Top 10 largest lakes in the world

Lakes are bodies of water that have arisen naturally. They do not have a direct connection to the sea or ocean. This is a closed depression that appeared on the earth’s surface, filled with water.

Most of the planet’s lakes are fresh, but there are also so-called mineral or salty ones. Lakes play a huge role in people’s lives, first of all, they are valuable sources of drinking water. There are hundreds and thousands of them on our planet, they are almost everywhere, but the largest lakes in the world are especially valued. Why, you will learn from our article.

10

Located in Canada. It’s called Great Slave Lake, in honor of one Indian people who once lived near him. But the title “slaves” confused with the English word slave, denoting “edge”, and they began to call him “slave” although it has nothing to do with slaves.

In 2010, there was a lot of talk about the need to rename the lake, return the traditional Indian names – Tu-Nedhe or Tucho which can be translated as “big water‘, but they did nothing.

It is quite deep, up to 614 m. Great Slave Lake there are more than 21 species of fish. Unfortunately, there is a mine next to it, which polluted it with its waste. In 1978, one of the Soviet satellites fell into it, which caused radioactive contamination of the area.

9. Lake Nyasa, 30 km²

In Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, you can admire Lake Nyasa. Its name comes from the Yao language, and in translation it means only “lake”. 14 rivers flow into it, 1 flows out.

From 500 to 1 thousand species of fish live in it, and there are also many crocodiles. On its shore you can meet whooper eagles, which were attracted here by fish. Fly larvae live in shallow water. Once a year there is a mass departure.

The local population feeds itself by fishing, up to 300 thousand people are connected with it. For the population of Malawi, it is fish that is the main source of animal proteins.

8. Big Bear Lake, 31 km²

This huge lake is also located in Canada. The name appeared thanks to the traveler Alexander Mackenzie, who thus translated the local words “Grizzly Lake».

Big Bear Lake impresses with its size, but cannot boast of a variety of flora and fauna. There are only 16 species of fish in it. On the shores of the lake there are coniferous forests interspersed with swamps, and somewhere there is an endless tundra. Near it you can find 14 species of mammals and as many as 42 species of birds.

In the 1930s, radium and uranium were mined on its shores, the radioactive wastes of which were dumped directly into the water. Heavy metals, mercury accumulated in the body of fish and were dangerous for humans, which is why fishing is prohibited in some places of the lake.

7. Lake Baikal, 31 km²

In Russia you can visit Lake Baikal. It is located in Eastern Siberia. 336 rivers and streams flow into it (according to other sources, 544 and 1123).

The water in Lake Baikal is incredibly clean thanks to the microscopic crustacean epishure, which feeds on organic matter. It is so transparent that in spring, when the water is blue, you can see stones at a depth of up to forty meters (in summer and autumn, the number of plants and animal organisms increases in warm water, it turns green). There are 27 islands on the lake, 12 of which are especially large.

6. Lake Tanganyika, 32 km²

Located in Tanzania, Burundi, DR Congo, Zambia. It stands out not only for its size, but also for its depth, it is 1470 m. The natives, the Bemba tribe, called it “Yetanga yanya“, which can be translated as “water full of fish».

It was opened in 1858. The length of the lake is record – 676 ​​km, the width is not so significant – 50 km. The shores are huge rocks, many bays and bays.

There are more than 2 thousand species of animals, about 200 species of fish. AT Lake Tanganyika you can see crocodiles, hippos, small jellyfish, many waterfowl. Many inhabitants of the lake are similar to marine animals, because. it was formed a very long time ago, never dried up, the fauna also developed, new species appeared.

It is a source of drinking water, food, many tourists come here who are attracted by clean beaches and beautiful rocky areas.

5. Lake Michigan, 58 km²

In the United States, you can admire lake michigan, which refers to the North American Great Lakes. It has been under ice for 4 months.

The name of the lake was taken from the language of the Indians and it translates as “big water” or “big lake“. Once upon a time, various tribes of Indians lived on its shore, Europeans got to it in 1634 (or in 1638). Next to it is the city of Michigan, it was founded in 1715.

4. Lake Huron, 59 km²

In the USA and Canada is lake Huron. It is located near Lake Michigan, connected to it by a strait. Once upon a time, magnificent lake trout were fished here, but by 1950 they were almost completely exterminated, because. it was caught in large numbers, and instead of this fish, the sea lamprey began to multiply intensively. In the 1960s, several herring species also disappeared.

They tried to revive the lake trout population by introducing artificially grown fry into the water, but this did not give significant results. The lake got its name in honor of the Huron Indian people.

3. Lake Victoria, 69 km²

Located in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania. It is here that the source of the famous Nile is located. It is not very deep: the depth is about 40 m, the maximum is 80 m.

It was discovered in 1858 by one of the British travelers and was named after the Queen Victoria. The local people called him Nyasa, which could be translated as “lake”. Until the 1920s, a double name was used – Victoria Nyanza. Now it belongs to 3 states, and in each of them it is called differently.

The shores of the lake are flat and low, marshy, in some places high and steep, there is a savannah around it. It is home to more than two hundred species of fish, many crocodiles. There is a unique protoper fish, it breathes with both gills and lungs.

2. Lake Superior, 82 km²

In Canada and the United States is the largest of the lakes – Top. The French called it high, because it was over Huron. Gradually, the local population began to call him “Lake Superior».

It is much cleaner than other lakes. Swamps spread around it, 59 species of animals live in them, including wolves, a black bear, a cougar, and many species of birds.

1. Caspian Sea, 371 km²

The largest enclosed body of water Caspian Sea, it can be called not only the sea, but also the lake. It was given this name because of its size. The following states are located on its banks: Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Iran, Turkmenistan. Its water is brackish. The shores of the Caspian Sea are smooth and low.

The fauna of this sea is diverse, 1809 species can be found here, one hundred and one species of fish are found in it, especially a lot of sturgeons. Here you can find seven hundred and twenty eight species of plants, a lot of algae.

It produces gas and oil in industrial volumes, as well as salt and other minerals. Resorts have been built on the shores, where tourists come for the sake of therapeutic mud and mineral water.