THE LARGEST AND MOST STRIKING LAKES IN THE WORLD

GREAT BEAR LAKE

12,028 MI²

Canada’s Great Bear Lake is one of the largest and coolest

looking lakes, resembling an open bear jaw. The largest

lake entirely within Canada, this Arctic Circle lake is frozen

from November to July and is overall one of the most

serene and pristine bodies of water on Earth. Over the

centuries, uranium, silver and copper have all been

mined along the lake’s shores.

LAKE BAIKAL

12,248 MI²

At 5,371ft (1,637m) deep, Lake Baikal is the deepest lake in

the world. It’s astounding depth makes it the largest freshwater

lake in the world by volume in addition to its title as the

seventh largest lake by surface area. The lake holds many

records, including one of the oldest lakes on Earth (appearing

over 20 million years ago). It rests on Earth’s deepest land

depression and rests over a little understood fault zone.

Lake Baikal is also known as one of the cleanest on our

planet, largely due to its bedrock watershed and an algal

and bacteria-hungry shrimp living throughout it.

LAKE TANGANYIKA

12,700 MI²

One of the most biologically diverse lakes on Earth, Lake

Tanganyika is the third largest lake by volume.  Another

ancient lake, Tanganyika is half the size of Lake Victoria

but drains the same amount of area: about 77,220 square miles

(200,000 square km). It drains an area seven times larger than

its size, largely due to its long, narrow shape which almost

(but not quite) makes it the longest freshwater lake in the world.

LAKE MICHIGAN

22,300 MI²

The largest lake entirely within one country, Lake Michigan is

the only Great Lake which does not share a border with Canada

Over 60% of North American steel manufacturing is made

near to and flows out along the Great Lakes. Major U.S.

cities located along Lake Michigan include Chicago and Milwaukee,

major manufacturing hubs for the American Midwest.

LAKE HURON

23,000 MI²

Lake Huron is unique for harbouring the world’s largest

lake island: Manitoulin Island. It’s also the fourth largest lake

in the world, but when combined with Lake Michigan (to form

Lake Michigan-Huron) since there is no clear hydrologic

boundary between the two, it is the second largest.

LAKE VICTORIA

26,600 MI²

Bordering Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania, Lake Victoria is the

largest lake in Africa and the third largest lake in the world.

The lake is under great pressure from surrounding communities,

losing over 200 fish species to extinction in the past 50 years.

Nonetheless, some estimates cite the lake as the most

productive freshwater fishery in the world. Over 500,000 tons

of fish worth $400 million are pulled from Lake

Victoria’s waters annually.

LAKE SUPERIOR

31,700 MI²

Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes by both

volume and surface area. The 1970’s saw major eutrophication

(the generally unintentional introduction of chemicals and

fertilizers which lead to algal blooms and other effects which

can choke an ecosystem) which dramatically reduced water

quality. In recent years, the lake has been one of the most

rapidly warming lakes on Earth and is in great danger

with the loss of most (79%) of its ice.

CASPIAN SEA

143,200 MI²

Despite its name, the Caspian Sea is the largest lake in the

world by area (and is one of a few ancient lakes on Earth

which have been around for millions of years). Bordered by

Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan,

the Caspian Sea is a salty lake, largely because it does not

eventually drain into the ocean. Thus, minerals are left behind

when the water evaporates, making it saltier. The Caspian Sea

is so large that its length is almost equivalent to twice the

length of the U.S. state of Florida.