What lakes are there in our region? The largest and most beautiful lakes in Russia. Large lakes of Russia

Our Motherland - Russia is rich water resources. These include reserves of clean fresh water and vast salty seas and lakes. This article is dedicated to the largest lakes in Russia. There are a lot of them, we will highlight ten main ones. And if you are concerned about the question: what is the largest lake in Russia?, then by carefully studying this TOP, you will get the answer.

1. Caspian Sea

This lake is considered to be a sea because it has salty waters and is huge in size. It is the largest lake not only in Russia, but on the entire planet. There are five states 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 sq. km, and the maximum depth is 1025 meters. It bears its name as a legacy of ancient tribes - the Caspians, who lived in ancient times in the southwest of its coast.

2. Baikal

The second largest lake in Russia. This is the biggest freshwater lake. It is located in Eastern Siberia on the territory of Buryatia and Irkutsk region. Baikal is the most deep lake planets. Its maximum depth is 1640 meters. The area of this lake is more than 315,000 sq. km., it is the main reservoir of fresh water in Russia (90% of the total reserves). The Angara River flows out of Lake Baikal. The waters of this beautiful lake are clean and fresh. For now 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 flourishes on Lake Ladoga, which is facilitated by the abundance of different species of fish.

4. Lake Onega

Freshwater lake in Karelia, Leningrad and Vologda regions. Along its wide banks there are numerous monuments of Russian culture. The clear water of “Onego-father”, as it is lovingly called by the people, extends over 9616 sq. km and has a greatest depth of 127 meters. The Svir River flows out of the lake.

The lake is located on the territory Krasnoyarsk Territory for 4560 sq. km. it is located on the peninsula of the same name. Taimyr is the most northern lake Earth. The depth and width of the lake vary depending on ice density and time of year, but in general the most deep place– 26 meters. Mostly in Lake Taimyr there are arctic fish species adapted to survive in harsh cold conditions.

6. Khanka

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 countries so different from each other.
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 a greatest depth of 15 km. The Narva River originates from here.

8. Uvsu-Nur

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

9. Lake Chany

Salt Lake V Novosibirsk region. There is a legend that a huge snake lives in this lake and devours people. And what? There is plenty of room to wander around. After all, the area of this lake varies, reaching 2000 sq. km, and the depth in some places is 12 meters. And although perhaps these are fairy tales for tourists, the lake fascinates with its living beauty.

10. White Lake

The freshwater 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 White Lake is quite low and its average depth is 5-7 meters. The Sheksna River flows from its depths. The lake is rich in fish, and happy fishermen catch up to 30 different species of fish.

We have listed some of the many lakes located in our country. As you can see, Karelia is the richest area in Russia with lakes. 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! Some people call 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 appears again with a solemn appearance. A kind of “ghost”. In high water it reaches 0.5 sq. km. This is such an unusual lake.

This list of 50 stunningly beautiful lakes will undoubtedly add to your knowledge and broaden your horizons! This is a list of the world's most famous lakes, but some may be unfamiliar to you.

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

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 is located on the top of Mount Pinatubo, 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. This is an extremely shallow lake with an average depth of 50 cm.

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

Spotted Lake or Kliluk (Spotted Lake), Canada
In Osoyoos, British Columbia, a natural phenomenon, a 38-acre lake that has one of the highest concentrations of minerals in the world.

Dead Sea, Jordan /
The name can be deceiving - in fact, it is the world's deepest hypermineralized lake. It has a salt concentration 8 times greater than the ocean, making it extremely difficult to drown in.

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

Riffelsee, Switzerland
Riffelsee is an incredible sight of mirror surface with the Matterhorn mountain in the background.

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

Lake Solbjornvannet, Norway

Mirror Lake, California - Mirror Lake - a small, seasonal lake near Tenaya Creek Canyon in the 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), Wuhua 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 of 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. Africa's second deepest lake, this tropical reservoir has more species of fish than any other lake on Earth.

Lake Louise, Canada - Lake Louise, Canada

Lake Isabella, Colorado - Lake Isabelle, Colorado
Popular tourist destination, Lake Isabelle has incredible views of the Navajo and Apache peaks.

Crater Lake, Oregon - Crater Lake, Oregon

Barclay Lake, Washington State - Barclay Lake, Washington

Mono Lake, California - Mono Lake
This shallow lake in the Mono County California 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. This is a limestone cave in Guangxi, China. More than 180 million years old. Since the 1940s, it has become famous throughout the world due to the colorful caves around the lake.

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

Loch Ness(Loch Ness, Scotland) Scotland. Loch Ness (Gaelic: Loch Niche) is the second largest Scottish lake by surface area after Loch Lomond, but due to its great depth, it is Scotland's largest lake by volume of water. The deep, freshwater Loch in Scotland lies approximately 23 miles (37 km) southwest of Inverness. The lake is famous for its Loch Ness monster. Also of interest to tourists is Urquhart Castle east of Drumnadrochit, the lighthouses at Lochend (Bona Lighthouse) and Fort Augusta.

Okanagan Lake is a 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 Demon of Lake Ogopogo or Naitaka, and the famous terraces that were formed by the periodic lowering of its predecessor, glacial Lake Penticton. The maximum depth of the lake is 232 m in the area of Grant Island (called "Whiskey Island" or "Seagull Island" by locals)

Lake Labynkyr(Labynkyr Lake), Yakutia
This mystical lake is located near the Pole of Cold in 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 an Even caravan.

Kanas Lake(pinyin: Kanasi Hu) is a crescent-shaped lake in Altai Prefecture, 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 period, as a result of glacier movement. The Kanas River, flowing from 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. Occasionally mysterious lake makes some strange sounds, and sometimes you can see signs of ripples, as if a huge creature is drifting inside the lake. Local residents 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 or flows into the lake.

Aral Sea(Kazakh: Aral Tenizi; Mongolian: Aral tengis; Tajik: Bakhri Aral; Persian: دریای خوارزم Daryâ- you Khârazm) was a closed lake between Kazakhstan in the north and Uzbekistan in the south. The name roughly translates to “sea of islands” (more than 1,100 islands were scattered across its waters). The catchment covers parts of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.
Formerly one of the four largest lakes in the world, with an area of 68,000 km 2 (26,300 sq mi), the Aral Sea has been steadily shrinking since 1960 after the rivers that fed the lake were redirected through Soviet irrigation projects. The drying up of the Aral Sea has been called "one of the worst environmental disasters planets"

Lake Storshen(Swedish pronunciation: Storsjön, lit. "Great Lake") is the fifth largest lake in Sweden, located in the province of Jämtland (Jämtland). The Indalsälven river flows from Storsjön and the lake contains main island Frosson. The city of Östersund is on its east coast, opposite Frösön. Storsjön is considered the birthplace of 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 Ticonderoga. Lake Champlain offers cruises and ferries to Vermont and New York.

Lake Natron is saline and soda lake in the Arusha region of northern Tanzania. The lake is located near the Kenyan border in the Eastern Rift Branch of the East African Wetlands of International Importance. Lake Natron is a basin of the Ramsar Valley, fed mainly by central Kenya's rivers and hot springs. The unusual color of the water is created by cyanobacteria. Due to high evaporation, salt-loving microorganisms begin to flourish.

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

Lake Lucerne- among the most beautiful lakes In Switzerland, it stands out for its amazing panorama of the snow-capped peaks of the Alps, such as the Eiger and Jungfrau. The lake is lined with vintage steamboats that have been sailing here since the 1800s. In spring, the Lake Lucerne basin is fed by Mineralbad streams from the top of Mount Rigi.

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

Lake Como, Italy - just 45 minutes from vibrant Milan. Lake Como is one of the favorite vacation spots of the rich and famous.

Lake Bled- one of the most charming attractions 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 in the Ukrainian Carpathians. The lake is located in the Gorgany mountain range, in the upper reaches of the Terebli River. The lake has its own beautiful legend about lovers.

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

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

About tourism

TOP Russian lakes With unusual names

Russia can be confidently called lake district. Of course, there are countries with a large number of freshwater bodies of water, but for a Russian person nothing can be more beautiful than their native expanses. In addition, almost all of our lakes have original, distinctive names.

"Gechepsin". This lake is located in the Crimean region Krasnodar region, in the Lefkadia valley. Translated from Adyghe, this reservoir is called “a well, the water in which is suitable for washing.” Why this name was chosen - history is silent. We can only make assumptions. Thus, the water in the lake could be soft and clean, or “Gechepsin” was specially created for various bathing procedures.

« Dead Lake». In the southern part of Eastern Siberia, next to Lake Baikal, the Dead Lake is located. This is a reservoir with clean water, but no one swims there, because it is mostly swampy, and its banks are mostly peaty and unsteady. This lake also has another name - “ Warm lake" It's all about the gas, the bubbles of which rise from the bottom to the surface.

"Stink Lake"“Smerdyache Lake” is located in the Shatursky district of the Moscow region. The reservoir got its name from the characteristic smell of hydrogen sulfide. In 1985, a hypothesis was put forward about the meteorite origin of the lake, which was later confirmed. According to scientists, the meteorite that formed the “Smerdyache Lake” collided with the Earth about 10 thousand years ago.

"Svetloyar". To see Lake Svetloyar, you need to get to the Voskresensky district Nizhny Novgorod region. According to legend, it is under the water of this reservoir that the magical city of Kitezh is hidden. Only righteous people, bright people, are worthy to hear this holy city. They say that from the bottom of the Svetloyar a roar is sometimes heard, similar to the ringing of bells.

"Tsagan-Khag". This lake is located in the Republic of Kalmykia. Its name is translated from Kalmyk as “white silt”. Most likely, there is no legend here, just observations. “Tsagan-Khag” is located on a salt marsh area and periodically dries out. It is during these periods that white salt forms on the surface of the reservoir, which in ancient times was most likely mistaken for silt.

Lake "Boiling" On Sakhalin, on the island of Kunashir, there is Lake Boiling. According to legend, this reservoir was formed as a result of a volcanic explosion. The lake received its name “Boiling” due to the fact that its water is heated by volcanic gases. Here you can often observe volley emissions of boiling water, echoed by jets of sulfur and hydrogen sulfide gases.

"Bottomless Lake" It would seem that there is nothing easier than measuring the depth of the lake. However, this is not the case with the Bottomless Lake, the depth of which is still unknown. Hence the name. This reservoir is located in the Moscow region, near the Vertlinskoe highway. Another feature of the “Bottomless Lake” is that it does not have solid shores (you can swim only from the pier), but, nevertheless, it never changes its round shape.

When we all hear the word “lake,” we imagine some quiet body of water surrounded by a visible shore line. There will be no such lakes in this article. Have you ever heard of lakes that are subject to storm surges and are larger than some seas?

I present to your attention a selection of “the largest lakes in the world”, which includes the 10 most large lakes. Read, rate, leave comments and feedback in discussions.

Sasha Mitrakhovich 22.03.2016 15:06

The largest lake in the world- Caspian Sea.

The Caspian Sea tops the ranking - despite the fact that it is called a sea, in fact it is the largest endorheic lake on the planet. It is located at the junction of Europe and Asia, and is called a sea only because of its size. The Caspian Sea is an endorheic lake, and the water in it is salty, from 0.05 ‰ near the mouth of the Volga to 11-13 ‰ in the southeast.

The Caspian Sea is shaped like the Latin letter S, its length from north to south is approximately 1200 kilometers, from west to east - from 195 to 435 kilometers, on average 310-320 kilometers.

The Caspian Sea is conventionally divided according to physical and geographical conditions into 3 parts - the Northern Caspian, the Middle Caspian and the Southern Caspian. The conditional border between the Northern and Middle Caspian Seas runs along the line Chechen (island) - Tyub-Karagansky Cape, between the Middle and Southern Caspian Seas - along the line Zhilaya (island) - Gan-Gulu (cape). The area of the Northern, Middle and Southern Caspian is respectively 25, 36, 39 percent of total area Caspian Sea.

Length coastline The Caspian Sea is estimated at approximately 6500 - 6700 kilometers, with islands - up to 7000 kilometers. The shores of the Caspian Sea in most of its territory are low-lying and smooth. In the northern part, the coastline is indented by water channels and islands of the Volga and Ural deltas, the banks are low and swampy, and the water surface in many places is covered with thickets.

On east coast Limestone coasts predominate, adjacent to semi-deserts and deserts. The most winding shores are on the western coast in the area of the Absheron Peninsula and on the eastern coast in the area of the Kazakh Gulf and Kara-Bogaz-Gol.

The territory adjacent to the Caspian Sea is called the Caspian region.

Area and volume of water Caspian Sea varies significantly depending on fluctuations in water level. At a water level of 26.75 m, the area is approximately 371,000 km square kilometers, the volume of water is 78,648 cubic kilometers, which is approximately 44 percent of the world's lake water reserves. The maximum depth of the Caspian Sea is in the South Caspian depression, 1025 meters from its surface level. In terms of maximum depth, the Caspian Sea is second only to Baikal (1620 m) and Tanganyika (1435 m). The average depth of the Caspian Sea is 208 meters. In the same time Northern part The Caspian Sea is shallow, its maximum depth does not exceed 25 meters, and the average depth is 4 meters.

Sasha Mitrakhovich 22.03.2016 15:19

Confidently secured second place among lake superior- the largest, deepest and coldest of the Great Lakes and, concurrently, the largest freshwater lake in the world.

In the north, Lake Superior is bounded by the Canadian province of Ontario, in the west by the American state of Minnesota, and in the south by the states of Wisconsin and Michigan.

The basins of Lake Superior and the northern part of Lake Huron were developed in the crystalline rocks of the southern part of the Canadian Shield, the basins of the remaining lakes were developed in the limestone, dolomite and sandstone of the Paleozoic North American Platform. Basin Lake Superior formed as a result of tectonic movements, pre-glacial river and glacial erosion.

The origin of the water mass of Lake Superior is associated with the melting of the ice sheet, during the retreat of which a number of large lakes were formed in this area, which repeatedly changed their outlines.

In the northern part of the Great Lakes, the coastline is dissected, the islands and shores (up to 400 m high) are rocky, steep, very picturesque, especially the shores of Lake Superior and the northern part of Lake Huron.

Fluctuations in the level of Lake Superior are artificially regulated for the purposes of navigation, energy, etc. The amplitude of seasonal fluctuations is 30-60 cm, the most high level observed in summer, the lowest in winter. Short-term fluctuations in level caused by strong surge winds and seiches reach 3-4 m, tidal height is 3-4 cm

Sasha Mitrakhovich 22.03.2016 15:26

Rounding out the top three is Lake Victoria, a lake in East Africa, in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. Located in the tectonic trough of the East African Platform, at an altitude of 1134 m. It is the 2nd largest fresh lake world after Lake Superior and the largest lake in Africa

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

Square Lake Victoria 68 thousand square kilometers, length 320 km, maximum width 275 km. It is part of the Victoria Reservoir. Many islands. The high-water Kagera River flows in and the Victoria Nile River flows out. The lake is navigable, local residents They are engaged in fishing on it.

The northern coast of the lake crosses the equator. The lake, with a maximum depth of 80 m, is a fairly deep lake.

Unlike its deep-sea neighbors Tanganyika and Nyasa, which lie within the African gorge system, Lake Victoria fills the shallow depression between the eastern and western sides of the Great Gorge valley. The lake gets great amount water from rains, more than from all its tributaries.

30 million people live in the vicinity of the lake. On the southern and western shores of the lake live the Haya people, who knew how to grow coffee long before the arrival of Europeans. Main ports: Entebbe (Uganda), Mwanza, Bukoba (Tanzania), Kisumu (Kenya), near north coast Kampala, capital of Uganda.

Sasha Mitrakhovich 22.03.2016 15:30

Lake Huron is the fourth largest among. This lake is in the USA and Canada, one of the North American Great Lakes. Located east of the lake Michigan, connected to it by the Straits of Mackinac. From a hydrographic point of view, Michigan and Huron form a single system (they are connected by the Strait of Mackinac), but geographically they are considered to be separate lakes.

The area of Huron is about 59.6 thousand square kilometers (the second largest among the Great Lakes). The surface height above sea level is about 176 m (same as Michigan), the depth is up to 229 m.

The states of Michigan and the Canadian province of Ontario have access to the lake. The main ports on Huron are Saginaw, Bay City, Alpina (USA) and Sarnia (Canada).

The name of the lake, introduced by the French, comes from the name of the Huron Indian tribe. Manitoulin is located on Huron - the most big Island world, located in a fresh lake.

Sasha Mitrakhovich 22.03.2016 15:37

In the middle of the list, in 5th place among is lake michigan- one of the North American Great Lakes.

The only Great Lakes located entirely within the United States. Located south of Lake Superior, connected to Lake Huron by the Strait of Mackinac, with the Mississippi River system - the Chicago - Lockport Canal.

From a hydrographic point of view, Michigan and Huron form a single system, but geographically they are considered to be separate lakes.

Square Michigan- about 57,750 km2 (the third largest among the Great Lakes), length about 500 km, width about 190 km. The surface height above sea level is 177 m (same as Huron), the depth is up to 281 m. It is covered with ice for about four months a year. Islands - Beaver, North Manitou, South Manitou.

The states of Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin have access to the lake. Big cities on Lake Michigan include Chicago, Evanston and Highland Park (IL), Milwaukee and Green Bay (WI), and Gary and Hammond (IN).

The name of the lake comes from the word mishigami, meaning in the Ojibwa Indian language " big water" The first European to discover the lake was the Frenchman Jean Nicolet in 1634.

Sasha Mitrakhovich 22.03.2016 15:42

Sixth among is Aral Sea.

The Aral Sea is an endorheic salt lake in Central Asia, on the border of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Since the 1960s of the 20th century, sea level (and the volume of water in it) has been rapidly declining due to the withdrawal of water from the main feeding rivers Amu Darya and Syr Darya for irrigation purposes. Before the start of shallowing, the Aral Sea was the fourth largest lake in the world.

Collector-drainage waters flowing from the fields into the bed of the Syr Darya and Amu Darya have caused deposits of pesticides and various other agricultural pesticides, appearing in places on 54 thousand square kilometers of the former seabed covered with salt. Dust storms carry salt, dust and toxic chemicals up to 500 km. Sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride and sodium sulfate are airborne and kill or retard the development of natural vegetation and crops. The local population suffers from a high prevalence of respiratory diseases, anemia, cancer of the larynx and esophagus, and digestive disorders. Liver and kidney diseases and eye diseases have become more frequent.

In 2001, as a result of a drop in water level, Vozrozhdenie Island connected with the mainland. On this island, the Soviet Union tested bacteriological weapons: the causative agents of anthrax, tularemia, brucellosis, plague, typhoid, smallpox, as well as botulinum toxin were tested here on horses, monkeys, sheep, donkeys and other laboratory animals. This is the reason for fears that deadly microorganisms have remained viable, and infected rodents may spread them to other regions.

According to scientists' calculations, it is no longer possible to save the Aral Sea. Even if we completely abandon the intake of water from the Amu Darya and Syr Darya, the previous water level in it will be restored no earlier than in 200 years.

The Aral Sea once occupied 68 thousand square kilometers and was the fourth largest in area in the world. Now its area is about 10% of that recorded in the 60s of the last century. Photos from 1989 and 2003:

From the 1950s to the present, projects have been repeatedly proposed for the construction of a canal to transfer water from the Ob basin to the Aral Sea basin, which would significantly develop the economy of the Aral Sea region (in particular, Agriculture) and partially revive the Aral Sea. Such construction will require very large material costs (on the part of several states - Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan), so there is no talk yet about the practical implementation of these projects.

Some scientists predict Aral Sea complete disappearance by 2020...

Sasha Mitrakhovich 22.03.2016 15:47

Lake Tanganyika- a large lake in Central Africa. This is one of and equally ancient in origin. In terms of volume and depth, Tanganyika ranks second after Lake Baikal. The shores of the lake belong to four countries - Democratic Republic Congo, Tanzania, Zambia and Burundi.

The length of the lake is about 650 km, width is 40-80 km. Area 34 thousand sq. km. It lies at an altitude of 773 meters above sea level in the tectonic basin of the East African Rift Zone. Coastal landscapes, as a rule, consist of huge rocks and only on the eastern side the shores are gentle. On the west coast, the steep side walls of the East African Rift Zone that form the coastline reach 2000 m in height. The coastline is dotted with bays and bays. The largest of them is Burton Bay. The lake is fed by several tributaries. The only river that flows out is the Lukuga, which begins in the middle part of the west coast and flows west, connecting with the Zaire River, which flows into the Atlantic.

The lake is home to hippopotamuses, crocodiles, and many waterfowl. Fishing and shipping are well developed.

The antiquity of the lake and the long period of isolation resulted in the development of a large number of endemic organisms, including those from the family Cichlidae (cichlids). Of the more than 200 species of fish found in the lake, about 170 are endemic.

Tanganyika is inhabited to approximately a depth of 200 m; below this level there is a high concentration of hydrogen sulfide and there is no life until the very bottom. This layer of the lake is a huge “burial ground” consisting of organic silt and sedimentary mineral compounds.

The water temperature of Tanganyika varies strictly among layers. Thus, in the upper layer the temperature ranges from 24 to 30 degrees, with a decrease of great depths. Due to different densities of water and the absence of bottom current, the layers do not mix, and the temperature on the lower horizons reaches only 6-8 degrees.

The depth of the temperature jump layer is about 100 m. The water of Tanganika is very transparent (up to 30 m). Many salts are dissolved in it in small concentrations, so its composition resembles highly diluted sea salt. Water hardness (mainly caused by magnesium salts) ranges from 8 to 15 degrees. Water has an alkaline reaction, pH 8.0 - 9.5.

Caspian Sea- lake, the largest in the world in terms of area and volume of water. Its waters wash the shores of five states, including southern Russia. . The salinity of most of the sea-lake is approximately three times less than that of the ocean; in the northern part (the coast of Russia), the water in the lake is almost fresh. In this part of it, the lake is rich in fish, especially sturgeon: a total of 101 species of fish, as well as many freshwater fish - such as roach, carp, pike perch. The lake is the breadwinner!

The length of the coastline of the Caspian Sea is estimated at approximately 6500 - 6700 kilometers, with islands - up to 7000 kilometers.

130 rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, nine of them have a delta-shaped mouth. The largest rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea: Volga, Terek (Russia), Ural, Emba (Kazakhstan), Kura (Azerbaijan), Samur (Russian border with Azerbaijan), Atrek (Turkmenistan)

The most important dangers for the Caspian Sea are associated with water pollution as a result of oil production and transportation on the continental shelf, the flow of pollutants from the Volga and other rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea, the life of coastal cities, as well as the flooding of individual objects due to rising levels of the Caspian Sea .

Famous Lake Baikal- the largest freshwater lake in Eurasia. The deepest lake in the world is 1642 meters deep.

The water reserves in Baikal are simply gigantic - 23,615.39 km³ (about 19% of the world's lake fresh water reserves - all fresh lakes in the world contain 123 thousand km³ of water). In terms of water reserves, Baikal is second only to the Caspian Sea.

336 rivers and streams flow into Baikal

In winter, the surface of Lake Baikal freezes almost completely; there is only a small section 15-20 km long, located at the source of the Angara.

Lake Baikal is home to 2,630 species and varieties of plants and animals

Ladoga And Lake Onega- the largest in Europe.

Their waters flow into Lake Ladoga large rivers: Svir, Vuoksa and Volkhov, several dozen medium-sized rivers and more than a hundred small ones. Only one flows out of the lake - the Neva.

On Lake Ladoga- abundance of islands, the number of which exceeds 650

Lake Onega is one of the largest freshwater bodies of water in Europe. Its area is about 10,000 square kilometers, length up to 248 kilometers, width up to 80 kilometers. The average depth of the lake is 30 meters.

The lake is famous for its huge number of islands, especially in the northern part. Their total number reaches 1369

Lake Elton

Lake Elton is one of the most interesting natural sites in the territory Volgograd region. A salt lake of enormous size, comparable only to the Israeli one Dead Sea, located in the middle of the Pallasovskaya steppe.

Lake Elton appears to be the largest and richest of all known salt lakes in the world. The thickness of the salt layer has not yet been precisely determined. But the most important thing about Elton is his healing properties. Once upon a time there was even a Museum of Abandoned Crutches: people who came here on crutches returned home after a month or two, leaving their crutches in a local sanatorium

It has long been noticed that by the end of summer the surface of the lake turns a mysterious purple-golden color.

Lotus Lake

In Russia, lotuses grow in only two places - in Astrakhan region and in the Far East. Lotus Lake (or Goose Lake) is a unique body of water, covered with a carpet of rare pink flowers all summer. This lake is located on one of the most picturesque islands of Peter the Great Bay

A wonderful legend is told about the lake. As if there used to be a valley in its place where the village was located. There was a well in the middle of the village. One day, water began to flow from this well, which flooded the village. It is believed that the waters of Lake Baikal broke through, with which Gusinoye is connected by a huge underground canal. They say that even wrecks of ships that sank in Lake Baikal are found here. And the endemic omul is also found in Lotus Lake.

The most beautiful and amazing lakes, is not it?

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