Lakes starting with the letter m around the world. Lakes of Russia. The deepest lake in Russia. Names of lakes in Russia. The largest lake in Russia. TOP Russian lakes with unusual names

- 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 bottoms of many deep lakes lie below the level of the World Ocean, and the surface of the lake 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.

Lake name	Maximum surface area, thousand km 2	Altitude above sea level, m	Maximum depth, m
Caspian Sea
				North America
Victoria
				North America
				North America
Aral Sea
Tanganyika

Nyasa (Malawi)
Big Bear				North America
Great Slave				North America
				North America

Winnipeg				North America

				North America
Ladoga
Maracaibo				South America
Bangweulu

Onega
Tonle Sap

Nicaragua				North America
Titicaca				South America
Athabasca				North America
				North America
Issyk-Kul
Bolshoye Solenoye				North America
				Australia

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

Genetic groups of lakes	Continents and parts of the world
Genetic groups of lakes	Western Europe	Foreign Asia	North America	South America	Australia
Glacial
Glacial-tectonic
Tectonic
Volcanic
Karst
Residual
Lagoon
Floodplain

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 tend to be 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, water blooms occur 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 salt concentration increases, and even fresh lake may first turn into salt Lake(Great Salt Lake in 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.

There are more than two million freshwater and salt lakes in Russia. The largest lakes in the European part of the country include Ladoga (17.87 thousand km²) and Onega (9.72 thousand km²) in the north-west, Lake Peipus (3.55 thousand km²) on the Estonian border, as well as the Rybinsk Reservoir ( 4.58 thousand km²) on the Volga north of Moscow.

Narrow lakes from 160 to 320 km in length, 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 570 km long Bratsk reservoir 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. 636 km long and with an average width of 50 km, Baikal's surface area is 31.72 thousand km² and its 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 Beloe (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 north-west of the country, and Lake Chany (1.4-2 thousand km²) in south-west 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 geographical location on the map of the country.

Caspian Sea

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

The Caspian Sea is rich in oil and natural gas deposits, but their extraction is under development. The extraction process is also 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 home to about 160 species and subspecies of fish from 60 genera. About 62% of species are endemic.

Baikal

Baikal is the deepest (1642 m), oldest (25-35 million years) and most voluminous (23.6 thousand km³) of all the lakes in the world, it is a superstar reservoir in the fields of hydrology, geology, ecology and history. Today Lake Baikal contains about 20 percent of the 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 in length (Olkhon Island).

The shores of the lake are home to more than 1,500 species of animals, 80% of which are found nowhere else on the planet. The most famous representative of the fauna of Lake Baikal 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 top positions of the Siberian food chain, feeding on deer, birds, rodents and smaller predators.

Ladoga lake

Ladoga lake- the biggest freshwater lake 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. Northern Shores mostly high and rocky, and separated 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 embankments covered with pine trees. The largest tributaries are the Volkhov, Svir and Vuoksa rivers.

48 different species of fish were 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 classified as important food fish.

Lake Ladoga also serves as a key stopover for migratory birds along the North Atlantic Flyway, which typically mark the arrival of spring.

Lake Onega

Lake Onega is the second largest lake in Europe, located in the north-west 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. Nai great depth is about 127 m.

The lake basin was formed by the movement of the earth's crust and glaciers. The high rocky shores in the north and northwest are composed of laminated granite and 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 more than 40 species of fish, including vendace (a small member of the salmon family), smelt, burbot bream, pike, perch, roach and salmon. Many fish species have significant economic value.

Taimyr

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

The lake and tundra zone is popular place for birds such as geese, swans, ducks, buzzards, peregrine falcons 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, stocks of certain commercial fish species are still being depleted.

Taimyr is famous for the largest population of reindeer in Eurasia. Animals such as argali, arctic fox, wolf and lemmings are also found in this region. In 1975, the area was reintroduced.

Since 1983, the lake and its surroundings have been included in the Taimyr nature reserve. Scientists have discovered plutonium in the lake sediment, which is believed to have entered Taimyr via wind-borne radioactive particles from nuclear tests conducted on Novaya Zemlya during the Cold War.

Khanka

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 east to the Ussuri River, which forms the international border, and flows north where it joins the Amur River.

Khanka is famous for being home to the highest diversity of birds in the entire temperate zone of Eurasia. At least 327 species of nesting, wintering and migratory birds have been observed in the lake area.

Lake Chudsko-Pskovskoe

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

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

Uvsu-Nur

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

The lake is shallow, very salty, and is the remnant big sea that existed several thousand years ago. The basin covers an area of about 70 thousand km² and represents one of the best preserved natural steppe landscapes on the continent. This is where the most meet Northern part deserts and the southernmost part of the tundra.

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

Vats

Although Lake Chany is not very well known outside of Siberia, it is one of the most large lakes countries. Chany is not deep 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.

The vats play an important role in the region's fisheries. The most common species are silver carp, carp, ide, and perch. Recently, there has been a tendency to deplete the lake's fish stocks.

Lake Beloe

In terms of area, Beloe is second (after Onega) natural lake Vologda region, and third (after the Rybinsk reservoir). It is one of the ten largest natural lakes in Europe. The lake has relatively round 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 being Belozersk smelt. The food supply and high oxygen levels 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, ruffe, sabrefish, roach, bleak, burbot, chub, rudd, whitefish, ide, tench, asp, dace and gudgeon).

Table of the 10 largest lakes in Russia

Lake name	Area, km²	Volume, km³	Dimensions, km	Maximum depth, m	Average depth, m
Caspian Sea	371000	78200	1200 by 435	1025	208
Baikal	31722	23615	636 by 79.5	1642	744,4
Ladoga lake	17870	838	219 by 125	230	46,9
Lake Onega	9720	285	248 by 83	127	30
Taimyr	4560	12,8	-	26	2,8
Khanka	4070	18,3	90 to 45	10,6	4,5
Lake Chudsko-Pskovskoe	3555	25	width 50	15	7,1
Uvsu-Nur	3350	35,7	85 to 80	20	10,1
Vats	1400-2000	-	91 to 88	7	2,1
White Lake	1290	5,2	46 by 33	20	4

Many consider the most beautiful lakes to be those located nearby and 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.

This is the deepest lake in the world. It was formed in a tectonic depression, so the maximum depths reach 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

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.

Plitvice Lakes are beautiful at any time of the year. In summer you can see schools of river trout in the clear water. In winter, the surrounding forests are covered in snow, the waterfalls freeze and turn into pillars of ice sparkling in the sun.

Michigan

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 ocean, but over time, the spurs of the Andes grew, and together with the mountains, the reservoir rose to a height of 3812 m.

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. Several points on Lake Geneva offer 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.

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 was named Ostashkovo Lake by local residents. More than one and a half hundred large and small islands are scattered along the water surface of Seliger. Protruding areas of land, uneven banks and beautiful channels are the legacy of the Ice Age.

Water has always had an effect on people not only bewitching, but also calming. People came to her and told about their sorrows; in her calm waters they found special peace and harmony. That's why Russia's numerous lakes are so remarkable!

The beauty and charm of the water surface

The calm, mirror-like surface is still water, surrounded on all sides by shores. It is also a place of worship and aesthetic pleasure. What types of lakes are there? They can be deep (sometimes deeper than the seas) and shallow, fresh and salty, large in area and small, of volcanic, tectonic, moraine origin. Their ages also differ from each other. There are no ugly or boring ones, the map shows that there are an infinite number of them, and each of them is beautiful and perfect in its own way.

Surely any traveler who has visited this country at least once or a resident will have his own favorite or even sacred lake. In any case, visiting them is highly recommended. Once you see Baikal or Lake Teletskoye, you will fall in love with it once and for all! This is the place of power that fills you with energy after years of work, stuffy city air and prolonged social contact. It is important not only to contemplate beauty with reverence, but also to protect it.

Deep abyss of Baikal

What is Russia like? Of course, this is the mysterious and unique Baikal! Even every schoolchild has heard about him. It's just magical and unique place with pure, pure water, which always has a deep blue tint. If there is not a cloud in the sky, then the surface of the water becomes simply emerald! The deep lake is of high ecological value and is included in the UNESCO list. The water here is fresh, and the depth reaches 1642 meters, which allows it to be compared with the depths of the Arctic Ocean (depth 1220 meters). If suddenly there is no more, then the deepest lake in Russia will be able to quench the thirst of the population of the whole world for 50 years, since it makes up a fifth of all reserves.

It is considered the oldest lake. Think for yourself - its age is 25 million years! Its depth is due to a large crack in the earth's crust. The continental depression is gradually increasing. The largest island here is Olkhon Island, stretching over 71 kilometers. It divides Baikal into the Small Sea (eastern part) and the Big Sea (western part).

The waters here are crystal clear, so you can see down to 40 meters, allowing you to spot the local deep-sea inhabitants. The water temperature is usually around +8 degrees Celsius. Baikal is also famous for its hot springs. Two large cities located near its waters are Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude. Near the calm surface of the lake it is not entirely serene. Earthquakes, small and large, happen here all the time.

The Pearl of Karelia - Lake Onega

Baikal is the most a nice place, but there are also other lakes in Russia that captivate travelers with their mystery. Onega is one of them. They even began to call it the sea, since it is the second largest in Europe after Ladoga. The length of the lake is 245 kilometers, the greatest depth is 130 meters. Since the distant Ice Age, many local inhabitants have remained here - fish and amphibians. This place is a treasure trove of loot for those who like to fish. The northern region is ideal for habitat of valuable fish species: trout, salmon, sterlet.

Lake Peipsi - the grandeur of the dunes

Where is another one of the largest and most beautiful lakes located? In the northern regions, like most others. Lake Peipsi is located near Latvia and Estonia. It separates these two countries from the Pskov region. The longest length is 90 kilometers and the width is 47 kilometers. The lake is constantly replenished with water from many small rivers and large streams. What is remarkable about the shores Lake Peipsi from the north side? They are a continuous chain of dunes that stretch into the distance. Their height is quite impressive - about eight, and in some places even 10 meters. Closer to the west the dunes become flatter. The southern side is filled with boulders of Finnish granite.

There is also an island, lost in the brilliant water surface. It is located in the south of the lake and has the name “Zhelachek” (“Mezha”). It also contains two small villages.

The western part of Lake Peipsi is no less interesting for travelers. The shores in this area have their own unique outlines. Calm bays are combined with steep headlands and gently sloping shores. These capes are so high that they reach up to 24 meters. The depth of the lake is 7.5 meters. What is the bottom? It consists mainly of sand, clayey and sandy silt. This is not a crystal clear body of water like Baikal or the lakes of the Alps, from an aesthetic point of view. Silty sediments make the water cloudy. This place also did not go unnoticed by fishermen. The vast waters are rich in a variety of fish. There are burbot, pike perch, salmon and others.

Velikaya Ladoga

How beautiful are the names of Russian lakes! For example, it captivates us with the beauty of the nature of the North and became a savior during the Second World War. The northern shores are dotted with labyrinths of straits. There are even islands and trees growing on them. The bottom relief systematically increases from the south (51 meters) to the north (depth 230 meters).

There are many islands here, frozen in the form of steep, bizarre cliffs, their height reaches 70 meters. The eastern coast is not as rugged as the western coast, where forests and shrubs can be found. Lake Ladoga is fed by the waters of thirty-two rivers. The Neva River flows out of it in full flow, the length of which reaches 74 kilometers.

By the way, there is a large number of rainy days, Although greatest number precipitation occurs in the warm season. The winds are quite strong, which leads to excitement on the lake. The height of the waves can reach four meters. The water temperature in the warm season stays at +8 degrees Celsius.

Caspian sea-lake

It is not only the largest lake in the world, but also quite deep. Although scientifically it is considered to be a sea. The deep ones are mysterious and interesting for the traveler in their own way. In the northern part the depth is small - only 5 meters. In the middle it is already getting deeper - 20 meters. South part The Caspian Sea is the deepest - reaches 1025.

This sea or lake is unevenly salty. In places where river mouths are located, the water is fresher. The water level in the lake is 25 meters below the ocean. On the shore there are such big cities, like Baku, Makhachkala. The climate is sharply continental, so low temperatures are observed in winter and quite high in summer. The large Urals and Volga flow into the Caspian Sea.

Salt Lake Chany

There are also salt lakes in Russia, for example Chany. It spreads out in Novosibirsk region and is classified as drainless. The word "chany" translated from Turkic means "large vessel". Already in October the lake is covered with ice and thaws only in May. Although its waters warm up to 28 degrees Celsius in summer. The area of the lake always fluctuates and reaches 2000 square meters. It is not very deep - only 2 meters is the average. Along the banks, which are very rugged, there are thickets of reeds, reeds, various shrubs and sedges.

What else is remarkable about Lake Chany? There are up to 70 islands on the water surface, some of them are not only large, but also represent amazing landscapes, have a great variety of plants and rare animal species. The salt lakes of Russia have varying degrees of salinity. Chany is lightly salted, since the main food is melted snow. The weather on the lake is a reflection of the continental climate. In winter, snow cover can reach up to 30 cm in height.

For tourists, there are many recreation centers here, and there are corners where you can fish. Those who prefer boating should be careful - there are often storms here. Chany is also considered mysterious, and according to some stories, anomalous place. There is a legend that there is a strange animal of enormous size that harms people and livestock.

- volcanic beauty

This beautiful creation of nature is located in the very south of the Kamchatka Peninsula and is considered freshwater. The maximum depth reaches 306 meters, so it can safely be classified as deep-sea. Some islands that can be found on the surface are peculiar volcanic domes that rose from the bottom as a result of squeezing out magma.

Such lakes in Russia are of particular value, which is why Kurilskoe is included in the UNESCO heritage list. There are even “Kuril Springs” here. Their temperature reaches 45 degrees Celsius.

The cold inaccessibility of Lake Taimyr

This unique lake can only be compared in area to Lake Baikal. It is considered the northernmost on the planet. What unusual can a traveler find here? It is characterized not only by cold beauty and grandeur, but also by the fact that the water here constantly changes its level. The lake is located in the Krasnoyarsk Territory beyond the Arctic Circle on the peninsula of the same name in the tundra.

We can say that local waters are covered with ice all year round. The greatest depth is 26 meters. Water temperature in summer time year does not rise above 8 degrees Celsius, and in winter it drops to zero. The thickness of the ice can reach three meters. Oddly enough, in the waters of Taimyr there are fish - whitefish, muksun, whitefish, vendace.

Moraine lakes of Russia. Seliger

Forests, swamps, cozy coves - all this is the surrounding area of Lake Seliger. It is located in the Tver and Novgorod regions. The landscapes in this area are predominantly hilly, and in some places plains predominate. Natural beaches contrast with steep shores covered with coniferous trees. There are about 160 medium and small islands on the lake. The surface is covered with ice in the cold season and is opened only in May. All lakes in Russia are accompanied by unique vegetation. Not only coniferous trees grow near Seliger, but also oaks, bird cherry, and rowan.

What exactly are moraine lakes? These are very picturesque corners of nature, their Amazing beauty and the unusual origin are simply amazing. The lakes of Russia are of the moraine type - the so-called “depressions” or “closed basins”, which appeared many years ago as a result of the melting of blocks of ice, which is why they are also commonly called “glacial”. They can be found only in the north and northwest of Russia. They are rarely large in size and depth. Usually their average depth does not exceed 10 meters, the banks are usually very indented. The largest of those reservoirs that can be classified as moraine are Chudsko-Pskovskoe, Seliger, Ilmen, which was once called the Slovenian Sea by the Slavs.

Conclusion

As we can see, Russia is a lake region that is sure to please even the most experienced traveler.

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 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. Two others large lakes 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. 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 They 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. Drying Aral Sea 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 Ukrainian Carpathians. The lake is located in the Gorgany mountain range, in the upper reaches of the Terebly 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.

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