What is the name of the longest lake in the world. The largest lakes in the USA. The largest freshwater lake in the world

On our incredibly beautiful planet there are a huge number of beautiful corners of nature. Some of them have 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. Every path has been studied there for a long time, a stone has been photographed and a 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 collection you can see the 10 most big lakes in the world, which, at the same time, are simply fabulously beautiful and you will learn interesting facts about them.

Caspian Sea

Despite its inaccurate name, this is the most big lake on our planet. It is located at the junction of Europe with Asia, and it got its name because of its huge size. In shape, it resembles the Latin letter S. Length coastline The Caspian Sea is almost 7,000 kilometers. Its maximum depth is 1025 meters above sea level. In this regard, it is second only to Baikal.

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Victoria

This lake is the third largest in the world and the second 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. Its area is 68 thousand square meters. km, length 320 km, maximum width 275 km. The northern coast of this lake crosses the equator. 30 million people live in the vicinity of the lake.

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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.

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Huron

One of the North American Great Lakes, which is located both in the United States and in 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 km2 (the second largest among the Great Lakes). The state of Michigan and the Canadian province of Ontario overlook this lake. The name was given to him by the French, which means it is the name of one of the Indian tribes.

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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 lakes were formed, which changed their outlines many times.

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Aral Sea

This salt lake 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.

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Tanganyika

A large lake located in central Africa.

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

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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.

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Big Bear Lake

The largest lake in Canada, which is located on the Arctic Circle. It has an outflow to the Mackenzie River. There you can see incredibly beautiful pictures.

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Nyasa

This lake is simultaneously located in Africa, in 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 there are also crocodiles, hippos, and various waterfowl.

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These incredible natural water reservoirs amaze with their beauty and frighten with the world that is hidden in their depths. If you liked this information and find it useful, please share it with your friends.

Tangonyika - a lake 650 km long

Tanganyika is the largest lake in Central Africa and also the longest lake in the world. This is one of the deepest lakes and is very ancient in origin. In terms of depth and volume, Tanganyika is second only to Baikal. On the coastline of the lake, with a length of 1900 kilometers, there are four states - the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Tanzania and Burundi. The length of Tanganyika is 650 kilometers, and the width in different parts varies from 40 to 80 kilometers (the length of Baikal is 636 km). Its surface area is 34 thousand square kilometers, and its depth reaches 1470 meters.

The coastal landscapes of Tanganyika are huge rocks, and only on the eastern side of the lake are the shores gentle. On the western part of the coast, the reef zone that forms the coastline is dotted with bays and bays and reaches 2000 meters in height.

Who lives on the lake?

Several tributaries feed Lake Tanganyika, and the Lukuga River flowing from it originates in west coast and, connecting with the river Zaire, flows into the Atlantic.

The lake is inhabited by hippos, crocodiles, many waterfowl.

The antiquity of the lake and the long period of isolation contributed to the development a large number endemic (found exclusively in one specific place) species of organisms. So, among more than two hundred varieties of fish living in the lake, about 170 are endemic.

History of life in the lake

Lake Tanganyika is inhabited up to about two hundred meters from the surface, since below this level the water contains a high concentration of hydrogen sulfide, and life in these conditions is impossible.

Tanganyika is very interesting and unusual in its natural composition. Its water is clear and fresh, but due to certain reasons, organisms live in the lake, the usual habitat of which is sea salt water.

The researchers suggest that the clue lies in the history of the lake itself. Its age is many millions of years, and it is the same as it was in ancient times, while other lakes have changed over time or disappeared altogether.

By the way, the largest lake in the world is the Caspian Sea.

Alexey Gerasimenko, Samogo.Net

The largest freshwater lake in the world

The Caspian Sea is the largest salt lake

There are a lot of interesting things in the world and every year we learn more and more of something new unknown. Of course, many can say that the topic of lakes has been studied for a long time, and in the school curriculum in geography lessons, we often had to memorize some details. But it is worth noting that textbooks are not written every day, and facts and discoveries happen almost every minute.

Who among us remembers what a lake is in general?

After all, lakes are not part of the World Ocean, but simply a closed depression of a certain piece of land, where underground and surface water. In the first place is the Caspian Sea, it is called the sea, but in fact, it is a salt lake located at the junction of Asia and Europe. It may be called the sea, because it is salty, and the area of ​​​​the Caspian Sea is 372,000 square kilometers.

American Lake Superior

But the largest freshwater lake is Lake Superior, its area is 82,000 square kilometers. This lake is bordered to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario, and to the west and south by the US states (Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin). Lake Superior was formed from a melting glacier, so the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthis body of water is constantly changing, and other large lakes appear next to it.

The shores, along with the islands, of this lake are very beautiful and picturesque. In places they are rocky and steep, and the coastline itself is divided into several parts. To facilitate energy, navigation, lake level fluctuations are regulated artificially. In summer, the highest level is observed, and in winter the lowest (seasonal fluctuations - with an amplitude of 30 to 60 cm). The depth of the Upper Lake reaches 393 meters.

By the way, Lake Superior is the largest lake in North America.

Evgenia Antonishkis, Samogo.Net

Lakes are nothing but natural reservoirs formed in land areas of different size and depth. According to some reports, more than 67% of the fresh water of our planet is concentrated in lakes. Despite the fact that the depth and size of the lakes can be completely different, some of them are still striking in their scale. After reading this article, you can confidently answer the question of which is the deepest lake in the world that every tourist should visit.

1. Lake Baikal

Baikal is the deepest lake not only in Russia, but also on the whole planet. It is located in the southern part of Eastern Siberia and rightfully bears the title of "the world's largest natural reservoir of fresh water", since it contains more than 20% of the total amount of fresh water on the Earth's surface. What is the depth of the deepest lake in the world? Lake Baikal reaches 1642 meters in depth! More than 1,700 species of fauna and flora live in it, and some of them cannot be found in any other body of water on the planet. In addition to being the deepest lake on Earth, Baikal is also known as one of the oldest lakes. Its age is over 30 million years. And this despite the fact that the average duration of the existence of lakes, as a rule, does not exceed 15,000 years! It is not surprising that Lake Baikal is listed as a World cultural heritage UNESCO.

2. Lake Tanganyika

Lake Tanganyika is the second deepest and longest lake in the world. At the same time, it is the deepest lake in Africa. The depth of this reservoir is 1470 meters, and its length is 673 kilometers. Thanks to such an impressive size, the lake is located on the territory of 4 countries at the same time - Congo, Tanzania, Zambia and Burundi. Tanganyika was discovered by chance when, in 1858, British explorers Richard Burton and John Speke discovered it while exploring the headwaters of the Nile River. In this reservoir there are many unique and interesting species of waterfowl, fish, crocodiles and hippos. This lake aroused particular interest after the publication in one of the magazines of the story that a nine-meter crocodile living in the waters of Tanganyika killed several dozen tourists.

3. Caspian Sea

Despite the fact that this body of water is called the sea (due to the presence of oceanic-type crust at its base), in its essence and size it is rather a lake.

Moreover, the Caspian Sea is the largest on Earth drainless lake, in which is salty water. This natural reservoir is located between Asia and Europe, and its waters wash the shores of 5 countries of the world - Kazakhstan, Russia, Iran, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. The total area of ​​the lake is 371,000 square kilometers, and its depth is 1025 meters. More than 130 rivers of various sizes flow into the Caspian, the largest of which is the Volga River. The fauna of this lake is very diverse and rich - it is home to many sturgeon and other fish species, as well as a unique Caspian seal and other inhabitants.

4. Lake Vostok

The uniqueness of this lake is that it is covered with a four-kilometer layer of ice, thanks to which it is known as the deepest subglacial lake on the planet. This unusual reservoir is located in Antarctica, not far from the famous Russian station "Vostok", whose name it bears. According to some reports, the depth of the lake, which was discovered relatively recently - in 1996, is about 1200 meters. Studies of the reservoir continue to this day, because only in 2012, scientists managed to reach its surface, while drilling a many-kilometer layer of ice. This fact is also surprising in that drilling continued for a long 20 years!

5. Lake San Martin (O'Higgins)

This fjord-like body of water is located at an altitude of more than 250 meters above sea level in Patagonia, on the border between Argentina and Chile. The depth of the lake is 836 meters, and its total area reaches 1058 square kilometers. The origin of the name of this reservoir is also interesting. The lake was named after the heroes who fought for freedom. South America(Bernardo O'Higgins, a Chilean citizen, and José de San Martin, who lived in Argentina). That is why in Chile it is called O'Higgins, and in Argentina - San Martin. The lake has a distinctive feature - clear water milky blue. It got this color due to the remains of stone deposits that fall into the water with the melt waters of distant glaciers, and subsequently settle on its bottom.

Lake Tanganyika is one of the most deep lakes The world appeared, as geologists believe, about 7-10 million years ago, when the modern relief of the Earth was actively formed. This process was accompanied by serious tectonic shifts and volcanic eruptions. As a result, a series of depressions formed in the eastern region of the African continent, which eventually filled with water.
So, in the chaos of earthquakes and other natural disasters, Lake Tanganyika, one of the African Great Lakes, was born (except for Tanganyika, they include lakes, Albert, Edward, Kivu, Malawi ().
The shores of Tanganyika have been inhabited since ancient times: people have been drawn to a reliable source of water and food. Most of the Africans living on the shores of Tanganyika belong to the Bantu-speaking tribes. The name of the lake was given by the Babembe tribe. In their language, the lake was called "water rich in fish" or "etanga yanya". Over time, this phrase was transformed into Tanganyika.
Europeans first learned about the existence of Tanganyika in 1858. The palm here belongs to the English explorers Richard Burton (1821-1890) and John Speke (1827-1864), who went on a trip to East Africa to find the source of the Nile. This expedition turned out to be an incredibly difficult test, even for experienced travelers: they suffered from malaria, eye diseases and insect bites, Speke's hearing and vision were weakened for a while. By the end of the journey, Richard Burton was so ill that he could no longer continue his journey, but Speke still managed to achieve their original goal: having discovered Tanganyika, he and his team learned from local residents about another lake, Nyanza, later named Victoria, and the source The Nile is now considered the Rukarara's river water system Kagera, which flows into Victoria.
How to study Lake Victoria Nyanza John Speke could not: most of necessary equipment was lost. It became clear that another expedition was needed. This expedition in 1866 was led by the famous African explorer David Livingston (1813-1873), whom the Africans called the "Great Lion". And again, Lake Tanganyika appeared on the path of the researchers. Second time on it northern shores Livingston visited in 1873, again looking for the source of the Nile. But, having fallen ill once again with malaria, he died in what is now Zambia. The question of the source of the Nile at that time remained unclear.
During the First World War, the lake became the scene of battles. In 1914, control over Tanganyika belonged to Germany, here was its naval base. In December 1915, the first attack on the German fleet was made. As a result of the fighting in 1916, the Allies managed to deprive Germany of control over Tanganyika. The British, entrenched on the coast, began to advance towards Kigoma (a city in modern Tanzania), and the Belgians created a military airbase in Albertville, from which planes took off, also bombing German positions in the Kigoma area.
In 1965, the lake again served as a military foothold: Ernesto Che Guevara's (1928-1967) partisan camp was set up on its western coast, where he was preparing an operation to overthrow the government of the Congo. But these plans were not destined to materialize.
This lake can be called unique in many ways. Tanganyika is the deepest freshwater reservoir in Africa (up to 1470 m), deeper on the planet is only Baikal. Living creatures have access to a depth of up to 200 m. Below, the concentration of hydrogen sulfide gradually increases and the level of oxygen decreases, and at the bottom there is no longer any current, only silt, this layer is called “fossil water” by biologists. The same layering is also characteristic of the water temperature: if in the upper layer it can rise to +30°C, then at the bottom - only +6-8°C. This phenomenon is explained by the different density of water. And the uppermost layer of the water space of Tanganyika is striking in its purity and transparency and is visible to a depth of 30 m. Another record of Tanganyika is its length: 673 km along the north-south axis.
Great depth lakes, its relative isolation from other bodies of water and the tropical climate have formed a kind of biological "reservation" here, known mainly for its cichlids. These are fish of the cichlid family of the perch-like order. There are only about 1,300 species, while Tanganyika has 250 species. Among them there are both large ones, up to 1 m, and very small ones - no more than 2.5 cm. The most common species are about 10 cm long, flattened from the sides. Well, and most importantly, what endemic cichlids of Lake Tanganyika are known for is their bright color and graceful shape. And yet, according to those who keep these fish in aquariums, Tanganyika cichlids are very smart. Scientists agree with this opinion, although they explain this behavior of fish, of course, purely biological, and not some other reasons. In addition to cichlids, there are 150 more species of fish in Tanganyika. Every year in March, the lake hosts the Zambia National Sports Championship. fishing which attracts anglers from all over the world.
Seven varieties of crabs are also found here, five of the thirteen species of bivalve mollusks are endemic. In total, about 200 species of mollusks live in the lake. 11 out of 33 species of crustaceans living in Tanganyika are also unique. There are also many species of jellyfish and leeches. There are herons, various species of ducks and other waterfowl. Crocodiles roam along the coast nooks and crannies hippos hiding. In total, the lake and its shores are home to almost 2,000 species of plants and animals, of which about 600 are found nowhere else in the world.
Ports, the largest of which are Kigoma in Tanzania, Kalemie in the Congo and Bujumbura (the capital of Burundi), ensure the exit of ships along the Lukuga and further along the Zaire River into the Atlantic Ocean.
National parks have been opened in the DRC, Tanzania and Burundi. The most interesting of them are Gombe Stream and Mahali Mountain. But only recently they began to fulfill their functions in full: the African countries of the Tanganyika basin experienced in the 20th century. many military conflicts. The last of them took place on the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1998-2002, it was attended by about 20 armed groups from nine African states. The main asset of both Gombe Stream and Mahale Mountain are large colonies of chimpanzees and other primates. On the territory of these natural reserves there are safari lodges (as hotels in national parks are called in Africa) and campsites.

general information

Freshwater lake in East Africa.

located in tectonic basin East African fault zone of the earth's crust.
The longest in the world.

It ranks second in the world in depth among freshwater lakes.

The water level changes throughout the year (it reaches its maximum in April-May).
Countries owning the coast and water area: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Tanzania, Burundi.
Major flowing rivers: Ruzizi, Malagarasi, Calambo.
Flowing river: Lukuga.
Population living on the shores of the lake: about 1 million people In total, demographers number about 10 million people in the Tanganyika basin.
The most important ports: Kalemie (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Kigoma (Tanzania), Bujumbura (Burundi).
Immediate international airports: Bujumbura (Burundi), Julius Nyerere in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania).

Numbers

Area: 32,900 km2.
Catchment area: 231,000 km2.
Volume: 18,900 km3.
Length: 673 km.
Width: up to 80 km.
Average depth: 570 m
Max Depth: 1470 m
Coastline length: 1328 km.
Drain: 3.6 km3.
Average annual water inflow: 64.8 km3.
Height relative to the level of the World Ocean: 773 m
The water of the lake is hard, this is caused by the presence of magnesium salts in it, the pH level: 8-9,5.

Economy

Transportation, including ferries.
Fisheries. It is estimated that about 100,000 people are professionally engaged in fishing.
Agriculture: bananas are grown on plantations near the lake, palm oil is obtained, tobacco, sorghum and wheat are cultivated in the valleys of mountainous regions.
Service sector: tourism.

Climate and weather

Subequatorial.
Average annual water surface temperature:+23.6-26.5ºС.
Average annual rainfall: 1000-1500 mm.

Curious facts

■ Richard Burton was not without a literary gift. Specialists and amateurs of geography read his serious, detailed and very entertaining travel books.
to Africa But as a writer in Britain, he is best known for his translation of the Arabic tales of the Thousand and One Nights.
■ The largest experts on cichlids, including Tanganyika cichlids, are Japanese ichthyologists. One of them is Takeshi Watanabe. gives an example of the amazing interaction of cichlids of different species. When profundola females are preparing for spawning, leptosome juveniles always gather near them. Although profundola is a predator, it not only does not attack curious young people, but even drives away other predators from them, although not the largest ones, however. As if she knows that the "guys" -leptosomes with their fear will warn her first about the approach of a real formidable predator. For her, after all, the most important thing at this moment is to give life to offspring.
■ 98% of Tanganyika's cichlid species are endemic to this lake.
■ The legendary crocodile Gustav lives in the thickets on the banks of the Ruzizi River, a tributary of Tanganyika. The length of the amazing beast, according to unverified data, is seven meters, and its age is about a hundred years. His fame is not good: he has a lot of human victims on his account. People tried more than once to get rid of the monster, but they never managed to kill Gustav: apparently, the crocodile's life experience is tantamount to its cunning. Based on the story of the formidable ogre of the Ruzizi River in 2007, the horror film Primal Evil was filmed.
■ From wooden walkways, which are installed on the lake especially for sports fishing enthusiasts, you can see every fish at a depth of up to five meters.
■ The heart of David Livingstone is buried in Chitambo (Zambia), and the body - in London, in Westminster Abbey. On the marble plaque on his grave is engraved: "Transferred by faithful hands across land and sea, here lies David Livingstone, missionary, traveler and friend of mankind."
■ Since the early 1980s, fishing on Lake Tanganyika has intensified significantly. Having lost a sense of proportion, the fishermen very soon paid for it: over the past three decades, the population of fish schools in the lake has decreased by about a third. last years three unfavorable factors for the Tanganyika ecosystem converged: human (anthropogenic), temperature (gradual increase in temperature of both water and air) and lowering of the water level.
■ The German steamship Graf von Getzen, built in 1913, was sent to German East Africa - that was the name in 1885-1919. German colony, which included part of the lands of modern Tanzania (then Tanganyika), Rwanda and Burundi. During the First World War, the ship was used as a warship. Until in 1916, the Germans themselves flooded it: so that the British would not get it. In 1927, the Tanzanians raised the "Count" from the bottom to the surface, repaired and renamed it MV Liemba. Under this name, it regularly transported up to 200 tons of cargo and up to 600 passengers on board. Now the ship is undergoing a new reconstruction, which is again carried out by the Germans. After that, it will become a museum.
■ On the Kalambo River, which flows into Tanganyika and borders Tanzania and Zambia, there is a waterfall, which is considered the second highest in Africa after the water fall. Tugela. The total elevation difference on the airway. Kalambo is about 900 m. But this is a smooth drop, over 10 km, a sheer stream falls from a height of 215 m.

Eternal human interest in everything very, very in the world - big, small, long, high, deep - inexhaustible in the search for new curious facts and unusual records. And if it is not possible to outdo exceptional natural masterpieces, then in the fields of construction and industrial production, people from generation to generation tirelessly strive to establish at least a temporary superiority over competitors in height, size and a number of other parameters. In the material below - the most amazing sights of the world, created by nature and human hands.

The biggest country in the world

According to a 2015 estimate, its population does not exceed 1,000, and almost all are subjects of the Holy See.

The next largest state in terms of territory (other autonomous territories are not taken into account) is Monaco with an area of ​​​​2.02 square meters. km and with a population of approximately 38,800 people, according to a 2014 estimate.

The largest city in the world

The largest city in the world in terms of population and at the same time the largest seaport is Shanghai, China. In this metropolis, according to 2015, 24,152,700 people live.

The largest urban agglomeration is Tokyo-Yokohama, 37,843,000 people. The population of Tokyo alone is 13,617,445 people (as of 2016).

There is no single assessment of cities by area, since the official city limits around the world are formed and indicated in different ways: with or without suburbs. Currently, one of the largest cities in terms of area is Beijing, 16411 sq. km (according to other sources - 16801 sq. km), of which the city proper accounts for approximately 1368 sq. km. km (and this territory is steadily growing every year due to the suburbs), the suburbs - about 15042 square meters. km.

The largest and smallest island in the world

With such a vague definition, the volume of wood was taken as the main criterion for "calculating" the winner. The volume of the trunk of this sequoiadendron at the time of setting the record is 1487 cubic meters, while the mass of the entire tree is estimated at 1900 tons - "General Sherman" is not only the largest, but also the heaviest living organism on Earth at the present time, if you do not take into account the aspen poplar grove - clonal colony Pando (about 6000 tons). And this sequoiadendron, whose age is estimated at 2300-2700 years, continues to grow and adds about 1.5 cm in width every year. The measured height of the tree is 83.8 meters, the trunk circumference at the ground is 31.3 meters, and the maximum trunk diameter is 11.1 meters.

However, in terms of diameter, the giant is inferior to the Mexican Tule Tree in the city of Santa Maria del Tule. According to the measurements of 2005, its diameter at the ground is 11.62 meters, the circumference is 36.2 meters. The exact height of the tree is difficult to measure due to its wide crown; according to approximate measurements - about 35.4 meters. Scientists still argue about its age and the actual number of trunks, but this did not prevent the Tule Tree from being included in the UNESCO list in 2001 as a natural monument of international importance.

The largest animal in the world

The largest animal on the planet is the blue whale (aka blue whale, vomited). The body length of these marine mammals reaches 33 meters, and the weight can exceed 150 tons. Historically, the range of this cetacean species was the entire World Ocean, but now their populations are scattered. Blue whales are found throughout the year equatorial waters indian ocean, they can be seen from the shores of Sri Lanka, Maldives and Seychelles.

The largest whale ever taken by people is considered to be a female blue whale, caught in 1926 in the waters of the South Shetland Islands. The length of her body from the fork of the tail fin to the end of the snout is 33.27 meters, and her weight is 176.792 tons.

The largest animal on land is the bush elephant (a type of African elephant). As a rule, males weigh an average of 7 tons, females - about 5 tons. With a body length of about 6-7.5 meters, the height of the elephant at the shoulders is close to 3-3.8 meters. The recorded weight of the largest bush elephant was 12.24 tons. The animal was shot in 1974 in the village of Mukusso (Angola). Tourists can see savannah elephants in Africa in national parks and reserves.

The fastest animal in the world

The cheetah is the fastest land mammal. According to various sources, these predators can accelerate in 3 seconds to a speed of 96.6 - 112 km / h. National Geographic magazine named the fastest female cheetah named Sarah (also Sahara): she ran 100 meters in 5.95 seconds. The sprint run of cheetahs for prey lasts no more than 20 seconds and is limited to a distance of 400 meters.

At the same time, among all the animals of the world, cheetahs occupy only 13th place in terms of speed. The championship is for the birds. And the fastest bird and, in general, the fastest representative of the animal kingdom is the peregrine falcon, which in a dive flight develops a speed of 322 km / h, the record noted by the researchers is 389 km / h. However, in horizontal flight, the peregrine falcon is inferior to the Brazilian folded lip (a species of bats and the fastest mammal) with its speed over 160-200 km / h and swifts (species - black, needle-tailed), capable of accelerating to 169 km / h.

Among fish, black marlin stands out for its speed: on average, these large oceanic fish are able to cut through the water column at a speed of 85 km / h, the maximum set speed of a representative of the species is 129 km / h.

Of the insects, horseflies fly the fastest - on average 60 km / h, maximum - 90 km / h.

Some representatives of the class of reptiles can reach speeds of up to 35-40 km / h, but no more. These are bearded dragons, green iguanas, and leatherback turtles in the water.

The biggest fish in the world

The largest fish of our time is the whale shark, harmless to humans, living in warm waters tropics. It feeds mainly on plankton, and its average length varies between 10 and 12 meters, although such specimens are extremely rare for fishermen.

The second largest species is the giant shark (giant shark). Like the whale shark, this shark feeds on small organisms - plankton. On average, adults reach 6-8 meters, and only a few sharks grow up to 9-12 meters.

Beluga is the largest freshwater fish, part of the sturgeon family. This species is listed in the Red Book. The largest fish caught in the Caspian Sea and at the mouth of the Volga were over 4 meters long and weighed about 1.5 tons.

The biggest shark in the world

The debate about the size and weight of the largest sharks has been going on for decades. Currently, the existence of exceptional specimens of whale sharks over 20 meters long is allowed. In particular, information credible by researchers includes reports of a shark 20 meters long and weighing 34 tons, caught near Taiwan in 1997, and a shark 17.5 meters long and weighing 15 tons, caught in the Arabian Sea off the coast of the city of Veraval, India.

Last message about a very large whale shark refers to February 7, 2012. Then Pakistani fishermen caught an already dead shark near Karachi, 11 to 12 meters long and weighing about 15 tons.

The largest shark that ever existed is considered to be the megalodon, an extinct species, the size of whose representatives can be judged by paleontological finds: the average length is about 15 meters, while megalodons were predators.

The biggest snake in the world

The largest snakes on the planet are representatives of boas and pythons, namely the green anaconda and the reticulated python.

The heaviest snake in the world is the common or green anaconda, and the name "water boa" also applies to it. National Geographic indicates that the largest female anacondas can grow up to 8.8 meters and weigh more than 227 kg. However, at the moment this indicator remains only a theoretical estimate. There have been a lot of reports of giant anacondas by now, but most of them do not have any material evidence and are legends. The largest recorded specimen of an anaconda in captivity was kept at the Pittsburgh Zoo. The snake grew to 6.27 meters, and was weighed at a length of 5.94 meters - 91 kg.

The longest snake, the reticulated python, is native to Asia and grows up to 1.5-6.5 meters in nature. The largest measured representative of the species was 6.95 meters long and weighed 59 kg, but had not eaten for almost 3 months before the measurement. With pythons, as well as with anacondas, a lot of unconfirmed evidence is associated, including about a length of more than 8 meters.

The biggest spider in the world

The largest spider in the world is the goliath tarantula tarantula, in Latin - Theraphosa blondi. The specimen described in the Guinness Book of Records was discovered by members of the expedition of Pablo San Martin in tropical forests Venezuela in 1965. The leg span of the Goliath tarantula was 28 cm. In 1998, the same size was recorded in a two-year-old spider grown in captivity, while it weighed 170 grams.

With a leg span of about 25 cm or more, some species of the Sparassidae family grow, their sonorous often used name is giant crab spiders.

The largest spiders in Russia are the South Russian tarantula and several types of crosses. Basically, the sizes of the largest individuals do not exceed 2.5-3 cm.

The biggest dog in the world

The title of the tallest dog in the world with a mention and photographs in the Book of Records belongs to Zeus, a Great Dane (aka Great Dane), a pet of the Durlag family from Otsego, Michigan, USA. The height of Zeus is 111.8 cm, the dog weighs more than 70 kg. If Zeus stands on his hind legs, his "height" will be 224 cm. The record was set on October 4, 2011. At the same time, Zeus is not much taller than the previous record holders - Giant George (109.2 cm) and Titan (107.3 cm), which, by the way, are the same breed - Great Dane.

The English mastiff Zorba was named the heaviest dog back in 1987: a six-year-old dog weighed 142.7 kg. Two years later, when weighed again, he was even heavier: 155.6 kg at a height of 94 cm.

According to the Guinness Book of Records, the largest dog ever lived lived on Earth about 15.3 million years ago, during the Late Miocene. The average weight of this ancient wild dog is estimated at 170 kg.

The biggest cat in the world

The longest living pet cat is the Maine Coon Ludo, pet of Kelsey Gill from Wakefield, UK. The cat was measured for the Guinness Book of Records on October 6, 2015. As expected, measurements were taken three times, and then the average length was calculated - 118.33 cm. At the time of measurement, the pet was 17 months old, it weighed 11 kg. Now several active pages in social networks are devoted to news from his life.

The record of the famous predecessor of Ludo, also a Maine Coon, the cat Stewie, is 123 cm, he was named the domestic cat with the longest tail. He died in 2013 at the age of 8.

Officially, the largest living cat in the world is the liger Hercules (a hybrid of a lion and a tigress). He was born in 2002 at the Institute of Endangered and Rare Species in Miami, at the time of the last measurements at the age of 11, he weighed 418.2 kg, was 3.33 meters long and 125 cm high at the withers. Hercules is mobile and does not suffer from obesity.

The tallest man in the world

Registered in the Guinness Book of growth of the tall man in history, the American Robert Pershing Wadlow, is 272 cm. With this height, he weighed 199 kg. The giant was diagnosed with a pituitary tumor and acromegaly, so he grew vigorously from the age of four until his death - at the age of 22 in 1940.

The second largest in the history of observations remains John Rogan, whom the newspapers of his day dubbed the "Negro giant." However, already in adolescence, due to growth, he began to develop ankylosis - immobility of the joints. His exact weight was measured only posthumously, in 1905 at the age of 40, and amounted to 267 cm with a weight of only 79 kg.

The tallest living person is Turkish farmer Sultan Kösen, born in 1982, whose height is 251 cm. Gigantism in his case is also caused by a pituitary tumor, but as a result of treatment, doctors managed to slow down the further growth of the man.

Currently, the history of medicine knows about 17 people who have reached a height of more than 244 cm.

The fastest man in the world

Usain Bolt

Kai Pfaffenbach / Reuters / Scanpix / LETA

The glory of Usain Bolt, the Jamaican runner, has been thundering since the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and now the athlete has 9 gold medals with Olympic Games and 11 from the World Championships. The athlete, nicknamed "Lightning" (Lightning Bolt - literally "Thunderbolt"), set 8 records.

The fastest person reached his first world speed record in 2008 at the age of 22 - 100 meters in 9.72 seconds. In 2009, he improved the 100m to 9.58 seconds. His world record for the 200 meters is 19.19 seconds.

The tallest building in the world

The tallest building and structure ever built by mankind is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, also known as the Dubai Tower.

The grandiose eastern skyscraper, shaped like a futuristic center or a stalagmite, rises 828 meters from the ground, includes 163 floors and a sharp spire directed upwards. The grand opening of the skyscraper, which thundered all over the world, took place in 2010, on January 4, then the ceremony included a light show and fireworks, and was broadcast online.

The Dubai skyscraper was built with a large margin, because the earlier (and also not yet overcome by the third high-rise) record was correlated with the Warsaw radio mast (646.38 meters), which fell in 1991.

The tallest building in Russia and Europe is the Federation Tower (about 374 meters) as part of the Moscow City complex, followed by two more skyscrapers of the same complex - OKO (South Tower, 354 meters) and Mercury City (339 meters). The fourth tallest building in Europe after the Moscow towers remains the pyramidal London skyscraper The Shard (309 meters), which opened to tourists in 2013.

The tacit international competition for the construction of super-skyscrapers continues, and, perhaps, very soon it will be possible to learn about taking a new height.

The tallest tower in the world

Among the TV towers already built, the Tokyo Skytree (634 meters high), towering in the special Sumida area, is in the lead. It is also the second high-rise building in the world after the Burj Khalifa. The tower was built by February 29, 2012, as part of a program to completely convert Japanese television to digital format, since the height of the Tokyo TV tower (332.6 meters) was insufficient for this task. Observation decks on the Tokyo Skytree are located on several levels, the highest is at 451 meters.

The Guangzhou TV Tower is 34 meters lower than the Tokyo Sky Tree, but from its highest observation deck you can see the panorama of the metropolis from a height of 488 meters.

In the Western Hemisphere, height superiority remains with the famous CN Tower in Toronto, Canada, built back in 1976. Its height is 553.3 meters, and observation platform at 447 meters annually receives more than 2 million people. By the way, the Ostankino Tower in Moscow is only 13 meters lower than the Canadian CN Tower, and it has the 4th place in the world.

The longest bridge in the world

The three longest bridges are railway bridges, all of which are located in China.

The maximum length is at the Danyang-Kunshan viaduct (164.8 km), put into operation at the end of June 2011. The bridge is part of the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway, about 9 km of the bridge passes over the water surface. The largest body of water crossed by the Danyang-Kunshan Viaduct is Yangcheng Lake. Two other operating railway bridges from the trinity of record-breaking lengths - the Tianjin Viaduct (113.7 km) and the Wei Bridge (79.732 km) - are two to three times longer than the largest of comparable structures in other countries.

The longest marine girder bridge was laid along the route Hong Kong - Zhuhai - Macau. The second longest beam bridge - Qingdao - is also located in China.

The longest among the ground structures of the bridge type currently remains the Bang Na highway in Bangkok, opened in 2000, 54 km long.

The largest aircraft in the world

Air giants fulfill the dreams of many travelers traveling to new countries and even to other continents.

Passengers who frequently fly internationally have the chance to see the largest production airliner, the Airbus A380, which is operated by several leading airlines. The wing span of the liner is 79.75 meters, length - 72.75 meters, width - 24.08 meters. The capacity of this double-deck passenger aircraft is 853 passengers or 525 passengers in a three-class configuration.

The status of the largest and heaviest aircraft in the world is held by the only copy of the An-225 Mriya, which was put into operation in 1988. The board is used for cargo transportation and has already managed to break over a hundred records, including transporting the heaviest monocargo in the history of aviation weighing 187.6 tons, while the maximum load capacity it reached was much more - 253.8 tons.

The largest ship in the world

The infamous Titanic, which struck the whole world with its size at the beginning of the 20th century, can hardly be compared with the new cruise ships these days. The Titanic, launched in 1912, was 269.1 meters long and 28.19 meters wide. At that time, these figures were record-breaking.

Harmony of the Seas with a length of 362 meters and a passenger capacity of 5479 / 6500 people, which was put into operation relatively recently - in the summer of 2015. Notably, Harmony of the Seas is the third ship in the Oasis class and is only two meters longer than its predecessors, the 2008 Oasis of the Seas and 2010 Allure of the Seas twins.

The largest floating facility currently under construction is the Korean floating liquefied natural gas plant Prelude FLNG, which has already been launched. The ship-factory with a length of 488 meters resembles other smaller industrial ships in its appearance.

The fastest train in the world

A new world train speed record was achieved relatively recently - in April 2015. Japanese train L0 Series magnetic levitation (maglev train) reached at high speed railway Shinkansen speed 603 km/h.

Since 2007, the championship among rail trains has been held by the French train TGV POS, which has reached a speed of 574.8 km/h. Now trains of this series serve regular destinations in France and Europe, not exceeding the design speed - 320 km / h.

In constant operation, the Shanghai Maglev train maintains the highest speed - 430 km / h, but only on a number of flights (on others - 300 km / h) and at a distance of 30 km.

The largest metro in the world

When comparing the largest subways in the world, it is customary to single out several records: this is the deepest and longest subway, the leading subways in terms of the number of stations and the number of passengers per year.

The longest subway (in terms of the total length of completed lines) is Shanghai, the total length of the underground transport network is 588 km, and this is not the limit - the expansion of the subway is planned in stages for several decades to come.

Most of the stations and routes are in the New York subway. This subway includes 472 stations (or 425 unique interchange nodes) on 36 branches.

The busiest subway (in terms of maximum daily load) is in Beijing, its daily load is on average 9.998 million people, the peak is more than 12.69 million people, the annual figure is 3660 million passengers. At the same time, the consistently expanding network of the Beijing Subway holds the position of the second longest - 574 km.

The next in terms of daily load is the Moscow Metro: at the end of 2015, the traffic volume reached 2384.5 million people per year or 6.533 million per day, the peak load was recorded on December 9, 2014 - 9.5 million people.

The undisputed leader in terms of annual passenger traffic is the Tokyo Metro (3334 million). And Seoul ranks third and behind Beijing - according to the latest official figures, it serves 2,619 million people annually.

The depth record belongs to the Arsenalnaya station of the Kyiv metro: it was laid 105.5 meters underground. Sometimes there are attempts to “calculate” the deepest metro in the world by the average bookmark of all its stations, but the unambiguous champion for this indicator has not yet been precisely determined.

The longest car in the world

Recorded in the Guinness book, the car was assembled according to the project of Jay Orberg, a Hollywood collector, designer and creator of unique cars. It was the 100-foot (about 30.5 meters) limousine that brought Orberg worldwide fame.

The car is put on 26 wheels and inside can hardly resemble the interior of a classic car. It is equipped with a swimming pool with a springboard and a double waterbed; in addition, there are about a dozen beds, satellite TV, a sunbathing area and other amenities. For safe control of this, in fact, an exhibition model, a second driver's cabin is provided.

The fastest car in the world

The land speed record set in 1997 is astonishing: it is the world's first officially confirmed breaking of the sound barrier. In a Thrust SSC car with turbofan engines, Briton Andy Green reached a speed of 1227.985 km / h. Speed ​​measurements were taken in the Black Rock Desert, USA.

The Guinness Book of Records stipulates that a Budweiser Rocket Car race in 1979 at the American Edwards Air Force Base claims to be the first to break the sound barrier, but this experience was not officially sanctioned by the USAF, its results were never counted.

The fastest production car is the Hennessey Venom GT. The acceleration record - up to 300 km / h in 13.63 seconds was set on this car on January 21, 2013. In addition, the car showed the best result in average acceleration to 200 mph, its figure was 14.51 seconds. Max Speed achieved on this car is 435.31 km/h.

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

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.

The next major Russian lake is recognized Ladoga 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 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 most northern lake planets. 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 terms of area is Lake Chany. It has salt water. It is located in 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 Karelian lake. Him unusual name- Topozero. This favorite place kayakers, a lot of 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

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 freshwater lake

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

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

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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Natural attractions are scattered all over the planet and attract tourists, no less than museums and architectural objects of antiquity. In the list of the most visited objects, lakes occupy a leading position. picturesque corners The lands are pleasing to the eye and allow you to relax in the bosom of nature. Some are impressive in their size and resemble the sea, since it is not possible to see the opposite coast.

Lakes are also a source of fresh water, vital arteries of their regions. Nature reserves can exist next to them, enterprises can be built nearby, and excursion tours can be organized. The economy and tourism are often directly linked to the lakes and their surroundings. As for the environmental component, much attention has also been paid to it in recent decades.

The largest lakes on earth

List, photo with titles and description

Caspian Sea (436,000 km²)

It is located on the territory of five states at once, including Russia. Its water is brackish. Five rivers flow. The water level fluctuates at around 27 meters below sea level. There are large peninsulas and about fifty islands of various sizes. On the coast there are ports and resort towns as well as smaller towns. Animal and plant worlds are diverse. The climate and water temperature are changeable.

Upper (82100 km²)

It is located in the United States and Canada, is part of the Great Lakes system. Of the fresh - the largest in the world. The Nipigon River flows in, Saint Mary's flows out. The depth is impressive and in some places reaches four hundred meters. Although the temperatures here are not high, the surface is not covered with ice even for winter period as opposed to the coastline. There are several ports. There are many relatively rare species of fish in the local waters.

Victoria (68870 km²)

It is located on the territory of three South African countries. The average depth is about forty meters. The water is fresh. Since 1954, when the dam was built, it has actually been turned into a reservoir. There are many small islands. The Kagera River flows in, the White Nile flows out. average temperature air in the lake area: +20-+22°C. There are two rainy seasons in a year. Fishing and an increase in the population on the coast have led to a deterioration in the ecological situation.

Huron (59600 km²)

It is located in the United States and Canada, is part of the Great Lakes system. The Strait of Mackinac connects it to neighboring Lake Michigan. The St. Marys River flows in, the St. Clair flows out. The average depth is within sixty meters. There are many islands and bays. Since the middle of the last century, the fish population has been recovering, fry are being released, and representatives of the authorities are closely monitoring the ecological background.

Michigan (58,000 km²)

The only one of the Great Lakes system located entirely in the United States. The Strait of Mackinac connects it to neighboring Lake Huron. The water is fresh. The maximum depth is 281 meters. Height above sea level - 177 meters. Four months of the year the surface is covered with ice. There are quite major islands, and on the coast there are several cities.

Tanganyika (32600 km²)

It is located on the territory of four countries in Central Africa. The longest freshwater lake on the planet. Included in the Congo Basin. The depth at the bottom reaches 1470 meters. The water temperature on the surface is from +24°C. The fauna is represented by two thousand species, of which almost a third lives in a limited area. Fishing and waste dumping in the northern part of the lake has led to its pollution.

Baikal (31500 km²)

Located in Russia. The largest freshwater in Europe. Many rivers flow in, but only one flows out - the Neva. In its water area there are natural attractions of various types, including the Nizhnesvirsky Reserve. There are also architectural monuments. Also memorials. Among the islands, Valaam is more famous than others. Shipping is developed, used in economic activity and tourism.

Balkhash (16400 km²)

Located in Kazakhstan. Part of the reservoir is freshwater, part is salt water. These zones are separated by a narrow strait. Several rivers flow. The average depth is less than six meters. On each of the four cardinal points, the lake is surrounded different types terrain. East - sand massif, west - desert, south - mountains, north - steppe. The fauna is small both in species and in total.

East (12500 km²)

Located in Antarctica. The largest of the subglacial. Nearby is the Russian station of the same name. The absolute depth is more than 1200 meters. The water temperature reaches +10°C, the heating comes from underground geothermal sources. To get to the lake, I had to spend a decade, make accurate calculations and drill a well. Research on water and the microorganisms living in it continues.

Lake Onega (9720 km²)

Located in Russia. Many rivers flow into the water area, more than one and a half thousand islands. The average depth is 30 meters. Part of the coast is swampy, part is covered with taiga forests. There are two ports and several settlements of different status. Lots of fish, including rare breeds. Since industrial enterprises are located on the lake, the ecological state of the territory is deteriorating.

Titicaca (8372 km²)

Located in Peru and Bolivia. The largest in terms of fresh water reserves in the region. There are several cities and towns on the coast, there are settlements of aborigines who have preserved many traditions, including economic ones, of their ancestors. Shipping is developed. The average depth is 107 meters. Height above sea level - 3812 meters. About three hundred rivers flow in, and only Desaguadero flows out.

Nicaragua (8264 km²)

Located in the country of the same name. Among freshwater - the only place where you can meet sharks. The average depth is 13 meters. On the surface there are large waves, sometimes there are storms. The islands are numerous, united in groups. The Tipitapa River flows in, and the San Juan flows out. Nicaragua is associated with by the caribbean through the shipping channel. A canal between the oceans is also under construction, which will pass through the lake.

Athabasca (7850 km²)

Located in Canada. The greatest depth is 124 meters. The Slave and Mackenzie rivers flow out, and the Athabasca flows into it. Deposits of uranium and gold were discovered on the coast, which led to the emergence of mines and active mining, but in the early 80s of the last century, work was curtailed. On south coast there are sand dunes. There are more than twenty species of fish in the lake.

Taimyr (6990 km²)

It is located in Russia on the peninsula of the same name beyond the Arctic Circle. The climatic zone is tundra with occasional areas of permafrost. Several rivers flow into it, and Taimyr flows through it, which has an addition to the name "Upper" and "Lower" depending on its position. Arctic fish are found in the waters of the lake, the fauna is represented by a very small number of species.

Turkana (6405 km²)

Located in Kenya and Ethiopia. It has a second name - Rudolf. There are three islands in its water area. Several rivers flow in, none flow out. It is famous for its crocodiles, which are impressive in size and numerous. Important archaeological finds related to ancient people and the geography of the area were made in the district in different periods.

Reindeer Lake (6330 km²)

Located in Canada. Origin - glacial. The average depth is 17 meters. From late spring to early summer, the surface is covered with ice. The lake has become a venue for sport fishing competitions. The coast is sparsely populated. One of the natural attractions is Deep Bay, which was formed due to the fall of a meteorite one hundred million years ago.

Issyk-Kul (6200 km²)

Located in Kyrgyzstan. Height above sea level - more than 1600 meters. The water is brackish. The lake is endorheic, and about eighty tributaries flow into it. There are four bays, each one is used but not actively. The climate is mixed - sea and mountain, which attracts tourists. Coastal settlements vary in size, but there are quite a few of them.

Urmia (6001 km²)

Located in Iran. The largest lake in the Middle and Near East. The water is salty. The lake is drainless. The greatest depth is 16 meters. There are over a hundred islands, some with pistachio forests. The surface does not freeze. Shipping is developed and active. The appearance of a dam in 2008 divided the water area into two parts and had a negative impact on the environment.

Vänern (5545 km²)

Located in Sweden. The largest in the country. From December it is covered with ice, it is on the surface until mid-spring, but the layer is not thick and periodically thaws. The average depth is 27 meters. There are small islands in the water area, there are three large ones. They, like the lake, are included in the national park. Approximately 30 rivers flow. Major ports are used all year round. Developed fishing.

Winnipegosis (5403 km²)

Located in Canada. The average depth is about 12 meters. Altitude above sea level - 254 meters. Three large settlements are located on the coast. Developed fishing. There are a sufficient number of fish species, but the emphasis is on trout. Since there were some problems with the environment, the authorities created two reserves in the district and are engaged in the restoration of populations of rare species.

Albert (5299 km²)

Located in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Height above sea level - 615 meters. The distance to the deepest point from the surface is 58 meters. The bottom is mostly without sharp drops. Two rivers flow in - one flows out, which is a tributary of the Nile. Shipping is developed, but weak. There are many types of fish. The water temperature is high all year round, reaching 30 °C.

Mweru (5120 km²)

Located in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Height above sea level - 917 meters. The average depth is about seven and a half meters. The water is fresh. The largest flowing river is the Luapula. Flowing - Luvois. The rainy season has little effect on the water level in the lake, which makes it different from other reservoirs in the region. There are many fishing villages along the coast.

Nettilling (5066 km²)

Located in Canada. Height above sea level - 30 meters. The average depth is 20 meters. It is fed by small rivers, as well as Lake Amadzhuak, located in southbound. East End shallow, includes three bays. Since ice is almost always here, it is difficult for fish to survive here. Only three species have adapted to local conditions. Caribou live near the lake.