There are millions of lakes in the world, many of which are the largest in the area. Did you know that the Caspian Sea is the largest lake in the world by area, followed by Lake Superior and Lake Victoria? Read on to know about the world’s top five largest lakes in terms of area.
Caspian Sea is the largest lake in the world (Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
New Delhi: Millions of lakes exist on Earth; these water bodies have slow-moving or still water and are located in inland areas. They maintain a balance between the water that comes in—like rain, streams, and groundwater—and the water that goes out, such as through streams, evaporation, or use for irrigation. Many of the largest lakes exist in these millions of lakes, known as inland seas. The largest lake in the world in terms of area is the Caspian Sea. These lakes have large surface areas, are landlocked, and are linked to the ocean through rivers and other narrow channels.
Top 5 largest lakes in the world by area
- Caspian Sea
- Lake Superior
- Lake Victoria
- Lake Huron
- Lake Michigan
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the largest inland body of water in the world. It covers an area of 371,000 to 390,000 square kilometres and has a volume of 78,200 cubic kilometres. The sea is located southeast of Europe, along the border with Asia. It is surrounded by five countries: Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Azerbaijan, and Iran.
Lake Superior
Approximately 200 rivers flow into Lake Superior, the largest of North America’s five Great Lakes. It is one of the biggest freshwater lakes in the world. It is located in the northwestern part of the Great Lakes. The lake is bordered by Ontario (Canada) to the east and north, Minnesota (US) to the west, and Wisconsin and Michigan (US) to the south. Water from the lake flows out to Lake Huron through the St Marys River at its eastern end. The lake’s drainage area covers 49,300 square miles, while its surface area is 31,700 square miles.
Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria is the largest lake in Africa and a key reservoir for the Nile. It is primarily located in Tanzania and Uganda and borders Kenya. Covering an area of 69,484 square km, it is the world’s second-largest freshwater lake after Lake Superior. The lake is irregularly shaped, with a maximum length of 337 km and breadth of 240 km, and its coastline stretches over 3,220 km. Lake Victoria hosts over 200 fish species.
Lake Huron
Lake Huron, the second largest of North America’s Great Lakes, is bordered by Michigan (US) to the west and Ontario (Canada) to the north and east. It spans 331 km and has a maximum width of 295 km, with a drainage basin area of 133,900 square km and a lake surface area of 59,570 square km. The lake has a mean surface height of 176 metres and a maximum depth of 230 metres. Key islands include the Manitoulin Islands in the northeast and Mackinac Island near the northwest.
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is the third largest of the five Great Lakes in North America and is the only one located entirely within the United States. It is bordered by the states of Michigan to the east and north, Wisconsin to the west, Illinois to the southwest, and Indiana to the southeast. Lake Michigan connects to Lake Huron through the Straits of Mackinac in the north. The lake stretches 517 km from north to south and has a maximum width of 190 km. Its drainage basin covers about 118,000 square km, while the lake’s surface area is 57,757 square km. Around 100 streams flow into Lake Michigan, but only a few are large enough to matter.
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