Introduction
A lake is different from a pond, sea, ocean, river or lagoon. A lake is defined as a large water area that has exposed land on all sides. Lakes are typically fresh water, but there are some cases where they can be filled with salt water. Lakes are usually less shallow than seas and oceans. As far as Banking and Competitive exams are concerned, World Largest Lakes are often asked in the GK Section.
Largest Lakes
The volume of a lake is a difficult quantity to measure. Generally, the volume must be inferred from Bathymetry data Bathymetric is the study of underwater depth of lake) by integration (An integral assigns numbers to function in a way that can describe displacement, area, volume, and other concepts that arise by combining infinitesimal data).
Lakes come in all shapes and sizes, and some of them are certainly notable for their size, depth, or other characteristics. Lakes tend to host many different forms of life including plants, fish, and other animals.
The following table lists the World Largest Lakes according to size and including information such as name, location, area, length, and depth:
| Name | Area | Length | Important Facts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caspian Sea | 436,000 [latex]km^2[/latex] (168,000 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 1,199 km (745 mi) | Despite its name the Caspian Sea is often regarded as the world’s largest lake, but it contains an oceanic basin (contiguous with the world ocean until 11 million years ago) rather than being entirely over continental crust. |
| Superior | 82,100 [latex]km^2[/latex] (31,700 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 616 km (383 mi) | Largest of the Great Lakes by volume, having more water than the other four combined. Popularly considered the largest freshwater lake by surface area, though Lakes Michigan and Huron are treated hydrologically as a single entity due to their connection at the deep watered Straits of Mackinac; this single entity would be the largest freshwater lake by surface area if it were treated as a single lake. |
| Victoria | 68,870 [latex]km^2[/latex] (26,590 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 322 km (200 mi) | The largest lake by area in Africa. |
| Huron | 59,600[latex]km^2[/latex] (23,000 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 332 km (206 mi) | Contains Manitoulin Island, the world’s largest lake island. |
| Michigan | 58,000 [latex]km^2[/latex] (22,000 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 494 km (307 mi) | Largest lake contained within one country. |
| Tanganyika | 32,600 [latex]km^2[/latex] (12,600 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 676 km (420 mi) | Longest freshwater lake in the world. |
| Baikal | 31,500 [latex]km^2[/latex] (12,200 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 636 km (395 mi) | Deepest lake in the world and largest volume freshwater lake in the world. |
| Great Bear Lake | 31,000 [latex]km^2[/latex] (12,000 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 373 km (232 mi) | Largest lake entirely within Canada |
| Malawi | 29,500 [latex]km^2[/latex] (11,400 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 579 km (360 mi) | |
| Great Slave Lake | 27,000 [latex]km^2[/latex] (10,000 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 480 km (300 mi) | Deepest lake in North America |
| Erie | 25,700 [latex]km^2[/latex] (9,900 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 388 km (241 mi) | |
| Winnipeg | 24,514 [latex]km^2[/latex] (9,465 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 425 km (264 mi) | |
| Ontario | 18,960[latex]km^2[/latex] (7,320 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 311 km (193 mi) | |
| Ladoga | 18,130 [latex]km^2[/latex] (7,000 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 219 km (136 mi) | Largest lake in Europe |
| Balkhash | 16,400 [latex]km^2[/latex] (6,300 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 605 km (376 mi) | |
| Vostok | 12,500 [latex]km^2[/latex] (4,800 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 250 km (160 mi) | Largest lake in Antarctica |
| Onega | 9,720 [latex]km^2[/latex] (3,750 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 248 km (154 mi) | |
| Titicaca | 8,372 [latex]km^2[/latex] (3,232 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 177 km (110 mi) | Largest lake in South America. Has a smaller surface area than the world’s largest man-made reservoir, Lake Volta, which has a surface area of 8,482 km2 (3,275 sq mi). |
| Nicaragua | 8,264 [latex]km^2[/latex] (3,191 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 177 km (110 mi) | Largest lake in Central America |
| Athabasca | 7,850 [latex]km^2[/latex] (3,030 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 335 km (208 mi) | |
| Taymyr | 6,990 [latex]km^2[/latex] (2,700 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 250 km (160 mi) | Largest lake north of the Arctic Circle[citation needed] |
| Turkana | 6,405 [latex]km^2[/latex] (2,473 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 248 km (154 mi) | It is the world’s largest permanent desert lake and the world’s largest alkaline lake. |
| Reindeer Lake | 6,330 [latex]km^2[/latex] (2,440 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 245 km (152 mi) | |
| Issyk-Kul | 6,200 [latex]km^2[/latex] (2,400 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 182 km (113 mi) | |
| Urmia | 6,001 [latex]km^2[/latex] (2,317 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 130 km (81 mi) | |
| Vänern | 5,545 [latex]km^2[/latex] (2,141 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 140 km (87 mi) | Largest lake in the European Union |
| Winnipegosis | 5,403 [latex]km^2[/latex] (2,086 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 245 km (152 mi) | |
| Albert | 5,299 [latex]km^2[/latex] (2,046 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 161 km (100 mi) | |
| Mweru | 5,120 [latex]km^2[/latex] (1,980 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 131 km (81 mi) | |
| Nettilling | 5,066 [latex]km^2[/latex] (1,956 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 113 km (70 mi) | It is on Baffin Island and is the largest lake on an island. |
| Sarygamysh Lake | 5,000 [latex]km^2[/latex] (1,900 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 125 km (78 mi) | |
| Nipigon | 4,843 [latex]km^2[/latex] (1,870 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 116 km (72 mi) | |
| Manitoba | 4,706 [latex]km^2[/latex] (1,817 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 225 km (140 mi) | |
| Great Salt Lake | 4,662 [latex]km^2[/latex] (1,800 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 121 km (75 mi) | |
| Qinghai Lake(or Kokonor) | 4,489 [latex]km^2[/latex] (1,733 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | ||
| Saimaa | 4,400 [latex]km^2[/latex] (1,700 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | ||
| Lake of the Woods | 4,350 [latex]km^2[/latex] (1,680 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 110 km (68 mi) | |
| Khanka | 4,190 [latex]km^2[/latex] (1,620 [latex]mile^2[/latex]) | 90 km (56 mi) |