miles) and its maximum depth is 702 meters (2192 feet).

Issyk-Kul is the tenth largest lake in the world. It is considered endorheic (with an indoor pool) and is filled with salt water. Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyz is translated as "warm lake": this lake never freezes, although it is surrounded by snow-capped mountains.

The Issyk-Kul State Reserve was established in 1948 to protect unique natural landscapes and waterfowl on the lake. The mountains around the lake are home to rare animal species. The shores of Lake Issyk-Kul are known for their sanatoriums and rest houses.

7. Lake Quesnel

Area and depth - The surface area of ​​the lake is 266 square kilometers, and the maximum depth is 610 meters.
Quesnel is glacial lake(fjord). This lake is considered the deepest in the world among all glacial lakes. It is located in the heart of the Caribou Mountains.

Quesnel boasts an impressive ecosystem. Tourists and visitors are very fond of this lake because of the stunning landscapes that open up around it, as well as the unique tranquility that winds around the ancient cedar forest.

The waters of Lake Quesnel are home to more fish species, including rainbow trout, chinook salmon, char and many others. Tourists who visit these places have the opportunity to kayak, retire to the beaches along the coastline or go hiking in the surrounding mountains.

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Deepest lakes by continents and parts of the world

The deepest lakes in the world.

List of the deepest lakes in the world.

Note: Dear visitors, the hyphens in long words in the table are set for the convenience of mobile users - otherwise the words will not wrap and the table will not fit on the screen. Thanks for understanding!

Baikal is the deepest lake in the world.

Description of Lake Baikal - the deepest lake in the world. Basic information.

The deepest lake in the world on the map.

Baikal- a Turkic word, comes from Bai-Kul, which means a rich lake (similarly, Issyk-Kul - a warm lake, Kara-Kul - a black lake).

Lake Baikal is fresh lake tectonic origin- the deepest lake in the world (1637 m). In addition to Baikal, only two lakes on Earth have a depth of more than 1000 meters: Tanganyika (1470 m) and the Caspian Sea (1025 m)

Located in the Russian Federation, on South Eastern Siberia, on the border of the Irkutsk region and the Republic of Buryatia, within 51°29′–55°46′ north latitude and 103°43′–109°58′ east longitude.

Baikal - Mountain Lake, located in a kind of basin and almost everywhere has high banks, which only in the south-west have a relatively gentle slope to the water.

On the lake 6 large bays, more than 20 bays, more than 30 sors (shallow, closed bays), 27 islands, the largest of which is Olkhon, which is called the "heart of Baikal". Among the three dozen islands on the territory of Baikal, it is distinguished especially by its size, variety of landscapes, and the grandeur of natural monuments.

75% of the inhabitants of the deepest lake in the world- endemics, including the Baikal seal, goloshenka, Baikal omul.

Most large island Baikal - Olkhon island, it is called "the heart of Baikal". Among the three dozen islands on the territory of Baikal, it is distinguished especially by its size, variety of landscapes, and the grandeur of natural monuments.

On the shores of Lake Baikal there are many beautiful beaches, hot healing springs, which in their own way healing properties are not inferior to the famous resorts of the Caucasus. Baikal- the largest and most clear lake in the world - attracts tourists from all over the world. Rest on Lake Baikal every year becomes more and more popular.

Seismic activity of Lake Baikal - the deepest lake in the world.

Lake Baikal is a seismically active region. Small earthquakes of one or two magnitudes regularly occur here. But on the shores of the deepest lake in the world, strong earthquakes are not uncommon.

For example, in 1861, near the mouth of the Selenga, the Tsagan steppe, 31 kilometers long and 19 kilometers wide, sank into the water, forming Proval Bay. Six Buryat uluses with a total population of 1300 people went under water. Residents managed to evacuate, taking with them only the most valuable.

The well-known Russian revolutionary Kropotkin, who visited the surrounding areas as an envoy of the governor, recalled:

“In Dubinskaya, I went down to the shore of the “backwater”, i.e. formed after the earthquake in the Bay of Baikal. He noted that the peasants until now cannot recall the earthquake without horror, “because the earth shook, the wells fell asleep, the houses turned, the ice broke into the sea, raised it” and water gushed, flooding the Buryat uluses and drowning the cattle ... " A lot of property was flooded among the Buryats. Kudara Buryats are very rich, for example, one of them had two sleeves of money in his fur coat. It's dead."

The last strong earthquakes on Baikal occurred in August 2008 (9 points) and in February 2010 (6.1 points).

The climate of Lake Baikal is the deepest lake in the world.

average temperature January -17 °С, July +16 °С, precipitation from 200 to 900 mm.

The water temperature in the open part is +9...+12 °С, near the coast up to +20 °С. The water in the lake is cold all year round. Baikal freezes over late, at the end of December, but Baikal opens up late. Until the end of May, ice floats on the water, in June the ice melts off the coast. The lake is rarely calm. Off the coast, waves crash against the rocks with noise and roar. A storm on the lake raises a sarma - hurricane wind blowing from the northwest from the mountains across the lake.

The main winds of the deepest lake in the world:

• sarma - northwest wind in the area of ​​Olkhon Island;
• mountainous - northwest wind;
• barguzin , or Verkhovik , - northeast wind;
• kultuk - southwest wind;
• shelonik - southeast wind.

There is a lot of sun on Baikal. In count sunny days it surpasses many resorts of the Black Sea and Mediterranean coast.

Fresh water reserves of Lake Baikal - the deepest lake in the world.

By water surface area(31,500 km²) Lake Baikal ranks seventh on the list. But in terms of fresh water reserves, the deepest lake in the world holds the world championship. The volume of water of the deepest lake in the world, Baikal, is simply colossal - 23,615.39 km³, which is about 19% of the 123 thousand km³ of all the world's fresh lake water reserves.

Baikal has more water than in the Baltic Sea, in 5 North American lakes combined, 2 times more than in Lake Tanganyika, 23 times more than in Lake Ladoga, 90 times more than in the Sea of ​​Azov. To fill the basin of the lake with water, all the rivers of the Earth would have to flow into it for 300 days! And the Angara would “empty” the lake in 400 years! (Even though not a drop of water would fall into the lake.)

About 336 rivers flow into Baikal, although their exact number is currently disputed by researchers. Numbers are cited that far exceed these data. For example, 544 and even 1123.

Drainage area is 588 thousand km 2, with 53% of it falling on the territory of Russia and 47% on Mongolia.

Most major rivers flowing into Baikal- these are Selenga, Upper Angara, Barguzin, Turk, Snezhnaya, Kichera, Tyya, Goloustnaya, Buguldeyka.

We are glad to welcome all inquisitive users to the vastness of our resource. The topic of our conversation: the deepest lakes in the world. First of all, it is worth noting that about 68 percent of the Earth's fresh water is concentrated in lakes. At the same time, these reservoirs are the habitat of hundreds of thousands of living organisms. However, still waters lakes are a charge of vivacity and health for a person. By relaxing on the shores of lakes, we can relax from technogenic stress and have a wonderful time with loved ones. Well, now let's move on to the rating of the deepest fresh water bodies on the planet.

TOP 10 Deepest Lakes on Earth

10

590 meters

Last place in the ranking of the deepest lakes on Earth is Matano. We are talking about a large body of water located on the territory of the island of Sulawesi (Indonesia). The depth of this lake reaches 590 meters. At the same time, the reservoir is known for the presence clean water and rich wildlife. Among the unique organisms that live in the Indonesian reservoir, many pearls and nutritious fish should be distinguished. Due to the presence expensive corals, every year the lake is visited by divers from all over the world.

594 meters

This reservoir is located in the United States, namely in national park Oreton. It's about very picturesque place, which is surrounded by cliffs stretching above the ground to a height of 600 meters or more. There are two small islands in this reservoir. In addition, there are amazing fish. In the deep point registered indicator of 594 meters. This depth is due to melting glaciers. IN summer time the water rises a lot. At the same time, it is crystal clear and beneficial for the body.

614 meters

Another deepest lake on Earth is the Great Slave Lake, located in North America. The area of ​​the reservoir is 28,500 kilometers. And this amazing body of water is located in northwestern Canada. This is the deepest lake (614 meters) in America. It's hard to believe, but for almost 8 months the water of such a deep reservoir is ice-bound. They are beyond the 60th parallel. However, in the summer time, a rich reigns in the reservoir. sea ​​world full of rare fish.

668 meters

Pearl Central Asia- a lake familiar to all of us, the depth of which reaches 668 meters. It is located in the north of the Tien Shan mountains. The average depth of the reservoir, which is located in Kyrgyzstan, is 305 meters. It is worth noting that there are many amazing legends regarding this place. They were probably invented to attract foreign tourists but that doesn't stop them from being interesting. According to one of the myths, earlier on the site of this lake there was a huge kingdom. Once the ruler decided to drown the kingdom so that no one would know about his weakness in front of the mermaids.

706 meters

Another deep lake located in Malawi. In Africa, this is the second largest and deepest lake, which in some areas reaches 706 meters. It should be added that over the past 100,000 years, the depth of this unique reservoir has decreased significantly. Previously, it was 100 meters deeper. Most likely, such changes are due to the desertification of local lands. coastal zones become less suitable for crop production. However, the land adjacent to the lake is fruitful to this day. The reservoir itself is rich in minerals and fish. There are always a lot of fishermen and tourists.

836 meters

San Martin should also be attributed to the deepest lake on the planet. In America, you will not find a more amazing fresh water reservoir. And we are talking not only about the depth, but also the area of ​​the lake. At the deepest point of the reservoir, a mark of 836 meters was registered. It is worth noting that such a figure is registered only in one place. The average depth is only 450 meters. Lake San Martin contains many amazing fish and corals.

900 meters

No one has yet seen the surface of this reservoir with their own eyes. This is due to the presence of a four-layer arctic ice. However, modern equipment allows us to find out that the maximum depth of the reservoir is 900 meters. Maximum temperature while reaching only 3 degrees above zero. There is no doubt that this body of water is the cleanest on our planet. This is due, of course, to the presence of glaciers. The lake was first discovered in 1996. Prior to this, the reservoir was sealed with 500,000-year-old ice.

1025 meters

The top 3 deepest lakes in the world are opened by the Caspian Sea. The depth is 1025 meters. This is a remnant of the Tethys Sea. The fauna of this reservoir is rich in different kinds fish. This is due not only to the area, but also to the salinity of the reservoir. in the waters unique lake there are many representatives of endemic animals, including sturgeon, salmon, white fish and roach. In addition, bream can be found in the depths of the Caspian Sea. The lake is also rich in carbon resources.

in the south of Eastern Siberia, where Irkutsk region borders with the Buryat Republic, is the most on Earth - Baikal. Only the average depth of the reservoir is 744 meters, while the maximum is 1642! But this is far from its only advantage and remarkable feature.

Baikal is a unique phenomenon of its kind on planet Earth. This is the largest natural reservoir of the purest fresh water, which makes up one fifth of all the world's reserves and nine tenths of Russia's. on Earth, the volume of water exceeds all North American combined. 23 thousand cubic meters are stored here. If water suddenly disappeared from Baikal in an incomprehensible way, rivers from all over our planet would need whole year to refill it.

Baikal is as transparent as glass, and a white disc with a diameter of 20 centimeters can be seen at a depth of more than 50 meters! Three hundred rivers flow into the deepest lake on Earth, and only one flows out - the majestic Angara.

Mountain ranges bordered the basin in which Baikal is located. Primorsky and Baikal surround its northwestern part, Barguzinsky - northeast, and from the southeast - Khamar-Dabansky ridge. The lake is famous for its islands. The largest among them is Olkhon, the heart of Lake Baikal.

Not to see the deepest lake on Earth, whose age is about 25 million years, means not to let a miracle happen in life. Two thirds are vegetative and endemic. seal, you will not find anywhere else! And there are more clear days on Lake Baikal than in the resort of Sochi. Beaches and lagoons sand dunes and foggy swamps, taiga and steppes, endless meadows and snow-white mountain ranges- this coastal world unique!

Peschanaya Bay is the warmest Baikal water. She is located on west bank lakes between Cape Kharginsky and Srednie Khomuty. Only here you can see majestic pines and larches on “stilts” that are frightening from habit. Due to the fact that the sandy soil is constantly blown out from under the trees, their roots are exposed.

Whitefish, sturgeon, lenok, grayling, taimen… The list of names of fish found in the sacred lake sounds like music for musicians to fishermen.

Baikal is beautiful at any time of the year. Winter gave him a unique range of northern colors. The sun's rays, reflected from the ice surface and refracted, shimmer with an iridescent spectrum. The thickness of the ice shell that fetters the lake during the cold months reaches a meter or more, although it seems thin due to the pebbles visible at the bottom of Baikal. But this is an illusion! The ice is very strong and can withstand a train. With the beginning of spring, the ice opens and breaks with a roar, cracking continuously, and closer to summer, the wind and waves throw transparent blocks onto the shore, forming landscapes of unsurpassed beauty.

Here it is, the deepest lake on Earth! It is not surprising that UNESCO did not ignore Baikal. The lake is listed as a World Heritage Site. More than three hundred thousand tourists, scientists and researchers from all over the world annually come to see and learn about the extraordinary miracle created by nature - Baikal!