What are the names of the lake. List, names, descriptions, maps and photos of the largest lakes in russia

Our country boasts the largest reserves of fresh water, most of which are found in lakes. Only one concentrates 19% of all world reserves. Total within Russian Federation there are about 2 million lakes with a total occupied territory of more than 700 thousand square meters. km including the Caspian Sea.

The top 10 includes the largest lakes in Russia in terms of area.

Area 1.29 thousand sq. km

Opens the rating of the largest lakes in Russia and covers an area of ​​1.29 thousand square meters. km, but due to the low banks, the area may fluctuate throughout the year. The volume of the water mass increased sharply in 1964 and this is due to the construction of the Sheksninsky reservoir. A huge natural foundation pit is filled with water by means of seventeen large rivers. The total number of rivers and streams flowing into the lake is about 60. The lake belongs to the Caspian Sea, since the only river flowing from it flows into the Volga.

Area 2 thousand sq. km

It occupies the ninth line in the list of the largest lakes located on the territory of the Russian Federation. A drainless saline reservoir with an area of ​​2 thousand square meters. km. Located in the Barabinskaya lowland Novosibirsk region... The name of the lake comes from the Turkic "chan", which means "large vessel". On its territory there are about 70 islands, the largest of which are Lezhan, Amelkina Griva, Bear and Kolpachok. Chany is home to 16 species of fish, including pike perch, perch, carp, goldfish and others.

Area 3.3 thousand sq. km

One of the ten largest lakes in Russia with an area of ​​3.3 thousand square meters. km. The reservoir is 85 kilometers long and 80 kilometers wide. Part of the lake is located in Mongolia, where Ubu-Nur is considered the largest body of water. It is inhabited by about 29 species of fish, of which only one is eaten by humans - the Altai Osman.

Area 3.5 thousand sq. km

It is located on the seventh position among the largest reservoirs in Russia. Its total area is about 3.5 thousand square meters. km. 30 waterways flow into the lake, and the only river Narva flows out. The reservoir is located on the border of Russia and Estonia. On the territory of Lake Peipsi-Pskov, there are 29 islands with an area of ​​about 26 sq. km. In the coastal zone there is an ornithological reserve "Pskov-Chudskaya lakeside lowland", which is the most valuable reserve of rare species of plants and animals in the Baltic region.

Area 4 thousand sq. km

The sixth line in the top 10 largest lakes in Russia goes to the reservoir. Its location is the border between the Primorsky Territory of the Russian Federation and the Heilongjiang province of China. Khanka is the largest freshwater reservoir in the Far East with an area of ​​4 thousand square meters. km. 24 waterways flow into the lake, including Melgunovka, Komissarovka, the Ilistaya river. Only one river flows out of Khanka - the Sungacha. Here is the international Russian-Chinese Khanka nature reserve.

Area 4.6 thousand sq. km

It occupies the fifth place among the largest lakes in Russia in terms of area. The largest body of water in the Krasnoyarsk Territory has an area of ​​4.6 thousand square meters. km. Its peculiarity is that for 9 months the lake is under ice. The local representatives of the flora include arctic fish species, including char, whitefish, muksun and others. Local islands serve as a nesting place for migratory birds - red-breasted geese and geese. The rivers Zapadnaya, Severnaya, Upper Taimyr, Baikura flow into Taimyr, and the Lower Taimyr flows out.

Area 9.6 thousand sq. km

It occupies the fourth place in the ranking with an area of ​​9.6 thousand square meters. km. It is 245 km long and 91 km wide. The reservoir is located on the territory of Karelia, as well as the Vologda and Leningrad regions. About 50 rivers flow into it, and the only river flows out - the Svir. Within Lake Onega, there are about 1,650 islands with a total occupied territory of 224 kilometers. The most famous is the island of Kizhi, where the museum-reserve of the same name is located. The reservoir is populated by 47 fish species, including salmon, trout, sterlet, pike perch, eel and others. Due to the habitat of valuable species of fish, fishing is developed here.

Ladoga lake Area 18 thousand sq. km

Opens the three largest lakes in Russia. Belongs to one of the largest fresh water bodies in Europe. Its area is about 18 thousand square meters. km, and the maximum depth reaches 230 meters. Lake Ladoga stretches for 219 kilometers from south to north, and 138 km from west to east. About 40 rivers and streams flow into the fresh water body, and the only river flows out - the Neva. There are more than 600 islands on Ladoga with a total area of ​​435 sq. km. The largest of them are Riekkalansari, Kilpola and Baalam. In the depths of water, 120 species of plants grow and 53 species of fish live, of which the most valuable are salmon, trout, pike perch and others. Here lives the Ladoga ringed seal, which is the only representative of pinnipeds. The species is protected and listed in the Red Book.

Area 31.7 thousand sq. km

It occupies the second line in the ranking of the largest lakes in Russia. It is the deepest lake in the world and the largest natural reservoir of fresh water, which contains about 19% of all world reserves. Its area is 31.7 thousand square meters. km, and depth - 1642 m. Baikal stretches for 636 km in length and 80 km in width. On its territory there are 27 peninsulas and islands, the largest of which is the Svyatoy Nos peninsula. According to some data, about 500 rivers and streams flow into it. The largest rivers flowing into Baikal are Selenga, Upper Angara, Turka, Tyya, etc. Only one river flows out of the lake - the Angara. The water in Lake Baikal is very transparent: at a depth of 40 meters, the flora and fauna of the reservoir is visible. There is a very rich animal world, represented by 2600 species, of which about a thousand are endemic.

Area 371 thousand sq. km

The name of this lake already speaks of its incredible size. The most big lake Russia has an area equal to 371 thousand square meters. km. with a maximum depth in the South Caspian depression of more than a thousand meters. Its length is 1.2 thousand kilometers, and its width is about 500 kilometers. It is also the largest enclosed body of water in the world, which, due to its size, is equated to the sea. The lake supposedly got its name in honor of the Caspian tribes who lived on the coast in ancient times. The Caspian Sea is located at the junction of the continents of Europe and Asia. About 130 rivers flow into it, including such large waterways as the Volga, Sulak, Samur, Ural, etc. The sea washes the shores of 5 states at once: Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. The flora and fauna of the salt reservoir is very rich and has about 2 thousand representatives of the animal world and more than 700 species of plants.

This list of 50 stunningly beautiful lakes is sure to add knowledge and broaden your horizons! This is a list of the most famous lakes in the world, but some may not be familiar to you.

Lake Victoria
69,485 km2 (26,828 sq mi). The largest lake in Africa. It is a border lake, and.

Lake Tanganyika - Lake Tanganyika
32,893 km2 (12,700 sq mi). The lake is not only the 6th largest lake in the world, but it is also the second deepest lake in the world at 1,470 m (4,820 ft) and the longest lake in the world at 676 km (420 mi). Lake Tanganyika is divided between four countries - Tanzania, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Zambia.

Moraine Lake, Canada - Moraine Lake

Lake Pinatubo, Philippines - Lake Pinatubo
Formed only recently (in 1991) after the monsoon, this crater lake sits atop Mount Pinatubo, an active volcano in the Philippines.

Lake Annette, Canada - Lake Annette

Laguna Colorada, Bolivia - Laguna Colorada, Bolivia
Located 4,200 meters above sea level in southwestern Bolivia, Laguna Colorada gets its bright red color from pigment deposits and algae beneath its surface. It is an extremely shallow lake with an average depth of 50 cm.

Plitvice Lakes, Croatia /
Located in Croatia, Plitvice Lakes are actually 16 separate bodies of water, and are divided into upper and lower basins of natural dams made of moss and algae.

Spotted Lake, Canada
In Osoyoos, British Columbia, a 38-acre natural phenomenon is a lake with one of the highest mineral concentrations in the world.

Dead Sea, Jordan /
The name can be misleading - in fact, it is the world's deepest hyper-mineralized lake. It has 8 times the salt concentration of the ocean, so it is extremely difficult to drown in it.

Sheosar Lake, Pakistan
Lake Deosai National Park, in the alpine steppe of the Tibetan Highlands.

Riffelsee, Switzerland
The Riffelsee is an incredible view of the mirrored surface with the Matterhorn in the background.

Peyto Lake, Canada
Peyto Lake is a glacial lake in the Banff National Park of the Canadian Rockies. Billa Peyto belongs to the category of colored lakes. The lake has a bright turquoise color, due to the large amount of icy mountain flour sliding into the lake.

Lake Solbjornvannet, Norway

Mirror Lake, California - Mirror Lake - a small, seasonal lake off Tenaya Creek Canyon in US National Park, Yosemite.

New Zealand also has Mirror Lake, which has amazing reflection properties like a mirror. It is one of the great lakes of Asia: Issyk-Kul (Kyrgyzstan), Uhua-Hai (China), Inle (Myanmar), Biwa (Japan), Tonle Sap (Cambodia) and Lake Toba in Sumatra (Indonesia).

Horseshoe Lake, Canada - Horseshoe Lake

Emerald lake, Canada - Emerald Lake

Lake Plastiras, Greece - Lake Plastiras - Lake Plastiras, Greece
The artificial lake in Greece holds up to 400 million cubic liters of fresh water and is one of the highest in Europe.

Mystic lake, Montana - Mystic Lake
The largest lake in the Beartooth Mountains Montana offers several world famous hiking trails and incredible views.

Yamdrok Tso lake, Tibet - Yamdrok Tso Lake
This lake in Tibet has over 72 km of peaks and is surrounded by snow-capped mountains.

Lake Malawi, Tanzania - Lake Malawi / Malawi and Mozambique (Malawi and Mozambique) 30,044 km2 (11,600 sq mi). The lake is divided between Tanzania, Mozambique and Malawi. The second deepest lake in Africa, this tropical reservoir has more fish species than any other lake on Earth.

Lake Louise, Canada - Lake Louise, Canada

Lake Isabella, Colorado - Lake Isabelle, Colorado
A popular tourist destination, Lake Isabelle offers incredible views of the Navajo and Apache peaks.

Crater Lake, Oregon - Crater Lake, Oregon

Barclay Lake, Washington - Barclay Lake, Washinton

Lake Mono, California - Mono Lake
This shallow lake of California's Mono County Desert was formed over 760,000 years ago and has a very similar ecosystem to the Colorada Lagoon.

Ancient underground lake Reed flute, China - Reed Flute Cave. It is a limestone cave in Guangxi, China. More than 180 million years old. Since the 1940s, it has become famous all over the world because of the multi-colored caves around the lake.

Loch Ree lake(Loch RI or Loch Ríbh) - geographic center Ireland, midlands. Loch Rea is the second largest lake on the Shannon River after Loch Derg. The other two major lakes are Loch Allen to the north, and Loch Derg to the south. Leinster Province in County Roscommon Lake is popular for Irish monster legends.

Loch Ness(Loch Ness, Scotland) Scotland. Loch Ness (Gaelic: Loch Nish) is the second largest Scottish lake in terms of surface area after Loch Lomond, but due to its great depth, it is the largest lake in Scotland in terms of water volume. Deep, freshwater lake Loch in Scotland is located approximately 23 miles (37 km) southwest of Inverness. The lake is famous for its Loch Ness Monster. Tourists are also interested in Urquart Castle east of Drumnadrochit, lighthouses at Lochend (Bona Lighthouse) and Fort Augusta.

Okanagan lake- large, deep lake in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, Canada. The lake is 135 km long and 4 - 5 km wide. His interesting feature the legend of the Lake Demon Ogopogo or Naitaka, and famous terraces, which are formed due to the periodic decline of its predecessor, the glacial lake Penticton. The maximum depth of the lake is 232 m in the area of ​​Grant Island (called by the locals "Whiskey Island" or "Seagull Island")

Lake Labynkyr(Labynkyr Lake), Yakutia
it mystical lake is located near the cold pole on the territory of Oymyakon uluss. Legends say that a monster lives deep in the water. It attacks dogs, deer and even people. History tells how one day a monster destroyed a caravan of Evens.

Lake Kanas(pinyin: Kanasi Hu) crescent-shaped lake in Altai prefecture of Xinjiang province, China. The lake is located in a valley in the Altai mountains, on the border with Mongolia and. The lake was formed 200,000 years ago during the Quaternary as a result of the movement of the glacier. The Kanas River, flowing out of the lake, merges with the Hemu River, forming the Burkin River, which itself is a tributary of the Irtysh River. Ethnic Tuvans and Kazakhs live in the Kanas Valley.

Lake Kok-Kol(Kok-Kol lake) Mysterious lake in Zhambyl region, Kazakhstan. From time to time, the mysterious lake makes some strange sounds, and sometimes you can see signs of ripples, as if a huge creature is drifting inside the lake. Locals believe that the lake is bottomless. Indeed, when hydrographers measured its depth, they could not find the bottom. But, they found many channels. This explains the constant water level, despite the fact that nothing flows from the lake or flows into it.

Aral Sea(Kazakh: Aral Tengis; Mongolian: Aral tengis; Tajik: Baҳri Aral; Persian: دریای خوارزم Daryâ- you Khârazm) - was closed lake between Kazakhstan in the north and Uzbekistan in the south. The name translates roughly as "sea of ​​islands" (more than 1100 islands were scattered on its waters). The catchment area covers parts of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.
Previously one of the four largest lakes in the world with an area of ​​68,000 km2 (26,300 sq mi), the Aral Sea has been steadily declining since 1960 after the rivers that fed the lake were redirected through Soviet irrigation projects. The drying up of the Aral Sea is called "one of the worst ecological disasters on the planet"

Lake Storshen(Swedish pronunciation: Storsjön, lit. “Great Lake”) is the fifth largest lake in Sweden, located in the province of Jamtland (Jämtland). The Indalsälven river flows from Storsjön and the lake contains main island Frösön. The town of Östersund is located on its east coast, opposite Frösön. Storshen is considered the birthplace of the sea creatures Storsjöodjuret.

Lake Champlain- Lake Champlain lies directly on Burlington, the border between the United States and Canada. At the northern tip is the historically interesting Fort Ticonderogo. Lake Champlain offers cruises and ferries to Vermont and New York.

Lake Natron is a salt and soda lake in the Arusha region of northern Tanzania. The lake is located near the Kenyan border in the eastern rift East African branch of an international wetland. Lake Natron, a basin of the Ramsar Valley, is primarily fed by rivers in central Kenya and hot springs. The unusual color of the water is created by cyanobacteria. Due to the high fumes, salt-loving microorganisms begin to thrive.

Lake Tahoe, the largest alpine lake in North America, famous for its cobalt blue waters and surrounding snowy peaks... Lake Tahoe is the state border between the states of California and Nevada, and a popular resort in the Sierra Nevada.

Lake lucerne- among the most beautiful lakes in Switzerland, it stands out with an amazing panorama of the snow-capped peaks of the Alps, such as the Eiger and Jungfrau. There are old steamers on the lake that have been operating here since the 1800s. In the spring, the Lake Lucerne pool is fed by the Mineralbad streams from the top of Mount Riga.

Dove lake(Dove Lake) in Tasmania, Australia. Serene Dove Lake is a national park attraction near Cradle Mountain. This lake is the home of the legendary Tasmanian Devil.

Lake Como, Italy - just 45 minutes from bustling Milan. Lake Como is one of the favorite holiday destinations of the rich and famous.

Lake Bled Is one of the most charming landmarks of the Old Continent. Lake Bled of the Julian Alps (Slovenian: Bled, German: Veldes) is located in Slovenia, near the borders with Italy and Austria.

Lake Synevyr- the largest and most famous lake Ukrainian Carpathians... The lake is located in the Gorgany mountain range, in the upper reaches of the Terebli River. The lake has its a beautiful legend about lovers.

The list of the most famous lakes in the world can rightfully include unnamed:

• Lake Ohrid in the Balkan Mountains (located between the Republic of Macedonia and Albania)
• Saimaa lake (Finland)
• Ladoga / Onega / Chudskoe (Russia)
• Balaton (Hungary)
• Annecy (France)
• Garda / Iseo (Italy)
• Wastwater (England)
• Sogne (Norway)
• Killarney (Ireland)
• Hallstattersee (Austria)
• Königsee / Obersee (Germany)
• Jokulsadlon (Iceland)
• Laguna Verde (Bolivia)
• Lençóis Maranhenses (Brazil)
• Nakuru (Kenya)
• Tekapo (New Zealand)
• Lagunas Altiplánicas (Chile)
• Laguna Bacalar (Mexico) and many others.

Our Motherland - Russia is rich in water resources. These are reserves of pure fresh water, and endless salty seas and lakes. This article is about the largest lakes in Russia. There are a lot of them, we will highlight ten main ones. And if you are worried about the question: what is the largest lake in Russia?, Then carefully examining this TOP, you will receive an answer to it.

1. Caspian Sea

This lake is considered to be the sea because of its salty waters and enormous size. It is the largest lake not only in Russia but on the entire planet. Five states are located along its banks: Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan). The territories of Russia washed by this lake are Kalmykia, Dagestan, Astrakhan region. The area of ​​the Caspian Sea is more than 370 thousand square kilometers, and the maximum depth is 1025 meters. It bears its name as the heritage of the ancient tribes - the Caspians, who lived in antiquity in the south-west of its coast.

2. Baikal

The second largest lake in Russia. This is the largest freshwater lake. It is located in Eastern Siberia on the territory of Buryatia and Irkutsk region... Baikal is the deepest lake on the planet. Its maximum depth is 1640 meters. The area of ​​this lake is more than 315,000 square kilometers, it is the main reservoir of fresh water in Russia (90% of the total volume of reserves). The Angara River flows out of Lake Baikal. The waters of this beautiful lake are clean and fresh. While we have something to be proud of.

Located on the territory of the Republic of Karelia and Leningrad region, a large lake with an area of ​​17,600 sq. km amazes with its beauty and picturesque nature... Lake Ladoga is one of the largest freshwater lakes in Europe, with a maximum depth of 230 meters. 35 large rivers stretch to its bosom, and the proud Neva flows out of it. Industrial and private fishing thrives on Lake Ladoga, which is facilitated by the abundance of various types of fish.

4. Lake Onega

Freshwater lake in the territory of Karelia, Leningrad and Vologda regions. Numerous monuments of Russian culture are located along its wide banks. The clean water of Onego-Father, as it is lovingly called among the people, stretches for 9616 sq. Km and has a maximum depth of 127 meters. The Svir River flows out of the lake.

The lake is spread over the territory of the Krasnoyarsk Territory for 4560 sq. Km. it is located on the peninsula of the same name. Taimyr is the northernmost lake on Earth. The depth and width of the lake varies with the density of the ice and the time of year, but in general the most deep place- 26 meters. Basically, the Taimyr Lake is home to Arctic fish species, adapted to survive in harsh cold conditions.

6. Hanka

The lake is located in Primorye, on the border with China. A favorite place for tourists who want to visit Far East Russia and on the territory of China, and get acquainted with the culture and customs of two, such dissimilar countries at once.
The maximum depth of Khanka is 11 meters, and the area is about 4070 sq. Km. The lake is rich in its fauna, but many species of fish are listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation and are prohibited from catching.

Located in the Pskov region. It has an area of ​​3550 sq. Km and the greatest depth - 15 km. The Narva River originates from it.

8. Ubsu-Nur

This salty is located in Tuva, beautiful lake with unusual name... Its area is 3350 sq. Km, and the maximum depth reaches 15 meters.

9. Lake Chany

Salt lake in the Novosibirsk region. There is a legend that a huge snake lives in this lake that devours people. And what? There is quite a place to roam. After all, the area of ​​this lake varies, reaching 2000 square kilometers, and the depth in some places is 12 meters. And although, perhaps, these are fairy tales for tourists, the lake mesmerizes with its living beauty.

10. White Lake

The fresh lake, located in the Vologda region, covers an area of ​​about 1290 sq. Km, reaches a maximum depth of 20 meters, although the shore of the White Lake is rather low and its average depth is 5-7 meters. The Sheksna River flows out of its depths. The lake is rich in fish, and happy fishermen fish up to 30 different types of fish.

We have listed one of the many lakes located in our country. As you can see, Karelia is the richest area in lakes in Russia. Lucky!

Well, the smallest lake in Russia has not yet bothered to get its name. Apparently, because there are thousands of such lakes in Russia! Someone calls them by the names of the surrounding villages. The official version of the smallest lake is Lake Ertso, on the territory of South Ossetia. Every 3-5 years the lake completely goes underground, as if it never existed, and after a while it reappears with a solemn air. A kind of "ghost". In high water it reaches 0.5 sq. Km. Here is such an unusual lake.

There are about 5 million lakes in the world, but we have only heard of a few of the largest. Do you think that Baikal is the largest lake in the world? In fact, Baikal is only 7th in the ranking of the largest lakes!

Did you know that the area of ​​the largest lake on the planet is equal to the area of ​​52 million football fields and is comparable to the area of ​​Moscow multiplied by 150 times? No? Then read below!

No. 10. Great Slave Lake - 28,930 square kilometers... North America.

The Great Slave Lake is ranked 10th in terms of area among the lakes in the world, besides, it is also the deepest lake in North America... Its depth is 614 meters. The dimensions of the Great Slave Lake: 480 km in length, 19-109 km in width, and the area is 28,930 square kilometers.

From October to June, the lake is frozen, and in winter the ice can support the weight of trucks. Rivers flowing into the lake: Hay, Slave, Snowdrift, etc. The Mackenzie River flows out of the lake. The origin of the lake is glacial-tectonic.

No. 9. Lake Nyasa - 30,044 square kilometers. East Africa.

Lake Nyasa (Malawi) is the ninth largest lake in the world. Lake Nyasa fills a crack in the earth's crust in the Great Rift Valley in East Africa, is located between Mozambique and Tanzania. The length of the lake is 560 km, the depth is 706 m. Nyasa contains 7% of the world's reserves of liquid fresh water.

Nyasa is known for its rich ecosystem, many of the species found in the lake are endemic. The origin of the lake is tectonic.

No. 8. Big Bear Lake - 31,080 square kilometers. Canada.

Big Bear Lake is located 200 km south of the Arctic Circle in Canada. The lake is the eighth largest lake in the world and the fourth largest in North America. Dimensions of the lake: length - 320 km, width - 175 km, maximum depth - 446 m.

The lake does not have a very good history. Uranium was found here. It was from here that uranium was mined for the manufacture of bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The lake is almost always frozen, the ice rarely melts before the end of July. The origin of the lake is glacial-tectonic.

No. 7. Lake Baikal - 31,500 square kilometers. Eastern Siberia.

Baikal is the deepest lake in the world, the largest water reservoir, which contains 20% of the world's reserves of liquid fresh water. Baikal is also considered one of the cleanest lakes in the world.

The lake ranks seventh in area in the world and first in volume. Dimensions of the lake: length - 636 km, width - 80 km, maximum depth - 1642 m, volume - 23 600 km3.
The origin of the lake is tectonic, more than 25 million years old. The fauna of Lake Baikal is one of the most unique in the world, many species are endemic.

No. 6. Lake Tanganyika - 32,893 square kilometers. Central Africa.

Lake Tanganyika is one of the deepest lakes in the world, along with Lake Baikal. The lake lies between 4 countries - Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Zambia and Burundi.

Dimensions of the lake: length - 676 ​​km, width - 72 km, maximum depth - 1470 m, volume - 18,900 km3. The origin of the lake is tectonic.

Tanganyika lies in the deepest tectonic depression in Africa and enters into the basin of the Congo River, one of the largest rivers in the world.

No. 5. Lake Michigan - 58,016 square kilometers. North America.

Lake Michigan is one of the Great Lakes. This lake is the largest of the lakes entirely located in the United States. Michigan is the fifth largest in the world and the third largest in the Great Lakes. The volume of the lake is 4918 m3, length - 494 km, width - 190 km, maximum depth - 281 m. The origin of the lake is glacial-tectonic.

No. 4. Lake Huron - 59,596 square kilometers. North America.

Lake Huron is one of the Great Lakes. This lake is located on the territory of two countries: the USA and Canada. Huron is the fourth largest lake in the world. The volume of the lake is 3538 m3, length - 331 km, width - 295 km, maximum depth - 229 m. The origin of the lake is glacial-tectonic.

No. 3. Lake Victoria - 69,485 square kilometers. East Africa.

Lake Victoria is located in Tanzania, Kenya. After the construction of the Owen Falls Dam in 1954, the lake was converted into a reservoir. There are many islands on the lake. Fishing is developed on the lake and there are many ports on the territory of the three countries. A national park has been formed on the island of Rubondo (Tanzania).

Victoria is the third largest lake in the world. The volume of the lake is 2760 m3, length - 320 km, width - 274 km, maximum depth - 80 m. The origin of the lake is tectonic.

The lake was discovered and named after Queen Victoria by the British traveler John Henning Speke in 1858.

# 2. Lake Superior - 82,414 square kilometers. North America.

Lake Superior is the second largest lake in the world and the largest of the Great Lakes, located on the border of the United States and Canada. The volume of the lake is 12,000 m3, length - 563 km, width - 257 km, maximum depth - 406 m. The origin of the lake is glacial-tectonic.

Etymology of the name. In the Ojibwe language, the lake is called Gichigami, which means "big water".

# 1. Caspian Sea - 371,000 square kilometers. Europe Asia.

The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth and is classified as the largest lake or sea due to its size. Located on the knock of Europe and Asia. Volume - 78 200 m3, length - 1200 km, width - 435 km, maximum depth - 1025 m. Length coastline The Caspian Sea is approximately equal to 6500 kilometers.

130 rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, the largest of them are the Volga, Terek, Sulak, Ural, Kura, Artek and others. The Caspian Sea washes the shores of Kazakhstan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Russia, Azerbaijan.
The origin of the lake is oceanic.

There are more than two million freshwater and salt lakes in Russia. The largest lakes in the European part of the country are Ladoga (17.87 thousand km2) and Onega (9.72 thousand km2) in the north-west, Lake Peipsi-Pskov (3.55 thousand km 4.58 thousand km²) on the Volga to the north of Moscow.

Narrow lakes from 160 to 320 km in length are located behind dams on the Don, Volga and Kama. In Siberia, similar artificial lakes are located on the upper Yenisei and its tributary the Angara, where the Bratsk reservoir, 570 km long, is one of the largest in the world. But they are all insignificant compared to Lake Baikal, the largest reservoir of fresh water on the planet. With a length of 636 km and an average width of 50 km, the surface area of ​​Lake Baikal is 31.72 thousand km², and the maximum depth is 1642 m.

There are also countless smaller lakes located mainly in the poorly drained lowlands of the Russian and West Siberian plains, especially in the more northern regions. Some of them reach significant sizes, in particular, Lake Beloye (1.29 thousand km2), Topozero (0.98 thousand km2), Vygozero (0.56 thousand km2) and Lake Ilmen (0.98 thousand km2) on the territory of the European the north-west of the country, and Lake Chany (1.4-2 thousand km²) in the south-west of Siberia.

List of the largest lakes in Russia

We present to your attention the 10 largest lakes in the Russian Federation with descriptions, photos and geographic location on the map of the country.

Caspian Sea

The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland water body (area: 371 thousand km²). It is called the sea, not the lake, since the ancient Romans who arrived in this region found that its water was salty, and named the sea after the Caspian tribes who lived near the lake's coast. The Caspian Sea is bordered by the following five countries: Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Iran. The main river the lake is fed by the Volga, which provides about 80% of the inflow of the Caspian Sea, and the remaining 20% ​​comes from other smaller rivers.

The Caspian Sea is rich in oil and natural gas deposits, but the production of these is under development. Also, the mining process is hampered by the problem of separation natural resources lakes between the five countries bordering it. The Caspian Sea and the deltas of the rivers flowing into it are inhabited by about 160 species and subspecies of fish from 60 genera. About 62% of the species are endemic.

Baikal

Baikal is the deepest (1642 m), oldest (25-35 million years) and the most voluminous (23.6 thousand km³) of all lakes in the world; it is a superstar reservoir in the field of hydrology, geology, ecology and history. Today Lake Baikal contains about 20 percent of fresh water on the Earth's surface, which is comparable in volume to the entire Amazon River basin. Baikal has 27 islands, including one more than 70 km long (Olkhon Island).

More than 1,500 species of animals live near the shores of the lake, 80% of which are not found anywhere else on the planet. The most famous representative of the Baikal fauna is the seal, which lives exclusively in fresh water. According to some reports, the population of seals is about 100,000 individuals. Also near the lake there are such large predators as wolves, which occupy the upper positions of the Siberian food chain, feeding on deer, birds, rodents and smaller predators.

Ladoga lake

Lake Ladoga is the largest freshwater lake in Europe, located in northwestern Russia, 40 km east of St. Petersburg. The area of ​​the lake is 17.87 thousand km², the volume is 838 km³, and the maximum depth at a point west of the island of Valaam it reaches 230 m.

The depression of the lake appeared under the influence of glaciers. The northern shores are mostly high and rocky, and are also divided by deep, ice-covered bays. Southern shores have many sandy or rocky beaches, mostly low, slightly concave, overgrown with willow and alder. In some places there are ancient coastal quays covered with pine trees. The largest tributaries are the Volkhov, Svir and Vuoksa rivers.

There are 48 different fish species found in the lake, of which the most common are roach, carp, bream, pike perch, perch and smelt. Of the 48 species, 25 are of commercial importance and 11 are in the important commercial fish category.

Lake Ladoga also serves as a key stopping point for migratory birds of the North Atlantic Flyway, which usually mark the arrival of spring.

Lake Onega

Lake Onega is the second largest lake in Europe, located in the northwest of the European part of Russia, between Lake Ladoga and the White Sea. It covers an area of ​​9.72 thousand km², 248 km in length and up to 83 km in width. The greatest depth is about 127 m.

The basin of the lake was formed by the movement of the earth's crust and glaciers. The high rocky shores in the north and northwest are composed of layered granite and are covered with forest. There are deep bays in Petrozavodsk, Kondopoga and Pevenets. The southern shores are narrow, sandy, often swampy or flooded. Lake Onega has about 1,650 islands, covering a total of about 260 km², usually in the northern and northwestern bays.

The lake is home to over 40 species of fish, including vendace (a small member of the salmon family), smelt, burbot bream, pike, perch, roach, and salmon. Many types of fish have significant economic value.

Taimyr

Taimyr - the second (after Baikal) largest lake in the Asian part of Russia, located in central regions the Taimyr Peninsula. It is located south of the Byrranga mountains, in the zone.

The lake and tundra area is a popular destination for birds such as geese, swans, ducks, rough-footed buzzard, peregrine falcon and snowy owls. Lake Taimyr is home to a large number of fish, including grayling, muksun, char and whitefish. Although the area is relatively remote, there is still a depletion of stocks of certain commercial fish species.

Taimyr is famous for the largest population of reindeer in Eurasia. Also in this region are found such animals as argali, arctic fox, wolf and lemmings. In 1975 the area was re-entered.

The lake and its surroundings have been included in the Taimyr nature reserve... Scientists have discovered plutonium in the sediments of the lake, which supposedly entered Taimyr through wind-carried radioactive particles after nuclear tests carried out on Novaya Zemlya during the Cold War.

Hanka

Lake Khanka has an area of ​​4 thousand km², of which approximately 97% is located in Russia. The maximum depth of the lake is 10.6 m, and the average volume is 18.3 km². The lake is fed by 23 rivers, 8 of which are in China, and the rest in the Russian Federation. The only outflow is the Sungacha River, which flows eastward to the Ussuri River, which forms the international border, and rushes northward, where it flows into the Amur River.

Khanka is famous as the home of the highest variety of birds in the entire temperate zone of Eurasia. At least 327 species of nesting, wintering and migratory birds were observed in the lake area.

Peipsi-Pskov lake

Lake Peipsi-Pskov is the largest transboundary and the fifth (after Ladoga, Onega, Swedish Venern and Finnish Saimaa) largest lake in Europe, located on the border between Estonia and Russia. It occupies 3.6% of the total area of ​​the Baltic Sea basin. A total of 30 islands are located on Lake Peipsi, and another 40 in the Velikaya River delta. Most of them rise only 1 to 2 m above the water level, and often suffer from floods.

About 54 species of coastal aquatic plants grow in the basin of Lake Peipsi-Pskov, including reed, calamus, reeds and various grasses. The waters of the lake are inhabited by 42 species of fish, such as smelt, vendace, bream, perch, pike, roach and whitefish. Wetlands serve important places nesting and feeding grounds for migratory birds such as swans, geese and ducks that migrate from the White Sea to Baltic Sea... The region is home to one of the largest swallow colonies in Estonia.

Ubsu-Nur

Ubsu-Nur is the largest lake in Mongolia in terms of surface area (3.35 thousand km2), as well as the largest salt Lake in the country. The Ubsu-Nur basin is one of the most important biodiversity poles in Eurasia. Although most of the lake is located in Mongolia, its northeastern shores are located in the Tyva Republic of the Russian Federation.

The lake is shallow, very salty, and is a remnant big sea, which existed several thousand years ago. The basin covers an area of ​​about 70 thousand km² and is one of the best preserved natural steppe landscapes on the continent. It is here that the northernmost part of the desert and the southernmost part of the tundra meet.

Reed and freshwater river deltas serve as resting and nesting sites for numerous migratory birds. More than 220 bird species can be found around the lake, including the black stork, osprey, white-tailed eagle, whooper and black-headed gull. About 29 different fish species live in the waters of the lake, one of which is fit for human consumption. The mountainous region is home to Mongolian gerbils, wild sheep and Siberian ibex.

Vats

Although Lake Chany is not well known outside Siberia, it is one of the largest lakes in the country. Vats is a shallow lake with salty and constantly fluctuating water, the level of which can change from season to season and from year to year. The lands of the lake basin serve as pastures for cattle.

Vats play an important role in the fisheries industry in the region. The most common species are silver carp, carp, ide, and perch. Recently, there has been a tendency for the depletion of fish stocks in the lake.

Lake White

By area, Beloye is the second (after Onega) natural lake Vologda region, and the third (after the Rybinsk reservoir). It is one of the ten largest natural lakes in Europe. The lake has a relatively circular shape with a diameter of 46 km. Its area is 1.29 thousand km2, and the basin area is about 14 thousand km2.

The lake is famous for its fish stocks, the most famous delicacy is Belozersk smelt. Fodder base and high level oxygen create favorable conditions for the life of many species. The following types of fish are common in the waters of the lake: perch, pike, bream, ruff, sabrefish, roach, bleak, burbot, chub, rudd, whitefish, ide, tench, asp, dace and gudgeon).

Table of the 10 largest lakes in Russia