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List of lakes by depth

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These articles lists the world's deepest lakes.

Lakes ranked by maximum depth

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This list contains all lakes whose maximum depth is reliably known to exceed 400 metres (1,300 ft)

Geologically, the Caspian Sea, like the Black and Mediterranean seas, is a remnant of the ancient Tethys Ocean. The deepest area is oceanic rather than continental crust. However, it is generally regarded by geographers as a large endorheic salt lake. Of these registered lakes; 10 have a deepest point above the sea level. These are: Issyk-Kul, Crater Lake, Quesnel, Sarez, Toba, Tahoe, Kivu, Nahuel Huapi, Van and Poso.

Continent color key
Africa Antarctica Asia Eurasia Europe North America Oceania South America
Name Country Region Depth Depth2/area
(meters) (feet)
1. Baikal[1]  Russia Southern Siberia: Buryatia and Irkutsk Oblast 1,642 5,387 9.22×10^−6
2. Tanganyika  Tanzania
 Democratic Republic of the Congo
 Burundi
 Zambia
African Great Lakes 1,470 4,823 8.1×10^−6
3. (Caspian Sea[2])  Kazakhstan
 Turkmenistan
 Azerbaijan
 Russia
 Iran
Caspian Endorheic basin 1,025 3,363 1.68×10^−6
4. Viedma  Argentina Santa Cruz Province

~900

~2953

N/D
4. Vostok[3]  Antarctica Under the, East Antarctic Ice Sheet ~900 ~2953 8.94×10^−6
6. O'Higgins-San Martín[4]  Chile
 Argentina
Capitán Prat Province (Chile) and Santa Cruz Province (Argentina) 836 2,742 2.63×10^−5
7. Argentino  Argentina Santa Cruz Province

719

2,359

1.33×10^−5

8. Malawi  Malawi
 Mozambique
 Tanzania
African Great Lakes 706 2,316 4.1×10^−6
9. Issyk Kul  Kyrgyzstan Tien Shan Mountains 668 2,192 8.46×10^−6
10. Great Slave  Canada Northwest Territories 614 2,015 3.72×10^−6
11. Crater[5]  United States Oregon 594 1,949 8.16×10^−5
12. Matano  Indonesia Southern Sulawesi 590 1,936 4.61×10^−5
13. General Carrera-Buenos Aires[6]  Chile
 Argentina
General Carrera Province (Chile) and Santa Cruz Province (Argentina) 586 1,923 1.36×10^−5
14. Hornindalsvatnet  Norway Vestland 514 1,686 7.2×10^−5
15. Quesnel  Canada British Columbia 511 1,677 3.13×10^−5
16. Sarez  Tajikistan Gorno-Badakhshan 505 1,657 5.66×10^−5
16. Toba  Indonesia Sumatra 505 1,657 1.5×10^−5
18. Tahoe  United States California and Nevada 501 1,645

2.26×10^−5

19. Salvatnet  Norway Trøndelag

482

1,581

6.93×10^−5

20. Kivu  Democratic Republic of the Congo
 Rwanda
African Great Lakes 480 1,575 9.24×10^−6
21. Grand Lake[7]  Canada Newfoundland

475

1,558

N/D
22. Nahuel Huapi  Argentina Río Negro Province and Neuquén Province 464 1,523 2.02×10^−5
23. Hauroko  New Zealand Southland, South Island 462 1,516 5.82×10^−5
24. Cochrane / Pueyrredón[6]  Chile
 Argentina
Capitán Prat Province (Chile) and Santa Cruz Province (Argentina) 460 1,509 2.55×10^−5
24. Lake Tinn  Norway Telemark 460 1,509 6.41×10^−5
26. Adams  Canada British Columbia 457 1,499 3.9×10^−5
27. Chelan  United States Washington (state) 453 1,486 3.9×10^−5
27. Mjøsa  Norway Innlandet and Akershus

453

1,486

2.33×10^−5

29. Van[8]  Turkey Eastern Anatolia Region 451 1,480 7.36×10^−6
30. Poso  Indonesia Sulawesi 450 1,476 2.5×10^−5
31. Fagnano  Argentina
 Chile
Tierra del Fuego 449 1,473 1.77×10^−5
32. Great Bear  Canada Northwest Territories 446 1,463 2.53×10^−6
33. Manapouri  New Zealand Southland, South Island 444 1,457 3.73×10^−5
34. Como  Italy Lombardy 425 1,394 3.52×10^−5
34. Te Anau  New Zealand Southland, South Island 425 1,394 2.29×10^−5
36. Tazawa  Japan Akita Prefecture, Honshu 423 1,387 8.31×10^−5
37. Khantayskoye  Russia Krasnoyarsk Krai

420

1,378

N/D
37. Wakatipu  New Zealand Otago, South Island 420 1,378 2.47×10^−5
39. Grey  Chile Última Esperanza Province

410

1,345

N/D
40. Superior  Canada
 United States
Ontario (Canada) and Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin (United States) 406 1,332 1.42×10^−6

Lakes ranked by mean depth

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Mean depth can be a more useful indicator than maximum depth for many ecological purposes. Unfortunately, accurate mean depth figures are only available for well-studied lakes, as they must be calculated by dividing the lake's volume by its surface area.[9] A reliable volume figure requires a bathymetric survey.[9] Therefore, mean depth figures are not available for many deep lakes in remote locations.[9] The average lake on Earth has the mean depth 41.8 meters (137.14 feet)[9]

The Caspian Sea ranks much further down the list on mean depth, as it has a large continental shelf (significantly larger than the oceanic basin that contains its greatest depths).

Of the 127 registered lakes; 67 are known to be cryptodepressions. These include: Vostok[3][10] (subglacial surface), Concordia (subglacial surface), (Caspian Sea[2]) (subsea surface), Dead Sea (subsea surface) and Jökulsárlón[7] (glacial lagoon estuary). The remaining 60 lakes have got their entire basin above the sea level.

This list contains all lakes whose mean depth is reliably known to exceed 100 metres (328 ft).

Continent colour key
Africa Antarctica Asia Eurasia Europe North America Oceania South America
Name Country Region Depth
(meters) (feet)
1. Baikal[1]  Russia Southern Siberia: Buryatia and Irkutsk Oblast 744.4 2,442
2. Tanganyika  Tanzania
 Democratic Republic of the Congo
 Burundi
 Zambia
African Great Lakes 570 1,870
3. Vostok[3][10]  Antarctica Under the, East Antarctic Ice Sheet 432 1,417
4. General Carrera-Buenos Aires[6]  Chile
 Argentina
General Carrera Province

(Chile) and Santa Cruz Province (Argentina)

400

1,312

5. Crater[5]  United States Oregon 352.8 1,157
6. Tahoe  United States California and Nevada 307.6 1,009
7. Adams  Canada British Columbia, (Shuswap) 299 981
8. Malawi  Malawi
 Mozambique
 Tanzania
African Great Lakes 292 958
9. Tazawa  Japan Honshu 280 919
10. Issyk Kul  Kyrgyzstan Tien Shan Mountains 278.4 913
11. Shikotsu  Japan Hokkaido

265.4

871

12. Concordia  Antarctica Antarctic Plateau

250

820

13. Crveno[7]  Croatia Imotski Area

245

804

14. Kivu  Democratic Republic of the Congo
 Rwanda
African Great Lakes 240 787
14. Matano[7]  Indonesia Sulawesi 240 787
16. Hornindalsvatnet[7]  Norway Vestland 237.6 780
17. Quilotoa  Ecuador Cotopaxi Province

220

722

18. Toba[7]  Indonesia Sumatra 216 707
19. Heaven  North Korea
 China
Ryanggang Province (North Korea) and Jilin Province (China)

213

699

20. (Caspian Sea[2])  Kazakhstan
 Turkmenistan
 Azerbaijan
 Russia
 Iran
Caspian Endorheic basin

211

692

21. Karakul  Tajikistan Pamir Mountains 210 689
22. Sarez  Tajikistan Gorno-Badakhshan 201.8 662
23. Kurile  Russia Kamchatka Peninsula

195

640

24. Fagnano  Argentina
 Chile
Tierra del Fuego

193.8

636

25. Lake Tinn[7]  Norway Telemark 190 623
25. Todos los Santos  Chile Llanquihue Province

190

623

27. Dead Sea  Jordan
 Palestine
 Israel
Middle East

188.4

618

28. Chapo  Chile Llanquihue Province

183.1

601

29. Llanquihue  Chile Llanquihue Province and Osorno Province

182

597

30. Maggiore  Italy
  Switzerland
Lombardy, Piedmont (Italy) and Ticino (Switzerland)

177.4

582

31. Ranau  Indonesia Sumatra 174 571
31. Teletskoye  Russia Altai Mountains 174 571
33. Brienz   Switzerland Bern

173

568

33. Colico  Chile Cautín Province

173

568

33. Traful  Argentina Neuquén Province

173

568

36. Lundevatnet[7]  Norway Rogaland and Agder

172

564

37. Slocan  Canada British Columbia, (West Kootenay) 171 561
37. Van  Turkey Eastern Anatolia Region

171

561

39. Ilopango  El Salvador San Salvador, La Paz and Cuscatlán

170

558

40. Te Anau  New Zealand Southland, South Island

168.8

554

41. Lácar  Argentina Neuquén Province

167

548

42. Rupanco  Chile Osorno Province

163

535

43. Riñihue  Chile Valdivia Province

162

531

44. Nimpkish  Canada British Columbia,(Vancouver Island)

161

528

45. Azure  Canada British Columbia, (Wells Gray) 157.2 516
46. Nahuel Huapi  Argentina Río Negro Province and Neuquén Province

157

515

46. Quesnel  Canada British Columbia, (Likely and Horsefly) 157 515
48. Suldalsvatnet[7]  Norway Rogaland

156

512

49. Argentino  Argentina Santa Cruz Province

155.4

510

50. Del Toro  Chile Última Esperanza Province

155

508

50. Ohrid  North Macedonia
 Albania
Balkans 155 508
50. Salvatnet[7]  Norway Trøndelag

155

508

53. Atitlán[7]  Guatemala Guatemalan Highlands of the Sierra Madre

154

505

53. Como[11]  Italy Lombardy

154

505

55. Geneva[7]   Switzerland

 France

Vaud, Geneva, Valais (Switzerland) and Haute-Savoie (France) 153.4 503
56. Jökulsárlón[7]  Iceland Vatnajökull National Park

153

502

57. Harrison  Canada British Columbia, (Coast Mountains)

151.4

497

58. Mjøsa  Norway Innlandet and Akershus

150

492

58. Powell  Canada British Columbia, (Sunshine Coast)

150

492

60. Menéndez  Argentina Chubut Province

149.9

492

61. Manapouri  New Zealand Southland, South Island

149

489

61. Singkarak  Indonesia Western Sumatra 149 489
63. Lake Superior  Canada
 United States
Ontario (Canada) and Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin (United States) 147 482
64. Chelan  United States Washington (state)

144

472

65. Huechulafquen  Argentina Neuquén Province

142

466

65. Pend Oreille  United States Idaho

142

466

67. Anderson  Canada British Columbia, (Lillooet)

140

459

67. Nemrut  Turkey Bitlis Province

140

459

67. Redoubt  United States Alaska, (Baranof Island)

140

459

70. Storsjøen[7]  Norway Innlandet

139

456

71. Khövsgöl  Mongolia Nearby the eastern, Sayan Mountains

138

453

72. Mashū  Japan Hokkaido

137.5

451

73. Lonar  India Deccan Plateau

137

449

73. Ørsdalsvatnet  Norway Rogaland

137

449

75. Garda  Italy Lombardy, Veneto and Trentino

136

446

75. Thun   Switzerland Bern

136

446

77. Ikeda  Japan Kyushu

135

443

77. Yelcho  Chile Palena Province

135

443

79. Lugano   Switzerland
 Italy
Ticino (Switzerland) and Lombardy (Italy)

134

440

80. Loch Ness[7]  United Kingdom  Scotland, Caledonia 132 433
81. Oppstrynsvatnet[7]  Norway Vestland

131

429

82. Wakatipu  New Zealand Otago, South Island

130

427

83. Breimsvatnet[7]  Norway Vestland

129

423

84. Mainit  Philippines Mindanao

128

420

85. Panguipulli  Chile Valdivia Province

126

413

86. Great Central  Canada British Columbia, (Vancouver Island) 124 407
86. Iseo  Italy Lombardy

124

407

88. Greve  Chile Última Esperanza Province

123.3

405

89. Ranco  Chile Ranco Province

122

400

89. Timiskaming  Canada Ontario and Quebec

122

400

91. Bandak[7]  Norway Telemark

121

397

91. Maihue  Chile Ranco Province

121

397

93. Fyresvatnet  Norway Telemark

120

394

93. Kanas  China Xinjiang, Altay Prefecture

120

394

93. Towuti  Indonesia Southern Sulawesi

120

394

93. Villarrica  Chile Cautín Province

120

394

97. Garibaldi  Canada British Columbia, (Coast Mountains) 119 390
98. Caburgua  Chile Cautín Province

117

384

98. Toya[7]  Japan Hokkaido

117

384

100. Hauroko  New Zealand Southland, South Island

116.7

383

101. Calafquén  Chile Cautín Province

115

377

102. Mabel  Canada British Columbia, (Shuswap)

114

374

103. Poteriteri  New Zealand Southland, South Island

113.1

371

104. Mascardi  Argentina Río Negro Province

111

364

104. Puelo  Argentina Chubut Province

111

364

106. Lake Taupō[7]  New Zealand Waikato, North Island

110

360

107. Öskjuvatn[7]  Iceland Highlands of Iceland

109

358

108. Chilko  Canada British Columbia, (Chilcotin)

108

354

109. Murtle  Canada British Columbia, (Wells Gray)

107

351

109. Titicaca  Peru
 Bolivia
Puno Region (Peru) and La Paz Department (Bolivia) 107 351
111. Tatlayoko  Canada British Columbia, (Chilcotin)

106.4

349

112. Gander  Canada Newfoundland 105.4 346
113. Guinas  Namibia Oshikoto Region, Tsumeb

105

344

113. Kauhakō Crater[12][13]  United States Hawaii, (Molokai) 105 344
113. Maninjau  Indonesia Central Sumatra

105

344

116. Walen   Switzerland St. Gallen and Glarus

104.7

343

117. Lucerne   Switzerland Central Switzerland

104

341

118. Rivadavia  Argentina Chubut Province

103.7

340

119. Takla  Canada British Columbia, (Mount Blanchet)

103.1

338

120. Cochrane / Pueyrredón[6]  Chile
 Argentina
Capitán Prat Province (Chile) and Santa Cruz Province (Argentina)

101.8

334

121. Clearwater[7]  Canada British Columbia, (Wells Gray)

101.6

333

122. Futalaufquen  Argentina Chubut Province

101

331

123. Hāwea[7]  New Zealand Otago, South Island

100.5

330

124. Nueltin[7]  Canada Nunavut and Manitoba

100

328

124. Rara    Nepal Karnali Province

100

328

124. Taal  Philippines Southern Luzon

100

328

124. Viedma  Argentina Santa Cruz Province

100

328

Greatest maximum depth by continent

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Greatest mean depth by continent

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See also

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Notes

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Note: Lake depths often vary depending on sources. The depths used here are the most reliable figures available in recent sources. See the articles on individual lakes for more details and data sources.

  1. ^ a b Lake Baikal is also the largest freshwater lake by volume.
  2. ^ a b c The Caspian Sea is generally regarded by geographers, biologists and limnologists as a huge inland salt lake. However, the Caspian's large size means that for some purposes it is better modeled as a sea. Geologically, the Caspian, Black, and Mediterranean seas are small oceans, remnants of the ancient Tethys. Politically, the distinction between a sea and a lake may affect how the Caspian is treated by international law.
  3. ^ a b c d e Lake Vostok in Antarctica is a subglacial lake with a depth ranging from 510 to 900 meters.
  4. ^ *CECS, Depth sounding of Lake O'Higgins/San Martín[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ a b Crater Lake in Oregon has a maximum depth of 594m, based on its USGS benchmark surface elevation of 1883m. The US National Park Service publishes different values (1881m for surface elevation, and 592m for the maximum depth). The technical basis of the values determined by the USGS is documented in Closed access icon Bacon, C. R.; Gardner, J. V.; Mayer, L. A.; Buktenica, M. W.; Dartnell, P.; Ramsey, D. W.; Robinson, J. E. (2002). "Morphology, volcanism, and mass wasting in Crater Lake, Oregon". GSA Bulletin. 114 (6): 675–692. Bibcode:2002GSAB..114..675B. doi:10.1130/0016-7606(2002)114<0675:MVAMWI>2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0016-7606. OCLC 4642976847, 196656627. Retrieved 2013-07-08. (subscription required)
  6. ^ a b c d Murdie, Ruth E.; Pugh, David T.; Styles, Peter; Muñoz, Miguel (1999), "Heatflow, Temperature and Bathymetry of Lago General Carrera and Lago Cochrane, Southern Chile" (PDF), Extended Extracts of the Fourth International Symposium on Andean Geodynamics, Gottingen, Germany 04-06/10/1999, Paris: Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, pp. 539–542
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Walter K. Dodds; Matt R. Whiles (23 September 2010). Freshwater Ecology: Concepts and Environmental Applications of Limnology. Academic Press. pp. 141–142. ISBN 978-0-12-374724-2. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
  8. ^ Degens, E.T.; Wong, H.K.; Kempe, S.; Kurtman, F. (June 1984), "A geological study of Lake Van, eastern Turkey", International Journal of Earth Sciences, 73 (2), Springer: 701–734, Bibcode:1984GeoRu..73..701D, doi:10.1007/BF01824978, S2CID 128628465
  9. ^ a b c d Cael, B. B.; Heathcote, A. J.; Seekell, D. A. (2017). "The volume and mean depth of Earth's lakes". Geophysical Research Letters. 44 (1): 209–218. Bibcode:2017GeoRL..44..209C. doi:10.1002/2016GL071378. hdl:1912/8822. ISSN 1944-8007. S2CID 132520745. Archived from the original on 2021-08-24. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
  10. ^ a b Dow, Christine; McCormack, Felicity; Cook, Sue (July 17, 2016). "What Lies Beneath Antarctica's Ice? Lakes, Life and the Grandest of Canyons". The Conversation. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  11. ^ Buzzi (1997), Documento dell'Istitutoitaliano di idrobiologia
  12. ^ Maciolek, J. A. (April 30, 1982), Lakes and Lake-like Waters of the Hawaiian Archipelago (PDF), Occasional Papers of Berenice P. Bishop Museum, vol. 25[permanent dead link]
  13. ^ Coombs, C. R.; Hawke, B. R.; Wilson, L. (1990), "Terrestrial analogs to lunar sinuous rilles - Kauhako Crater and channel, Kalaupapa, Molokai, and other Hawaiian lava conduit systems", Lunar and Planetary Science Conference Proceedings, 20: 195, Bibcode:1990LPSC...20..195C

Sources

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