What are the names of lakes? Some of the most visited lakes in the world. TOP Russian lakes with unusual names
Russia is a country with rich and unique natural resources, it has something to surprise and amaze: with forests, rivers, fields, and of course its lakes too, which are also called “the blue eyes of our planet,” which is undoubtedly very beautiful and poetic. On its territory Russian Federation There are about two million lakes, their total area is 350 thousand km 2, the volume of water in all lakes is more than 26 thousand m 3. Most of the lakes are of glacial origin.
Large lakes of Russia
The largest lakes located in the European part of Russia are Onega, Ladoga, Chudsko-Pskovskoye, Ilmen, great amount lakes in the “lake region” of the Republic of Karelia.
Lakes of the Asian part of Russia - the Caspian Sea-lake, Baikal, the most northern lake Russia's Taimyr, Far Eastern Lake Khanka and salt lake Chany in southwestern Siberia.
The Caspian Lake is the largest closed, closed reservoir on Earth, its area is 371 thousand km 2, and its level is 28 meters below sea level (in Russia this is the Baltic Sea). Due to the large size and specific structure of the bed (it contains the oceanic crust), it is also called the sea. The conventional border between Europe and Asia runs along its surface; it washes the shores of Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Iran. The Russian Caspian region is the territory of the Republic of Dagestan, Kalmykia, Astrakhan region(northern and northwestern part of the Caspian Sea)...
Lake Baikal is one of the most picturesque places in our country, it is the deepest lake on the planet; huge reserves of fresh water are stored here - 85% of all Russian reserves and 22% of the world's. Its area is 31.7 thousand km 2, length - 636 km, width 48 km, maximum depth indicators - 1637 m. Baikal - ancient lake, it is about 30 million years old, its basin is located in a rift basin, its water is particularly clean and transparent, the area around the lake (mountains, hills, dense deciduous forests) is uniquely picturesque...
Northern and East Coast Lake Ladoga is located on the territory of the Republic of Karelia, southern and western - Leningrad region. Its area together with the islands is 18.3 thousand km 2, this is the largest freshwater lake Europe. Has access to Atlantic Ocean, more than 40 rivers and lakes flow into it, the Neva River flows out (it flows into The Gulf of Finland Baltic Sea, which is part of the Atlantic). In the southern part there are three large bays, big cities on its coast - Priozersk, Shlisselburg, Novaya Ladoga (Leningrad region), Sortavala, Lakhdenpokhya (Karelia)...
Lake Onega is located in the north-west of Russia, 80% of it is located on the territory of the Republic of Karelia, 20% - in the Leningrad and Vologda regions. Its area together with the islands is 9.7 thousand km 2, it is the second largest freshwater lake in Europe. The lake basin is located at the junction of the Baltic Shield and the Russian Platform. About 50 rivers carry their waters into the lake, only one flows out - the Svir. Kondopoga, Petrozavodsk, Medvezhyegorsk (Republic of Karelia) were built on its banks...
Lake Taimyr with an area of 4.5 thousand km2 is called the “northern brother” of Baikal, because it is the second largest in area fresh lake in the Asian part of Russia. It is located on the Taimyr Peninsula in the Krasnoyarsk Territory of the Russian Federation. The lake is located beyond the Arctic Circle, its surface is covered with ice from September to July. The Upper Taimyr flows into it, and the Lower Taimyr (Kara Sea basin) flows out...
- a body of water formed on the surface of the land in a natural depression. Since the lake does not have a direct connection with the ocean, it is a body of slow water exchange.
Total area of lakes globe- about 2.7 million km 3, which is 1.8% of the land surface.
Main characteristics of the lake:
- lake area - water surface area;
- length coastline - water edge length;
- lake length - the shortest distance between the two most distant points on the coastline, average width - area to length ratio;
- lake volume - volume of the basin filled with water;
- average depth - ratio of water mass volume to area;
- maximum depth - is found by direct measurements.
The largest lake on Earth by water surface area is the Caspian (376 thousand km 2 at a water level of 28 m), and the deepest is Baikal (1620 m).
The characteristics of the largest lakes in the world are given in table. 1.
Each lake has three interconnected components: basin, water mass, vegetation and animal world reservoir
Lakes of the world
By position In the lake basin, lakes are divided into above-ground and underground. The latter are sometimes filled with juvenile water. The subglacial lake in Antarctica can also be classified as an underground lake.
Lake basins could be like endogenous, so exogenous origin, which most significantly affects their size, shape, and water regime.
The largest lake basins. They can be located in tectonic depressions (Ilmen), in foothill and intermountain troughs, in grabens (Baikal, Nyasa, Tanganyika). Most large lake basins have a complex tectonic origin; both fault and fold movements are involved in their formation (Issyk-Kul, Balkhash, Victoria, etc.). All tectonic lakes are large in size, and most have significant depths and steep rocky slopes. The bottom of many deep lakes lie below the level of the World Ocean, and the mirror oxen lies above the level. Certain patterns are observed in the location of tectonic lakes: they are concentrated along faults in the earth’s crust or in rift zones (Syrian-African, Baikal), or frame shields: along the Canadian shield are located the Great Bear Lake, the Great Slave Lake, the Great North American Lakes, along the Baltic Shield — Onega, Ladoga, etc.
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Lake name |
Maximum surface area, thousand km 2 |
Altitude above sea level, m |
Maximum depth, m |
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Caspian Sea |
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North America |
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Victoria |
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North America |
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North America |
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Aral Sea |
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Tanganyika |
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Nyasa (Malawi) |
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Big Bear |
North America |
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Great Slave |
North America |
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North America |
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Winnipeg |
North America |
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North America |
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Ladoga |
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Maracaibo |
South America |
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Bangweulu |
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Onega |
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Tonle Sap |
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Nicaragua |
North America |
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Titicaca |
South America |
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Athabasca |
North America |
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North America |
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Issyk-Kul |
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Bolshoye Solenoye |
North America |
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Australia |
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Volcanic lakes occupy craters and calderas extinct volcanoes(Kronopkoye Lake in Kamchatka, lakes in Java, New Zealand).
Along with lake basins created by internal processes of the Earth, there are very numerous lake baths formed due to exogenous processes.
Among them the most common glacial lakes on the plains and in the mountains, located both in basins plowed by glaciers and in depressions between hills with uneven deposition of moraine. The lakes of Karelia and Finland owe their origin to the destructive activity of ancient glaciers, which are elongated in the direction of glacier movement from northwest to southeast along tectonic cracks. In fact, Ladoga, Onega and other lakes have a mixed glacial-tectonic origin. Glacial basins in the mountains include numerous, but small carts lakes located in bowl-shaped depressions on mountain slopes below the snow line (in the Alps, Caucasus, Altai), and trogous lakes - in trough-shaped glacial valleys in the mountains.
The uneven accumulation of glacial deposits on the plains is associated with lakes among hilly and moraine terrain: in the north-west of the East European Plain, especially in the Valdai Upland, in the Baltic states, Poland, Germany, Canada and the northern USA. These lakes are usually shallow, wide, with lobed shores, with islands (Seliger, Valdai, etc.). In the mountains, such lakes arose on the site of former glacier tongues (Como, Garda, Würm in the Alps). In areas of ancient glaciations, there are numerous lakes in the hollows of the runoff of melted glacial waters; they are elongated, trough-shaped, usually small and shallow (for example, Dolgoe, Krugloe - near Moscow).
Karst lakes form at leaching sites rocks groundwater and partly surface water. They are deep, but small, often round in shape (in the Crimea, the Caucasus, in the Dinaric and other mountainous regions).
Suffosion lakes are formed in basins of subsidence origin at the site of intensive removal of fine earth and mineral particles by groundwater (southern Western Siberia).
Thermokarst Lakes appear when permafrost soil melts or ice melts. Thanks to them, the Kolyma Lowland is one of the most lake regions in Russia. Many relict thermokarst lake basins are located in the north-west of the East European Plain in the former periglacial zone.
Aeolian lakes arise in blowing basins (Lake Teke in Kazakhstan).
Zaprudnye lakes are formed in the mountains, often after earthquakes, as a result of landslides and landslides blocking river valleys (Lake Sarez in the Murghab valley in the Pamirs).
In the valleys of lowland rivers, the most numerous are floodplain oxbow lakes of a characteristic horseshoe shape, formed as a result of meandering of rivers and subsequent straightening of channels; when rivers dry up, river lakes are formed in bochagas - reaches; in river deltas there are small ilmen lakes, in place of channels, often overgrown with reeds and reeds (ilmen lakes of the Volga delta, lakes of the Kuban flood plains).
On the low-lying coasts of the seas, coastal lakes are typical in place of estuaries and lagoons, if the latter are separated from the sea by sandy alluvial bridges: spits, bars.
A special type is organogenic lakes among swamps and coral buildings.
These are the main genetic types of lake basins, determined by natural processes. Their location on the continents is presented in Table. 2. But recently, more and more “man-made” lakes created by man have appeared - so-called anthropogenic lakes: lakes - reservoirs on rivers, lakes - ponds in quarries, in salt mines, on the site of peat mining.
By genesis of water masses There are two types of lakes. Some have water of atmospheric origin: precipitation, river and groundwater. Such lakes fresh, although in dry climates they may eventually become salty.
Other lakes were part of the World Ocean - these are relict salty lakes (Caspian, Aral). But even in such lakes, primary sea water can be greatly transformed and even completely displaced and replaced by atmospheric waters (Ladozhskoye, etc.).
Table 2. Distribution of the main genetic groups of lakes by continent and part of the world
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Genetic groups of lakes |
Continents and parts of the world |
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Western Europe |
Foreign Asia |
North America |
South America |
Australia |
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Glacial |
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Glacial-tectonic |
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Tectonic |
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Volcanic |
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Karst |
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Residual |
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Lagoon |
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Floodplain |
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Depending from water balance, t.s. According to the conditions of inflow and outflow, lakes are divided into drainage and drainageless. Lakes that discharge part of their waters in the form of river runoff - sewage; a special case of them are flowing lakes. Many rivers can flow into the lake, but only one flows out (the Angara from Lake Baikal, the Neva from Lake Ladoga, etc.). Lakes that do not drain into the World Ocean - drainless(Caspian, Aral, Bolshoye Solenoye). The water level in such lakes is subject to fluctuations of varying duration, which is primarily due to long-term and seasonal climate changes. At the same time, the morphometric characteristics of lakes and the properties of water masses change. This is especially noticeable on lakes in arid regions, which promise long cycles of climate moisture and aridity.
Lake waters like others natural waters, are characterized by different chemical composition and varying degrees of mineralization.
Based on the composition of salts in the water, lakes are divided into three types: carbonate, sulfate, and chloride.
By degree of mineralization lakes are divided into fresh(less than 1%o), brackish(1-24.7%c), salty(24.7-47%o) and mineral(more than 47%c). An example of a fresh lake is Baikal, the salinity of which is 0.1%, brackish - Caspian sea water - 12-13%, Bolshoye Solenoye - 137-300%, Dead Sea - 260-270%, in some years - up to 310%c.
The distribution of lakes with varying degrees of mineralization on the earth's surface shows geographic zonality, determined by the moisture coefficient. In addition, those lakes into which rivers flow are characterized by low salinity.
However, the degree of mineralization can vary within the same lake. For example, in the closed lake Balkhash, located in an arid zone, in the western part, where the river flows. Or, the water is fresh, but in the eastern part, which is connected to the western part only by a narrow (4 km) shallow strait, the water is brackish.
When lakes become oversaturated, salts begin to precipitate from the brine and crystallize. Such mineral lakes are called self-planting(for example, Elton, Baskunchak). Mineral Lakes, in which lamellar fine needles are deposited, are known as mud.
Plays an important role in the life of lakes thermal regime.
Freshwater lakes in the hot thermal zone are characterized by the warmest water at the surface, which gradually decreases with depth. This temperature distribution over depth is called direct thermal stratification. Lakes in the cold thermal zone have the coldest (about 0 °C) and lightest water at the top almost all year round; With depth, the water temperature increases (up to 4°C), the water becomes denser and heavier. This temperature distribution over depth is called reverse thermal stratification. Lakes in the temperate thermal zone have variable stratification by season: direct in summer, reverse in winter. In spring and autumn there come moments when the vertical temperature is the same (4 °C) at different depths. The phenomenon of constant temperature over depth is called homothermy(spring and autumn).
The annual thermal cycle in temperate lakes is divided into four periods: spring heating (from 0 to 4 °C) is due to convective mixing; summer heating (from 4 °C to maximum temperature) - by molecular thermal conductivity; autumn cooling (from maximum temperature to 4 °C) - by convective mixing; winter cooling (from 4 to 0 °C) - again by molecular thermal conductivity.
IN winter period Freezing lakes have the same three phases as rivers: freezing, freezing, opening. The process of ice formation and melting is similar to rivers. Lakes are generally covered with ice for 2-3 weeks longer than rivers in the region. The thermal regime of freezing salt lakes resembles that of seas and oceans.
Dynamic phenomena in lakes include currents, waves and seiches. Discharge currents occur when a river flows into a lake and water flows out of the lake into the river. In flowing lakes they can be traced throughout the entire water area of the lake, in non-flowing lakes - in areas adjacent to the mouth or source of the river.
The height of the waves on the lake is less, but the steepness is greater compared to the seas and oceans.
The movement of water in lakes, along with dense convection, contributes to the mixing of water, the penetration of oxygen into the lower layers, and the uniform distribution of nutrients, which is important for very various inhabitants lakes
By nutritional properties of water mass and the conditions for the development of life, lakes are divided into three biological types: oligotrophic, eutrophic, dystrophic.
Oligotrophic- low-nutrient lakes. These are large, deep, transparent lakes with greenish-blue water, rich in oxygen, so organic residues are intensively mineralized. Due to the small amount of nutrients, they are poor in plankton. Life is not rich, but there are fish and crustaceans. These are many mountain lakes, Baikal, Geneva, etc.
Eutrophic the lakes have a high content of nutrients, especially nitrogen and phosphorus compounds, are shallow (up to 1015 m), well heated, with brownish-green water. The oxygen content decreases with depth, which is why fish and other animals die in winter. The bottom is peaty or muddy with an abundance of organic residues. In summer there is a “blooming” of water due to the strong development of phytoplankton. The lakes have a rich flora and fauna. They are most common in forest-steppe and steppe zones.
Dystrophic the lakes are poor in nutrients and oxygen and are shallow. The water in them is acidic, slightly transparent, and brown due to the abundance of humic acids. The bottom is peaty, there is little phytoplankton and higher aquatic vegetation, as well as animals. These lakes are common in heavily swampy areas.
In the last decade, due to the increased supply of phosphorus and nitrogen compounds from fields, as well as the discharge of wastewater from some industrial enterprises, eutrophication of lakes has been observed. The first sign of this unfavorable phenomenon is a strong bloom of blue-green algae, then the amount of oxygen in the reservoir decreases, silt forms, and hydrogen sulfide appears. All this will create unfavorable living conditions for fish, waterfowl, etc.
Evolution of lakes occurs in different ways in humid and dry climates: in the first case, they gradually turn into swamps, in the second - into salt marshes.
In a humid (humid) climate, the leading role in filling the lake and turning it into a swamp belongs to vegetation, partly to the remains of the animal population, which together form organic remains. Temporary streams and rivers bring mineral deposits. Small lakes with gentle shores are overgrown by pushing vegetation ecological zones from the periphery to the center. Eventually the lake becomes a grassy, low-lying marsh.
Deep lakes with steep banks overgrow differently: by growing from above alloys(swell) - a layer of living and dead plants. It is based on plants with long rhizomes (cinquefoil, cinquefoil, whitewing), and other herbaceous plants and even shrubs (alder, willow) settle on the network of rhizomes. The float first appears on the shores, protected from the wind, where there is no waves, and gradually advances onto the lake, increasing in power. Some plants die and fall to the bottom, forming peat. Gradually, only “windows” of water remain in the ravine, and then they disappear, although the basin is not yet filled with sediments, and only over time the raft closes with the peat layer.
In dry climates, lakes eventually become salt marshes. This is facilitated by an insignificant amount of precipitation, intense evaporation, a decrease in the influx of river water, and the deposition of solid sediments brought by rivers and dust storms. As a result, the water mass of the lake decreases, the level decreases, the area decreases, the concentration of salts increases, and even a fresh lake can first turn into a salt lake (Bolshoy Salt Lake V North America), and then into the salt marsh.
Lakes, especially large ones, have a softening effect on the climate of the surrounding areas: they are warmer in winter and cooler in summer. Thus, at coastal weather stations near Lake Baikal the temperature in winter is 8-10 °C higher, and in summer by 6-8 °C lower than at stations outside the influence of the lake. Air humidity near the lake is higher due to increased evaporation.
Many consider the most beautiful lakes those that are located nearby and are familiar from childhood. Some people prefer ponds where the whole family goes on vacation year after year. However, there are lakes on Earth that attract tourists from all over the world. These are real miracles of nature, legends about which began to be composed back in time immemorial.
Baikal
Lake Baikal in winter
It is customary to talk about the largest lake on the planet in superlatives. Baikal is called the most beautiful and majestic lake on Earth. There are many poems, fairy tales and legends written about him. Baikal water is so clear that objects lying at a depth of 40 m can be seen through it.
Exactly this deep lake in the world. It was formed in a tectonic depression, so the maximum depth reaches 1642 m. Almost 20% of the world's fresh water is stored in the huge bowl.
Seismic activity in the Baikal region is very high, and several earthquakes occur a year in the vicinity of the giant reservoir. However, they are so small that most tremors are detected only by highly sensitive equipment.
Loch Ness
Ruins of Urquhart Castle on the shores of Loch Ness The most mysterious lake
planet attracts tourists with legends about the monster living here. It is interesting that legends about him appeared among the ancient Celts. Every year, more than half a million travelers from all over the world rush to the shores of a Scottish reservoir to see the mysterious lake monster Nessie.
Like Baikal for Russia, Loch Ness is the largest reservoir of fresh water in the UK. The water of Loch Ness contains a lot of suspended peat, so it is not transparent and does not allow video recording at depth.
Como Yachts in the background Alpine mountains
on Lake Como The natural pearl of Italy is recognized as one of the deepest lakes in the Old World. The maximum depth of Como reaches 410 m. Tourists come here to spend time among the stunning beautiful nature
and breathe the clean air of the alpine foothills.
Picturesque slopes protect the reservoir from cold winds, so Como has a mild climate. Since the 19th century, the Italian lake has become a favorite vacation spot for Europeans. It is considered a real paradise for swimmers. From May until the end of October, the temperature of the lake water does not drop below +24°C.
Plitvice Lakes
Plitvice Lakes National Park Popular national park in Croatia includes not one, but 16 large lakes, located in a picturesque cascade with a height difference of 130 m. The shores of these lakes are overgrown with beech and pine forests and attract travelers with ancient karst caves
and beautiful waterfalls.
View of Chicago from Lake Michigan
The largest freshwater lake in the USA has an area of 57.75 thousand square meters. km. It is part of the Great Lakes system and is connected by straits to Lake Hudson and the majestic Mississippi River. The name "Michigan" was given to the lake by local Indians. Translated from one of their dialects, it means “big water.”
In the first half of the 20th century, industrial cities grew on the shores of the lake. Harmful chemical discharges nearly destroyed Michigan's natural environment. However, in the 1960s, environmentalists sounded the alarm, and the lake water was saved. Today, fishing enthusiasts come to Michigan. Salmon, pike perch, trout, salmon, carp and perch are caught in the lake. In addition, there are about 30 beaches covered with pure white sand scattered along the shores of Michigan.
Issyk-Kul
Lake Issyk-Kul against the backdrop of mountains
The largest lake in Kyrgyzstan is one of the largest alpine lakes in the world - it lies at an altitude of 1609 m. In terms of transparency, Issyk-Kul is second only to Baikal. Mild winters and a large amount of heat accumulated over the summer prevent this lake from freezing. Thanks to the mild mountain-sea climate, the air in the lake basin is very clean, so many people come here to improve their health. Holidaymakers rush to Issyk-Kul to get a tan, because the sun shines over the Kyrgyz lake 300 days a year. Scenic Spots attract fans active rest- lovers of hiking and water tourism, skiers and fishermen.
Titicaca
Floating reed islands of the Uuru Indian tribes on Lake Titicaca
The mysterious lake, sacred to the indigenous peoples of the Andes, is located in beautiful mountains, on the border of Peru and Bolivia. According to legend, it is the cradle of Indian civilization. In ancient times, the lake lay at the level of the world's oceans, but over time, the spurs of the Andes grew, and together with the mountains, the reservoir rose to a height of 3812 m.
The narrow Strait of Tiquina divides it into two basins. There are many islands on Titicaca, and some of them are inhabited. Travelers choose this lake for its clear blue water, steep cliffs and islands covered with green forest.
Lake Geneva
Terraced vineyards of Lavaux on Lake Geneva
The largest in Western Europe The French call Lake Geneva Leman. Most of it belongs to Switzerland, and about 40% belongs to France. Lake Geneva looks like a crescent moon with its horns facing south. It appeared after the retreating glacier, and today it is divided into Big and Small lakes. The coast is surrounded by high green mountains, behind which peeps covered with snow. high peaks. From several points Lake Geneva There are excellent views of the majestic Mont Blanc.
Bled
Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary on Lake Bled
Lake Bled is known as the most beautiful natural attraction in Slovenia. It is located on the conventional border between Southern and Central Europe. Tourists come to the picturesque shores to admire the oldest Slovenian castle, which hangs on a steep cliff directly above the water. Another attraction of Lake Bled is the beautiful church perched on a small island.
Bled is very convenient to get to. The lake is located about 50 km from the capital of Slovenia - the city of Ljubljana.
Tacho
Emerald Bay in Lake Tahoe The shores of American Lake Tahoe have long become one of the main tourist centers California and Nevada. Coniferous forests, dominated by pines and firs, grow here in abundance, and numerous streams and channels attract large numbers of beavers to the Tahoe area. Many recreation centers have been built along the lake. Amateurs come here in summer beach holiday , fishing and aquatic species
sports, and in winter fans of alpine skiing come to Tahoe.
Jellyfish Lake
Golden and Moon jellyfish in Jellyfish Lake
One of the unique bodies of water on our planet is located on the Pacific archipelago, which is owned by the Republic of Palau. Jellyfish Lake measures 460 by 160 m and is separated from the ocean shore by a two-hundred-meter strip of land. About 2 million jellyfish live in its slightly salty waters! They have no natural enemies, so the huge population is actively breeding and thriving.
This is the only place on Earth where you can swim surrounded by a large number of jellyfish and not be afraid of their stings.
That is why many divers are in a hurry to get to this unusual body of water. The reason for such unusual behavior of jellyfish is their autonomous existence. Living in a closed reservoir, they switched to a different type of food and learned to “grow” symbiotic algae on themselves, and the previously poisonous tentacles stopped stinging.
Seliger Nilo-Stolobenskaya desert on Lake Seliger The long lake is often spoken of as the blue necklace of Central Russia. Seliger lies on the border of the Novgorod and Tver regions and at
How many lakes are there in Russia? It is still impossible to give an exact answer to this question today. Many, many – more than 2 million. Among them there are famous, great lakes - “the blue eyes of the planet.”
The deepest, and perhaps the most famous lake on the planet - Baikal. It could hold a hundred Seas of Azov, but the water of Baikal is fresh, and this is the special value of this huge natural reservoir. The maximum depth of the lake is 1637 meters, and under the water column there are huge bottom sediments, or so-called mountain ranges, whose height is about 7000 meters. On fine days the water is so clear that you can see the bottom at a depth of 40 meters. Baikal water - living water, since, thanks to phytoplankton, the maximum amount of oxygen is dissolved in it. Another of its properties is low temperature, which even in summer time no higher than +10 degrees. There is a legend that at the bottom of Lake Baikal there is a huge channel that connects the lake with the Arctic Ocean. Baikal is about 30 million years old, and there are no signs of aging. On the contrary, over the course of a year, the lake’s waters “conquer” about 2 centimeters from the land.
Caspian Sea
The largest closed lake on the planet is the Caspian Sea, although it did not get its name because of its impressive size (371,000 km?). The reason is that the bottom of the lake is oceanic type crust, and the salinity of its waters is high. The Volga, which flows into the Caspian Sea, dilutes its waters - 0.05% salt, but along the southeastern shores the salt content is 13%. The waters of the Caspian Sea wash the shores of five states at once: Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran. In the latter, these expanses of water are called differently - the Khazar or Mazandaran Sea. One of the mysteries of the Caspian Sea is the periodic fluctuation of water levels. Over the past three thousand years, the water level has changed by 15 meters, and these processes continue today. For example, from 1978 to 1995 the water level rose, from 1996 to 2001 it decreased, and then began to rise again. One of the reasons for the lake “disturbance” is possibly human activity. The Caspian Sea is known for its oil reserves, however, while gaining some wealth, we risk losing others. It is in these waters that most of the sturgeon stocks in the world are located. More than 90% of the sturgeon on the planet are caught in the Caspian Sea, and today the protection of the Caspian Lake is one of the main environmental tasks for Russia.
The largest freshwater body of water in Europe is Lake Ladoga, which is located in Karelia and the Leningrad region. 35 rivers flow into the lake, whose area is slightly more than 18,000 km2, and only the Neva, on which St. Petersburg stands, flows out. It was on Ladoga, thanks to the efforts of Peter I, that the Russian fleet was born. In addition, during the Second World War, the “Road of Life” passed along the ice of Lake Ladoga. Thanks to her besieged Leningrad food arrived, and about a million people were evacuated along it. In the northern part of the lake there are 500 of the 660 islands belonging to Ladoga. The Valaam archipelago, on which the ancient Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery is located, is especially famous. The harsh Lake Ladoga is often compared to the sea: winds often blow here, and if you swim to the middle of Ladoga, you will not be able to see the opposite shore.
Lake Ilmen is one of the symbols of Russian history, since the Slavs appeared in this region back in the 8th-9th centuries, at the time of the birth of the state of Rus'. Ilmen has been glorified in many tales, epics, poems and legends.
How Sadko went to Lake Ilmen,
Sat on a white-flammable stone
And he began to play spring goosebumps.
One of the largest lakes in the European part of Russia is located on the territory of the Pskov, Tver and Novgorod regions. Lake Ilmen was recognized natural monument Russia. Unfortunately, the life cycle of the lake is ending, and Ilmen is classified as a “dying lake.” Its waters are gradually becoming swampy, the amount of silt is increasing, and the lake itself is slowly but still becoming shallow.
Pskovsko-Chudskoye Lake
“The Battle of the Ice took place on the ice of Lake Peipsi in 1242” - we know about these events from the school curriculum, and it was thanks to them that Lake Peipus, as it is called today, became famous. But not everyone knows that in fact the battle took place on the shore, and not on the ice, and Nevsky’s army was driving the retreating knights across the frozen lake. This fact was established in 1959 by an expedition of the USSR Academy of Sciences. The same group also determined the exact location of the events - Lake Teploe, which, like Pskov, and also Lake Peipus is part of the Pskov-Chudskoye Lake. About 30 rivers flow into this lake complex, and only the Narva River flows out. Best time for a trip to the lake - the first or second Sunday of April, when reenactors gather at Chudskoye to recreate the events of the Battle of the Ice.
There are about 5 million lakes in the world, but we have only heard about a few of the largest ones. Do you think that Baikal is the most big lake in the world? In fact, Baikal takes only 7th place 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.
Great Slave Lake is the 10th largest lake in the world by area, and it is also the deepest lake in North America. Its depth is 614 meters. The dimensions of Great Slave Lake are 480 km long, 19-109 km wide, and an area of 28,930 square kilometers.
From October to June the lake is frozen; 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 by area. Lake Nyasa fills a crack in the earth's crust in the Great Rift Valley in East Africa, located between Mozambique and Tanzania. The length of the lake is 560 km, depth - 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. Great Bear Lake - 31,080 square kilometers. Canada.
Great Bear Lake is located 200 km south of the Arctic Circle in Canada. The lake ranks eighth in area in the world and fourth in North America. Dimensions of the lake: length - 320 km, width - 175 km, maximum depth - 446 m.
The lake has not much good story. Uranium was found here. It was from here that uranium was mined to make the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The lake is almost always covered with ice; 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 liquid fresh water reserves. Baikal is also considered one of the most clean 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, its age is more than 25 million years. 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 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 Africa's deepest tectonic basin and is part of the Congo River basin, 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 lake located entirely within the United States. Michigan is the fifth largest in the world and the third largest among 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 and Kenya. With 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 in three countries. A national park has been established 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 in honor of Queen Victoria by British traveler John Henning Speke in 1858.
No. 2. Lake Superior - 82,414 square kilometers. North America.
Lake Superior is the second largest in the world and the largest among 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.”
No. 1. Caspian Sea - 371,000 square kilometers. Europe Asia.
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth, which is classified as the largest lake or sea due to its size. Located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. Volume - 78,200 m3, length - 1200 km, width - 435 km, maximum depth - 1025 m. The length of the coastline of the Caspian Sea is approximately 6500 kilometers.
130 rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, the largest of them are the Volga, Terek, Sulak, Ural, Kura, Artek, etc. The Caspian Sea washes the shores of Kazakhstan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Russia, and Azerbaijan.
The origin of the lake is oceanic.
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