List of lakes by area
This is a pair of lists of terrestrial lakes with a surface area of more than approximately 3,000 square kilometres (1,200 sq mi), ranked by area,[1][2][3] excluding reservoirs and lagoons.
The area of some lakes can vary considerably over time, either seasonally or from year to year. This is especially true of salt lakes in arid climates. This list therefore excludes seasonal lakes such as Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre (maximum area 9,500 km2, 3,700 sq mi), Mar Chiquita Lake (Córdoba) (maximum area 6,000 km2, 2,300 sq mi), Lake Torrens (maximum area 5,745 km2, 2,218 sq mi) and Great Salt Lake (maximum area, 1988, 8,500 km2, 3,300 sq mi).
The list is divided in two: all lakes as conventionally defined down to 3,000 square kilometres (1,200 sq mi), and the largest lakes under a geological definition, where the Caspian Sea is considered a small ocean rather than a lake, and Lake Michigan–Huron (or "Huron–Michigan") is recognized as a single body of water. The Caspian Sea is conventionally considered the world's largest lake, but it is centered on an oceanic basin (a fragment of the ancient Tethys Ocean) rather than lying entirely over continental crust as all other lakes do.[4][5][6][7][8] Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are conventionally counted as separate lakes, but hydrologically they are a single body of water, which is the world's largest lake by surface area.[9][10][11][12][13]
Conventional list
Following are conventionally identified lakes larger than 3,000 km2 (1,200 sq mi) in area.
|
Thumbnail, at fixed scale |
Name | Countries with shoreline | Type | Area | Length | Max. depth |
Volume | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Caspian Sea | Kazakhstan Turkmenistan Azerbaijan Russia Iran |
Saline 1.2% | 389,000 km2 150,000 sq mi |
1,199 km 745 mi |
1,025 m 3,363 ft |
78,200 km3 18,800 cu mi |
Geologically a small ocean rather than a lake. Garabogazköl lagoon, if counted separately, would rank as the world's 15th largest, with an area of 18,000 square kilometres (6,900 sq mi). | |
2 | Superior | Canada United States |
Fresh | 82,100 km2 31,700 sq mi[14] |
616 km 383 mi |
406 m 1,332 ft[14] |
12,070 km3 2,900 cu mi[14] |
Largest of the Great Lakes by volume, having more water than the other four combined.[15] | |
3 | Victoria | Tanzania Uganda Kenya |
Fresh | 59,940 km2 23,140 sq mi |
322 km 200 mi |
81 m 266 ft |
2,420 km3 580 cu mi |
The largest lake by area in Africa.[16] | |
4 | Huron | Canada United States |
Fresh | 59,590 km2 23,010 sq mi[14] |
332 km 206 mi |
229 m 751 ft[14] |
3,520 km3 840 cu mi[14] |
The larger lobe of Lake Michigan–Huron. Contains Manitoulin Island, the world's largest lake island.[17] | |
5 | Michigan | United States | Fresh | 58,030 km2 22,410 sq mi[14] |
494 km 307 mi |
282 m 925 ft[14] |
4,930 km3 1,180 cu mi[14] |
The smaller lobe of Lake Michigan–Huron. The largest lake (by area) that is located entirely in one country. | |
6 | Tanganyika | Fresh | 32,900 km2 12,700 sq mi |
676 km 420 mi |
1,470 m 4,820 ft |
18,750 km3 4,500 cu mi |
Longest freshwater lake in the world and third largest of any kind by volume.[18] | ||
7 | Baikal | Russia | Fresh | 31,722 km2 12,248 sq mi |
636 km 395 mi |
1,642 m 5,387 ft |
23,610 km3 5,660 cu mi |
Deepest lake in the world and largest freshwater lake in the world by volume.[19] | |
8 | Great Bear Lake | Canada | Fresh | 31,153 km2 12,028 sq mi |
373 km 232 mi |
446 m 1,463 ft |
2,234 km3 536 cu mi |
Largest lake entirely within Canada,[20] and the largest lake partially within the Arctic Circle | |
9 | Malawi | Malawi Mozambique Tanzania |
Fresh | 29,600 km2 11,400 sq mi |
579 km 360 mi |
706 m 2,316 ft |
8,640 km3 2,070 cu mi |
Has more species of fish than any other lake in the world.[21] | |
10 | Great Slave Lake | Canada | Fresh | 27,200 km2 10,500 sq mi |
480 km 300 mi |
614 m 2,014 ft |
1,115 km3 268 cu mi |
Deepest lake in North America[22] | |
11 | Erie | Canada United States |
Fresh | 25,667 km2 9,910 sq mi[14] |
388 km 241 mi |
64 m 210 ft[14] |
488 km3 117 cu mi[14] |
Has the smallest volume of the Great Lakes. | |
12 | Winnipeg | Canada | Fresh | 24,514 km2 9,465 sq mi |
425 km 264 mi |
36 m 118 ft |
294 km3 71 cu mi |
Very large catchment area compared to own size. No other great lake has that ratio. | |
13 | Ontario | Canada United States |
Fresh | 18,970 km2 7,320 sq mi[14] |
311 km 193 mi |
244 m 801 ft[14] |
1,631 km3 391 cu mi[14] |
The lowest lying of the Great Lakes. | |
14 | Ladoga | Russia | Fresh | 17,700 km2 6,800 sq mi |
219 km 136 mi |
260 m 850 ft |
837 km3 201 cu mi |
Largest lake in Europe.[23] | |
15 | Balkhash | Kazakhstan | Saline 0.3% (variable) | 16,400 km2 6,300 sq mi |
605 km 376 mi |
26 m 85 ft |
100 km3 24 cu mi |
Fresh shallow western part. Salty deeper eastern part. Shrinking in size. | |
16 | Vostok | Antarctica | Fresh | 12,500 km2 4,800 sq mi |
250 km 160 mi |
900 m 3,000 ft |
5,400 ± 1,600 km3 1,300 ± 380 cu mi |
Largest lake in Antarctica, but subglacial. | |
17 | Onega | Russia | Fresh | 9,700 km2 3,700 sq mi |
245 km 152 mi |
127 m 417 ft |
291 km3 70 cu mi |
Second-largest lake in Europe. | |
18 | Titicaca | Peru Bolivia |
Fresh | 8,372 km2 3,232 sq mi |
177 km 110 mi |
281 m 922 ft |
896 km3 215 cu mi |
Highest navigable lake in the world. Greatest mountain lake too. Largest lake in South America. | |
19 | Nicaragua | Nicaragua | Fresh | 8,264 km2 3,191 sq mi |
177 km 110 mi |
26 m 85 ft |
110 km3 26 cu mi |
Largest lake in Central America. Contains fresh water sharks . | |
20 | Athabasca | Canada | Fresh | 7,850 km2 3,030 sq mi |
335 km 208 mi |
124 m 407 ft |
204 km3 49 cu mi |
A remnant of the vast, Glacial Lake McConnell. Huge catchment area (ratio). | |
21 | Reindeer | Canada | Fresh |
6,650 km2 |
245 km |
219 m |
113 km3 |
The deepest areas are the site of a large meteorite impact, which happened almost 100 million years ago. Much older than the lake. | |
22 | Turkana | Kenya Ethiopia |
Saline 0.25% (approx.) | 6,405 km2 2,473 sq mi |
248 km 154 mi |
109 m 358 ft |
193 km3 46 cu mi |
Largest permanent desert lake and the world's largest alkaline lake.[24] | |
23 | Issyk-Kul | Kyrgyzstan | Saline 0.6% | 6,236 km2 2,408 sq mi |
182 km 113 mi |
668 m 2,192 ft |
1,736 km3 416 cu mi |
Second largest mountain lake in the world. Second deepest saline lake as well. | |
24 | Vänern | Sweden | Fresh | 5,650 km2 2,180 sq mi |
140 km 87 mi |
106 m 348 ft |
153 km3 37 cu mi |
Largest lake in the European Union. | |
25 | Rukwa | Tanzania |
Saline | 5,614.7 km2 2,167.8 sq mi[25] |
183 km 114 mi |
22.49 m 73.8 ft |
58.243 km3 13.973 cu mi |
Tanzania's 4th largest lake. | |
26 | Albert | Uganda Democratic Republic of the Congo |
Fresh | 5,590 km2 2,160 sq mi[26] |
161 km 100 mi |
51 m 167 ft |
133 km3 32 cu mi |
||
27 | Nettilling | Canada | Fresh |
5,542 km2 |
113 km |
132 m |
130 km3 |
Largest lake on an island; Baffin Island.[27] | |
28 | Winnipegosis | Canada | Fresh | 5,370 km2 2,070 sq mi |
245 km 152 mi |
12 m 39 ft |
17.2 km3 |
Second largest lake in Manitoba. | |
29 | Mweru | Zambia Democratic Republic of the Congo |
Fresh | 5,120 km2 1,980 sq mi |
131 km 81 mi |
27 m 89 ft |
38 km3 9.1 cu mi |
The second largest lake in the Congo's drainage basin, Tanganyika being the largest. | |
30 | Nipigon | Canada | Fresh | 4,848 km2 1,872 sq mi |
116 km 72 mi |
165 m 541 ft |
266 km3 64 cu mi |
Largest lake entirely in Ontario. Part of the Great Lake drainage basin. Often referred to as the, "sixth" or "seventh" lake, together with St. Clair. | |
31 | Manitoba | Canada | Saline 0.35% | 4,706 km2 1,817 sq mi |
225 km 140 mi |
7 m 23 ft |
14.1 km3 3.4 cu mi |
A remnant of the prehistoric, Glacial Lake Agassiz together with: Winnipeg and Winnipegosis. | |
32 | Taymyr | Russia | Fresh | 4,560 km2 1,760 sq mi |
250 km 160 mi |
26 m 85 ft |
12.8 km3 3.1 cu mi |
Largest lake entirely within the Arctic Circle. | |
33 | Qinghai | China | Saline 1.4% (variable) | 4,489 km2 1,733 sq mi (2007) |
32.8 m 108 ft |
108 km3 |
Largest lake in China. Variable in size. Endorheic basin. | ||
34 | Saimaa | Finland | Fresh | 4,380 km2 1,690 sq mi |
82 m 269 ft |
36 km3 8.6 cu mi |
Largest catchment area of the lakes within the Nordic countries. | ||
35 | Lake of the Woods | Canada United States |
Fresh | 4,350 km2 1,680 sq mi |
110 km 68 mi |
64 m 210 ft |
19.4 km3 4.7 cu mi |
About 15 000 islands. The shoreline measures (included these) roughly: 105 000 km. | |
36 | Khanka | Russia China |
Fresh | 4,190 km2 1,620 sq mi |
90 km 56 mi |
10.6 m 35 ft |
18.3 km3 4.4 cu mi |
Has a shape like a pear. Variable size. Drains through the Amur River, that ends in the Sea of Japan. | |
37 | Sarygamysh | Turkmenistan Uzbekistan |
Saline 1.15% (approx.) | 3,955 km2 1,527 sq mi |
125 km 78 mi |
40 m 130 ft |
68.56 km3 16.45 cu mi |
Located about midway between the Caspian Endorheic basin and former Aral Sea. No drainage river today. Drained centuries ago to the Caspian Sea (Uzboy River). Polluted. | |
38 | Dubawnt | Canada | Fresh | 3,833 km2 1,480 sq mi |
91 km3 |
Frozen surface 10 months each year. No permanent settlements on its shores. | |||
39 | Van | Turkey | Saline 2.3% | 3,755 km2 1,450 sq mi |
119 km 74 mi |
451 m 1,480 ft |
642 km3 154 cu mi |
Largest lake in the Middle East. Third deepest saline lake. | |
40 | Peipus | Estonia Russia |
Fresh | 3,555 km2 1,373 sq mi |
15.3 m 50 ft |
25 km3 6.0 cu mi |
Largest trans-boundary lake in Europe. | ||
41 | Uvs | Mongolia | Saline 1.9% (approx.) | 3,350 km2 1,290 sq mi |
84 km 52 mi |
22 m 72 ft |
20 km3 |
Greatest lake in Mongolia (by area). Very large catchment area (endorheic). | |
42 | North Aral Sea | Kazakhstan | Variable: from 0.9 to 1.2% | 3,300 km2 1,300 sq mi |
42 m 138 ft |
28.7 km3 |
Largest remnant of the former Aral Sea. Once the world's third largest lake. | ||
43 | Poyang | China | Fresh | 3,210 km2 1,240 sq mi |
170 km 110 mi |
25.1 m 82 ft |
25.2 km3 6.0 cu mi |
Largest fresh water lake in China. Variable size. Important location for the birdlife. | |
44 | Tana | Ethiopia | Fresh | 3,200 km2 1,200 sq mi |
84 km 52 mi |
15 m 49 ft |
25.6 km3 |
The source of the Blue Nile. | |
45 | Amadjuak | Canada | Fresh | 3,115 km2 1,203 sq mi |
74 km3 |
In geological terms, a "young" lake (approximately 4,500 years old). Second largest on Baffin Island, third largest in Nunavut. | |||
46 | Melville | Canada | Saline 1.95% (approx. average of surface and bottom water) | 3,069 km2 1,185 sq mi |
140 km |
256 m |
313 km3 |
Estuary connected with the Atlantic Ocean. Large drainage basin in the Labrador. | |
47 | Bangweulu | Zambia | Fresh | 3,000 km2 1,200 sq mi (permanent) |
75 km 47 mi |
10 m 33 ft |
12 km3 |
One of the world's great wetland systems. The area has swamps and floodplain. Variable size on this shallow lake. Crucial importance for animals and birds, of a far larger area. |
Source for the 20 largest lakes (and their areas):[28]
Geological list
Following are the dozen largest lakes under geological definitions, down to 17,500 km2 (6,800 sq mi) in area.
|
Thumbnail, at fixed scale |
Name | Countries with shoreline | Type | Area | Length | Max. depth |
Volume | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Michigan–Huron | Canada United States |
Fresh | 117,620 km2 45,410 sq mi[14] |
710 km 440 mi |
282 m 925 ft[14] |
8,450 km3 2,030 cu mi[14] |
Contains Manitoulin Island, the world's largest lake island.[17] | |
2 | Superior | Canada United States |
Fresh | 82,100 km2 31,700 sq mi[14] |
616 km 383 mi |
406 m 1,332 ft[14] |
12,070 km3 2,900 cu mi[14] |
Largest of the Great Lakes by volume, having more water than the other four combined.[15] | |
3 | Victoria | Tanzania Uganda Kenya |
Fresh | 59,940 km2 23,140 sq mi |
322 km 200 mi |
81 m 266 ft |
2,420 km3 580 cu mi |
The largest lake by area in Africa.[16] | |
4 | Tanganyika | Fresh | 32,900 km2 12,700 sq mi |
676 km 420 mi |
1,470 m 4,820 ft |
18,750 km3 4,500 cu mi |
Second-largest lake by volume and second longest. | ||
5 | Baikal | Russia | Fresh | 31,722 km2 12,248 sq mi |
636 km 395 mi |
1,642 m 5,387 ft |
23,610 km3 5,660 cu mi |
Deepest lake in the world and largest by volume.[19] | |
6 | Great Bear Lake | Canada | Fresh | 31,153 km2 12,028 sq mi |
373 km 232 mi |
446 m 1,463 ft |
2,234 km3 536 cu mi |
Largest lake entirely within Canada,[29] and the largest lake partially within the Arctic Circle | |
7 | Malawi | Malawi Mozambique Tanzania |
Fresh | 29,500 km2 11,400 sq mi |
579 km 360 mi |
706 m 2,316 ft |
8,640 km3 2,070 cu mi |
Has more species of fish than any other lake in the world.[21] | |
8 | Great Slave Lake | Canada | Fresh | 27,200 km2 10,500 sq mi |
480 km 300 mi |
614 m 2,014 ft |
1,115 km3 268 cu mi |
Deepest lake in North America[22] | |
9 | Erie | Canada United States |
Fresh | 25,667 km2 9,910 sq mi[14] |
388 km 241 mi |
64 m 210 ft[14] |
488 km3 117 cu mi[14] |
Has the smallest volume of the Great Lakes. | |
10 | Winnipeg | Canada | Fresh | 24,514 km2 9,465 sq mi |
425 km 264 mi |
36 m 118 ft |
294 km3 71 cu mi |
Very large catchment area compared to own size. No other great lake has that ratio. | |
11 | Ontario | Canada United States |
Fresh | 18,970 km2 7,320 sq mi[14] |
311 km 193 mi |
244 m 801 ft[14] |
1,631 km3 391 cu mi[14] |
The lowest lying of the Great Lakes. | |
12 | Ladoga | Russia | Fresh | 17,700 km2 6,800 sq mi |
219 km 136 mi |
260 m 850 ft |
837 km3 201 cu mi |
Largest lake in Europe.[23] |
See also
- List of lakes by volume
- List of lakes by depth
- List of largest lakes of Europe
- Recursive islands and lakes
- Aral Sea, formerly the third largest lake in the world, with an area of 68,000 km2 (26,300 sq mi)
- Lake Chad, formerly the eleventh largest lake in the world, with an area of 26,000 km2 (10,000 sq mi)
- Lake Urmia, formerly with an area of 5,200 km2 (2,000 sq mi), but down to a tenth that size in 2017. It has since increased in area under a restoration project.
- List of largest lagoons
- List of largest lakes and seas in the Solar System
Notes and references
Note: Lake areas may slightly vary depending on the sources.
- Notes
- References
- ^ Likens, Gene E., ed. (2009). "Historical Estimates of Limnicity". Encyclopedia of inland waters (1st ed.). Amsterdam: Elsevier. ISBN 978-0120884629. Table 1: The world's lakes >2000 km2 in area, arranged in decreasing order of lake area. See also Lakes (Formation, Diversity, Distribution) Archived 2014-02-22 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Marsh, William M.; Martin M. Kaufman (30 April 2012). Physical geography : great systems and global environments. Table 16.2: Great lakes of the world by lake type. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 399. ISBN 978-0521764285.
- ^ van der Leeden, Frits; Troise, Fred L.; Todd, David Keith, eds. (1991). The water encyclopedia (2nd ed.). Chelsea, Mich.: Lewis. pp. 198–200. ISBN 9780873711203.
- ^ "Plume over the Caspian Sea". NASA. 16 April 2008. Retrieved 2010-11-29.
- ^ "Caspian Sea". Britannica. Retrieved 2010-11-29.
- ^ "Endorheic Lakes". United Nations. Retrieved 2010-11-29.
- ^ DuMont, H.J. "The Caspian Lake: History, biota, structure, and function" (PDF). American Society of Limnology and Oceanography. Retrieved 2010-11-29.
- ^ Planet Earth And the New Geoscience (2003:154). Victor Schmidt, William Harbert, University of Pittsburgh
- ^ David Lees in Canadian Geographic writes, "Contrary to popular belief, the largest lake in the world is not Lake Superior but mighty Lake Michigan–Huron, which is a single hydrological unit linked at the Straits of Mackinac." Lees, David. "High and Dry" Canadian Geographic (May/June 2004) pp.94-108.
- ^ "Lakes Michigan and Huron are considered to be one lake hydraulically because of their connection through the deep Straits of Mackinac." Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "Great Lakes Sensitivity to Climatic Forcing: Hydrological Models Archived 2010-08-08 at the Wayback Machine." NOAA, 2006.
- ^ "Lakes Michigan and Huron are considered to be one lake, as they rise and fall together due to their union at the Straits of Mackinac." U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, "Hydrological Components" Record Low Water Levels Expected on Lake Superior Archived 2008-10-15 at the Wayback Machine. August 2007. p.6
- ^ "Great Lakes Map". Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
- ^ "Largest Lake in the World". geology.com. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa "Physical Features of the Great Lakes". www.epa.gov. 2023-01-23. Retrieved 2023-06-02.
- ^ a b "Great Lakes: Basic Information: Physical Facts". United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). May 25, 2011. Archived from the original on 2012-05-29. Retrieved November 9, 2011.
- ^ a b "WorldAtlas.com: Lake Victoria". Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- ^ a b "Manitoulin Island website". Retrieved 23 November 2014.
- ^ "Lake Tanganyika at Encyclopædia Britannica". Retrieved 23 November 2014.
- ^ a b "Lake Baikal, World's Largest Freshwater Body". International Business Times. 9 September 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
- ^ "Plate 18. Large Lakes" (PDF). Natural Resources Canada. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 November 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
- ^ a b "Protected Areas Programme". United Nations Environment Programme, World Conservation Monitoring Centre, UNESCO. October 1995. Archived from the original on 2008-05-11. Retrieved 2008-06-26.
- ^ a b "WorldAtlas.com: Great Slave Lake". Retrieved 23 November 2014.
- ^ a b "Freshwater Ecoregions of the World: Lake Ladoga". Archived from the original on 16 January 2017. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
- ^ "Omo Valley in Ethiopia, Lake Turkana". Archived from the original on 31 October 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
- ^ "Development of Improved Characteristic Equations for Lake Rukwa in Tanzania". Retrieved 8 Nov 2024.
- ^ "Major Lakes". Retrieved 9 Oct 2023.
- ^ "Lakes on Islands". 30 March 2012. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
- ^ "Largest Lakes (Area)". LakeNet. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
- ^ "Plate 18. Large Lakes" (PDF). Natural Resources Canada. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 November 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
Further reading
- Largest lakes of the former USSR, Water Quality Assessment of the Former Soviet Union (1998). ISBN 0419239200.
- North America: Physical features, The New York Times Guide to Essential Knowledge (2011). ISBN 0312643020.
External links
- "Large Lakes of the World". FactMonster. Pearson Education.