Which freshwater lake is the largest in Europe. The largest lakes in the world

The largest thermal lake in Europe July 18th, 2014

The unique Lake Heviz is located near the Hungarian city of Heviz, next to the western part of Lake Balaton. Covering an area of ​​47,500 square meters, the lake is considered the largest thermal reservoir in Europe.

However, this is not all Heviz's records. It is listed as the second largest thermal lake in the world, after the New Zealand lake in the Waimungu Valley. Lake Heviz is one of the most popular resorts with thermal springs. In the middle of the lake, for three centuries now, there has been a bathhouse. The water temperature in the lake is not lower than 23 degrees Celsius in winter, and not lower than 33 in summer. The healing effect of the lake is the result of the mixing of organic and inorganic materials.

Let's find out more about it...

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The small Hungarian town of Heviz is known throughout the world as a bathing city. Both in winter and in summer tourists from many countries of the world come here. They go to plunge into the waters of the world's largest thermal reservoir - Lake Heviz, known for its healing properties since the middle of the 17th century.

Lake Heviz is unique both in size and in the chemical composition of the water. In Europe - the only one, and on the planet - the second. The area of ​​the lake is 4.7 hectares. The springs that feed the lake are located in a cave with a diameter of 18 m. Two thermal springs spring from here with a water temperature of +42°C and +38°C, and one mineral spring with a water temperature of +17°C, but here they mix.

The lake has the shape of a funnel, the depth of which reaches 2 m. In the summer months, the water temperature is +33 +34°С, and in the coldest winter months it does not fall below +26°С. In winter, when the air temperature drops, steam rises above the lake. Locals say: "The lake smokes."

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The water in the lake is completely renewed in 28 hours and always remains clean. Hot water coming from the source, breaking on the surface into radial jets, slowly rotates clockwise. Because of this constant mixing, the water temperature is the same at all points in the lake. Cooled from the surface - circulates down, and hot water from the depths rises. In the lake, counter streams and clouds of steam are formed, enveloping Heviz, due to which the water temperature in it is approximately uniform throughout the space. Moreover, the water in Heviz is completely renewed and always remains clean.

Lake Heviz is surrounded by a 50-hectare protected forest, which provides the resort with a special, unique healing microclimate.

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Silt, which lies in a multi-meter layer at the bottom of the thermal lake, has unusual healing properties. The bacterial flora of the sludge secretes a weak antibiotic, so there are no pathogenic bacteria in the water.

Biological studies have shown that in the mud that covers the bottom of Heviz with a meter layer, there are hormonal substances - estrogens. But these studies were carried out much later. It turned out that sulfur, carbon dioxide, radon, which are contained in water, play an important role in the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Water procedures and mud applications are also useful for rheumatic and gynecological diseases, venous circulation disorders, inflammation of the nerves.

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Water lilies of an unusual shape and color, reminiscent of exotic countries. These plants were brought from India by a botanist. He decided to plant them in a warm lake, and the experiment was a success. Over time, water lilies became a kind of hallmark of Heviz and were even depicted on the coat of arms of the city. Heviz owes much of his fame to the Hungarian aristocrat Festetic, who was seriously engaged in the development of local infrastructure - he built baths and baths. And, importantly, he spread information about the healing lake among his fellow citizens.

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One of the highly effective healing factors of the Heviz resort is mud highly saturated with mineral substances, which cover the bottom of the lake with more than a meter layer.

They include organic substances - products of humification of plant residues, mineral compounds, the elements of which come from traso-dolomites and Pannonian limestone, in chemical composition largely repeating the composition of lake water, hormone- and vitamin-like substances. The microflora of the mud produces antibiotics in small quantities, due to which pathogenic bacteria and blue-green algae do not occur in the lake. Another distinguishing feature of Heviz mud is the absence of an unpleasant odor, which makes them especially suitable for therapeutic wraps and compresses.

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The healing water of Lake Heviz allows healthy people to swim for no more than 1.5 hours, and for rheumatic people - no more than half an hour.

Please note: thermal waters are unsuitable for beach bathing due to a pronounced biological effect. A long stay in the water of Lake Heviz causes an increased load on the heart and circulatory system.

The effect of Hévíz Hungarian water is achieved by a combo: the temperature of the water and the healing mud and gas it contains. The bottom of Heviz is 80% composed of inorganic substances that cover the bottom of the lake: sodium and calcium. Millions of gas bubbles and particles of dirt in the water, nicknamed “Hévíz dandruff”, create the effect of a micro-massage of the skin. Bubble gas covering the skin on the body penetrates the body and has a healing effect.

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On our incredibly beautiful planet there are a huge number of beautiful corners of nature. The mystery of some of them has not yet been fully unraveled, they frighten with their desert silence, centuries-old trees and thousand-year-old stones. Travelers, tourists and just vacationers have long trodden the path to others. All the paths there have long been studied, every stone has been photographed and the path has been concreted...

Among all natural phenomena, lakes can be distinguished into a separate category. They are not as huge as the sea, not as fast as the river, but there is something special in their magical beauty and mysterious silence. It attracts to these places like a magnet and does not want to let go back. In this compilation, you can see the 10 largest lakes in the world, which at the same time are simply fabulously beautiful, and learn interesting facts about them.

Caspian Sea

Despite its inaccurate name, it is the largest lake on our planet. It is located at the junction of Europe with Asia, and it got its name because of its huge size. The shape of the Caspian resembles the Latin letter S. The coastline of the Caspian Sea is almost 7,000 kilometers long. Its maximum depth is 1,025 meters. In this regard, it is second only to Baikal.

Victoria

This lake is the third largest in the world in general and the second of fresh lakes. It is located simultaneously on the territory of Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. British traveler John Henning Speke discovered this lake in 1858 and named it after Queen Victoria. The area of ​​the reservoir is 68 thousand square meters. km, length 320 km, maximum width 275 km. The northern coast of this lake crosses the equator. There are 30 million people living in the vicinity of Victoria.

Michigan

The area of ​​this North American lake is approximately 57,750 sq. km. It is the only one of the Great Lakes that is entirely within the United States. It is covered with ice for about four months of the year. The states of Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin have access to the lake.

Huron

One of the North American Great Lakes, which is located simultaneously in the United States and Canada. It is located just north of Lake Michigan, and is connected to it by the Strait of Mackinac. The Huron area is approximately 59.6 thousand km. square (the second largest among the Great Lakes). The state of Michigan and the Canadian province of Ontario overlook this lake. The name of the reservoir was given by the French by the name of one of the Indian tribes.

Upper

The largest, coldest and deepest of the North American Great Lakes, the second largest in the world, the largest in the world of freshwater. The origin of the Upper Lake is associated with the melting of the ice sheet, during the retreat of which a number of large reservoirs were formed, which changed their outlines many times.

Aral Sea

This is a salt lake in Central Asia, on the border of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Over the past few decades, the water level in it has been constantly decreasing due to the constant withdrawal of water from the Amudarya and Syrdarya rivers for irrigation purposes. Water flowing from the fields into these two rivers has caused the deposition of pesticides and other hazardous chemicals on the bottom of the lake. Dust storms lift and carry chemicals over long distances. Therefore, local residents are very ill with respiratory and other diseases.

Tanganyika

Large lake, which is located in Central Africa. It was discovered in 1858 by English travelers R. Burton and J. Speke. The shores of the reservoir unite four countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Zambia and Burundi. The area of ​​the lake reaches 34 thousand km. sq. Its shore consists mainly of rocks. Hippos, crocodiles are found in the lake, the local population is engaged in fishing, shipping is developed. Living organisms are found in this lake only up to 200 meters deep, and then the water is saturated with concentrated hydrogen sulfide.

Baikal

The deepest lake on our planet. It is located in Southern Siberia and has a tectonic origin. The lake and the area around it are unique in terms of the quantity and diversity of their flora and fauna. More than half of this lake is covered with ice. Baikal is surrounded by mountain ranges from all sides.

Big Bear Lake

The largest lake in Canada, which is located in the Arctic Circle. It has an outflow to the Mackenzie River. Incredibly beautiful paintings can be observed in the vicinity of the reservoir.

Nyasa

This lake is simultaneously located in Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania and Malawi. Its area is approximately 30.8 thousand km. sq., and the depth is up to 706 m. The shores are very high and rocky. This reservoir is very rich in fish, and crocodiles, hippos are also found in it, various waterfowl have chosen the shores.

What is the largest lake in Europe? The answer to this question can be obtained by reading this article.

Lakes of Europe

It is worth noting that in Europe there are not so many. Almost all of them are located on flat terrain. The soils around them are rich in various organic substances. It would not be superfluous to say that it is thanks to these reservoirs that the nearby lands are moistened, which significantly increases their productivity. However, touching on the issue of water bodies, it is very interesting to know which is the largest lake in Europe. In order to answer it, we need to consider some of them.

Ladoga lake

This reservoir is located on the territory of the Leningrad region and the Republic of Karelia. Its area is 18 thousand square meters. km. The length is 220 km, and the distance between the banks is about 130 km. If you pay attention to its size, it will immediately become clear which is the largest lake in Europe. It is also worth knowing that this fact is officially recognized.

On the shores of this largest lake there are cities such as Priozersk, Shlisselburg and others. A large number of rivers flow into it, the largest is the Svir, and there are also 3 bays.

The climate above the lake is temperate maritime and continental, which means that a small amount of sunlight and heat falls on its surface, as a result of which moisture evaporates rather slowly. The average air temperature in summer is +16 ˚С, in winter - -9 ˚С with western winds.

The bottom relief goes to add depth from south to north, because of this it is impossible to measure the depth evenly, the approximate one varies from 70 to 230 m. The lake ranks 8th in the category of the deepest reservoirs in Russia.

Ladoga has many islands, the largest are Kilpota, Valaam, Riekkalansari. Speaking about flora and fauna, it is worth noting that the coast of the lake belongs to the zones of the middle and southern taiga. Maples, lindens, spruce forests grow. On the islands you can find thickets of lingonberries, blueberries, there are even mushrooms. There are also a large number of water plants. A lot of freshwater fish live in the water area, for example, salmon, pike, perch, trout, rudd.

Lake Onega

Looking for an answer to the question of which is the largest lake in Europe, it is necessary to consider Onega. It is located on and is considered the second largest after Ladoga. Most of the reservoir is located on the territory of Karelia.

The area of ​​the lake reaches almost 10 thousand square meters. km, and the length stretched for 245 km, the width between opposite banks is about 92 km. The depth is uneven, ranging from 70 to 127 m. A huge number of rivers flow into the lake, among them: Volda, Suna, Yani, Pizhei, Pyalma and many others. The number of islands is more than one and a half thousand.

Geese, swans and ducks are found in the thickets along the banks, which are covered with heavily passable forests of the taiga. A large number of fish live in the waters, such as salmon, sterlet, trout, bream, pike perch, pike. Fishing is very developed.

Recently, the lake has become intensively polluted, especially its northern part, due to the industrial centers located on it. There are 2 ports along the banks - Petrozavodsk and Medvezhyegorsk, there are also piers and stopping points.

Lake Vänern

Vänern is a lake located in Sweden. If we make a comparative description of which is the largest lake in Europe, then this reservoir will be in third place, skipping ahead Ladoga and Onega. The depth of the reservoir ranges from 20 to 110 m. Its area is more than 5.5 thousand square meters. km, the length is approximately 140 km, and the width is 80 km. The shores of Vänern are mostly low, there are islands, the largest of them are Kollandse, Hammar, Turse and many other smaller ones.

More than 30 rivers flow into the lake, among them Klarelven, Geta Canal. This reservoir is navigable, there are ports, the largest are Kristinehamn and Karlstad, Mariestdad and Lidkoping. Fisheries are well developed. In the waters of the lake live such species of fish as perch, pike perch, trout and some others. Between January and May, Vänern is shrouded in ice.

So, having studied the information about some large reservoirs, now each student will be able to understand which is the largest lake in Europe - Onega, Ladoga or Venern.

The second largest freshwater lake in Europe after Lake Ladoga. It is located in the north-west of the European part of Russia, on the territory of Karelia, the Leningrad and Vologda regions. The shores of the lake are beautiful with the soft beauty of the North, the waters are rich in various types of valuable fish. Neolithic petroglyphs have been preserved here and the Kizhi Museum-Reserve of Wooden Architecture, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, operates here.

"ONEGO-BATYUSHKO"

This is how the Russian people, who lived on the shores of Lake Onega since antiquity, called their breadwinner, what they considered this quiet, transparent expanse framed by picturesque shores under the sky, shining with pearl light through the veil of almost constant clouds here.

The Russian scholar historian and archaeologist of the late 19th century, the founder of the Russian school of ethnography N. N. Kharuzin (1865-1900) in his work “Materials collected among the peasants of the Pudozh district of the Olonets province” cites such an appeal to the lake, recorded by him: “Berezhok-father, mother-vodushka, the king of the water and the queen of the water with small children, with incoming guests, bless the water to take not for the sake of cunning, not for the sake of wisdom, but for the sake of goodness and health ...” In addition to the sacral-ritual intonation, one can also read here people's sincere gratitude to the lake - for the purity of its water, for the abundance of fish in it and timber on its shores. And, of course, for the beauty that pleases the eye and soul. And now the townspeople who come to Lake Onega in order to see the wooden architecture of the Kizhi reserve, the “demons” - the petroglyphs of Cape Besov Nos, go fishing, just relax and unwind, all as one say that they experience an unusually strong surge of spiritual strength here.

The name Onego is Sami in origin, as are many original names of settlements on its shores, which is a clear answer to the question of who mastered these shores. The Scandinavians and Russians also call the Finno-Ugric Saami the Lop, Loplyans and Lapps (this is where the toponym Lapland comes from). The Vepsians (Chud) also lived here. The Slavs came here in the 5th century. In the Sami language, the word ale, or epo, which has been transformed into Onego or Onega in Russian, simply means "Big Lake". It is a large, second largest water mirror in Europe after Lake Ladoga, with which it is connected by the only river flowing from Onego - the Svir, while about 50 rivers flow into it. As for the more ancient inhabitants of the shores of Lake Onega, archaeological excavations on the islands of the southern Zaonezhye Big Lelikovsky and Small Lelikovsky testify that people lived there settled from the Neolithic era (the turn of V-IV - the beginning of the III millennium BC).

Geologists attribute the rocks that form the basin of the lake to the Proterozoic period. Hydrologists believe that this basin was filled mainly with water from melting glaciers, as well as underground sources. At the same time, the channels of the rivers flowing into the lake were formed. The location of the fjords in the north and northwest of the lake, rocky ridges and placers of small islands covered with granite boulders between them in the bays (bays) on the map of the lake are a kind of schematic reproduction of the movement of the ice cover on the ground here. This movement took place gradually and in different periods of the ancient glaciation of the European continent, with powerful jerks and shocks generated, as is quite obvious, by tectonic processes during the movement of the margins of the lithospheric plates. Under the influence of these processes, the larger islands of the lake were also formed, the total number of which, together with the very tiny ones, is about 150. The largest of the islands is Bolshoi Klimetsky (Klimenetsky), whose area is 147 km2; There are several settlements here, a school operates. Other large islands are Kizhi (Kizh), Kerk, Deer, Sennogubsky, Suysari. Large islands fall on the northern segment of the lake.

Depths in the southern segment of the lake in coastal water spaces range from 9 to 14.5 m. Not so in the north. Bottom depressions begin from the line Petrozavodsk - the mouth of the Vodla River, some reach depths of 111, 115.5 and even 132.5 m, although 127 m are still considered the maximum depth. water in Onega can vary depending on the strong winds prevailing in a given year, moving layers of water, or the amount of precipitation.

Lake Onega on the territory of Karelia (mainly), Leningrad and Vologda regions extends from the north-north-west to the south-south-east. The maximum length of the lake - between the Black Sands shore in the south and the mouth of the Kumsa River in the north - reaches 220 km, and the width - from Lake Aogmo, actually a continuation of Onega, to the village of Pudozhsky Pogost - 86 km. The coastline in the south has a relatively smooth character, in the north it is indented by narrow fjords bordered by skerries.

TREASURES OF ONEGA

Some were created by nature, others by man. It makes no sense to talk about which ones are more important, they are all valuable - because, in fact, they are inseparable.

The natural resources of Lake Onega are not fundamentally different from those of Lake Ladoga or, say, Lake Vänern in Sweden, because all these lakes in Northern Europe stand on the same geological Baltic granite shield, have a common history of origin, similar climate and hydrology. True, Onega belongs to the Baltic Shield only in its northern part, and in its southern part - to the Russian platform. A non-specialist will not notice this, but any person who understands the dim northern nature will be glad that he again sees deserted sandy spits, rocky capes, avant-garde detachments of virgin coniferous forests approaching the water. And also to the fact that he can stay in silence and fish from the heart here in clear water. The bottom of the lake with its silty areas, elevation changes from deep holes to shallow water, underwater ridges contribute to the fact that different breeds of fish are found here, and they fatten up a lot of body weight. The ichthyofauna of Lake Onega includes 47 species and varieties of fish. Among them are sterlet, salmon, trout, lake and stream, pike, whitefish, grayling, eel, etc. The lake begins to freeze around mid-December, but this is not the main obstacle for fishing enthusiasts, but short daylight hours.

Onega is connected with Ladoga by the Svir River, with the White Sea by the White Sea-Baltic Canal. And so on: with the Volga, the Caspian and Black Seas - through the canal network of the Volga-Baltic waterway.

In total, 552 man-made monuments are registered on the coast of the lake today. Among the petroglyphs of Onega, the most famous, whose age is 5-6 thousand years, are those located on Cape Besov Nos, especially three large "figures" - an anthropomorphic "Bes" 2.3 m long, along the entire "body" of which there is a crack , looking really ominous, “Otter” (or “Lizard”) and “Burbot” (or “Catfish”). There are other places on Onega with Neolithic monuments, no less interesting, on the rocky outcrops of the coast from the mouth of the Vodla River to the mouth of the Chernaya River: it is better to learn about them and the road to them on the spot, the tourist infrastructure here, alas, is not yet very developed. The technique for creating these images is common for the Neolithic: dot-cutting on stone. On the Kochkovnavolok peninsula at the mouth of the Vodla, there are open in the 1980-1990s. the northernmost rock paintings of Lake Onega. Anthropomorphic figures are also found here, while images of animals predominate, and among them - swans (there are swans in other accumulations of petroglyphs). The largest local “swan” from head to tail is 4.12 m. These petroglyphs are much worse preserved than on the Besovy Nos: erosion has affected, some images are overgrown with lichens, and yet the most valuable impression from what they saw here is that the ancient hunters and fishermen thought not only about food, they also admired the surrounding world and, judging by the size of some figures, deified it, because the swan is not at all a game bird, but the personification of beauty and purity.

The beauty of the wooden buildings collected on the island of Kizhi in the State Museum-Reserve of Russian Orthodox Wooden Architecture "Kizhi", or "Kizhi Pogost", is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. In addition to the churches originally built on the island itself, chapels, houses and outbuildings from Zaonezhye and other regions of Karelia were moved here with all possible care. Many legends tell about the “piecework” of the exhibits of this open-air museum. The most famous of them is the carpenter Nestor, who built the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord with one ax (initially without a single nail), threw the ax into the lake so that no one could copy his work.

CURIOUS FACTS

■ The word "trolling" in the language of a modern person is associated primarily with some kind of hoax, deliberate challenge, provocation, manipulation. Most often, it appears in social networks - both as a mode of action and as a term. However, the primary origin of this word is from the lexicon of fishermen. This is a fishing method. On Lake Onega, trolling at medium depths, from 30 to 60 m, is widely used. Its essence is to hold the bait in the water from a boat or from a motor boat. When trolling, up to 10 rods are used. They are installed on the sides with the help of special devices.

■ Since 1972, Russia's largest international multi-day sailing regatta has been held on Lake Onega at the end of July. Mostly cruising yachts of the Open 800 class participate in the races, since 2003 yachts of the Micro class are also allowed to compete. The regatta starts and finishes in Petrozavodsk.

■ The island of Bolshoy Klimetsky has the glory of an anomalous place. Lovers of interpreting mysticism explain the origin of such stories by the fact that there is an “entrance to parallel worlds”. Ancient legends about ghosts and “witch lights” wandering around the island can be immediately attributed to the phantasmagoria of an inflamed consciousness, because it is known that there was an ancient temple on the island. But there are still unexplained facts of our time. So, in 1973, the captain of the fishing vessel Pulkin disappeared here. It is impossible to imagine that he got lost, he is a local, experienced person. Pulkin appeared 34 days later, dirty, ragged and emaciated. But he didn’t really tell anything, he only repeated that he didn’t remember where he was and what happened to him. In 2008, a local fisherman, Yefimov, said that “someone” drove him in the same circle five times in a row. In the summer of 2009, a group of students moored ashore. But as soon as they pitched their tents, they heard a rumble coming from somewhere out of the ground. All began severe headaches and nausea. The frightened youth quickly packed up and set off on their return journey. As soon as the guys sailed from the shore, all unpleasant symptoms receded.

■ From time to time there are rumors about increased levels of radiation on Kizhi Island. Scientists of the Institute of Geology of the Karelian Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, on the basis of their research, refuted these idle conjectures.

ATTRACTIONS

■ Petrozavodsk: Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (1826), Exaltation of the Cross Church (1852), Onega Embankment - an open-air museum, which houses a monument to the founder of the city, Peter I, monuments-gifts from sister cities, the Tree of Desires, and others sculptures and structures, Park of Culture and Leisure - the former Petrovsky Garden, founded in 1703, the oldest park in Russia.
■ Kondopoga: wooden church of the Assumption of the Mother of God (1774), local history museum, Ice Palace (2001).
■ Petroglyphs of Cape Besov Nos, the Kochkovnavolok peninsula and other rocky ledges on the banks.
■ Kizhi Island - State Historical, Architectural and Ethnographic Museum-Reserve "Kizhi" (UNESCO World Heritage Site): ensemble "Kizhi Pogost": the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord (1714), crowned with a complex system of 22 domes arranged in 4 tiers; the Church of the Intercession of the Virgin (1764), the Tent Bell Tower (1863), the oldest wooden church in Russia - the Resurrection of Lazarus from the Murom Monastery (XIV century), as well as other churches, chapels, peasant houses, barns, a mill, rigs - a total of 76 buildings.
■ Monuments of Pegrema (opened in 1985) - an archaeological complex 1.5 km from the village of Pegrema on the Zaonezhsky Peninsula. 100 monuments from different eras, including a unique cult complex (III-II millennium BC): boulders resembling figures of people and animals.
■ Bolshoy Klimetsky Island.

NUMBERS

Length: 220 km.
Maximum Width: 86 km. Note: different sources give different indicators of the length and width of the lake.
Water surface area: 9720 km2 (excluding the islands, whose area is 224 km2).
Total number of islands: over 1500.
Volume of water mass: 295 km3.
Coastline length: 1280 km.
Max Depth: 127 m
Catchment area: 62,800 km2.
Water transparency: 1.5 to 8 m.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Lake of glacial-tectonic origin on the territory of the Republic of Karelia, Leningrad and Vologda regions in the north-west of the European part of the Russian Federation.
Education time: about 12 thousand years ago, with the end of the last Valdai glaciation.
According to hydrographic parameters, Lake Onega is included in the water basin of Lake Ladoga and the Neva River.
Type: fresh.
The most significant flowing rivers: Vytegra, Suna, Andoma, Vodla, Shuya.
The largest islands: Bolshoy Klimetsky, Bolshoy Lelikovsky (in the southern Zaonezhye), Kerk, Deer, Sennogubsky, Suysari.
Cities: Petrozavodsk, Kondopoga, Medvezhyegorsk, Povenets urban-type settlement.
Flowing river: Svir
Nearest airports: Pulkovo in St. Petersburg (international), Besovets in Petrozavodsk.

Atlas. The whole world is in your hands №309

There are about 5 million lakes on our planet, both natural and artificially created. They are found on almost all continents, but more often large lakes by area are found in the expanses of Russia.

The largest lakes in Russia

Russian lakes are its natural wealth. Among the many lakes, ten of the largest can be distinguished.

The largest Russian lake is called the sea. This is the Caspian Sea. Its area is almost one hundred and seventy-one thousand square meters. km. This is a salt pond. It washes the shores of five countries at once and is actually the border of Asia and Europe.

Lake Baikal ranks second in terms of area, but first in depth. In addition, from freshwater - this is the largest in Eurasia. Surprisingly, its waters are ninety percent of all fresh water in Russia. It has long been considered the purest and at the same time the most transparent, its waters were once recognized as healing. The area of ​​Baikal is a little less than thirty-two thousand square meters. km.

Lake Ladoga is recognized as the next major Russian lake. In size, it does not exceed eighteen thousand square meters. km. It is interesting to know that thirty-five rivers flow into it, and such a famous river as the Neva originates from it.


Lake Onega occupies the 4th place in terms of area among Russian lakes. Its size is slightly less than ten thousand square kilometers. Its shores are full of historical monuments. The locals call their reservoir "Onego-father".

There is a lake in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Its name is Taimyr. It is located on the peninsula of the same name and is considered the northernmost lake on the planet. The water level in it is constantly fluctuating, because of this, its surface area is constantly changing. It can be defined approximately - it is four and a half thousand square meters. km.

The Far Eastern Lake Khanka is located almost on the border with China. The surface area is almost four thousand square meters. km. Khanka has always been interesting for tourists, as it will allow them to study the customs and culture of both countries at once.

The 7th in area is Lake Chany. It has salt water. It is located in the Novosibirsk region. However, there is no exact data on its area. It is known that it varies from one and a half to two thousand square meters. km.


In the Volgograd region, there is White Lake, which is called a "paradise" for fishermen. The area is almost one thousand three hundred square meters. km.

On the 9th position is the Karelian lake. It has an unusual name - Topozero. This is a favorite place for kayakers, and there are many fishermen there. The area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe reservoir is a little less than a thousand square meters. km.

Completes the top ten large lakes in Russia - Ilmen. It is located in the Novgorod region. The area is only four meters less than the area of ​​the lake, which is in the 9th position in the rating.


You can also read more about the largest Russian lakes on the website.

The largest lakes in the USA

There are a considerable number of huge lakes in America. This is due to the geographical position, which contributes to the emergence of reservoirs. It should be noted that the largest mass of fresh water on the planet is concentrated on the border of Canada and America. The Great American Lakes are located just in that area. In fact, these are five large reservoirs. Their total area is two hundred and forty-six thousand square meters. km.


The largest is the Upper. Its area is almost eighty-three thousand square meters. km. Huron follows, followed by Michigan and Erie. The smallest of these five lakes is Ontario. At the same time, its area is nineteen and a half thousand square meters. km, which is not a lot. In the western United States lies the Great Salt Lake, the salinity and area of ​​\u200b\u200bwhich directly depend on the amount of precipitation. The maximum area that occurs near this lake is six thousand square kilometers.

On the Florida peninsula there is another American lake of considerable size - Lake Okeechobee. It connects with the Atlantic Ocean through canals. The area of ​​this reservoir is two thousand six hundred square meters. km.

largest fresh water lake

Once formed by melting glaciers, Lake Superior, located on the North American continent, is recognized as the largest among all freshwater reservoirs. Its area is constantly changing. Because of this, new lakes appear nearby.


In places, its shores are cliffs and rocks. To facilitate navigation and energy, the water level in the reservoir is maintained artificially. The highest level occurs in the summer months, while in the winter the water level drops.

The longest lake

It is interesting to know that in addition to large lakes, there are also very long lakes. The leader among them is Lake Taganika, located in Central Africa.

This lake stands out among other lakes and ancient origin, and depth. It should be noted that it is inferior in volume and depth only to Lake Baikal.


The length of the reservoir is six hundred and fifty km, while the width varies from forty to eighty km. Such a giant has a rather large surface area - thirty-four thousand square meters. km.

Basically, its coastal landscapes are rocks, while there are gently sloping shores only on the eastern side. The natural composition of the lake is very unusual. It is known that it is many millions of years old, and since then it has not changed.

The largest lake in the world by area

Despite the fact that the Caspian Sea is called the sea, it is still a lake. Its shape resembles the Latin letter "S". Its surface area is three hundred and seventy-one thousand square meters. km. Its maximum width reaches four hundred and thirty-five kilometers, its maximum depth is one thousand twenty-five meters.


The fauna of the Caspian is also rich - these are the Caspian seals, about a hundred species of fish, more than four hundred species of vertebrates and a diverse flora.
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