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===Oceanic 'lakes'===
===Oceanic lakes===
The Caspian Sea is generally regarded as the world's largest lake, but it contains an [[oceanic basin]] (contiguous with the world ocean until 11 million years ago) rather than being entirely over continental crust.<ref>{{Cite web| last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Plume over the Caspian Sea | work = | publisher = NASA | date = | url = http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=8665 | doi = | accessdate = 2010-11-29}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Caspian Sea | work = | publisher = Britannica | date = | url = http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/98044/Caspian-Sea | doi = | accessdate = 2010-11-29}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Endorheic Lakes | work = | publisher = United Nations| date = | url = http://www.unep.or.jp/ietc/publications/short_series/lakereservoirs-2/10.asp| doi = | accessdate = 2010-11-29}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Titan's largest lake rivals Earth's Caspian Sea | work = | publisher = New Scientist| date = | url = http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn11271-titans-largest-lake-rivals-earths-caspian-sea.html| doi = | accessdate = 2010-11-29}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| last = DuMont | first = H.J. | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = The Caspian Lake: History, biota, structure, and function | work = | publisher = [[American Society of Limnology and Oceanography]]| date = | url = http://www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/127855.pdf| doi = | accessdate = 2010-11-29}}</ref><ref>''Planet Earth And the New Geoscience‎'' (2003:154). Victor Schmidt, William Harbert, University of Pittsburgh</ref>
The Caspian Sea is generally regarded as the world's largest lake, but it contains an [[oceanic basin]] (contiguous with the world ocean until 11 million years ago) rather than being entirely over continental crust.<ref>{{Cite web| last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Plume over the Caspian Sea | work = | publisher = NASA | date = | url = http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=8665 | doi = | accessdate = 2010-11-29}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Caspian Sea | work = | publisher = Britannica | date = | url = http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/98044/Caspian-Sea | doi = | accessdate = 2010-11-29}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Endorheic Lakes | work = | publisher = United Nations| date = | url = http://www.unep.or.jp/ietc/publications/short_series/lakereservoirs-2/10.asp| doi = | accessdate = 2010-11-29}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Titan's largest lake rivals Earth's Caspian Sea | work = | publisher = New Scientist| date = | url = http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn11271-titans-largest-lake-rivals-earths-caspian-sea.html| doi = | accessdate = 2010-11-29}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| last = DuMont | first = H.J. | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = The Caspian Lake: History, biota, structure, and function | work = | publisher = [[American Society of Limnology and Oceanography]]| date = | url = http://www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/127855.pdf| doi = | accessdate = 2010-11-29}}</ref><ref>''Planet Earth And the New Geoscience‎'' (2003:154). Victor Schmidt, William Harbert, University of Pittsburgh</ref>


Revision as of 11:47, 29 July 2012

This is a list of lakes with a surface area of more than 4,000 square kilometres (1,500 sq mi), ordered by area. This list does not include reservoirs and lagoons; if it did, Garabogazköl in Turkmenistan, Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela, and Lake Volta in Ghana would come in at numbers 15, 17, and 19.

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.

Stable lakes

Continent colour key
Africa Asia Europe North America Oceania South America Antarctica Other/None

Oceanic lakes

The Caspian Sea is generally regarded as the world's largest lake, but it contains an oceanic basin (contiguous with the world ocean until 11 million years ago) rather than being entirely over continental crust.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

  Name Countries with shoreline Area Length Maximum depth Water volume Thumbnail (same scale for all lakes) Notes
1 Caspian Sea*  Kazakhstan
 Turkmenistan
 Iran
 Azerbaijan
 Russia 		371,000 km2 (143,000 sq mi) 1,199 km (745 mi) 1,025 m (3,363 ft) 78,200 km3 (18,800 cu mi) Variously considered the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. Geologically, the south Caspian is a small ocean.[7][8]
*Not including Garabogazköl Aylagy.

Continental lakes

  Name Countries with shoreline Area Length Maximum depth Water volume Thumbnail (same scale for all lakes) Notes
2 Michigan-Huron  Canada
 United States 		117,702 km2 (45,445 sq mi) 710 km (440 mi) 282 m (925 ft) 8,458 km3 (2,029 cu mi) Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are hydrologically a single body of water. If counted separately, Huron and Michigan are the third and fourth largest freshwater lakes, respectively.
3 Superior  Canada
 United States 		82,414 km2 (31,820 sq mi) 616 km (383 mi) 406 m (1,332 ft) 12,100 km3 (2,900 cu mi) Is the largest freshwater lake in the world if Michigan-Huron is counted as two lakes.
4 Victoria  Uganda
 Kenya
 Tanzania 		69,485 km2 (26,828 sq mi) 322 km (200 mi) 84 m (276 ft) 2,750 km3 (660 cu mi) The largest lake in Africa; also the second largest freshwater lake in the world if Michigan-Huron is counted as two lakes.
5 Tanganyika  Burundi
 Tanzania
 Zambia
 Democratic Republic of the Congo 		32,893 km2 (12,700 sq mi) 676 km (420 mi) 1,470 m (4,820 ft) 18,900 km3 (4,500 cu mi) Second deepest lake in the world.
6 Baikal  Russia 31,500 km2 (12,200 sq mi) 636 km (395 mi) 1,637 m (5,371 ft) 23,600 km3 (5,700 cu mi) Deepest lake in the world. Largest volume fresh water lake in the world. Largest lake sharing a shoreline with a single country.
7 Great Bear Lake  Canada 31,080 km2 (12,000 sq mi) 373 km (232 mi) 446 m (1,463 ft) 2,236 km3 (536 cu mi) Largest lake entirely within Canada
8 Malawi  Tanzania
 Mozambique
 Malawi 		30,044 km2 (11,600 sq mi) 579 km (360 mi) 706 m (2,316 ft) 8,400 km3 (2,000 cu mi) Second deepest lake in Africa. It has more fish species than any other lake on Earth
9 Great Slave Lake  Canada 28,930 km2 (11,170 sq mi) 480 km (300 mi) 614 m (2,014 ft) 2,090 km3 (500 cu mi) Deepest lake in North America
10 Erie  Canada
 United States 		25,719 km2 (9,930 sq mi) 388 km (241 mi) 64 m (210 ft) 489 km3 (117 cu mi) Lake Erie is the shallowest of the Great Lakes
11 Winnipeg  Canada 23,553 km2 (9,094 sq mi) 425 km (264 mi) 36 m (118 ft) 283 km3 (68 cu mi) Located in Manitoba, it is the largest lake contained within a single province.
12 Ontario  Canada
 United States 		19,477 km2 (7,520 sq mi) 311 km (193 mi) 244 m (801 ft) 1,639 km3 (393 cu mi)
13 Balkhash*  Kazakhstan 18,428 km2 (7,115 sq mi) 605 km (376 mi) 26 m (85 ft) 106 km3 (25 cu mi) Largest lake in Central Asia
14 Ladoga  Russia 18,130 km2 (7,000 sq mi) 219 km (136 mi) 230 m (750 ft) 908 km3 (218 cu mi) Largest lake in Europe
15 Vostok Antarctic territory claimed by Australia 15,690 km2 (6,060 sq mi) 250 km (160 mi) 900–1,000 m (3,000–3,300 ft) 5,400 ± 1,600 km3 (1,300 ± 380 cu mi) Largest lake in Antarctica; also largest subglacial lake in the world.
17 Onega  Russia 9,891 km2 (3,819 sq mi) 248 km (154 mi) 120 m (390 ft) 280 km3 (67 cu mi) Second largest lake in Europe
18 Titicaca  Peru
 Bolivia 		8,135 km2 (3,141 sq mi) 177 km (110 mi) 281 m (922 ft) 893 km3 (214 cu mi) Largest lake in South America if Lake Maracaibo is discounted; at 3811 m, one of the highest navigable lakes in the world.
19 Nicaragua  Nicaragua 8,001 km2 (3,089 sq mi) 177 km (110 mi) 26 m (85 ft) 108 km3 (26 cu mi) Largest lake in Central America
20 Athabasca  Canada 7,920 km2 (3,060 sq mi) 335 km (208 mi) 243 m (797 ft) 204 km3 (49 cu mi) Largest Lake in Saskatchewan/Alberta
21 Taymyr  Russia 6,990 km2 (2,700 sq mi) 250 km (160 mi) 26 m (85 ft) 12.8 km3 (3.1 cu mi) Largest lake north of the Arctic Circle
22 Turkana*  Ethiopia
 Kenya 		6,405 km2 (2,473 sq mi) 248 km (154 mi) 109 m (358 ft) 204 km3 (49 cu mi) It is the world's largest permanent desert lake and the world's largest alkaline lake.
23 Reindeer Lake  Canada 6,330 km2 (2,440 sq mi) 245 km (152 mi) 337 m (1,106 ft)
24 Issyk-Kul*  Kyrgyzstan 6,200 km2 (2,400 sq mi) 182 km (113 mi) 668 m (2,192 ft) 1,738 km3 (417 cu mi)
25 Urmia*  Iran 6,001 km2 (2,317 sq mi) 130 km (81 mi) 16 m (52 ft) Largest lake in the Mid East
26 Vänern  Sweden 5,545 km2 (2,141 sq mi) 140 km (87 mi) 106 m (348 ft) 153 km3 (37 cu mi) The largest lake in the EU
27 Winnipegosis  Canada 5,403 km2 (2,086 sq mi) 245 km (152 mi) 18 m (59 ft)
28 Albert  Uganda
 Democratic Republic of the Congo 		5,299 km2 (2,046 sq mi) 161 km (100 mi) 58 m (190 ft) 280 km3 (67 cu mi)
29 Mweru  Zambia
 Democratic Republic of the Congo 		5,120 km2 (1,980 sq mi) 131 km (81 mi) 27 m (89 ft) 38 km3 (9.1 cu mi)
30 Nettilling  Canada 5,066 km2 (1,956 sq mi) 113 km (70 mi) 132 m (433 ft) On Baffin Island. Largest lake on an island.
32 Nipigon  Canada 4,843 km2 (1,870 sq mi) 116 km (72 mi) 165 m (541 ft) Largest lake entirely within the Canadian province of Ontario.
33 Manitoba  Canada 4,706 km2 (1,817 sq mi) 225 km (140 mi) 7 m (23 ft)
34 Great Salt Lake*  United States 4,662 km2 (1,800 sq mi) 121 km (75 mi) 10 m (33 ft) Largest lake entirely within the United States if Michigan-Huron is considered a single lake. Also the largest lake entirely within a single U.S. state.
35 Qinghai Lake*  China 4,489 km2 (1,733 sq mi) (2007) Largest lake in East Asia
36 Saimaa  Finland ≈ 4,400 km2 (1,700 sq mi) 82 m (269 ft) 36 km3 (8.6 cu mi) Numerous basins; 14,000 islands, shoreline 13,700 km (8,500 mi)
37 Lake of the Woods  Canada
 United States 		4,350 km2 (1,680 sq mi) 110 km (68 mi) 64 m (210 ft)
38 Khanka  China
 Russia 		4,190 km2 (1,620 sq mi) 10.6 m (35 ft)

* denotes saline lake.

Variable lakes

A large number of floodplains surpass 4000 km² during the wet season. These include Tonlé Sap in Cambodia (2,700 km², flooding to 16,000 km²), Lake Poyang (1000 km², flooding to 4400 km²) and Lake Dongting (2,820 km², flooding to 20,000 km²) in China, the Niger Inland Delta in Mali, the Sudd in South Sudan (up to 130,000 km²), the Okavango Delta in Botswana, the Pantanal in Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay, and stretches of the Amazon River. There are also a number of pluvial lakes which intermittently flood past 4000 km². In rainy years, these include the largest lakes in Australia, Lake Torrens (5,700 km² when full) and Lake Eyre (9500 km² when full).

In 1960, the Aral Sea was the world's fourth-largest lake at 68,000 km². By 2005 the it had split into the North Aral Sea and east and west basins of the South Aral Sea; the west basin was 3,500 km² and was expected to stabilize at 2,700–3,500 km². By 2009 the east basin had essentially dried up, though is has since been reflooded with melt water, and is expected to fluctuate for the foreseeable future.

Sarygamysh Lake between Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan expanded to ca 5000 km² after the turn of the century, but it is not yet clear how permanent this will be.

Largest by Continent/Geographical Area

Notes

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

  1. ^ "Plume over the Caspian Sea". NASA. Retrieved 2010-11-29. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  2. ^ "Caspian Sea". Britannica. Retrieved 2010-11-29. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  3. ^ "Endorheic Lakes". United Nations. Retrieved 2010-11-29. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  4. ^ "Titan's largest lake rivals Earth's Caspian Sea". New Scientist. Retrieved 2010-11-29. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  5. ^ DuMont, H.J. "The Caspian Lake: History, biota, structure, and function" (PDF). American Society of Limnology and Oceanography. Retrieved 2010-11-29. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  6. ^ Planet Earth And the New Geoscience‎ (2003:154). Victor Schmidt, William Harbert, University of Pittsburgh
  7. ^ DuMont, H.J. "The Caspian Lake: History, biota, structure, and function" (PDF). American Society of Limnology and Oceanography. Retrieved 2010-11-29. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  8. ^ Jan Golonka (2000) "Geodynamic Evolution of the South Caspian Basin". In Yilmaz, Isaksen, & AAP, eds., Oil and Gas of the Greater Caspian Area.

See also

Sources

  • Factmonster.com
  • van der Leeden, Troise, and Todd, eds., The Water Encyclopedia. Second Edition. Chelsea, MI: Lewis Publishers, 1990. pp. 198–200.
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