Top 10 Largest Lakes in the World

They’re smaller than seas and larger than ponds: Lakes are areas filled with water that are surrounded by land and one or more rivers that feed the lake with water. Lakes are not directly connected to any ocean. Unlike rivers, their water is also not flowing. While no universally accepted distinction between lakes and ponds exists, lakes are defined functionally as having water body areas of at least 5 hectares (~ 12 acres) and water depths of at least 5 meters (~ 16 feet). Smaller bodies of water than that are usually classified as ponds.

Most lakes in the world are natural, but artificial, human-made, lakes exist as well. The world’s largest lakes are all natural though. The following list ranks the 10 largest lakes in the world. The ranking is based on the lakes’ respective surface area sizes.

This ranking lists the 10 largest lakes in the world. For the 10 longest rivers in the world, click here.

The 10 Largest Lakes in the World

hidden lakes kashubia - top largest lakes in the world

1. Caspian Sea

largest lake in the world _ caspian sea

Lake size: ~ 371,000 km² / 143,000 sq mi

Shoreline location: Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan & Iran
Maximum depth:
1,025 m / 3,360 ft
Type of lake: Endorheic lake/basin

The Caspian Sea is, by far, the largest lake on our planet. It should be noted that not everyone agrees with the classification of the huge inland body of brackish water as a lake as it’s not a freshwater lake with outflowing rivers. Historically, it was also seen more as a sea, hence the name (the first part of the name is derived from the Caspi or Caspians, an ancient Caucasian tribe that lived by the lake). The ancient Greeks and Persians even thought of it as a separate ocean.

But nowadays the Caspian Sea is generally considered a lake by most geographers. As such, it alone accounts for around 40% of all the lake water on Earth. With a maximum depth of 1,025 meters / 3,360 ft below sea level, the lake features the world’s third-lowest natural depression. There are a total of 130 rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea, the largest of which is the Volga River, the longest river in Europe. The lake’s shoreline is shared by Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and Iran and the lake itself represents a border between those countries. The lake also separates Europe from Asia.


2. Lake Superior

largest lakes in the world

Lake size: ~ 82,100 km² / 31,700 sq mi

Shoreline location: Canada & USA
Maximum depth: 406 m / 1,333 ft
Type of lake: Glacial lake

If you don’t want to count the Caspian Sea as a lake, then Lake Superior would be your personal number one when it comes to the largest lakes in the world. In any case, Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world. The lake represents a border between Canada and the United States. The southern Canadian province of Ontario and three U.S. states (Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan) have a shoreline alongside Lake Superior. The name stems from the simple fact that the lake is the northernmost of the Great Lakes of North America.

The maximum depth of the lake reaches 406m / 1,333 ft. Of the many inflowing rivers, the Canadian Nipigon River is the longest overall, while the St. Louis River is the longest on the U.S. side.


3. Lake Victoria

largest lake in africa

Lake size: ~ 68,870 km² / 26,590 sq mi

Shoreline location:
Uganda, Kenya & Tanzania
Maximum depth:
81 m / 266 ft
Type of lake: Rift lake

Lake Victoria is the largest lake in Africa. The lake is named after Queen Victoria, the ruler of the British Empire at the time when the British discovered the lake in 1858. The shoreline of the East African lake is shared by Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania and the lake represents a border between those. Lake Victoria is of huge economic importance to the region, mainly due to its many native and exclusive fish species, which are sold to many parts of the world. Additionally, Uganda’s capital and largest city Kampala lies right at the lake, with a population of almost four million people. The Kagera River is the main river flowing into the lake.

With a maximum depth of only 81 meters / 266 feet, Lake Victoria belongs to the most shallow among the largest lakes in the world. The lake is also the largest tropical lake in the world.


4. Lake Huron

lake district

Lake size: 59,600 km² / 23,000 sq mi

Shoreline location: Canada & USA
Maximum depth: 229 m / 750 ft
Type of lake: Glacial lake

Lake Huron is the second largest lake in the Great Lakes region of North America. It is named after the Huron people, a native Canadian tribe that has lived in the area between Lake Huron and Lake Ontario for centuries. The lake serves as a border between Canada and the United States, more precisely between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Michigan.

The maximum depth of Lake Huron reaches 229 meters / 750 ft. The Straits of Mackinac and the St. Marys River serve as the primary inflows for the lake.


5. Lake Michigan

Lake size: ~ 58,000 km² / 22,000 sq mi

Shoreline location:
USA
Maximum depth:
281 m / 923 ft
Type of lake: Glacial lake

Lake Michigan is the third largest of the Great Lakes of North America and the only one that lies entirely within the United States. As such, Lake Michigan is the world’s largest lake to lie within only one country. The shoreline of the lake is shared between the U.S. states of Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and, of course, Michigan (the state is named after the lake which literally translates to “large water” in Ojibwe, a native American language).

The maximum depth reaches 281 meters / 923 feet below sea level. Cities like Chicago or Milwaukee lie directly at the shores of the lake, contributing to the huge economic importance of the lake. More than 12 million people (close to 4% of the total U.S. population) live in proximity to the lake’s shoreline.


6. Lake Tanganyika

lake tanganyika - second of the largest lakes in africa

Lake size: ~ 32,600 sq km / 12,600 sq mi

Shoreline location:
Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia & Democratic Republic of the Congo
Maximum depth:
1,470 m / 4,820 ft
Type of lake: Rift lake

Lake Tanganyika is Africa’s second-largest lake. Its long shoreline in Southeastern Africa is shared by the countries of Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, making the lake of great economic importance for the region. Burundi’s largest city Bujumbura lies right at the lake. The Ruzizi River serves as the main inflow for the lake.

This lake stands out due to its lengthy form and its remarkable maximum depth of 1,470 m / 4,820 ft, making it the deepest lake in Africa and the longest freshwater lake in the world. It is also the second-largest lake by volume and, having formed around 12 million years ago, the second-oldest existing lake in the world.


7. Lake Baikal

Lake size: ~ 31,500 sq km / 12,200 sq mi

Shoreline location:
Russia
Maximum depth:
1,642 m / 5,387 ft
Type of lake: Rift lake

Lake Baikal is the seventh-largest lake in the world. The lake is entirely located in Russia, in Eastern Russia / Southern Siberia to be exact. The name translates to “much water” in the native language of the Kurykansk, who inhabited the area around the lake in around the 6th century. The lake carries big biological importance for the region and many fish species are exclusive to the lake. The Selenga River serves as the primary inflow for the lake.

Lake Baikal is the world’s deepest freshwater lake, reaching a maximum depth of 1,642 m / 5,387 ft, and also the largest lake by volume. It is also the world’s oldest lake, having formed close to 30 million years ago. It is therefore listed as an official UNESCO World Heritage site.


8. Great Bear Lake

Lake size: ~ 31,000 sq km / 12,000 sq mi

Shoreline location:
Canada
Maximum depth:
446 m / 1,463 ft
Type of lake: Glacial lake

The Great Bear Lake comes eighth among the largest lakes in the world. It’s also the largest lake located entirely within Canada. The lake can be found in Canada’s Northwest Territories. The name stems from the fact that the indigenous people living by the lake were called “grizzly bear-water people” by other indigenous tribes in the region. Fittingly, the main inflowing river for the lake is also called the Great Bear River.

The lake reaches a maximum depth of 446 m / 1,463 ft, placing it among the deepest lakes in North America.


9. Lake Malawi

Lake size: ~ 29,500 sq km / 11,400 sq mi

Shoreline location:
Malawi, Mozambique & Tanzania
Maximum depth: 706 m / 2,316 ft
Type of lake: Rift lake

Lake Malawi is the ninth-largest lake in the world. It is situated in Southeastern Africa and its shoreline is shared by the three countries of Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. The lake is named after the Maravi people, an ancient tribe living in the region of the lake which the corresponding country is also named after, although the lake is alternatively also known as ‘Lake Nyasa’. The Ruhuhu River is the main inflowing river to the lake.

Lake Malawi reaches a maximum depth of 706 m / 2,316 ft, making it the second-deepest lake in Africa.


10. Great Slave Lake

Great Slave Lake - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lake size: ~ 27,000 sq km / 10,000 sq mi

Shoreline location:
Canada
Maximum depth:
614 m / 2,014 ft
Type of lake: Glacial lake

The Great Slave Lake in Canada completes the list of the ten largest lakes in the world. Located in Canada’s Northwest Territories, the lake was named in such a way by French explorers who came across the lake and traded with the native Canadian Cree tribe, who enslaved the neighboring Dene tribes that lived along the lake’s southern shores. The Hay River and the Slave River serve as the main inflows for the lake.

The Great Slave Lake is the deepest lake in North America, reaching a maximum depth of 614 m / 2,014 ft.



The 10 Largest Lakes in the World

Top 10 Largest Lakes in the World:
1. CASPIAN SEA
~ 371,000 sq km / 143,000 sq mi
2. LAKE SUPERIOR
~ 82,100 sq km / 31,700 sq mi
3. LAKE VICTORIA
~ 68,870 sq km / 26,590 sq mi
4. LAKE HURON
~ 59,600 sq km / 23,000 sq mi
5. LAKE MICHIGAN
~ 58,000 sq km / 22,000 sq mi
6. LAKE TANGANYIKA
~ 32,600 sq km / 12,600 sq mi
7. LAKE BAIKAL
~ 31,500 sq km / 12,200 sq mi
8. GREAT BEAR LAKE
~ 31,000 sq km / 12,000 sq mi
9. LAKE MALAWI
~ 29,500 sq km / 11,400 sq mi
10. GREAT SLAVE LAKE
~ 27,000 sq km / 10,000 sq mi
The Top 10 largest lakes in the world by total lake surface area size.


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