Baikal is considered the deepest, but few people know where the deepest lake in the world is located. It is located in the southeast of Siberia. Located on in Irkutsk region, where the border of Buryatia also passes.

Natural phenomena Lake Baikal

The natural phenomena of Lake Baikal are original. Since it is near its waters, you can see various vegetation and animals. The climatic conditions are perfect for them.

Throughout the territory of Baikal, you can see many different birds, such as gulls, bald eagles, shelducks, white-tailed eagles, scourges and many others. These species of birds are among the rarest and some of them have been added to the Red Book. The smallest deer are found on the mountainous part of the Baikal coast. They are considered the rarest on the whole earth and they are called musk deer. Here you can see the only miracle when bear flocks appear on the coast of the lake, which for the sake of food hunt several salmon at once.

Basic data of Lake Baikal

The total size of the deepest lake of Baikal reaches 636 km in length and 80 km in width. The entire area is equal to 31 thousand 722 square meters. This is about the same area as Belgium. The indigenous people of these places often call it a small sea. Approximately 336 rivers flow into the waters of Lake Baikal. The river called Selenga supplies the most water to the lake, flows into it. The lake is located at a total height of 455 m above sea level, and its depth reaches 1,637 meters. There are about 30 islands in Baikal.

The total age of the lake has not yet been determined, but according to scientific studies, its age is about 20-30 million years. A small study was also carried out during which it turned out that the lake, like the others, arose due to tectonic processes. Seismicity is usually increased in the Baikal areas, moreover, there are many different thermal springs on its territory.

Water in Baikal

The main part of the Baikal waters consists of various organic impurities, but there are very few mineral contents. But there is a huge amount of oxygen here. Lake Baikal consists of the purest waters, as there are microscopic crustaceans on its waters, which are responsible for the purity of the reservoir. The temperature of the reservoir is constantly cold, for example, in the summer it reaches only +8 degrees.

Video review of the deepest lakes

The Earth's hydrosphere occupies a volume of 1458.38 million cubic kilometers. To put it simply, let's say two-thirds of the planet. Of this number, the oceans "own" about 94% of the water, which contains various salts and gases. The rest of the water is frozen in glaciers (1.65%), hidden underground (0.01%), flows in rivers and rises into the atmosphere as steam. Against this background, it seems that there is very little water left for the lakes. Only 0.02%.

Basically, it is fresh water, vital for the inhabitants of the land. There are lakes where the water is salty. How many lakes are on Earth? The "final" answer was given by scientists at the Swedish University of Uppsala in 2014 - they named the figure - one hundred and seventeen million (the smallest that were taken into account - 0.2 ha.). Find out where the deepest lake in the world is located.

From a huge number, we will choose 10 + 1 of the deepest lakes in the world. Let's start in order with "shallow deep-water lakes." There are two with the same indicator - 590 meters. They share tenth place among the leaders. Both are freshwater.

Not only the deepest in South America. It is also the second largest lake, delimiting Chile and Argentina. Today its area is 1850 km2. Argentina accounts for 870 kilometers, where it is called General Carrera. The rest belongs to Chile.

Carlos Maria Moyano "found" this lake while exploring the Patagonian Andes at the end of the nineteenth century.
Thanks to the shifts of glaciers, a pit was formed, gradually filled with water. Its initial level above the sea was more than four hundred meters, and the lake flowed into the Atlantic Ocean. When the glacier began to actively melt (from Chile), the flow changed towards Pacific Ocean, and the level dropped to 208 meters.

The lake is alpine, so the climate is quite cold, strong winds blow. But tourists come to him to admire the amazing "Marble Cathedral" - an island consisting of minerals of white and turquoise hues.

Lake Matano - tenth place

In Indonesia, on the south side of Sulawesi, the waters of Lake Motano splash. Depth, like Buenos Aires, but the origin is different - the water filled the geological fault of the earth's crust. Motano area is almost three times smaller.

It is part of the unique closed ecosystem of Malili, consisting of five lakes, which are surrounded by mountains and tropical forests. The lakes are inhabited by endemic animals. Many unusual aquarium inhabitants come from this area.

The water of the lake is distributed in two layers: saturated with oxygen in the upper layer and free of oxygen and sulfates in the lower one. Deeper waters are supersaturated with iron. Along the shores of the lake, geologists have discovered deposits of nickel ores. In Indonesia, Matano is the largest body of fresh water.

Crater is the ninth deepest lake

In the USA - the first in depth. In the entire territory of North America - the second place. Owned by the State of Oregon. The eruption of the Mazama volcano, which occurred more than seven and a half thousand years ago, formed a crater, which eventually filled with water. Thus, Crater Lake was "born". The deepest place reaches almost six hundred meters (594 m). The walls of the caldera rise above the surface of the waters. Over time, they became overgrown with forests.

For the aboriginal Indians, Blue Lake"was sacred. Looking into the depths, they tried to "find the truth" there. For European discoverers, it was interesting only from the point of view of searching for gold.

Since 1902, the area surrounding Crater (this is the third version of the name) has become a National Park. The shape of the Crater resembles an oval. The area is more than sixty kilometers. Scientists are sure that the lake is not yet fully formed - the bottom is constantly subject to hydrothermal activity. This means that the Mazama volcano only "fell asleep".

Great Slave Lake - 8th

It is not the largest - it is smaller than the Big Bear and occupies only the tenth place in terms of area. But for North America, it is the deepest - 614 meters. Located in Canadian territory.

In the post-glacial period, on the site of three lakes - Great Slave, Athabasca, Great Bear, there was one large glacial lake. Now they are connected by rivers. Mackenzie - the largest of them - flows into the Beaufort Sea. Thus, the lakes are part of the Arctic Ocean.

Indians have lived on their banks since ancient times. Europeans learned about this area thanks to the Briton Samuel Chiron in 1771. His expedition crossed the Great Slave on ice so hard that he could support the weight of a modern heavy truck. Only two months the lake is free from the ice shell.

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It is known that the name Big Slave received by mistake - "difficulties in translation" (slave - slave, slave). Slave natives have never been slaves.

In the thirties of the twentieth century, the city of Yellowknife was founded, thanks to the gold mines. Diamond mines also operate in the same places (upper reaches of the Coppermine River). In winter, cargo transportation is carried out on ice.

These three lakes are not included in the Great American Lakes system, but the nature surrounding them is no less picturesque. Like the bulk of the high-mountain lakes, Bolshoe Slave is a huge body of water with fresh water.

Lake Issyk-Kul is the seventh deepest

The recorded depth is seven hundred and two meters. In the Kyrgyz language, it means - Warm (or hot) lake. Included in the top ten deepest, and in thirtieth place in terms of area. The purity of the waters is slightly inferior to the waters of Lake Baikal.

This body of water is 1600 meters above the sea, in a depression between two Tien Shan ranges. It is filled with small mountain tributaries, but there are many of them (80). The lake has no outlet. The level of lake water changes cyclically over several decades. Its uniqueness is salt water, despite its location in the mountains. But the water is not sea. Salinity is given by dissolved minerals. This combination has created a rare ecological system around the never-freezing Issyk-Kul.

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The flora is distributed "stepwise":
close to the shores - shrubs (sea buckthorn);
above - spruce forests (Shenk spruce);
at an altitude of two and a half kilometers - mountain meadows, as in the Alps.

Of more than twenty species of fish, fourteen live only in Issyk-Kul.
There are many traditions and legends about the lake and the places surrounding it among the people.

Lake Nyasa - the sixth in the ranking

The lake "belongs" to three African states - Tanzania, Mozambique and Malawi, located in the southeast of the continent. One of the reservoirs of the Great Rift Valley, the deepest - 706 meters. Although a hundred years ago it was deeper.

The reservoir is located at an altitude of 472 m. The figures show that its bottom is 234 m below the sea border. The flow of the lake is very weak. The water is updated slowly. Studies show a period of more than a hundred years. During the rainy season, the basin can be overcrowded, which leads to floods. In dry times, the level drops, causing the Shire River, the only outlet, to dry up.

One of the few places where the natural self-cleaning system is practically absent. Ecology is very sensitive to conditions environment, pollution. The water in Nyasa, as in Issyk-Kul, is salty, but their composition is different. Also, the water column doesn't look like a three-layered cocktail. The upper layer is full of life, the lower layer contains almost no oxygen. Only fish from 230 to 500 species (according to some sources - 1000) live in this lake - the richest "lake collection" in the world, most of the "exhibits" in which are endemic.

The coast is also quite busy - in addition to birds, there are dangerous animals - crocodiles, hippos ...
The rest of the world became aware of the existence of a "great inland sea" at the center of the African continent in 1616. The Dutch traveler Bukaru became the first European to see Malawi (another “name” for the lake). Although for some time David Livingston was considered the official discoverer of Lake Nyasa.

Lake San Martin - fifth place

San Martin - the greatest recorded depth (near the O'Higgins Glacier) is 836 meters. Location - 250 meters above sea level in the Andes of Patagonia. San Martin is the separator between Argentina and Chile. The inhabitants of these countries call the same body of water differently - San Martin and O'Higgins.
Interestingly, in both cases, the lake got its “name” in honor of the heroes honored by these peoples - José de San Martin and O'Higgins Bernardo.

The southern intermountain depression of the Patagonian Andes is filled with water South America. The shape of this lake is unusual - eight separate "sleeves". The flow occurs through the Pasuka River, reaching the Pacific Baker Fjord.
Lake water is milky blue. The lake pit is filled with glaciers flowing into it (Chico and O'Higgins), the Mayer River, and small streams. At the same time, rock particles in the form of a suspension enter the water. This is what makes the lake so unusual.

The surrounding landscape is reminiscent of the Scandinavian fjords. But not only the beauty of nature attracts tourists, but also fishing. The main catch is trout.

The Caspian Sea is the fourth place. Is it the sea or is it a lake?

The only closed sea on the planet that does not have a drain. Due to the huge size (371,000 sq. Km) and "non-standard" origin, disputes arise among researchers. According to the method of occurrence, it is a lake, and the dimensions "speak" - the sea.

The deepest point is 1025 meters. 44% of the world's lake water is in the Caspian Sea. Thirteen million years ago, the transformation of the earth's crust began, which served as the appearance of the "bed" of the Caspian Sea. Subsequently, at the junction of the continents - Europe and Asia - an immense lake arose.

Archaeologists, when they explored the Huto cave (district south coast Caspian), proved that people inhabited these places seventy-five thousand years ago. The first known references to this sea and the peoples living there date back to the fifth century BC. Herodotus spoke about him.
The composition of water contains salts, but their percentage, composition is very different in different places sea, not to mention the ocean.

Its level is very dependent on changes climatic conditions, the magnitude of the flow of rivers flowing into it. Evaporation and precipitation are of great importance. Just like any other drainless lake, the Caspian Sea is subject to pollution. The ecology of such places needs additional support.

Vostok - a lake hidden under ice, in third place

Not only the deepest, but also the largest of the Antarctic relict lakes. The informal name is "Time Capsule".

The East is hidden under a four kilometer ice sheet. Its exact dimensions are not known. The estimated area is fifteen and a half thousand square kilometers, and the maximum depth is more than 1200 meters.

For several million years, this lake has existed completely isolated. Oxygen in it, according to unverified data, is fifty times higher than the amount that can be in standard fresh water. This indicator gives scientists the right to expect that there may be living organisms in the lake.

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By the way, the only thing that can be said about this lake (theoretically) for sure is that the water in it is fresh.
Lake Vostok has been little explored due to its inaccessibility. Therefore, there are very few proven facts - basically everything that is said about him is speculation. Even more open than it was made on the basis of the theoretical calculations of Andrei Kapitsa in the late fifties of the twentieth century. And "physically" this theory was confirmed in 1996 by Russian polar explorers who conducted research at Vostok station.

Tanganyika - on the other side of the planet, a lake that ranks second

Depth, a little less than one and a half thousand kilometers. But this lake - the world record holder due to its length - stretches for 676 km. Four African states: Congo (DRC), Burundi, Tanzania and Zambia are located on the banks of Tanganyika.

At an altitude of 773 meters, in the deepest rift basin of the African continent, there is a lake. Its depth reaches a record 1470 meters. In antiquity, it is almost the same as Lake Baikal. The surrounding landscape is majestic rocks. Only in the east the shores gradually become gentle.

The lake is filled with several tributaries, the largest flowing in the north is the Ruzizi River. From the east, the lake fills the Malagarasi, a river that predated Tanganyika itself. This river in ancient times flowed directly into the Congo. Now Tanganyika enters the basin of one of the largest rivers on Earth. The lake water runoff is the only Lukuga river. It connects with the Congo. Together they flow into the Atlantic Ocean.

In Tanganyika, as in the Black Sea, the upper layers of water do not mix with the lower ones due to natural causes. In terms of the amount of anoxic waters, it is in second place, right behind the Black Sea.

Animal and vegetable world lake and its surrounding area is very rich, thanks to the tropical climate. The presence of 600 endemic species is explained by its ancient origin, by the fact that it never dried up, it was isolated (drainageless) for a long time. The pioneers of such a huge body of water in the year 58 of the nineteenth century were the Englishmen Richard F. Burton and John H. Speke.

Baikal is the deepest lake in the world. First place ranking.

So where is the deepest lake on the planet? The answer is unequivocal - in the same place where the most big country peace. Lake Baikal is located in Russia. Baikal is not only the “most-most”… lake in terms of depth.

ancient rift Eastern Siberia, shaped like a crescent, is located in the south of the region. It was in this fault that Baikal was formed. It is recognized as the largest natural reservoir of pure fresh water, with an area of ​​31722 sq. kilometers. The deepest lake in Russia contains 19 percent of the world's fresh water.
The length of the lake is only forty kilometers inferior to the African Tanganyika. But the depth of Baikal is 1642 meters (almost two hundred meters difference). Although these are only official figures. Many researchers say that the depth of the lake is much greater.

Each of us at least once in his life saw the lake. Most likely, it was small, warm, with silty shores and a modest set of fish. But these natural reservoirs may be different.

Completely different. So big that the opposite bank is lost in the distance. So huge that they can belong to several states. So deep that the devil himself does not know what is happening at his bottom. We don’t know about you, but we would be interested to learn more about them, and most importantly, to understand where the deepest lake in the world is located.

Baikal

And first of all, we want to please all the patriots of Russia. After all, the deepest and cleanest lake in the world is our Baikal. We know about it, but we know it somehow abstractly. And in order to better understand the scope of this unique natural object, we will give some numbers:

1. The maximum depth of Baikal is 1642 meters. Not every sea can boast of this.
2. The average depth is 744 meters. Likewise.
3. The area of ​​the mirror is 31,700 square meters. This is approximately equal to the territory of the Netherlands or Belgium.
4. The volume is about 23.6 million cubic meters. This makes up about 19% of all freshwater reserves.
5. About 2600 species live above, in and near Lake Baikal, more than half of which are found nowhere else.
6. One liter of Baikal water contains about 96 milligrams of impurities and a lot of oxygen. It is so pure that it can be used as a distillate.

This list can be continued for several more pages, because there is no such lake on the planet, and, apparently, there will never be again. But there are others.

This African lake occupies an honorable second place in our rating, slightly inferior to Baikal in depth - 1470 meters maximum and 570 average. But on the other hand, it is considered the longest lake, stretching like a crescent for 676 kilometers. As a result, 4 states divided its shores among themselves: Tanzania, Burundi, Zambia and Congo. Fortunately, its water, fish and other usefulness is enough for everyone. True, in exchange for this, ungrateful residents pour waste, sewage and sewage into it.

It's good that the drains are not visible

Therefore, if you want to swim in the waters of Tanganyika, then you should do it as soon as possible. And it’s better to hurry, because the freshwater lake boasts very clean and warm water, beautiful scenery and an abundance of living creatures, ranging from all kinds of fish and ending with hippos and alligators.

East

We thought for a long time on what place to put this extraordinary lake. Its maximum depth is 1200 meters (presumably). But it is separated from the surface by more than 4 kilometers of ice! The fact is that it is located in Antarctica and is the largest and deepest underwater lake on Earth.

It has been studied for several years, but so far scientists have not been able to overcome the ice sheet and reach the water. It is not difficult to explain such an interest, because the lake has been separated from our world for millions of years, and its ecosystem (if it exists) has developed in isolation from the whole world.

Most of all, scientists are interested in whether there is life in this deepest lake. First, it is interesting what kind of form it could take over millions of years of independent evolution. And secondly, the very fact of its discovery will significantly increase our chances of finding another habitable planet. The fact is that several satellites of Jupiter have similar subglacial water reservoirs. And if life has been able to adapt to Lake Vostok, then it will be able to catch on there too.

The data obtained to date do not allow us to confirm or refute the existence of living organisms in the waters of the East with certainty. Drilling will continue this year. Perhaps then scientists will be able to obtain more accurate data.

Don't be surprised what the sea does in the competition for the title of "deepest lake". It is called the sea only because of its impressive size, because it has no connection with the world's oceans. On the other hand, unlike most lakes, the Caspian has saline water, from 0.5 to 13‰.

Well, why not the sea?

The Caspian honestly deserved the fourth place in our list due to the maximum depth of 1025 meters. The average, however, is smaller - about 200. Nevertheless, this lake is one of the few with a depth of more than a kilometer at maximum points. All the rest, even the next one in the ranking of San Martin, boasts only 836 meters.

On this, we believe that we have answered the question of what is the deepest lake and our article can be completed.

05/26/2015 at 18:50 · Johnny · 16 240

Top 10 deepest lakes in the world

Lakes are bodies of water that have formed in natural depressions. earth's surface. Most of them contain fresh water, but there are lakes with salt water. Lakes contain more than 67% of all fresh water on the planet. Many of them are huge and deep. What the deepest lakes in the world? We present to you the ten deepest lakes on our planet.

10. Lake Buenos Aires | 590 m

This reservoir is located in South America, in the Andes, on the border of Argentina and Chile. This lake appeared due to the movement of glaciers, which created the basin of the reservoir. The maximum depth of the lake is 590 meters. The reservoir is located at an altitude of 217 meters above sea level. The lake is famous for its beauty and famous marble caves, which thousands of tourists come to see every year. The lake has the purest water, it is found a large number of fish.

9. Lake Matano | 590 m

The deepest lake in Indonesia and one of the most important sources of fresh water in the country. The maximum depth of the reservoir is 590 meters, it is located in the southern part of the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. The waters of this lake are crystal clear and are home to hundreds of species of fish, plants and other living creatures. On the shores of the lake there are huge reserves of nickel ore.

The Patea River flows out of Lake Matano and carries its waters to the Pacific Ocean.

8. Crater Lake | 592 m

This most large lake in USA. It is of volcanic origin and is located in the national park located in Oregon. The maximum depth of Crater is 592 meters, it is located in the crater of an extinct volcano and is distinguished by incredible beauty. The lake is fed by rivers that originate in mountain glaciers, so Crater's water is amazingly clean and transparent. It has the cleanest water in North America.

Local Indians have composed a large number of myths and legends about the lake, all of them are beautiful and poetic.

7. Great Slave Lake | 614 m

It is located in the northwestern part of Canada and has an area of ​​over 11,000 square miles. This deepest lake in North America, its maximum depth is 614 meters. The Great Slave Lake is located in the northern latitudes and is ice-bound for almost eight months of the year. In winter, the ice is so strong that heavy trucks can easily cross it.

There is a legend that a strange creature lives in this lake, very reminiscent of a dragon. Many witnesses have seen it, but the science of the evidence for existence mysterious creature have not found yet. In the middle of the last century, gold reserves were found in the vicinity of the lake. The shores of the lake are very picturesque.

6. Lake Issyk-Kul | 704 m

This is an alpine lake, which is located in Kyrgyzstan. The water in this reservoir is salty, its maximum depth is 704 meters, and the average depth of the lake is more than three hundred meters. Thanks to salty water, Issyk-Kul does not freeze even in the most severe winters. Very interesting legends are associated with the lake.

According to archaeologists, several millennia ago, on the site of the lake there was a very advanced ancient civilization. Not a single river flows out of Issyk-Kul.

5. Lake Malawi (Nyasa) | 706 m

In fifth place among deepest lakes in the world there is another African body of water. It also formed at the site of a break in the earth's crust, and has a maximum depth of 706 meters.

This lake is located on the territory of three African countries: Malawi, Tanzania and Mozambique. Due to the high temperature of the water, the lake is home to the largest number of fish species on Earth. The fish of Lake Malawi are favorite inhabitants of aquariums. The water in it is crystal clear and attracts a huge number of diving enthusiasts.

4. Lake San Martin | 836 m

Located on the border of two South American countries: Chile and Argentina. Its maximum depth is 836 meters. This the deepest lake not only South but also North America. Many small rivers flow into Lake San Martin, the Pascua River flows out of it, which carries its waters to the Pacific Ocean.

3. Caspian Sea | 1025 m

In third place on our list is the lake, which is called the sea. The Caspian Sea is largest enclosed body of water on our planet. It has salt water and is located between the southern borders of Russia and the northern part of Iran. The maximum depth of the Caspian Sea is 1025 meters. Its waters also wash the shores of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. More than a hundred rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, the largest of which is the Volga.

natural world reservoir is very rich. Very valuable species of fish are found here. A large number of minerals have been explored on the shelf of the Caspian Sea. There is a lot of oil and natural gas here.

2. Lake Tanganyika | 1470 m

This lake is located almost in the center of the African continent and is considered the second deepest lake in the world and the deepest in Africa. It was formed on the site of an ancient fault in the earth's crust. The maximum depth of the reservoir is 1470 meters. Tanganyika is located on the territory of four African countries at once: Zambia, Burundi, DR Congo and Tanzania.

This body of water is considered longest lake in the world, its length is 670 kilometers. The natural world of the lake is very rich and interesting: there are crocodiles, hippos and a huge number of unique fish. Tanganyika plays a huge role in the economy of all states in whose territory it is located.

1. Lake Baikal | 1642 m

This is the deepest freshwater lake on Earth. It is also one of the largest freshwater reservoirs on our planet. Its maximum depth is 1642 meters. The average depth of the lake is more than seven hundred meters.

Origin of Lake Baikal

It was formed at the site of a break in the earth's crust (a lot of lakes with great depths have a similar origin).

Baikal is located in the eastern part of Eurasia, not far from the Russian-Mongolian border. This lake ranks second in terms of water volume and contains 20% of all fresh water that is available on our planet.

This lake has a unique ecosystem, there are 1700 species of plants and animals, most of which are endemic. Thousands of tourists come to Baikal every year - this is a real pearl of Siberia. locals consider Baikal sacred lake. Shamans from all over East Asia regularly gather here. Numerous myths and legends are associated with Baikal.

+ Lake Vostok | 1200 m

Worth mentioning is the unique lake Vostok, which is located in Antarctica, not far from the Russian polar station of the same name. This lake is covered with almost four kilometers of ice, and its estimated depth is 1200 meters. This amazing reservoir was discovered only in 1996 and so far little is known about it.

Scientists believe that the water temperature in Lake Vostok is -3 ° C, but despite this, the water does not freeze due to the enormous pressure exerted by the ice. It still remains a mystery whether there is life in this gloomy under-ice world. Only in 2012, scientists were able to drill through the ice and get to the surface of the lake. These studies can provide a lot of new information about what our planet was like hundreds of thousands of years ago.

Readers' Choice:

Olkhon Island on Lake Baikal (Jason Rogers / flickr.com) Lake Tanganyika, Central Africa Lake Vostok, Antarctica Caspian Sea, Baku Lake San Martin (O'Higgins) Lake Malawi - the deepest in Africa (706 meters) Lake Matano 590 meters deep

As you know, 70% of the earth's surface is water. Therefore, it would probably be more logical to call our planet the Planet of Water.

The water resources of the Earth are represented by the following categories: oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, small rivers, ponds, springs and springs - we are all used to this sequence of dimensional gradation since childhood. Meanwhile, in each category, there may be an example that, in terms of its characteristics, will surpass the leading category.

Some lake storms are in no way inferior to sea unrest, and the depth of others is many times greater than the greatness of the deep sea. It is precisely with these water giants that it is worth getting acquainted in more detail. So, let me present the ranking of the 10 deepest lakes in the world.

Let's start with the most famous and deepest lake in the world - Baikal.

Baikal is a unique body of water. It is the largest natural reservoir of fresh water. Baikal is also considered the most ancient lake on our planet; according to scientists, its age is about 15,000 years.

The reservoir strikes with the uniqueness of flora and fauna, the species diversity of which is 1,700 specimens, and many of them are endemic.

The lake is a national treasure Russian Federation and is included in the list of objects world heritage UNESCO.

Baikal is rightly called the sea by the people. Its depth in some areas reaches 1,642 meters.

Olkhon Island on Lake Baikal (Jason Rogers / flickr.com) Olkhon Island, Baikal (Jason Rogers / flickr.com) Olkhon Island (Jason Rogers / flickr.com) Jason Rogers / flickr.com Sergey Gabdurakhmanov / flickr.com Martin Lopatka / flickr .com Konstantin Malanchev / flickr.com Lake Baikal (Konstantin Malanchev / flickr.com) Sergey Gabdurakhmanov / flickr.com Khoboy Cape, Olkhon (Konstantin Malanchev / flickr.com) Konstantin Malanchev / flickr.com White Sturgeon (Heaven Ice Day / flickr.com) Heaven Ice Day / flickr.com LA638 / flickr.com miquitos / flickr.com Cape Burkhan (Shaman Rock), Olkhon. (Konstantin Malanchev / flickr.com) Baikal seal (Sergey Gabdurakhmanov / flickr.com) Shamanka rock. View from Olkhon island. Baikal (Tanya Legkobyt / flickr.com) Olkhon Island, Baikal (alexey_nitsa / flickr.com) Sergey Gabdurakhmanov / flickr.com Klas Š. / flickr.com Klas S. / flickr.com Konstantin Malanchev / flickr.com Sergey Gabdurakhmanov / flickr.com Baikal seal (Sergey Gabdurakhmanov / flickr.com) Sergey Gabdurakhmanov / flickr.com Konstantin Malanchev / flickr.com Klas Š. / flickr.com Konstantin Malanchev / flickr.com Konstantin Malanchev / flickr.com Olkhon, Baikal (Konstantin Malanchev / flickr.com) Oleg Gant / flickr.com Sunset in Siberia, Northern Baikal, Russia (Yuri Samoilov / flickr.com) Sergey Gabdurakhmanov / flickr.com Yuri Samoilov / flickr.com Vera & Jean-Christophe / flickr.com Délirante bestiole / flickr.com Vladislav Bezrukov / flickr.com fennU2 / flickr.com -5m / flickr.com Vladislav Bezrukov / flickr.com Voyages Lambert / flickr.com Vera & Jean-Christophe / flickr.com Sergey Gabdurakhmanov / flickr.com Kyle Taylor / flickr.com Baikal seal (Sergey Gabdurakhmanov / flickr.com) Thomas Depenbusch / flickr.com Sergey Gabdurakhmanov / flickr.com Kyle Taylor / flickr.com Sergey Gabdurakhmanov / flickr.com seseg_h / flickr.com Richard Thomas / flickr.com Daniel Beilinson / flickr.com NASA's Earth Observatory / flickr.com Clay Gilliland / flickr.com Aleksandr Zykov / flickr.com Aleksandr Zykov / flickr.com Aleksand r Zykov / flickr.com

TOP 2: Lake Tanganyika (1470 meters)

Another lake giant is located on the distant African continent - this is Lake Tanganyika. Its waters are 1,470 m deep. It is called the second deepest lake in the world.

Tanganyika is unique in that it is the only lake in a world whose shores are divided by four countries - Tanzania, Congo, Burgundy and Zambia. It is from the waters of Tanganyika that the longest and deepest river in the world, the Nile, begins its source.

Lake Tanganyika, Central Africa

TOP-3: Lake "Vostok" in the ice of Antarctica (1200 meters)

Are you used to the fact that a lake is necessarily an open body of water with fresh water? It turns out that it happens otherwise.

"Vostok", the same lake that is located in the ice of Antarctica. The existence of the reservoir became known relatively recently, in 1996, and it is still full of mysteries.

Currently, active work is underway to study the "deep-sea northerner", perhaps it will help to open a picture of the past of our planet.

Lake Vostok, Antarctica

The reservoir got its name from the Russian polar station Vostok, near which it was discovered.

TOP 4: Caspian Sea (1025 meters)

The 4th place and the most controversial lake in our rating is the Caspian. We are all used to the name of the Caspian Sea, however, this is not so. It refers to the seas very conditionally: the Caspian is located on the basis of the earth's crust of oceanic origin, hence its second name - the Caspian Sea.

The reservoir is located between two continents, European and Asian, and its water resources belong to five states - Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.

Caspian Sea, Baku

The deepest point of the lake-sea is 1025 meters. The waters of the lake will be filled by 130 freshwater rivers, but the chemical composition of the lake is saturated with salts. The Caspian has no drains.

TOP 5: San Martin - the deepest lake of the South American continent

The reservoir is a natural dividing line of two South American states - Argentina and Chile.

The lake has another name - OʹHiggins, as the Chileans called it, giving the name of their national hero who fought for the independence of South America. By the way, the Argentine name of the lake - San Martin - is also given by the name of the hero-liberator.

Lake San Martin (OʹHiggins)

San Martin is famous for its unusual milky blue hue. A similar color is given by particles of stone deposits flowing into the lake along with the melt waters of glaciers.

TOP 6: Malawi - the deepest lake in Africa (706 meters)

Although the black continent is considered the driest, it is here that another lake "giant" is located, the second deepest lake in Africa - Malawi.

Lake resources belong to three states - Mozambique, Malawi and Tanzania. Malawi is a champion in fish species diversity. At present, the reservoir is rapidly shrinking, the main reasons for the loss of hydro resources are the natural process of evaporation and the Shire River, which takes its source from here.

Lake Malawi is the deepest in Africa (706 meters) Children play on the shore of Lake Malawi A fisherman on the water surface of Malawi

The depth of Malawi is 706 meters and the lake ranks 6th in the ranking.

TOP 7: Issyk-Kul - the deepest lake in Central Asia (702 meters)

In seventh place is the deepest lake in Central Asia - Issyk-Kul, the depth of which is 702 m. It is located in the north of the Tien Shan Mountains of Kyrgyzstan.

Issyk-Kul gained world fame thanks to beautiful legends. According to legend, it is here, in the depths of the water, that the ancient Armenian church rests, and along the shores of the lake, soldiers of Tamerlane once laid their mounds.

Since 2006, scientific interest has also increased in the mountain lake, in connection with the remains of an ancient civilization found at its bottom.

Its name, and in the Kyrgyz language it literally means "hot lake", the reservoir received due to the fact that its salty waters do not freeze even in the most severe frosts.

TOP 8: Great Slave Lake in Canada (614 meters)

The eighth deepest lake in the world and the reservoir with the strongest ice is the Great Slave Lake. Geographically, it is located in Canada.

The depth of the Great Slave Lake is 614 meters and it ranks 8th in the ranking.

For almost eight months a year, the waters of the lake are a giant skating rink - its ice is so strong that it can withstand the weight of several multi-ton trucks.