Material about Baikal. Age of Lake Baikal. Unique fauna and flora

the deepest freshwater lake Baikal is recognized as one of the world's largest lakes, its bottom has different depths and is characterized by an uneven character. The maximum depth of Lake Baikal from the surface of the water to the very lowest point the reservoir is 1,642 kilometers.

The second deepest lake after Lake Baikal is Taganika, which is located in Africa. Its depth is about 1.5 kilometers.

Such majestic reservoirs - Baikal and Taganika - have not yet been fully studied by geologists, so the depth of the lakes may still change.

Baikal is the deepest lake in the world

To find out how deep Lake Baikal is, several hydrographic expeditions were carried out. One of the most significant was the study of the lake in the late 1950s, carried out near the coast of Olkhon.

According to the results obtained, the maximum depth of Lake Baikal was 1,620 meters. This depth was recorded in the section of the Izhemei and Khaara-Khushun capes.

For more than 20 years, these results were not disputed by scientists, but in the early 1980s. another expedition was organized, the measurements of which established that the deepest lake in the world is Baikal.

Then it was found that the maximum depth is 1642 meters. This mark has not changed until now, although other attempts at deep-sea expeditions have been made.

All of them allow you to very carefully explore the bottom of Baikal, since the depth of the lake can change due to seismic activity and earthquakes.

But so far, the data do not change the fact that Lake Baikal is 1,642 kilometers deep. Australian, European, Asian, American scientists take part in the study of the bottom of the reservoir.

Thanks to all the efforts, the bathymetric map of Baikal was significantly refined and improved. Latest Research are built on the fact that not only immersion is carried out, but also the study by the method of acoustics.

Mysterious depths of Baikal

Lake Baikal is the deepest in the world, which scientists could not explain for a long time. The research results showed that the main reason for this phenomenon is a large number of rivers, tributaries, powerful river flows, streams.

Due to this, the water area of ​​the reservoir occupies huge area, which can easily fit Denmark or Belgium. At the same time, the average depth is 730-745 meters, and this value can increase or decrease near the coast, islands, bays.

Other dimensions that distinguish Baikal as the deepest lake from other similar reservoirs:

The bottom of Baikal is located below the level of the World Ocean (at 1.167 kilometers);

In the southern part of the lake, the depth reaches 1,432 kilometers;

The depressions between the capes are rather shallow - within 259 meters.

In the Barguzinsky Bay - almost 1.3 kilometers.

Most deep depressions are around West Bank. The bottom of the reservoir is represented by shoals, rocks, reefs, terraces, gorges, canyons, plumes, plains, and ridges.

The bottom is not only sandy or muddy, but strewn with large and small boulders, gravel, marble, limestone, pebbles, clay.

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can rightly be attributed to seven natural wonders of the world. It is located in the center of Asia, stretching for 636 km from northeast to southwest in the form of a blue crescent. The width of the lake fluctuates, if in narrow places it is 24 km, then in the widest places it reaches 80 km. Baikal is the deepest lake on the planet. In 1983, the maximum depth of the lake was established, which was 1637 meters. In 1992 it was mapped. The average depth of the lake is also great - 740 meters, which is much more maximum depths many lakes that are considered very deep. In addition to Baikal, there are only two lakes on the planet, the depth of which exceeds 1000 meters. This - African lake Tanganyika, whose depth is 1470 meters, and the Caspian Sea with a depth of 1025 meters. The surface area of ​​Lake Baikal is 31470 sq. km.

The lake contains 20 percent of all reserves fresh water in the world and 90 percent of Russia's fresh water reserves. There is more of it here than in the five Great Lakes of America combined. In terms of water reserves, Baikal is the second lake in the world. The first place belongs to the Caspian Sea, although the water in it is salty. The famous Baikal water has amazing, unique properties. IN old times It was believed that it has healing properties, with its help they treated various diseases. Diveevskaya Sloboda - a hotel in Diveevo offers excursions around historical places, entertainment programs and different kinds active rest. The water in the lake is amazingly clear and clean. It has the greatest transparency in spring, at this time of the year you can see stones and various objects at a depth of 40 m. In spring, the water can also be blue. In summer and autumn, in the water warmed by the sun, the process of development of living organisms that live in it takes place. The color of the water during this period becomes green, the transparency decreases to 8 meters. The purity and transparency of water in Baikal is explained by the low content of mineral salts in it; in its composition, it is close to distilled water. Baikal water is saturated with oxygen. The water in the lake is cold, even in summer the temperature of the upper layers does not exceed +9 degrees, and the deep ones +4 degrees. In winter, Baikal freezes completely, the thickness of the ice reaches 1 meter by the end of winter. Moreover, the ice is very transparent, which allows the sun's rays to penetrate deeply, so planktonic algae continue to develop in the water, which release oxygen. Many-sided and diverse vegetable and animal world inhabitants of Baikal. 60 percent of the animals and 15 percent of the plants found here cannot be found anywhere else in the world. 52 species of fish of the sturgeon, salmon, carp, cod and other families live in Lake Baikal. Here lives a typical representative marine mammals- seal or Baikal seal, which is the only representative of the mammals in the lake. Nowhere else can you find freshwater seals. A huge number of birds (gulls, goldeneyes, shelducks and many other species) nest on the shores of Lake Baikal and its islands. Mass exit to the shores of the lake is made by brown bears. In the vicinity of the Baikal region, you can meet the smallest deer in the world - the musk deer. There are 27 islands on Baikal, the largest of which is Olkhon Island. The largest peninsula is Svyatoy Nos. And today the question of the age of Baikal remains open. If we agree with the point of view of scientists who proved that the age of Baikal is 25 million years, then Baikal will turn out to be the most ancient lake on the planet. More than 30 thousand tourists come here every year. Here each of them can enjoy unique nature, fishing, fans of extreme sports will also enjoy. healing power hot springs has long attracted vacationers to the shores unique miracle nature - Lake Baikal. There are monuments of architecture and culture of tribes and peoples that have long lived on the shores of Lake Baikal. World Organization UNESCO added Baikal to the list natural heritage. Lake Baikal is the deepest, oldest of natural wonders Sveta.

Lake Baikal is located in Russia. It truly is a wonder of the world. In terms of area (31.5 thousand km2), it ranks seventh among other lakes the globe. The length of Baikal is 636 km, maximum width- 79 km, minimum - 25 km. total length coastline reaches 1995 km.

In terms of depth, Baikal knows no equal among all freshwater lakes peace. The greatest depth of Tanganyika is 1435 m, Issyk-Kul - 702 m, and Baikal - 1637 m. This deepest point is located off the coast of the largest of the Baikal islands, which is called Olkhon. Average depth Lake Baikal is 1620 m. This figure is 396 m more than that of the second deepest lake Tanganyika (1223 m).

According to scientists, the average life expectancy of lakes is from 25 to 30 thousand years. Gradually they are filled with mud, algae grow thicker in them, an increasing layer of sediments raises the bottom closer to the surface, and, in the end, the shallow lake is overgrown with water-loving herbs and turns into a swamp. However, contrary to all laws, Lake Baikal is in no hurry to grow old. Scientists, having calculated the annual amount of precipitation falling here, predict a long life for Baikal.

Its depression was formed as a result of earthquakes about 25 million years ago. The second oldest lake - Tanganyika, which is located in Africa, is only 2 million years old.

View of Lake Baikal

The first explorer who left the "Drawing of Baikal and the falling rivers to Baikal", as well as information about fish and fur-bearing animals of the coastal taiga, was the explorer Kurbat Ivanov. In 1643, at the head of a group of Cossacks and industrial people, he reached the western shores of the lake and explored the island of Olkhon.

At the end of July 1662, returning from exile to Dauria, Baikal swam across the archpriest Avvakum, who wrote: “When they landed on the shore, a windy storm arose, and the waves found a place on the shore. Near it are high mountains, stone cliffs and so high that I have traveled more than twenty thousand miles, but I have never seen such ones anywhere. There are a lot of birds, geese, swans - they float on the sea like snow. The fish in it are sturgeon and taimen, sterlet, omul, whitefish and many other genera. The water is fresh, and seals and hares are unusually large.”

In the 18th century, long-term expeditions were engaged in the exploration of Siberia and Kamchatka. At the same time, scientists became interested in Baikal. Omul, golomyanka, seal and other animal species have been described. Over time, instrumental surveys of the area were made on Baikal, and several hydrometeorological stations were organized. Scientists began to conduct regular observations of the water level, magnetic surveys and gravitational measurements. In 1918, a permanent research base-station was established on the lake, which was later transformed into the Limnological Institute. The main research center on Baikal is currently the Baikal Ecological Museum.

Baikal has the cleanest air, there is never exhausting heat, although sunny days more per year than Black Sea resorts. The lake is also famous for its beautiful, unique water, the volume of which in Baikal is 25 thousand km3, i.e. almost the same as in all five Great Lakes of Canada. This amount corresponds to approximately 20% of all surface fresh water in the world.

Baikal water is the highest quality in the world; it, without fear, you can drink without boiling. It is pure, tasty and transparent. IN local restaurants it is even served as a signature dish.

Since the crystalline rocks of the bottom and shores are hardly soluble, the water of streams and rivers flowing into Baikal is not saturated with salts. In addition, organic remains quickly dissolve in the Baikal water, so it is very rare to find animal skeletons in the lake. Thus, the main properties of Baikal water can be briefly described as follows: it contains very few dissolved and suspended mineral substances, negligible organic impurities and a lot of oxygen.

Baikal water is called living water for a reason. From the surface to the bottom, the lake is home to a wide variety of life forms. In others deep lakes the lower layers of the world are dead because they are poisoned by hydrogen sulfide and other gases. In Baikal, on the contrary, the entire water column is permeated with oxygen. Water is constantly stirred by horizontal sea ​​currents, running around the lake-sea and around each of its three basins, as well as vertical ascending and descending streams.

Modern scientists have discovered that, despite the enormous pressure that is created on the Baikal bottom, thermal springs beat there.

Moreover, a small transparent fish calmly sinks to the bottom of the lake, more than half consisting of fat - golomyanka. This is the only representative of viviparous fish from among those that live in the Siberian regions, as well as in the middle lane. It is known that all deep-seated fish have special bladders that save them from strong water pressure. Surprisingly, the golomyanka does not have such a bubble.

Baikal has the ability not only to store, but also to reproduce water. The lake throws ashore fragments of oars, boats, logs.

The cleanliness and health of Lake Baikal are protected by its inhabitants themselves. The crustacean epishura lives in the lake. Although he himself has a small size, no more than 2 mm in length, but its share in the total mass of zooplankton is 96%. Billions of such crustaceans, continuously passing water through themselves, cleanse it of dirt. Golomyanka also plays an important role in maintaining the cleanliness of the lake. She is the most numerous in the lake. Its total weight is about 150 thousand tons, i.e. 67% of the total number of Baikal fish. Golomyankas never gather in flocks, do not hide in algae. At any time of the day, they move throughout the lake: from the surface to the very bottom. During its endless movement, the fish seems to mix the lake water, due to which the latter is continuously saturated with oxygen. Golomyanka never forms spawning shoals, which makes it impossible to catch it commercially. Therefore, the number of this fish in the lake always remains at a constant level. The fish is also interesting because it has an absolutely transparent body that melts in the sun like ice. Previously, the Buryats rendered fat from golomyanka, which they used in everyday life and as a healing agent.

Anyone who comes to the shore of the lake is struck by its extraordinary transparency. With the naked eye, you can see everything that happens at a depth of 30–40 m. Modern instruments show that the water is clear even at a depth of 100 meters.

Siberians call Baikal water love water. It fascinates, it seems unreal, fabulous. Sailing along the shore in a boat, you just want to reach out with your hand to the gem you like, but, putting your hand into the water, you suddenly realize that this is an optical illusion, and the stone lies at the very bottom of the lake.

Even more admirable are the color metamorphoses that take place on the surface of the water. Due to its transparency, it reflects the slightest changes in the weather, the solstice, incoming clouds, haze coming from the taiga. Also affect its color seasonal changes: snow, delicate greenery of summer and multicolored autumn. The color scheme varies from white-blue, silver-gray to piercing blue or slate-black with white splashes of waves. Artists say that neither with a brush nor with a pencil they manage to capture Baikal as it is.

From time immemorial, Baikal has been called " sacred sea". For the first time, the Buryat name "Baigal" appeared in the chronicle "Altan Tobchi" by Mergen Gegen, which dates back to 1765, in the part devoted to the genealogy of Genghis Khan. There are many legends, legends and fairy tales about Baikal. So, Buryat myths say that Buryat and Swan swam in the Baikal waters, the Eagle soared over the sacred sea, and on its banks the bull Bukha-noyon roared and the Wolf quenched his thirst. All these animals are considered to be the ancient ancestors of the Buryats.

It is interesting that there are only one of all the main geographical elements on Baikal: one big Island– Olkhon, one archipelago – Ushkany Islands, one large peninsula- Holy Nose, one large bay - Chivyrkuisky, one strait - the Small Sea, one large tributary - the Selenga River, which carries as much water to Baikal as all the other rivers flowing into the lake, and there are more than three hundred of them. Also, only one river flows out of Baikal - the Angara, which ultimately flows into the Yenisei.

According to the Buryat legend, the gray-haired Baikal had many sons-rivers: Barguzin, Anga, Sarma and others, and only one daughter, beloved by Angara. When the time came to marry her off, suitors hurried to the possessions of Baikal. A fast Irkut galloped on a horse, a calm handsome man Alyat sailed. But none of them pleased the young maiden. One night, Angara ran away from her father's possessions to the mighty batyr Yenisei. Upon learning of this, Baikal became angry and, tearing coastal cliff, threw after the runaway to block her path. But Angara bypassed the barrier and met with the groom.

Almost the most western point lake is Shaman cape - one of the monuments of Baikal nature. It can be taken as a symbolic beginning of Baikal.

There are a lot of picturesque bays and capes on Baikal. One of the most beautiful and cozy corners The 2000-kilometer Baikal coast is Peschanaya Bay. It is located on the western shore of the lake, relatively close to the source of the Angara. Against the background of blue water, the soft outlines of steep banks and rocky capes look very impressive. No wonder A.P. Chekhov compared the coast of Lake Baikal with the Crimean Yalta. From the mighty north wind- Verkhovik, or Angara, - Peschanaya Bay is protected by Bolshoy Kolokolny Cape.

Not far from Peschanaya is Babushka Bay. in sunny and warm weather many tourists rest here. In autumn, already at the beginning of October, when the lake looks especially wonderful and unique, Babushka is deserted.

Rocky Islands of Baikal

To the north of Babushka Bay is Cape Arka, or Gate II. No less attractive is the island of Olkhon, although it has a severe appearance. This is a high mountainous island, which is more than 70 km long and 12 km wide. highest point The island is Mount Zhima, which has an altitude of about 1300 m above sea level. It is separated from the western shore of the lake by the Olkhon Gates Strait and the Small Sea. Olkhon is surrounded by many calm and small bays, which are convenient for fishing.

The name of the island comes from the Buryat word "olkhan", which means "dry" in Russian. This refers to one of the winds blowing on Lake Baikal. The winds on the lake are special. Suddenly breaking out of the narrow mountain gorges they can bring a lot of trouble. Each wind is usually called by the name of the river from whose valley it blows: barguzin, kurtuk, verkhovka, gloss, sarma, shelonik, khiuz, siver, etc.

The most insidious of them are the barguzin, sung in the old Buryat song, and the ferocious sarma, which in autumn and winter time rages in the Small Sea, opposite the Olkhon Gates. That is why this small strait poses a considerable danger to navigation.

Escaping from the mountains from the valley of the Sarma River into the narrow space of the Small Sea, the wind reaches hurricane force, forms tornadoes and waves up to 4 m high. At the same time, the howling of the wind and the splashing of the waves become so strong that they drown out the sound of a shot.

Baikal winds they blow sand from under the trees on the coast, exposing their roots. So-called stilted trees appear, mostly pines growing along the edge of the beach. The trees take roots deeper and deeper, trying to withstand the pressure of autumn storms. As a result, bizarrely wind-bent plants appear near the shore, which rise 1.5–2 m above the beach on clumsy “props” legs.

Olkhon is the main sacred place lake-seas, where shamans of many clans perform tailagan. It is believed that it is on Olkhon that a shaman can enter into a mysterious relationship with the natural forces of Baikal. Through the rite of sprinkling with milk and vodka and prayer spells, you can beg for good weather, good luck in hunting and fishing. Pass tailagans on the island near the sacred places. One of them is Cape Burkhan, or Shaman, which, with its stone ridges, goes far into Baikal waters. Folk legends say that the lord of the island and surrounding places lives in his cave.

Same sacred place the Buryats consider Mount Zhima. They say that somewhere at the foot of this mountain, an immortal bear is chained. It was through Olkhon on the ice of the lake that the Buryats moved and, thus, settled in the lands on both sides of Lake Baikal. In the epic about Geser, Baikal is referred to only as "Dalai", that is, "borderless", "great", "almighty".

For a long time, the Buryats worship the water element, which, in their opinion, came down from heaven. Each river and lake had its own owners - the kings of the waters of Usan Khan. They were represented in the form of elders, who, together with their servants, live at the bottom of reservoirs. The main one was Usan-Lopson with his wife Usan-Daban. Some kings of the waters patronized fishing and even fishing tackle.

In total, there are about 30 indigenous rocky islands on Baikal, 15 of them are located in the Small Sea. Each island is a real miracle of nature. There are also many picturesque peninsulas on the lake. Not only their nature is unique, but also their names: Holy Nose, Kurbulik, Ayaya, Chivyrkuy, Ongokon, Shaggy Kyltygey, Katun, Shargodagan, Kultuk, Tsagan-Morin, Davshe. The smallest island of the Small Sea is called Madote.

On the eastern coast of the lake, the most interesting corner is the Svyatoy Nos peninsula, known for its mysterious singing sands. Such sands are found only in a few corners of the globe. On the peninsula, they form a whole beach 7–10 m wide. The sand here is fine-grained, perfectly sorted, grayish-yellow in color.

sandy beaches Baikal

The dry sand at the top of the beach emits a loud creak, like the creak of new leather shoes. If, while walking, raking the sand with your feet, the creaking intensifies and gradually turns into a jerky howl. The same sound appears when sand is raked with a hand or a stick. If you press it vertically or hit it with something from top to bottom, then instead of a creak, only a faint crunch will be heard, as when stirring dry starch. In all likelihood, the "singing" of sand occurs at certain sizes, shape, humidity, roughness and other properties of sand grains. Until the end, the mystery of the appearance of "singing sands" has not been revealed by science.

Lake Baikal not only offers travelers an overview of magnificent views of nature, but also provides shelter for a huge number (more than 2600 species) of animals and plants. Almost all types of flora and fauna of the globe live in the lake. Among them, 50 fish species, about 600 plant species, 300 bird species and over 1200 animal species, with a truly incredible number - 960 animal species and 400 plant species - are endemic.

In terms of the number and variety of unique species, Baikal surpasses all exotic places on earth, such as the Galapagos, New Zealand and the island of Madagascar. However, if relict species survived there, the oldest animals and plants that have long been extinct in other places, then local, relatively young species of flora and fauna arose in Baikal, which appeared here over the past tens of millions of years. More than 50 species of fish are found in the lake, among which there are very common ones, such as pike and perch. But almost half are species of sculpins and other fish that are not found anywhere else. Two exclusively Baikal, unique species belonging to the genus comephorus (golomyankovye) are completely transparent and live at a depth of 503 m in complete darkness.

Most fish species live in the shallow coastal part of the lake. Only five species live at depth: omul (a relative of salmon), Baikal gobies, yellowwing, longwing and two species of golomyanka comephorus. These five species make up three-quarters of the total number of fish in the lake.

Baikal is also often called a living museum because an unusual group of organisms lives in it: amphipods, worms, mollusks, sponges, goby fish.

Among the commercial fish in the lake are grayling, whitefish, sturgeon and, of course, omul. The main food for many fish species are amphipods, which inhabit the entire water column: some of them live in water, others burrow into bottom sediments.

The most famous and very mysterious animal that lives on Lake Baikal is, of course, the Baikal seal, a pinniped mammal belonging to the family of true seals. The seal reaches a length of 1.8 m and a weight of about 70 kg. The main objects of her hunting are gobies and golomyanka. Occasionally, she manages to catch omul if the fish is weakened for some reason. This endemic species has thrived on the lake since time immemorial and currently numbers 70,000 individuals. There are especially many seals near the Ushkany Islands. The legend tells that the ancestors of the Baikal seal came to Baikal from the Northern Arctic Ocean By underground river. Scientists also suggest that the progenitors of the seal sailed from the Arctic Ocean, but not along the underground river, but along the Yenisei and Angara, which in glacial period were covered in ice. In addition, it has been irrefutably proven that both the Baikal seal and the modern ringed seal descended from a common ancestor.

On northeast coast Baikal, the Barguzinsky Reserve is spread out. The flora and fauna of the reserve, its mountains, taiga, lakes and rivers is rich and unique, but the Barguzin sable is considered the most valuable animal of those that live here.

The surroundings of Lake Baikal have been declared a protected area. Here is the Pribaikalsky national park. In addition to Barguzinsky, there is another reserve - Baikalsky.

In conclusion, it is worth mentioning the assumption of scientists who have carefully studied the territory in the area of ​​Lake Baikal. Some geophysicists have suggested that Baikal is turning into an ocean. In the region of the lake, magnetic anomalies similar to those characteristic of the region of the mid-Atlantic fault were found (from the axis of this fault, the continents of Africa and South America are moving apart in both directions).

Scientists have found that tensile forces also act in the Baikal basin, due to which its banks diverge into opposite sides. Some researchers even cite data obtained by them indirectly, arguing that the rate of such a discrepancy reaches 2 cm per year. However, direct confirmation of such information has not yet been found, although it was they that served as the basis for putting forward a hypothesis about the transformation of Baikal into an ocean. On the other hand, if we assume that the expansion rate of Baikal is really such, then in 50-60 million years the width of the lake-sea will be about 1000 km, and this already looks like an ocean. Nevertheless, any scientific hypothesis requires rigorous proof.

Where is Baikal located? This question is asked by many tourists who are trying to refresh their school knowledge. Baikal is the deepest lake in the world and the largest reservoir of fresh water.


It has no competitors either in terms of deep water, or in terms of age, or in terms of the uniqueness of the surrounding nature. So where is the reservoir? And how did he come to geographical map Russia?

Where is Baikal located?

Baikal stretches on the Eurasian continent, in the center of Asia. Its reservoir covers an area of ​​31.72 thousand km² on the territory of two regions of the Russian Federation at once - Buryatia and Irkutsk region.

There are many settlements along the banks of the reservoir, including Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude, Angarsk and Severobaikalsk. A significant part of the coast is occupied by protected lands, which include National parks.

The lake is a large hollow in the shape of a crescent, into which 336 streams and rivers flow. The largest of them are Sarma, Selenga and Upper Angara. Only one river flows out of the reservoir - the Angara, stretching for 1779 km across the territory Krasnoyarsk Territory and Irkutsk region.


Large and small islands are scattered all over the surface of Lake Baikal. There are 27 of them in total, and Olkhon Island with an area of ​​729 km², located almost in the very center, is considered the largest.

What are the dimensions of Baikal?

The total length of the lake is 620 km. The width at the narrowest point reaches 24 km, at the widest point - 79 km. With an area of ​​over 31,000 km², Baikal ranks 7th in size in the world. The water reserves in the lake are simply huge - more than 23 thousand km³.

In percentage terms, this figure is 19% of the volume of fresh water contained in all other fresh water bodies of the world. In terms of water reserves, it is second only to the Caspian Sea, but it must be borne in mind that in last water salty.

The average depth of Baikal is quite high - over 774 meters, but in the most deep point this figure reaches 1642 meters, thanks to which it occupies a leading position in the list of the deepest lakes in the world. In addition to it, only two lakes on Earth have a depth of over a thousand kilometers - the Caspian Sea and Tanganyika.

How was Baikal formed?

The origin of the reservoir has not been reliably established. Scientists are still arguing both about the age of Baikal and about the processes of its formation. For a long time it was believed that the age of the lake is about 30 million years, due to which Baikal is called truly unique.


The fact is that ordinary lakes exist for no more than 15 thousand years, and then silt up and turn into a swamp. This did not happen with Baikal. True, recent scientific studies have suggested that its deep-sea part appeared no earlier than 150 thousand years ago, and the coast does not have an age of more than 8 thousand years.

The reason for its appearance is also unclear. Some scientists believe that Baikal has tectonic origin, others put forward a version of the existence of a mantle plume under it.

There is also a theory that the lake was the result of rifting occurring at the junction of the Hindustan and Eurasian plates. Tectonic processes in the reservoir continue to this day, as evidenced by regular tremors recorded in its vicinity.

How to get to Baikal?

Most tourists planning to visit Baikal get to it through Irkutsk or Ulan-Ude. Irkutsk is located 70 km from the lake and is connected with it public transport- trains, bus service, fixed-route taxis.


Some travelers prefer to travel by water along the Angara by motor ships or boats. The distance between Baikal and Ulan-Ude is about 130 km. You can also get from the Buryat city by public transport or choose a more extreme route - on rafts along the Selenga River.

Address: Russia, Republic of Buryatia, Irkutsk region
Square: 31,722 km²
Maximum depth: 1642 m
Transparency: 40 m
Coordinates: 53°43"36.9"N 108°27"32.4"E

The cleanest and, without a doubt, the most beautiful Lake Baikal, rightfully took its place in the list of 7 wonders of Russia, according to a vote held in 2008.

Fascinating with its pristine nature and mystery, the lake is located almost in the very center of Asia on the border of Buryatia and the Irkutsk region. The water surface, which shimmers with mystical light, stretches for 620 (!) Kilometers from the northeast to the southwest.

If we consider pictures of Lake Baikal taken from space, we can note that it looks like a crescent. The width of the lake in its various places ranges from 24 to 79 kilometers.. These dimensions allow local residents and many tourists call Baikal not a lake, but a sea.

No matter how one would like to call this majestic reservoir of fresh water the sea, it is still a lake that is surrounded on almost all sides. picturesque mountains and hills extinct volcanoes. By the way, the supply of fresh water in Lake Baikal is 90% of the total supply. drinking water Russia and almost 20% of the total stock of the purest and, according to the results of many scientific experiments, healing water in the world. Speaking about Lake Baikal, one cannot but say that it is considered the deepest in the world: the mirror of the lake is located 453 meters above the level of the World Ocean, and its bottom is almost 1170 meters lower. True, many researchers are skeptical that Baikal is the deepest lake on our planet. When calculating the depth of lakes, many scientists forget about those reservoirs of fresh water that are under eternal ice Antarctica, one of which is called Vostok. True, it is hidden by an almost 4-kilometer layer of ice, and the calculation of the depth of lakes and the ocean in glacier conditions should be carried out using completely different parameters.

Unique Ecosystem

Alas, modern science cannot yet accurately answer the question of how old Baikal is, however, as well as other questions that this phenomenon constantly poses to scientists. amazing lake. At the moment, it is generally accepted that Baikal, whose area is almost 32,000 square kilometers, originated at least 25 million years ago. There are more bold assumptions, some scientists believe that the age of the lake exceeds 35 million years. This is a long period of time, even by the standards of the existence of our planet. True, it is these figures that pose a new problem: how, for so many years, the lake has remained practically in its original form? The thing is that any lake does not “live” for more than 15, maximum 20,000 years. Its bottom is covered with silt and with the passage of time it turns into an ordinary swamp. This is not observed in Lake Baikal. Perhaps it is worth paying special attention to the point of view of the authoritative scientist Tatarinov, who in 2009 put forward the idea that Baikal has existed “for now” for “only” 8,000 years.

Which theory is considered reliable, everyone decides for himself: the conclusions of most experts suggest that the whole point is in the unique ecosystem of the lake in its tributaries and the only outflow, as well as in constant earthquakes, as a result of which a vacuum arises at the depths, filled with "fresh » groundwater.

Due to its purity, Lake Baikal and its environs are a favorite habitat for a huge number of species of birds and mammals. Many of the animals, birds and fish are endemic, meaning that they only live in this ecosystem and are not found anywhere else in the world. Special attention ichthyologists are attracted by golomyanka fish, which belongs to the family of viviparous. And this fish is another mystery of Lake Baikal. Firstly, the entire body of this fish is more than 30% fat, and secondly, this fish lives at very great depths, and goes to shallow water for food. This is not at all typical for deep-sea fish, because sudden pressure drops in almost all species lead to death. Another representative of the ichthyofauna is the smallest crustacean, called epishura. It is also endemic to the lake. Without it, life in Baikal would surely perish, because it is the main food for many fish and, it is he who breeds in incredible quantities, filters the water of Lake Baikal, purifying it from organic matter. Maybe it is in this crustacean that the secret of such a long “life” of the lake lies ...

Lake Baikal water

Even elementary school students know about the purity of the water of Lake Baikal. Teachers who talk about the nature of our planet often emphasize that you can drink water from Baikal without even boiling it. By the way, the opinion is quite controversial. Naturally, there are many places where the water in the lake not only does not pose a threat to human health, but is also considered healing. The tourism infrastructure, which is constantly developing and thousands of tourists who want to see the great Baikal, like many other lakes around the world, is getting bigger and bigger. Only an experienced guide living near the lake can indicate where it is safe to drink from Baikal. Surprisingly, despite the presence of stone deposits and tributaries at the bottom, which include the Selenga River, which is constantly polluted on the territory of Mongolia, the water in Baikal practically does not contain dissolved salts and minerals. Simply put, it is almost identical to distilled water, which undergoes multi-level purification in special laboratories.

The lake is so transparent that, according to some researchers, in some parts of the lake the bottom can be seen from a boat in great detail at a depth of 40 meters.

Such transparency of water can be observed after the ice has melted: usually in early spring Baikal water becomes bright blue. In summer and autumn, when the water warms up, microplankton and algae begin to develop in it in small quantities: naturally, at this moment it is already quite difficult to distinguish pitfalls at a depth of 40 meters, but the transparency is amazing even at these times of the year. True, its color changes: it does not turn into muddy green, on the contrary, it becomes soft turquoise.

Immerse yourself in affectionate and the purest waters Baikal ... - a dream! True, a dream only for those who know very little about this lake. The thing is that the water here does not warm up even in summer above +9 degrees Celsius. Only in small and shallow bays can one expect that the water will warm up to +16 under the sun. Therefore, swim in Baikal and see undersea world through the crystal-clear water is possible only in a wetsuit. In winter, the water mirror is almost completely covered with thick ice, so thick that in the 19th century sleepers were installed on the ice and steam locomotives were transported across Lake Baikal with the help of horses. The ice on the lake is an amazing sight: during severe frosts, cracks pass through it, the length of which is sometimes 30 (!) Kilometers, and their width is 3 meters.

During the formation of such a crack, a strong sound is heard throughout all the surroundings of Lake Baikal, which can only be compared with a howitzer shot or a thunderclap from lightning that hit the ground a few meters from a person. Such a phenomenon was foreseen by nature itself, thanks to the formation of such cracks, the water is constantly saturated with oxygen and the flora and fauna of Baikal do not die in severe frosts.

Origin of the name of the lake

Just as with the age of Lake Baikal, confusion arose with its name in scientific circles. In any case, some historians agree that the name "Baikal" comes from one of the Asian languages: Mongolian, Yakut, or Turkic. However, there are versions that the lake was first seen and named ... by the Chinese. The Chinese word, which sounds like "Bei-Hai", is translated literally - "North Sea". This opinion also deserves attention: after all, doesn’t the majestic lake look like the North Sea? Most of the experts trying to unravel the mystery of the origin of the name of the deep lake in the world, they believe that it came from the Buryat language.

The Buryats called the endless expanse of water "Baigal", but the members of the Russian expedition, who participated in the campaign to the lake back in the 17th century, could hardly cope with the letter "g" and, without thinking twice, replaced it with "k". This is how the name of Lake Baikal came to be. Although, as mentioned above, none of the listed versions is recognized scientific world reliable and proven.

On Baikal

No matter how many legends and myths are associated with this lake, no matter how many scientific disputes about its name and origin, all this instantly loses its meaning when you find yourself in front of the amazing mirror of Baikal. He is calm, then suddenly rears up in waves. The surrounding nature is beyond description, here on a calm day, despite the singing of birds and a barely audible breath of the wind, comes the realization of what real silence, peace and tranquility. It seems that Baikal communicates on a subconscious level with everyone who comes to see this majestic lake. It is not for nothing that many travelers who have explored Baikal are looking forward to the moment when they can return to this wonderful world, which is more than 25 million years old.