The largest freshwater lake in the world in terms of water reserve is Baikal. Nine most amazing lakes in the world

In the view of a simple layman, the lake is the place where, sitting in the reeds with a fishing rod, you can go fishing in silence, away from the noise of civilization. In a certain sense, it is true, there are countless small nameless lakes on the planet. But there are other lakes that are more like seas, because their dimensions are truly grandiose. Most big lakes of the world are huge navigable reservoirs, on the surface of which real storms occur and huge waves rise. These giant lakes are both fresh and salty.

The largest lake on earth

The answer to the question, what is the most big lake, is not entirely clear. After all, you can compare lakes by depth, by area, by volume of water. Surprisingly, it turns out that the Caspian Sea, which everyone rightfully considers a sea, is actually huge lake! He is the winner in this category. After all, the area of ​​​​the largest lake is 371 thousand square kilometers with a maximum depth of 1025 meters. At the beginning of the last century, its area was 422,000 square kilometers, and over the past century it has become much shallower.

Although the Caspian is a lake, the water in it is salty, but not to the same extent as in the seas. The largest is located salt Lake where Europe and Asia meet. From north to south, along the entire length of the lake, the climate also changes from subtropical to temperate continental. In addition to the deposits of the world famous Caspian oil, the lake is rich in fish. There are especially many sturgeons here, and, accordingly, black caviar.

The largest fresh lake in the world

The largest lake fresh water is Baikal. Its area is 31479 square kilometers. Baikal is also the deepest in the world - 1637 meters. This Mountain Lake, located in the frame of mountain ranges, is fed by more than three hundred rivers and streams. The largest is Selenga, it replenishes half of the annual water supply in the lake. But only one river flows out of Baikal - the Angara.

The world's largest fresh water lake is also the deepest and cleanest on the planet. And the beauty of the surrounding area is simply beyond description. The shape of Baikal resembles a crescent moon. In the spring, when the ice drifts, the transparency of the water reaches forty meters in depth. These pure depths are inhabited by a huge number of freshwater fish species - from common carp and perch to valuable salmon and sturgeon.

In addition to fish, Baikal is inhabited by marine mammal adapted for fresh water - the Baikal seal or seal, and the shores are inhabited by a variety of birds. It is interesting that the waters of the largest lake are inhabited by some species of fish and plants that are not found anywhere except here in other water bodies. In recent years

It is the deepest and one of the most ancient. Baikal is located in the deepest cleft on the surface of the planet. This cleft is the most complex and least understood fault zone in the earth's crust. The depth of the lake is on average 745 meters, and the most deep point reaches a mark of 1637 meters. The lake stretches for 636 km, and its width reaches 80 km. The surface of the lake is 31,000 km2.

This ancient lake arose 20-30 million years ago as a result of tectonic shifts. fresh and pure water in the lake is preserved due to two factors. Firstly, the endemic Baikal epishura lives in it - a microscopic crustacean that filters a huge amount of algae and bacteria. Besides, most of The watershed of Lake Baikal is supported by rocky rocks. Thus, the inflow of water on the way to the lake almost does not come into contact with sediments and minerals. This is an oligotrophic lake, and the water in it has excellent drinking qualities.

365 rivers flow into Baikal, among which the Yenisei is the most major river Siberia. The lake contains 20% of the fresh water on the surface of the Earth. The volume of fresh water in the lake is 26,000 cubic kilometers. The ancient reservoir is considered one of the cleanest in the world. Water extracted from the depths of the lake can be drunk without pre-treatment. In winter, the lake freezes and is covered with ice.

The most oligotrophic lake in the world

Lake Superior, belonging to the system of freshwater lakes in North America, is the largest freshwater lake in the world in terms of water surface area. Its surface occupies 82,170 km2. It contains as much water as all the Great Lakes combined: 11,600 cubic kilometers. The fresh water reserve of the lake is 10% of the total supply on the surface of the planet Earth.

A rare thing is connected with Lake Superior - the snow effect of the lake, when the winter air over the warm surface of the water is saturated with steam, turns into clouds, and then precipitation falls in the form of snow.

The amount of water in the lake is enough to flood the Northern and South America to a depth of 30 cm. The deepest mark in the lake is 400 m. More than 300 rivers and streams flow into Lake Superior.

If the shoreline of the lake were stretched in a straight line, then it could connect Bahamas and Duluth, a city in Minnesota, USA.

On average, the transparency of the water in the lake reaches 8 meters in depth. This is the cleanest and most transparent of the Great Lakes and the most oligotrophic lake in the world. The lake is 563 km long and 257 km wide. In summer the sun is on west bank the lake sets 35 minutes later than on its southeastern shore.

The largest lake in the world by area is the Caspian Sea. But it is not freshwater. The salinity of the water in it is approximately one third of the salinity of the water in the seas of the planet.

Lake Superior is one of the youngest lakes in the world. He is only 10,000 years old.

Related article

Freshwater hydra is a typical representative of intestinal animals that lives in lakes, ponds and backwaters of rivers. The first to see and describe the hydra was A. Leeuwenhoek, the inventor of the microscope and a well-known naturalist.

The structure of freshwater hydra

This polyp looks like a short, gelatinous and translucent tube the size of a grain, surrounded by a corolla of 6-12 tentacles. At the anterior end of the body there is a mouth opening, the posterior end narrows into a long stalk with a sole at the end. A well-fed one has a length of about 5 mm, a hungry one is much longer.

Nutrition and lifestyle

Freshwater hydra with cyclops, daphnia, and fish fry. It attaches to plants with its sole and slowly swings, moving its long tentacles in all directions, looking for prey. The tentacles are covered with sensitive cilia, when touched, a stinging thread is thrown out, paralyzing the victim.

Prey is pulled by a tentacle to the mouth opening and absorbed. Having digested what is swallowed, the hydra throws out the remnants of digestion through the same hole. With a successful hunt, this small predator can absorb a huge amount of food, several times its volume. Having a translucent body, the hydra takes on the color of the food eaten and is red, green or black.

Reproduction of freshwater hydra

At good nutrition freshwater hydra quickly begins to bud ( asexual). Kidneys grow from a small tubercle to a fully formed individual in a few days. Initially, young hydras are connected to the mother's body, but after the formation of the sole, they separate and begin an independent life. Hydra usually buds in summer.

When cold or unfavorable (hunger) hydra multiply, formed in the outer layer of the body. A mature egg is covered with a strong shell and falls to the bottom of the reservoir. After the formation of eggs, the old individual usually dies. Reproduction with eggs is sexual reproduction. That is, both methods of reproduction are replaced in life.

Freshwater hydra regeneration

Hydras have an amazing ability to regenerate. If an individual is cut into two parts, then each tentacle and sole will grow very quickly. There are known experiments carried out by the Dutch zoologist Tremblay, in which he managed to obtain new hydras from the smallest pieces and even splice halves of different hydras together. As shown modern research, such restoration of tissues and organs is provided by animal stem cells.

The largest lakes in the world include the Caspian Sea, Lake Superior, Victoria, Huron, Michigan, the Aral Sea, Tanganyika and Baikal. These bodies of water, larger than some seas, and on which large storm waves arise.

Three of the largest lakes in the world

The second place in the ranking is occupied by Lake Superior, located on the border of the USA and Canada. It has an area equal to 82700 sq. km. Lake Superior is also the largest freshwater body of water in the world. It is located at an altitude of 183 m above sea level and was formed due to the melting of glaciers. Coastline rugged, steep and rocky. The lake is rich in trout, sturgeon, whitefish and other fish species. Developed shipping. The main ports are Thunder Bay, Ashland, Superior and Duluth.

Closes the top three large lakes Peace - Victoria. It is located in East Africa, on the border of three states - Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The area of ​​the lake is 68,000 sq. km. Victoria is also considered the second largest fresh lake on the planet. There are many islands in the reservoir. Fishing and shipping are well developed on the lake. The Kager River flows into it and the most long river in the world of the Nile. The reservoir was discovered by the Englishman John Speke in 1858 and named it in honor of Queen Victoria.

Other large lakes on the planet

In sixth place is

Despite the fact that the word "lake" is associated with a small and quiet body of water, this is not always the case. If you've ever wondered, "What the deepest lake in the world, or what is the largest lake in the world”, then you have come to the right place. Indeed, today we will consider the most grandiose lakes of our planet, and we will figure out which of them is worthy of the title - “the largest”.

The Caspian Sea is the largest lake in the world

Strange but the largest lake in the world is the Caspian Sea. But it is called the sea only because of its huge size, because its area reaches up to 371,000 km2, the water level reaches 26.75 meters, the volume of water is 78648 km3 (44% of the world lake water reserve).

The salinity of the lake varies from 0.05% to 13%, depending on the location. The lowest salinity is observed at the place where the Volga River flows into the lake, the highest in the south. In the shape of latin letter"S", the sea extends from north to south for 1200 km, from west to east from 195 to 435 km. Conventionally, the sea is divided into three parts - northern, middle and southern part. The coastline of the Caspian Sea reaches 7000 km. In most places it is low-lying and smooth, with the exception of the north, where it is indented by the Volga Delta.

Lake Superior and Victoria, which is the largest lake?

Next on the list is Lake Superior. In addition to the fact that this reservoir is the largest, coldest and deepest among the Great Lakes (USA / Canada, North America). It is included in the list - largest freshwater lakes in the world”, and not only enters, but takes second place in it. northern border this lake the Canadian province of Ontario serves, the western - the American state of Minnesota, the southern - the states of Wisconsin and Michigan. The lake appeared during the melting and retreat of the ice sheet.

Lake Victoria got its name from the name of the British Queen. Africa is the largest body of water on the continent. It is located on the territory of several countries - Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The largest lakein the world has a large number of islands. The Nile flows out of the lake. The maximum depth of the lake is 80 m, due to which the lake is classified as deep.The area of ​​the lake is about 68,000 km2. Width and length - 275 by 320 km. Also, Victoria is located in the tectonic trough of the East African platform at an altitude of 1134 m, by the way, it has almost With biggest waterfall in the world .

The largest freshwater lakes in the world, other options

Other large lakes can be considered (in descending order) - Huron (59,600 km2), Michigan (57,750 km2), Aral Sea (constantly decreasing due to water withdrawal from the lake for irrigation), Tanganyika (34,000 km2), Baikal ( deepest lake planets, 31,722 km2), Big Bear Lake and Nyasa.

To the question Tell me please, where is it located and what is the name of the largest freshwater lake in the world? given by the author Eurovision the best answer is In terms of volume of fresh water, it occupies the first place Russian lake Baikal in Eastern Siberia. Its volume is 23,000 km3. Lake Baikal is the deepest lake in the world. His maximum depth 1741 m, but, according to the latest measurements, it exceeds this figure. In itself, it is wonderful - a depression of almost two kilometers deep, and even framed by two kilometers of ridges!
For comparison, we present data on other deepest lakes in the world. The maximum depth of the Great Crater Lake in the USA reaches only 610 m, Lake Issyk-Kul - 702 m / the Caspian Sea - the largest lake on earth - 980 m, Lake Tanganyika in Central Africa - 1435 m; but all of them are significantly inferior to Baikal.
Baikal is not only the deepest, but also the largest among all freshwater lakes in the world. Its area is 30,500 sq. km, and the volume of water masses is 23,000 cubic meters. km. G. Yu. Vereshchagin speaks figuratively about the full water of the lake: “... if the Angara River flowed continuously with constant water flow, it would take more than 400 years for the entire amount of water in Baikal to flow through it, provided that no water masses would enter Baikal during this time.

Answer from Mishan[guru]
Baikal!

Answer from dewy[newbie]
Lake Baikal!!!

Answer from Mosol[newbie]
Baikal

Answer from Aykhan[guru]
Baikal

Answer from Girl from the Urals 🙂[guru]
By volume of fresh water - Baikal.
Lake Baikal is located in the south of Eastern Siberia, on the border between Irkutsk region and the Republic of Buryatia. Being the deepest of the lakes, it contains about a fifth of the entire fresh water of the Earth, and very clean.
The maximum depth of the lake is 1637 m, which makes it the deepest lake on the planet. And even if we take into account that the water surface of the lake is located at an altitude of 456 m above sea level (slightly lower Ostankino tower), then this part of the basin lies 1181 meters below sea level, being also the deepest continental depression. The length of Baikal is 636 km, the width varies from 25 to 80 km. The area is 31.5 thousand km², the volume of water mass is 23 thousand km³ (this is 22% of the world's fresh water reserves). In terms of water volume, Baikal ranks second in the world among lakes, second only to the Caspian Sea. The coastline of the lake stretches for 2100 km.
336 rivers and streams flow into Baikal, but this number takes into account only permanent tributaries. The largest are Selenga, Upper Angara, Barguzin, Turka, Snezhnaya, Sarma. One river flows out of Baikal - the Angara.
By surface area - Lake Superior, the largest, deepest and coldest in the Great Lakes system. .
In the north, Lake Superior is bounded by the territory of the Canadian province of Ontario, in the west - US state Minnesota, in the south - the states of Wisconsin and Michigan. Its surface area is 82.4 thousand km.

Answer from Yoofka[master]
Baikal, and where are the penguins. After all, the penguin has cells above the eyes, they make salt water, fresh water

Answer from Yury Churilov[guru]
Russia, Lake Baikal

Answer from Olesya *[guru]
Lake Superior is a lake in the United States and Canada, the largest, deepest and coldest in the Great Lakes system.
With a surface area of ​​82.4 thousand km, the Upper Lake is also the largest freshwater lake in the world in terms of this indicator.