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List of lakes by area

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"Largest lakes" redirects here. For the largest lakes by volume, see List of lakes by volume. For lakes on bodies other than Earth, see List of largest lakes and seas in the Solar System.
Dymaxion world map with the 15 largest lakes roughly to scale

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

[edit]

Following are conventionally identified lakes larger than 3,000 km2 (1,200 sq mi) in area.

Continent colour key
Africa Antarctica Asia Eurasia Europe North America South America
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
2,570 sq mi

245 km
152 mi

219 m
719 ft

113 km3
27 cu mi

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
2,140 sq mi

113 km
70 mi

132 m
433 ft

130 km3
31 cu mi

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
4.1 cu mi

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
26 cu mi

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
22 cu mi

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

 Russia

Saline 1.9% (approx.) 3,350 km2
1,290 sq mi 		84 km
52 mi 		22 m
72 ft

20 km3
4.8 cu mi

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
6.9 cu mi

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
6.1 cu mi

The source of the Blue Nile.
45 Amadjuak  Canada Fresh 3,115 km2
1,203 sq mi

74 km3
18 cu mi

In geological terms, a "young" lake (approx. 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
87 mi

256 m
840 ft

313 km3
75 cu mi

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
2.9 cu mi

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

[edit]

Following are the dozen largest lakes under geological definitions, down to 17,500 km2 (6,800 sq mi) in area.

Continent colour key
Africa Asia Europe North America
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

[edit]
The Aral Sea 1960 to 2014.

Notes and references

[edit]

Note: Lake areas may slightly vary depending on the sources.

Notes
References
  1. ^ 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
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ "Plume over the Caspian Sea". NASA. 16 April 2008. Retrieved 2010-11-29.
  5. ^ "Caspian Sea". Britannica. Retrieved 2010-11-29.
  6. ^ "Endorheic Lakes". United Nations. Retrieved 2010-11-29.
  7. ^ DuMont, H.J. "The Caspian Lake: History, biota, structure, and function" (PDF). American Society of Limnology and Oceanography. Retrieved 2010-11-29.
  8. ^ Planet Earth And the New Geoscience (2003:154). Victor Schmidt, William Harbert, University of Pittsburgh
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ "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.
  11. ^ "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
  12. ^ "Great Lakes Map". Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
  13. ^ "Largest Lake in the World". geology.com. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
  14. ^ 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.
  15. ^ 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.
  16. ^ a b "WorldAtlas.com: Lake Victoria". Retrieved 18 November 2015.
  17. ^ a b "Manitoulin Island website". Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  18. ^ "Lake Tanganyika at Encyclopædia Britannica". Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  19. ^ a b "Lake Baikal, World's Largest Freshwater Body". International Business Times. 9 September 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  20. ^ "Plate 18. Large Lakes" (PDF). Natural Resources Canada. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 November 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
  21. ^ 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.
  22. ^ a b "WorldAtlas.com: Great Slave Lake". Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  23. ^ a b "Freshwater Ecoregions of the World: Lake Ladoga". Archived from the original on 16 January 2017. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  24. ^ "Omo Valley in Ethiopia, Lake Turkana". Archived from the original on 31 October 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  25. ^ "Development of Improved Characteristic Equations for Lake Rukwa in Tanzania". Retrieved 8 Nov 2024.
  26. ^ "Major Lakes". Retrieved 9 Oct 2023.
  27. ^ "Lakes on Islands". 30 March 2012. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  28. ^ "Largest Lakes (Area)". LakeNet. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
  29. ^ "Plate 18. Large Lakes" (PDF). Natural Resources Canada. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 November 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2014.

Further reading

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