One of the most visited lakes in the world. The largest freshwater lake in the world in terms of water reserve - Baikal

Most big lake in the world- Caspian Sea.

The Caspian Sea leads the ranking - despite the fact that it is called the sea, in fact it is the largest closed lake on the planet. It is located at the junction of Europe and Asia, and is called the sea only because of its size. The Caspian Sea is a drainless lake, and the water in it is salty, from 0.05‰ near the mouth of the Volga to from 11-13‰ in the southeast.

The Caspian Sea is similar in shape to the Latin letter S, its length from north to south is about 1200 kilometers, from west to east - from 195 to 435 kilometers, on average 310-320 kilometers.

The Caspian Sea is conditionally divided according to physical and geographical conditions into 3 parts - the North Caspian, the Middle Caspian and the South Caspian. The conditional border between the North and Middle Caspian runs along the line Chechen (island) - Tyub-Karagansky cape, between the Middle and South Caspian - along the line Zhiloy (island) - Gan-Gulu (cape). The area of ​​the Northern, Middle and Southern Caspian is respectively 25, 36, 39 percent of the total area of ​​the Caspian Sea.

The length of the coastline of the Caspian Sea is estimated at about 6500 - 6700 kilometers, with islands - up to 7000 kilometers. The shores of the Caspian Sea in most of its territory are low-lying and smooth. In the northern part, the coastline is indented by water channels and islands of the Volga and Ural deltas, the shores are low and swampy, and the water surface is covered with thickets in many places.

On east coast limestone coasts adjoining semi-deserts and deserts predominate. The most winding coasts are on the west coast in the area Absheron Peninsula and on the east coast in the area of ​​the Kazakh Gulf and Kara-Bogaz-Gol.

The territory adjacent to the Caspian Sea is called the Caspian Sea.

Area and volume of water Caspian Sea varies greatly with water level fluctuations. With a water level of 26.75 m, the area is approximately 371,000 km square kilometers, the volume of water is 78,648 cubic kilometers, which is approximately 44 percent of the world's lake water reserves. The maximum depth of the Caspian Sea is in the South Caspian depression, 1025 meters from its surface level. In terms of maximum depth, the Caspian Sea is second only to Baikal (1620 m) and Tanganyika (1435 m). The average depth of the Caspian Sea is 208 meters. In the same time Northern part The Caspian Sea is shallow, its maximum depth does not exceed 25 meters, and the average depth is 4 meters.

In second place among confidently entrenched lake superior- the largest, deepest and coldest of the Great Lakes and, concurrently, the largest freshwater lake in the world.

In the north, Lake Superior is bounded by the territory of the Canadian province of Ontario, in the west - US state Minnesota, in the south - the states of Wisconsin and Michigan.

The basins of Lake Superior and the northern part of Lake Huron were worked out in the crystalline rocks of the southern part of the Canadian Shield, the basins of the remaining lakes were mined in the thickness of limestones, dolomites, and sandstones of the Paleozoic of the North American Platform. The basin of the Upper Lake was formed as a result of tectonic movements, pre-glacial river and glacial erosion.

The origin of the water mass 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 in this area, which repeatedly changed their outlines.

In the northern part of the Great Lakes, the coastline is dissected, the islands and shores (up to 400 m high) are rocky, steep, very picturesque, especially the shores of Lake Superior and the northern part of Lake Huron.

The fluctuations in the level of the Upper Lake are artificially regulated for the purposes of shipping, energy, etc. The amplitude of seasonal fluctuations is 30-60 cm, the highest level is observed in summer, the lowest in winter. Short-term level fluctuations caused by strong surge winds and seiches reach 3–4 m, the height of the tides is 3–4 cm

Closes the top three is Lake Victoria - a lake in East Africa, in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. Located in the tectonic trough of the East African Platform, at an altitude of 1134 m. This is the 2nd largest freshwater lake in the world after Lake Superior and the largest lake in Africa

The lake was discovered and named after Queen Victoria by British traveler John Henning Speke in 1858.

Square Lake Victoria 68 thousand square kilometers, length 320 km, maximum width 275 km. It is part of the Victoria Reservoir. Lots of islands. flows into abounding river Kagera, the Victoria Nile flows out. The lake is navigable, the locals are engaged in fishing on it.

The northern coast of the lake crosses the equator. The lake with a maximum depth of 80 m belongs to fairly deep lakes.

Unlike its deep-water neighbors, Tanganyika and Nyasa, which lie within the gorge system of Africa, Lake Victoria fills a shallow depression between the east and west sides of the valley. Great Gorge. The lake receives a huge amount of water from the rains, more than from all its tributaries.

30 million people live in the vicinity of the lake. On the southern and western shores of the lake, the Haya people live, who knew how to grow coffee long before the arrival of Europeans. Main ports: Entebbe (Uganda), Mwanza, Bukoba (Tanzania), Kisumu (Kenya), near the northern coast of Kampala, the capital of Uganda.

Lake Huron is the fourth largest among. It is a lake in the USA and Canada, one of the North American Great Lakes. Located east of Lake Michigan, connected to it by the Strait of Mackinac. From the point of view of hydrography, Michigan and Huron form a single system (they are connected by the Mackinac Strait), but geographically they are considered to be separate lakes.

The Huron area is about 59.6 thousand km2 (the second largest among the Great Lakes). The surface height above sea level is about 176 m (as in Michigan), the depth is up to 229 m.

The states of Michigan and the Canadian province of Ontario have access to the lake. The main ports on Huron are Saginaw, Bay City, Alpina (USA) and Sarnia (Canada).

The name of the lake, introduced by the French, comes from the name of the Huron Indian tribe. Manitoulin is located on Huron - the most big Island world, located in fresh lake.

In the middle of the list, in 5th place among is lake michigan one of the North American Great Lakes.

The only one of the Great Lakes that is entirely within the United States. located south of the lake The upper one is connected to Lake Huron by the Mackinac Strait, and to the Mississippi River system by the Chicago-Lockport Canal.

From the point of view of hydrography, Michigan and Huron form a single system, but geographically they are considered to be separate lakes.

Square Michigan- about 57,750 km2 (the third largest among the Great Lakes), about 500 km long, about 190 km wide. The surface height above sea level is 177 m (as in Huron), the depth is up to 281 m. It is covered with ice for about four months a year. Islands - Beaver, North Manitou, South Manitou.

The states of Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin have access to the lake. Major cities on Lake Michigan include Chicago, Evanston and Highland Park (Illinois), Milwaukee and Green Bay (Wisconsin), Gary and Hammond (Indiana).

The name of the lake comes from the word mishigami, which means in the language of the Ojibwa Indians " big water". The first European to discover the lake was the Frenchman Jean Nicolet in 1634.

The sixth among is Aral Sea.

The Aral Sea is an endorheic salt lake in Central Asia, on the border of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Since the 1960s of the XX century, the sea level (and the volume of water in it) has been rapidly decreasing due to the withdrawal of water from the main supply rivers Amu Darya and Syr Darya for irrigation purposes. Prior to the start of shallowing, the Aral Sea was the fourth largest lake in the world.

Collector-drainage waters coming from the fields into the Syrdarya and Amudarya channels have caused deposits of pesticides and various other agricultural pesticides, appearing in places on 54 thousand square kilometers of the former seabed covered with salt. Dust storms carry salt, dust and pesticides to a distance of up to 500 km. Sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride and sodium sulfate are airborne and destroy or slow down the development of natural vegetation and crops. The local population suffers from a high prevalence of respiratory diseases, anemia, cancer of the larynx and esophagus, as well as digestive disorders. Diseases of the liver and kidneys, eye diseases have become more frequent.

In 2001, as a result of a drop in the water level, Vozrozhdeniye Island was connected to the mainland. On this island Soviet Union tested bacteriological weapons: the causative agents of anthrax, tularemia, brucellosis, plague, typhoid, smallpox, as well as botulinum toxin were tested here on horses, monkeys, sheep, donkeys and other laboratory animals. This is the reason for the fear that deadly microorganisms have retained their viability, and infected rodents may become their distributors in other regions.

According to the calculations of scientists, it is no longer possible to save the Aral Sea. Even if we completely refuse to take water from the Amu Darya and Syr Darya, the previous water level in it will be restored no earlier than in 200 years.

The Aral Sea once occupied 68 thousand square kilometers and was the fourth largest in the world. Now its area is about 10% of that recorded in the 60s of the last century. Pictures from 1989 and 2003:

From the 1950s to the present, projects have been repeatedly proposed for the construction of a canal for transferring water from the Ob basin to the Aral Sea basin, which would significantly develop the economy of the Aral Sea region (in particular, agriculture) and partially revive the Aral Sea. Such construction will require very large material costs (on the part of several states - Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan), so there is no talk of practical implementation of these projects yet.

Some scientists predict Aral Sea complete disappearance by 2020...

Lake Tanganyika is a large lake in Central Africa. It is one of the same and equally ancient in origin. In terms of volume and depth, Tanganyika ranks second after Lake Baikal. The shores of the lake belong to four countries - Democratic Republic Congo, Tanzania, Zambia and Burundi.

The lake is about 650 km long and 40–80 km wide. The area is 34 thousand sq. km. Lies at an altitude of 773 meters above sea level in the tectonic basin of the East African Rift Zone. Coastal landscapes, as a rule, are huge rocks and only on the eastern side of the coast are gentle. On the west coast, the steep side walls of the East African Rift Zone, which form the coastline, reach 2,000 m in height. Coastline dotted with coves and bays. The largest of them is Burton Bay. The lake is fed by several tributaries. The only outflowing river - Lukuga (Lukuga) begins in the middle part of the west coast and flows west, connecting with the Zaire River, which flows into the Atlantic.

The lake is home to hippos, crocodiles, and a lot of waterfowl. Fishing and shipping are well developed.

The antiquity of the lake and the long period of isolation ended with the development a large number endemic organisms, including those from the family Cichlidae (cichlids). Of the more than 200 species of fish living in the lake, about 170 are endemic.

Tanganyika is inhabited to about a depth of 200 m, below this mark there is a high concentration of hydrogen sulfide and life is absent to the very bottom. This layer of the lake is a huge "burial ground" consisting of organic silt and sedimentary mineral compounds.

The water temperature of Tanganyika strictly differs in layers. So, in the upper layer, the temperature ranges from 24 to 30 degrees, with a decrease by great depths. Due to the different density of water and the absence of a bottom current, the layers do not mix, and the temperature at the lower horizons reaches only 6-8 degrees.

The depth of the temperature jump layer is about 100 m. The Tanganika water is very transparent (up to 30 m). Many salts are dissolved in it in small concentrations, so that in its composition it resembles a highly diluted marine one. Water hardness (mainly due to magnesium salts) ranges from 8 to 15 degrees. Water has an alkaline reaction, pH 8.0 - 9.5.

Many consider the most beautiful lakes those that are located nearby and are familiar from childhood. Someone gives preference to reservoirs where the whole family goes to rest from year to year. However, there are lakes on Earth that attract tourists from all over the world. These are real wonders of nature, legends about which began to be composed since time immemorial.

Baikal

Lake Baikal in winter

It is customary to talk about the largest lake on the planet in superlatives. Baikal is called the most beautiful and majestic lake on Earth. There are many poems, fairy tales and legends about him. Baikal water so clear that objects lying at a depth of 40 m can be seen through it.

Exactly this deep lake in the world. It was formed in a tectonic basin, so the maximum depths reach 1642 m. Almost 20% of the world's reserve is stored in a huge bowl fresh water. Seismic activity in the Baikal region is very high, and several earthquakes a year occur in the vicinity of the giant reservoir. However, they are so small that most shocks are detected only by highly sensitive equipment.

loch ness

Ruins of Urquhart Castle on the shores of Loch Ness

Most mysterious lake planet attracts tourists with legends about a monster living here. It is interesting that the legends about him appeared even among the ancient Celts. Every year, more than half a million travelers from all over the world rush to the shores of the Scottish reservoir to see the mysterious lake monster Nessie.

Like Baikal for Russia, Loch Ness is the largest reservoir of fresh water in the UK. There is a lot of peat suspension in the water of Loch Ness, so it is not transparent and does not allow video shooting at depth.

Como

Yachts on the background Alpine mountains on Lake Como

The natural pearl of Italy is recognized as one of the most deep lakes Old World. The maximum depth of Como reaches 410 m. Tourists come here to spend time among the amazing beautiful nature and breathe in the clean air of the Alpine foothills.

The picturesque slopes close the reservoir from cold winds, so Como has a mild climate. From the 19th century Italian lake has become a favorite holiday destination for Europeans. It is considered a true paradise for swimmers. From May to the end of October, the temperature of the lake water does not drop below +24°C.

Plitvice lakes

Plitvice Lakes National Park

Popular national park in Croatia includes not one, but as many as 16 large lakes located in a picturesque cascade with a height difference of 130 m. The shores of these lakes are overgrown with beech and pine forests and attract travelers with ancient karst caves and beautiful waterfalls. Plitvice Lakes are beautiful at any time of the year. In summer, you can see flocks of river trout in clear water. In winter, the surrounding forests are wrapped in snow, the waterfalls freeze and turn into pillars of ice sparkling in the sun.

Michigan

View of Chicago from Lake Michigan

The largest freshwater lake in the United States has an area of ​​​​57.75 thousand square meters. km. It is part of the Great Lakes system and is connected by straits to Lake Hudson and the majestic Mississippi River. The name "Michigan" was given to the lake by the local Indians. Translated from one of their dialects, it means "big water".

In the first half of the 20th century, industrial megacities grew up on the shores of the lake. Harmful chemical discharges almost ruined the nature of Michigan. However, in the 1960s, environmentalists sounded the alarm and the lake water was saved. Fishing enthusiasts are coming to Michigan today. Salmon, pike perch, trout, salmon, carp and perch are caught in the lake. In addition, there are about 30 beaches scattered along the coast of Michigan, covered with pure white sand.

Issyk-Kul

Lake Issyk-Kul on the background of mountains

The largest lake in Kyrgyzstan is one of the largest alpine lakes in the world - it lies at an altitude of 1609 m. In terms of transparency, Issyk-Kul is second only to Baikal. Mild winters and a large amount of heat accumulated during the summer do not allow this lake to freeze. Due to the mild mountain-sea climate, the air in the lake basin is very clean, so many people come here to improve their health. Holidaymakers rush to Issyk-Kul for a tan, because 300 days a year the sun shines over the Kyrgyz lake. picturesque places attract fans active rest- lovers of walking and water tourism, skiers and fishermen.

Titicaca

Floating reed islands of the Uru Indians on Lake Titicaca

The mysterious lake, sacred to the indigenous peoples of the Andes, is located in beautiful mountains, on the border of Peru and Bolivia. According to legend, it is the cradle of Indian civilization. In ancient times, the lake lay at the level of the world ocean, but over time, the spurs of the Andes grew, and together with the mountains, the reservoir rose to a height of 3812 m.

The narrow Strait of Tikuin divides it into two basins. There are many islands on Titicaca and some of them are inhabited. Travelers choose this lake for its blue clear water, steep cliffs and overgrown green forest islands.

Lake Geneva

The terraced vineyards of Lavaux on Lake Geneva

The largest in Western Europe Lake Geneva is called Leman by the French. Most of it belongs to Switzerland, while about 40% belongs to France. Lake Geneva looks like a crescent moon, the horns of which are facing south. It appeared after the retreating glacier, and today it is divided into Big and Small lakes. The coast is surrounded by high green mountains, behind which peep snow-covered mountains. high peaks. From several points Lake Geneva offers excellent views of the majestic Mont Blanc.

bled

Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary on Lake Bled

Lake Bled is known as the most beautiful natural attraction in Slovenia. It is located on the conditional border between the South and Central Europe. Tourists come to the picturesque shores to admire the oldest Slovenian castle, which hangs on a steep cliff right above the water. Another attraction of Lake Bled is a beautiful church that rises on a small island. Bled is very easy to get to. From the capital of Slovenia - the city of Ljubljana, the lake separates about 50 km.

Tacho

Emerald Bay on Lake Tahoe

coast american lake Tahoe has long been one of the main tourist centers California and Nevada. Here, coniferous forests grow in abundance, dominated by pines and firs, and numerous streams and channels attract a large number of beavers in the vicinity of Tahoe. Many recreation centers have been built along the lake. Lovers come here in the summer beach holiday, fishing and aquatic species sports, and in winter, fans of mountain skiing go to Tahoe.

Lake Jellyfish

Golden and Moon Jellyfish in Jellyfish Lake

One of unique reservoirs our planet is located in the Pacific archipelago, which is owned by the Republic of Palau. Medusa Lake has dimensions of 460 by 160 m and is separated from the ocean coast by a two-hundred-meter strip of land. About 2 million jellyfish live in its slightly salty waters! They have no natural enemies, so a huge population actively breeds and thrives.

This is the only place on Earth where you can swim surrounded by a large number of jellyfish and at the same time not be afraid of their bites. That is why many divers are in a hurry to get to an unusual body of water. The reason for such an unusual behavior of jellyfish is their autonomous existence. Living in a closed reservoir, they adapted to a different type of food and learned to “grow” symbiotic algae on themselves, and before that the poisonous tentacles stopped stinging.

Seliger

Nilo-Stolobenskaya Hermitage on Lake Seliger

The long lake is often referred to as the blue necklace of Central Russia. Seliger lies on the border of the Novgorod and Tver regions and local residents was named Ostashkovsky Lake. More than one and a half hundred large and small islands are scattered across the water surface of Seliger. The protruding land areas, uneven coasts and beautiful channels became the legacy of the Ice Age.

The rating "The largest lake in Russia" was compiled according to materials from Internet sources. It includes the 10 largest lakes in Russia, arranged in descending order of their area. Additionally, the maximum depth of these reservoirs is indicated.

The area of ​​the largest lakes in our country included in the list varies from thousands of square kilometers to several hundred thousand square kilometers.

1. THE CASPIAN SEA IS THE LARGEST LAKE IN RUSSIA AND THE WORLD

Nominally the largest drainless lake in Russia, and throughout the world, is the Caspian Sea. The Caspian Sea is called such because its bed is formed by the earth's crust of the oceanic type. The area of ​​this largest lake in our country is 371,000 square meters. km. The maximum depth of the Caspian Sea is 1025 m. The waters of the Caspian Sea are washed by 5 states at once: Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. The water in the Caspian Sea is salty.

Baikal is the largest lake in Russia, excluding the Caspian Sea. The area of ​​Lake Baikal is 31722 sq. km, and the maximum depth reaches 1642 m. Baikal is the deepest lake on our planet and the largest natural storage of fresh water. The lake is located in the southern part of Eastern Siberia and has a tectonic origin. Baikal and the territories adjacent to it are distinguished by a wide variety of flora and fauna. Such rivers as the Selenga, Upper Angara, Barguzin, Snezhnaya flow into the largest fresh lake in Russia, and only one river flows out of Baikal - the Angara.

3. LADOGA LAKE IS THE LARGEST FRESHWATER LAKE IN EUROPE

The third place in the Rating "The largest lake in Russia" is occupied by Lake Ladoga, located on the territory Leningrad region and Karelia. Square Lake Ladoga- 17703 sq. km. It is the largest freshwater lake in Europe. The maximum depth is 225 m. The Neva River originates from Ladoga, and the Svir, Volkhov, Vuoksa, Syas and Naziya rivers flow into the lake.

LADOGA LAKE

Further on the list of the largest lakes in Russia is Lake Onega, which, after Lake Ladoga, is the second largest in Europe. Lake Onega is located near Ladoga in the northwest of the European part of our country. The area of ​​this lake is 9690 sq. km, and the maximum depth is 127 m. On the shore Lake Onega located the cities of Petrozavodsk, Medvezhyegorsk and Kondopoga. The main attraction of this large lake is the island of Kizhi, on the territory of which there are 89 monuments of wooden architecture.

ONEGA LAKE

From the European part of Russia we are transferred to Krasnoyarsk region, where the large lake Taimyr or Taimyr lake is located. Taimyr is the northernmost real lake in the world, most of the year it is covered with ice. On average, the lake is ice-free only 73 days a year. The area of ​​Taimyr is 4560 sq. km. The maximum depth is 26 m.

TAIMYR LAKE

On Far East Russia is located another lake rating "The largest lake in Russia" - Khanka. Lake Khanka is located on the border of Russia and China. This lake is quite shallow - the prevailing depth is 1-3 m, and the maximum depth is only 10.6 m. The area of ​​Lake Khanka is 4070 square meters. km. More than two dozen rivers flow into the lake, and the Sungacha River, a tributary of the Ussuri, flows out. Settlements with the status of a city on the shores of Lake Khanka no.

7. ON THE ICE OF THIS LAKE THE ICE BATTLE OCCURRED

In the Pskov region, there is another participant in the rating - Lake Peipus-Pskov. This lake is known to any schoolchild, first of all, by the fact that in the battle on its ice in 1242, the Russian army, led by Alexander Nevsky, won a historic victory over the Teutonic knights. This battle entered the history books under the name Battle on the Ice. The area of ​​the lake is 3555 sq. km, the maximum depth is 15 m. The river Narva flows from Lake Peipsi-Pskov.

8.UBSU-NUR - LOCATED ON THE TERRITORY OF TUVA

Ubsu-Nur is a large lake located on the territory of Tuva. On the territory of Russia there is only a small part of the water area and the coast of the entire lake. Most of the Ubsu-Nur lake is located in neighboring Mongolia. Its area is 3350 sq. km, maximum depth - 20 m. The lake, located on the geoclimatic border between Siberia and Asia, is subject to a large temperature difference - from - 58 to + 47 ° C.

9. LAKE CHANY IS IN THE NOVOSIBIRSK REGION

The penultimate place in the rating "The largest lake in Russia" is occupied by Lake Chany, which is located in Novosibirsk region. Its area is 1990 sq. km, and greatest depth– 7. This lake is salty. Chany is a system of stretches that communicate with each other through channels and shallow areas.

10. WHITE LAKE - PART OF THE SHEKSNA RESERVOIR

IN Vologda region the last large lake on our list is located - White Lake, which since 1964 has been part of the Sheksna reservoir. The area of ​​the lake is 1125 sq. km, and the maximum depth is 33 m.

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

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

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

The most oligotrophic lake in the world

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Related article

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

The structure of freshwater hydra

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

Nutrition and lifestyle

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

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

Reproduction of freshwater hydra

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

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

Freshwater hydra regeneration

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

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

Three of the largest lakes in the world

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

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

Other large lakes on the planet

In sixth place is

A lake is a natural body of water limited by the boundaries of the lake bed and not having direct communication with the sea or ocean. In total, there are approximately 5 million lakes of various sizes in the world. total area their water surface is 2,500,000 sq. km, which is 1.8% of the surface of our planet. Some lakes are very tiny, and the largest are comparable in size to some seas.

1. Caspian (371,000 sq. km)

The Caspian Sea is the largest lake in the world. The peoples who lived in different time on its banks, gave it up to 70 names. There is a theory that about 10,000 years ago the Black and Caspian Sea were a single body of water, and now the Caspian is the largest in the world salt lake. The current name of the lake comes from the tribes of the Caspians, who inhabited in the second millennium BC. e. southeast of Transcaucasia. Now the territories of five states go to the shores of the Caspian Sea: the largest coastline belongs to Turkmenistan, and the rest of the shores are divided by Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia and Kazakhstan. The Iranians, for example, call it the Khazar Sea.
Although formally the Caspian is a lake, since it does not have access to the sea, but at the same time it has an oceanic crust under it. This is the largest lake on the planet, to a greater extent due to the fact that the largest European river, the Volga, flows into it. It cannot be called an endorheic reservoir either, since water from the Caspian Sea enters the Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay, carrying excess salt from the basin.
The water level in the Caspian is subject to strong fluctuations. A particularly noticeable drop in the water level was observed in the last century, when hydropower plants were built one after another on the Volga, reducing the flow of the largest donor of the Caspian. To prevent this, a dam was even built to block the flow of water into Kara-Bogaz-Gol. But the decision was unsuccessful - soon the bay almost dried up, and the level of the Caspian Sea began to rise rapidly. In the end, in 1992, the dam was blown up, after which the Kara-Bogaz-Gol was again filled with water, and the sea level stabilized. IN last years again there is a gradual decrease in the level of the Caspian Sea.

2. Upper (82,414 sq. km)

Lake Superior is part of the American Great Lakes system. On his northern shores is the territory of Canada, and in the south - the United States. The average depth of the lake is 147 meters. This is the largest freshwater lake in the world in terms of the size of the water surface. It often plays out violent storms with waves up to 10 m high. Among the locals, legends about a ghost ship and mysterious waves are popular.
Due to the turbulent nature of the lake, many ships rest at its bottom, unable to cope with the waves, including huge bulk carriers. This is not at all surprising, given the nature of the local weather. Even in the distant past, the Indians who lived along the shores of the Great Lakes observed them incredibly high waves, which arose quite unexpectedly and fell on the shore, demolishing everything in its path. They called them "Three Sisters". Scientists still do not know the reasons that generate such huge waves.
There are several islands on Lake Superior, the largest of which is Isle Royal, 72 km long and 12 km wide. It is now a national park.

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3. Victoria (69,485 sq km)

This Central African lake is the second largest freshwater body of water in the world and the largest in Africa. It is located on the territory three states: Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Its coastline has a length of 7000 kilometers, and the average depth is 40 m (maximum - 80 m).
This is the warmest of the large lakes in the world, since the upper layer of water several meters thick warms up to 35 degrees in it, and even in July (the coldest month here) the water is not colder than 20 degrees. The English discovered this lake in the 19th century and named it after their queen, while the local Africans call it Nyanza. They tried to find a common name for the peoples inhabiting its shores, but so far to no avail. Fishermen, confident in the infinity of lake resources, call it "the lake of the gods."
Nyanza gradually languishes, and fertilizers and pesticides, washed off by rains from the surrounding fields, kill it. This provoked the rapid development of water hyacinth on the surface of the lake, which instantly grows, depriving the inhabitants of the lake depths of light and oxygen: the fish die, and the fishermen's boats get stuck in the thickets of hyacinth. Fishermen, watching the decline in catch, fall into pessimism. Scientists believe that Victoria is about 400,000 years old. For my long history the lake dried up three times, but if nothing is done today, it may finally die.

4. Huron (59,600 sq km)

Huron is the second largest lake in the Great Lakes system. Its shores are divided between the Canadian province of Ontario and the US state of Michigan. The depth of the lake reaches 229 meters, but in the southern part of the water area it is shallower. A depth of 1.5 m stretches from the shore for 10 meters. The lake is named after the Indian tribe of the Hurons, who once inhabited its shores. The bottom of the Huron is a graveyard of ships that sank during storms and others were washed ashore. The shores of the lake are very picturesque, with rich fauna and flora, so they attract many vacationers. But in winter it often happens here bad weather because of the winds from any of the three oceans surrounding North America, so it is best to get here on vacation in the summer. Huron is connected to Lake Michigan by the Strait of Mackinac or Mackinac. Sometimes these lakes are considered a single lake due to similar characteristics.
Currently, the ecology of the Great Lakes is rapidly deteriorating. Many species of fish have disappeared in them, and the chemical composition of the water is changing. The governments of the United States and Canada have developed a decades-long program to improve the local ecosystem.

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5. Michigan (58,000 sq km)

Of all the Great Lakes, only Michigan is located entirely within the United States and is therefore considered the largest lake in this country. Hydrographically, Michigan forms a single whole with Lake Huron, although geographers consider them separately. The Michigan Canal is connected to largest river North American Mississippi. The depth of the lake reaches 85 m. Translated from the language of the Indians, the name of the lake means “big water”, which is not accidental, because Michigan is quite a bit smaller than Huron and Lake Superior. There is even a myth about their monster - the "plesiosaur" (so that the Scots are not conceited). To this was added gossip about a blue-eyed werewolf terrorizing the locals.

6. Tanganyika (32,893 sq km)

In Central Africa, there is another huge lake Tanganyika with medium depth 570 m with a maximum of 1470 m. This is the longest freshwater lake in the world with a coastline of 1828 km, which makes it more like a river on the maps. There are many species of fish in Tanganyika, of which 170 live only here. There are also various mollusks, as well as leeches, and larger animals - hippos, crocodiles and herons. But only 10% of the waters of the lake, located near the surface and containing oxygen, are suitable for life. From a depth of 100 m, the water becomes completely dead. ecological situation on the lake worsens industrial activity and household waste. Because of the poisoned water, epidemics often break out along the shores of the lake. The expansion of the water hyacinth on the surface of the lake continues.

7. Baikal (31,722 sq. km)

Lake Baikal is the deepest (1642 m) and has the most large stock clean fresh water in the world. The coastline of the lake stretches for 2100 km. Baikal is surrounded on all sides by mountains and taiga, belonging to Irkutsk region and Buryatia. The lake stretches for 620 km from the southwest to the northeast, forming a crescent-shaped figure. 330 rivers flow into Baikal, and the runoff occurs through the only river Angara. In the lake itself and on its shores, there are unique species of plants and animals, many of which live only here. Local peoples call Baikal the sea, which it deserves.

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8. Big Bear Lake (31,080 sq km)

big Bear Lake It is considered the largest inland body of water located entirely in Canada. Its maximum depth is 413 meters. The Great Bear Lake is located in the Northwest Territories of Canada at the latitude of the Arctic Circle. The height above sea level is 186 m. The basin of the lake was formed by a glacier moving south in the distant past. The Great Bear River originates from the lake, which flows downstream into the Mackenzie River, which continues its course to the Beaufort Sea.
Gilbert Labin discovered uranium deposits near the lake in 1930, which contributed to the history of our civilization. It was from here that uranium and plutonium were taken and enriched, from which the first atomic charges were made, two of which were intended for the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Later, due to the unprofitability of mining, the local mine was closed when new uranium deposits were found in other parts of Canada. The Big Bear Lake is navigable, the main ports are Deline and Port Radium. The lake is freed from ice usually not earlier than the end of July.

9. Malawi (Nyasa) (30,044 sq km)

Nyasa is a component of the African Great Lakes and is the third largest natural body of water in Africa. The maximum depth of Lake Malawi is 706 m, which makes it the sixth in the world and the second in Africa in this indicator.
This lake is of tectonic origin. It contains 7% of the world's fresh water reserves. It is located in the south of the East African Rift Valley, in deep depression passing through such countries as Tanzania, Mozambique, Malawi. 14 rivers flow into Lake Nyasa, including such large ones as the North and South Rukuru, Ruhuhu, Dwangwa and Bua, and the flow is through the Shire River, which flows from south side lake and is a tributary of the Zambezi. The shores of the lake are steep, strong storms with surf are not uncommon on it, which complicate navigation here.

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10. Great Slave Lake (28,930 sq km)

This lake is the deepest in all of North America, as its depth reaches 614 meters. It is located in Canada, in the Northwest Territories, and its height above sea level is 156 meters. Like other large lakes in this part of Canada, Great Slave Lake has the same glacial origin. His eastern and southern shores rest against the granite rocks of the Canadian Shield, while the western and northern ones go to the Badlands - this is the name of the Canadian tundra. The lake is cold, it is covered with ice from October to June.
The culprits strange name the lake became the Spavie Indians who lived on its shores in the past. The name of the tribe turned out to be consonant with the English word "slave" - ​​"slave" or "slave", hence such a distortion arose.