In the largest country in the world there is the deepest lake, its name is Baikal. More than one volume of books is devoted to this lake; legends are made about this lake. Every year tourists come to admire the beauty of Lake Baikal, researchers do not ignore the lake, do not forget about the national heritage of politics. Expeditions that end up with interesting discoveries are regularly gathered in these places.

Dimensions of Baikal

To walk along the bottom of the lake, you will have to descend to a depth of 1642 meters - this is the lowest point of Lake Baikal. The average value is 744 meters. You can't go around Baikal on foot, the narrowest part of the lake is 24 km, and the widest is 79 km, and the total length of the coast is 2 thousand 100 meters.

If you add two countries, such as Belgium and the Netherlands, you can get an area equal to the area of ​​Lake Baikal.

The reservoir seems to be buried in the arms of mountain ranges. Moreover, if in the western part the coast is literally lined with a fence made of rocks, then the relief of the eastern one is significantly softened.

Water volume

No other lake contains so much fresh water. Just think about these figures - 23 thousand 615 km3 - this is a fifth of all world reserves.

Baikal is second only to the Caspian Sea in terms of the volume of water reserves. If we take water from the five Great Lakes - Upper, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario and pour it into one giant vat, we still won't get Baikal. It is so roomy!

The lake has amazingly clear water - a 40-centimeter water surface allows you to see the contents of the bottom.

The origin of the lake

Baikal keeps the secret of its origin - scientists still do not know how old it is, or where it was formed from. An approximate estimate of the age of Lake Baikal is about thirty million years. And even in this it is unique! Usually, the lifespan of glacial lakes is no more than 15 thousand years, then they die under silty sediments.

But not everyone agrees with the multimillion-dollar age of Lake Baikal, Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences Alexander Tatarinov is ready to argue with his colleagues. According to his calculations, the lake is no more than 150 thousand years old.

Flora and fauna

Surprisingly, new species of living organisms inhabiting this deep lake are still being discovered. At the moment, it is known about two thousand six hundred species of animals, and just over two thousand - plants. Presumably, this is no more than 80% of the entire world of flora and fauna of Lake Baikal.

Baikal is fully populated - both on the surface and in the depths. Moreover, almost half of all creatures inhabiting the reservoir can not be found anywhere else. Most of the animals, and just under half of the plants, are endemic. The lake has become home to two hundred species of birds, 58 species of fish.

A unique animal lives here - the Baikal seal. This typical inhabitant of the seas, most likely during the Ice Age, sailed to these places from the Arctic Ocean and since then has settled here. At the moment, there are several tens of thousands of seals in the lake.

Every year, in winter, Lake Baikal is covered with an ice cover up to one and a half meters thick. The uniqueness of the Baikal ice is that, firstly, it is surprisingly transparent, and secondly, sokui - hills of ice - appear on the surface. These hollow cones can be up to six meters in height.

Another mystery that scientists are wrestling with is that circles form on the ice of the lake - they can be clearly seen on satellite images. Every year they appear in a new place, with what this is connected, scientists have yet to find out.

Legends and myths

Local residents respect the lake: they believe that Baikal is a living creature, which must be handled extremely carefully, to displease anyone who will anger a powerful healer.

According to one of the legends, 336 sons-rivers flowed into the waters of Father Baikal, and Angara - his only daughter. Thus, they replenished his water. And it was so until a bright feeling settled in the daughter's heart. And the course of the river turned back, the Angara began to give the waters of the father to the beloved Yenisei. The angry father with curses threw a piece of rock into the Angara. Since then, the Shaman-stone has been at the source of the Angara.

And people still believe that if the priest of Lake Baikal is angry, he will rip off the Shaman stone, water will rush and flood everything around. Currently, a dam has been built on the Angara, so only the top of the Shaman Stone is visible.

Olkhon Island on Baikal (Jason Rogers / flickr.com) Lake Tanganyika, Central Africa Lake Vostok, Antarctica Caspian Sea, Baku Lake San Martin (Oʹ 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 Earth's hydro resources are represented by the following categories: oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, small rivers, ponds, springs and springs - we are all accustomed to this sequence of dimensional gradation since childhood. Meanwhile, in each category, there may be such an example that, in terms of its characteristics, will surpass the category in front.

Some lake storms are in no way inferior to sea waves, and the depth of others is several times greater than the greatness of the depths of the sea. It is with these water giants that you should get acquainted in more detail. So, let me present a 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 reservoir. It is the largest natural reservoir of fresh water. Also Baikal is 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, many of which are endemic.

The lake is a national treasure of the Russian Federation and is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Baikal is rightfully 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's 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 Š. / 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, North 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 Seal on Lake Baikal (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 also unique in that it is the only lake in the 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 accustomed to the fact that a lake is necessarily an open reservoir with fresh water? It turns out that it happens otherwise.

"Vostok" is 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 Sea. We are all accustomed to the name Caspian Sea, however, this is not the case. 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 effluents.

TOP-5: San Martin is the deepest lake in 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 him, 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 sediments flowing into the lake along with the melted 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 becoming shallower, 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 - the deepest in Africa (706 meters) Children play on the shores of Lake Malawi Fisherman on the water surface of Malawi

The depth of Malawi is 706 meters and the lake is ranked 6th.

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

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

Issyk-Kul gained world fame thanks to its 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, the warriors of Tamerlane once laid their mounds.

Since 2006, scientific interest in the mountain lake has intensified 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 a body of water with the most durable 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 like a giant ice rink - its ice is so strong that it can withstand the weight of several multi-ton trucks.

Many are interested in the question - which lake is the deepest in the world? Baikal Is the deepest lake in the world. It is located in the southeastern part of Russia and occupies a vast territory in the central part of the Asian continent. Due to its greatness, the deepest lake in the world, Baikal, has several more beautiful names. The body of water is called a deep or clear eye, a sacred lake, a mighty sea. Locals usually call it the Baikal Sea.
This lake contains the largest reserves of fresh water on the planet, which have a unique composition. The water is not only pure and transparent, it can be compared with distilled water in terms of the content of mineral salts.
In area, the deepest lake in the world, Baikal, is almost equal to Holland. There are several dozen islands on it. Its length is 635 km, the largest width in the center is 80 km, and the narrowest part is in the Selenga region and is 27 km. The lake is located relative to sea level at an altitude of more than 450 km, and the length of its coast is about 2000 km. More than half of this coastal area is protected by the state.
More than 300 rivers fill the deepest lake in the world, Baikal, with their waters, at least half of this volume falls on the Selenga River, and only the Angara flows out of it. Lake Baikal is surrounded by mountain ranges and numerous hills. The west coast is more rocky and steep than the east.

Some tourists are actively interested in where is the deepest lake in the world? These places are famous for their picturesque landscapes and a unique variety of fauna, which makes them interesting for tourists. The region has the status of a protected area of ​​global importance. In terms of the number of rare plants growing only in these parts, it surpasses even the flora of Madagascar and the Galapogos Islands. There are numerous resorts here. The best time to visit the deepest lake in the world, Lake Baikal, is considered to be the period from late April to late October. In the summer months, tourists can make various excursions and hikes, fish, dive, hunt, relax on the beach, and in winter, alpine skiing, ice fishing and boating are popular.
You can get to these places by plane or train. There are direct flights to Ulan-Ude and Irkutsk. The journey there from Moscow by plane will take 6 hours, and the train will take about 4 days. Now you know where the deepest lake in the world is.

The question of the origin of Lake Baikal has been hotly debated in the scientific world for a long time and creates the basis for a variety of, sometimes fantastic, guesses and hypotheses. How was this lake with crystal clear water formed, surrounded by picturesque mountains and unique nature?
The Buryat legend tells of the Great Fire that engulfed the earth and contributed to the origin of Lake Baikal. The sea emerged from the resulting void. The legend did not find scientific confirmation, and for a long time scientists studied this problem.
In the distant eighteenth century, the Germans Palass and Georgi formulated a scientifically based assumption on this topic. They took part in the Siberian expedition, which was organized by the St. Petersburg Academy around 1970. Scientists argued that the origin of Lake Baikal was caused by the failure of the land, caused by a natural cataclysm. Most likely it was an earthquake. They believed that before the events described there was a large river flowing into the Yenisei. It took into its bed all the waters that today flow into Lake Baikal. A century later, the Pole Yanchevsky proposed his hypothesis, basing it on data obtained during a trip to the Baikal region. He believed that this reservoir was formed due to a natural disaster, after which the earth's crust began to slowly shrink.
There were many scientists who proposed their theories, but often they echoed each other and their guesses about the origin of Lake Baikal differed only in details. Vladimir Obruchev came closest to the modern understanding of the process that resulted in the formation of the Baikal Basin. He suggested that it all began after the formation of the mountain system of Siberia. The depression was formed after the subsidence of a large area of ​​land on both sides of the fault.
In the second half of the 20th century, thanks to scientific advances, scientists made significant progress in the study of this problem. The global fault system or the world rift theory, discovered at that time, brought some clarity. According to this discovery, Baikal arose as a result of planetary-scale processes and that there are several similar formations on the earth's surface. Tanganyika and the Red Sea are some of them.
At the end of the 20th century, scientists from many countries were engaged in this problem. The Lake Baikal basin is considered one of the central links of the Baikal rift. It stretches for more than 2.5 thousand km and is located on the very border of the Eurasian and Indonesian-Australian lithospheric plates. At first, it was believed that the rift appeared due to a collision of plates, but after a detailed study of new data, it was found that the reason for everything was anomalous heating of the mantle.
The lava floating up and spreading in different directions formed massifs of mountain ranges that surround the lake. This spreading over a plane heated to very high temperatures of magma and caused the appearance of large faults. As a result, this was the reason for the emergence of a depression, which later became Lake Baikal.
As new knowledge appeared and geophysical methods developed, interesting details and scientifically confirmed chronological sequence of the formation of this unique lake appeared.

In addition to numerous large and small streams, almost 300 rivers and streams flow into it. In addition to the three navigable rivers, the Verkhnyaya Angara, Barguzin and Selenga, there are several more that stand out for their size: Turka, Snezhnaya, Barguzin, Buguldeika. And only the only Angara carries its waters to the north-west, flowing out of the mighty lake.

It alone takes all the power of its waters near Lake Baikal and carries them through the center of Russia for hundreds of kilometers. Its width at the source is about 2 km. There is a giant rock in this place, called the Shaman-stone by the locals. As the legend says, this lump was thrown by the Baikal-father into the daughter running away from him. She decided to dash off to the handsome Yenisei, although her father wanted to marry her to a hero named Irkut.
Angara, like other rivers of Lake Baikal, is a beautiful and clean river. Its length is about 1800 kilometers.

The Selenga, like the river of Lake Baikal, is the largest of all the rivers that flow into the lake. The source of the river is in Mongolia, then it flows through Russian land, completing its journey by dividing in the delta of the lake itself. It carries to Baikal almost half of all the water entering it.

The Upper Angara is a fast mountain river with many rapids. Even when it is on the plain, it continues to wriggle and separate, so that later it will unite in a single channel. Near Baikal, like other rivers of Lake Baikal, it pacifies its waters and becomes calmer.

Another river of Lake Baikal, flows in Buryatia, going down the mountain ridge, after which it carries its restless waters along rocky rapids. In the upper reaches there is a large nature reserve. It passes through taiga valleys, a gorge and a mountain range.
This place is very attractive for fans of rafting on the mountain rapids. The sections intended for this do not even have a minimum category of complexity, which means that they can be passed without much risk to life. Although the river also has sections with dangerous bottom, sharp rocks and waterfalls.
The deepest lake is an amazing, mysterious and not fully explored miracle of nature. It is fed by the same unique rivers that carry their waters along the most beautiful edges and protected areas, preserving their primordiality. Every effort must be made to preserve this rich supply of crystal clear water and its rare ecosystem.

There are many unusual territories on earth that combine several features that distinguish them from other places. Baikal is one of such regions. This is the cleanest lake in Russia, with perfectly clear water, which practically does not contain mineral impurities. And it also has a tremendous depth - the largest among all the lakes in the world.
Due to its special geographical characteristics, this corner of nature attracts the attention of people from all over the world. The maximum recorded depth of the lake is 1640 meters away... With this indicator, Baikal is ahead of all lakes in the world. Tanganyika, next after the Russian leader, is inferior to him very much. Its deepest mark does not exceed 160 meters. In combination with the huge area of ​​Baikal, which is equal to Holland, these gigantic proportions are simply impossible to imagine.
One of the reasons for such a great depth of Lake Baikal and its area is the presence of many rivers that flow into it. The approximate number of tributaries is about 300. With such a significant replenishment, Baikal continues in only one river - the Angara. It should be noted that the reservoir is considered the largest natural reservoir on the planet, with perfectly clean fresh water. In terms of these parameters, even the Great Lakes in North America taken together cannot be compared with it. Its waters reach a volume of 23,600 m3.
The very deep depth of Lake Baikal, combined with the impressive area of ​​this lake, explains the fact that the locals call it the sea. This ancient body of water on the Earth's surface appeared as a result of complex processes taking place in the earth's crust. Approximately 25 million years have passed since its formation began. It continues now. Scientists believe that Baikal may become the beginning of the emergence of a new ocean, which should appear, of course, not tomorrow, but its emergence in the future is recognized by the scientific world as a proven fact.
Due to the maximum depth of Lake Baikal and the high level of the coastline, which is 455 meters larger than the ocean surface, the basin of the reservoir is deservedly defined as the deepest depression on Earth.

Lake Baikal water is unusually clean and transparent. With the help of the Secchi disk, a test was carried out, according to which the transparency of the lake was 40 meters, and, for example, in the Caspian Sea, there is not even 25 meters. The Alpine reservoirs, known for their purity, are inferior to Baikal in these parameters. The transparency of the reservoir may vary depending on several factors. The estuary and shallow waters give way to areas of great depth. Seasonal changes in the vital activity of microflora also affect.
Lake Baikal water meets all the criteria for high-quality drinking water. Its purity and unique properties are due to the influence of microorganisms and vegetation. Small crustaceans Epishura, living in the lake in huge numbers, act as a biofilter. An armada of such crustaceans is capable of cleaning the upper layers 3-4 times a year. There are almost no organic impurities and solutes in the reservoir.
The mineral composition of the water is very poor, does not even reach 100 mg / liter, and includes silicon, calcium and magnesium. Other bodies of water have a concentration of similar substances starting from 400 mg / liter. There is no hydrogen sulfide in Lake Baikal, but oxygen is present in large quantities both in the upper layers and at the very depth. Its water is of excellent quality. It is only surpassed in purity by water from Crater Lake in the United States, which is considered the natural counterpart of distillate.
Nowadays, in the world, only Baikal is an open reservoir, with water suitable for consumption, which does not require additional processing. The ideal water of Lake Baikal is bottled now on an industrial scale. It is sampled at a depth of about 410 meters. Top layers protect it from any surface contamination.
The temperature in the lake is peculiar. It is influenced not only by climatic conditions, but also by the abnormal depth of the lake. The highest water temperature is 15 degrees. Temperature decreases with increasing depth. At 25 meters, it is only 10 degrees, and at a depth of 250 meters and below, the temperature is 3 - 5 degrees. Shallow water sometimes has time to warm up to 24 degrees.

Lake Baikal and the adjacent territories are one of the most unique and rich in natural treasures in the region. There are wildlife sanctuaries, reserves, national parks and protected natural monuments. Together, there are about two hundred such territories. Almost the entire Baikal Territory is under state protection. Only in a few industrially developed regions: Baikalsk, Slyudyanka, Severobaikalsk, Kultuk and Babushkin, due to the developed industrial complex, there are no serious restrictions on the operation of local enterprises.
Protection of Lake Baikal is carried out not only in the Russian Federation, since these territories are considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In Russia, there is Federal Law No. 94 FZ, “On the Protection of Lake Baikal”. He determined the status of the protected areas, the protection regime, the possibility of using the natural resources of the region. Since part of the unique territory around Lake Baikal is part of China and Mongolia, there is a problem with organizing the protection of the entire complex, due to the difficulties associated with the need to coordinate actions with foreign partners. The disunity of environmental services and bodies that supervise this area also negatively affects.
The main thing that needs to be done to protect Lake Baikal is to preserve the unique natural complex in its pristine purity, which is practically not found in the world. There are places of amazing beauty to be preserved with unique climatic, geological, biosphere and other conditions in which wildlife can exist. Some territories will have to remain free from many types of economic activities due to their remoteness from civilization. They are located in hard-to-reach areas where transport links are often unavailable. Law enforcement and the ranger service should provide assistance to protect the environment and prevent hunting for rare animals and birds, illegal fishing and destruction of plants.

The uniqueness of Lake Baikal lies in its record depth, unusual geographical position, perfect water purity and, of course, in its vast territory. The lake is located in Russia, in the east of Siberia and is the natural border of two regions of the Russian Federation. With a maximum depth of 1640 m, the area of ​​Lake Baikal is 31 thousand km 2... It exceeds the size of the territories of such states as Holland or Belgium. In the world ranking of the most extensive lakes, it is in 6th place.
The area of ​​Lake Baikal in the center of Asia is 365 km long and no less than 80 km wide. This entire area is surrounded by rows of mountain ranges and is located in a wide basin. It could fit waters from 92 seas, such as the Azov. It contains almost 20% of the world's fresh water supply.
There are numerous hills among the coastal areas. In the west, the coast is rocky and steep, and on the east coast the relief is not so steep. In some places, mountain ranges are located tens of kilometers from the coast.
Baikal did not suffer the fate of other ancient lakes, and it did not turn into a swamp. On the contrary, every year its area only increases, and scientists predict that the area of ​​Lake Baikal will expand to gigantic proportions and become a new ocean.

The nature of Lake Baikal is amazing and unusual. Such a variety of flora and fauna on the planet is not found anywhere else. The rarest specimens of flora and fauna are found in these parts.

Vegetable world

There are few places on earth that can cause as much surprise and delight in a botanist as the Baikal region. Currently, science identifies about 1 thousand different types of plants that grow in the vicinity of this wonderful lake. Most of them are endemic. This means that they grow only in these parts. A variety of natural conditions and a multimillion-dollar history of these territories have preserved the local ecosystem in its original form. They determined the emergence of this magnificent nature reserve, where many relict plants that have long disappeared in other parts of our planet are preserved.
Pines, spruces, firs and cedars - traditional Siberian trees - are located along the shores, and only the southern shore of the lake is decorated with blue spruces. The origin of this species is still a mystery. Olkhon Island is located in the middle of Lake Baikal and has relict thickets. Basically, this is a spruce forest, which has retained its original appearance since the Paleolithic. In the west of the lake there is a tundra steppe, with relict plants that have survived since the end of the Ice Age. The combination of special tundra plants with steppe species is not found anywhere else on the planet.
The nature of Lake Baikal pleases with a bright green carpet of herbs and flowers covered with forest slopes, where you can often find in abundance rare berries and fragrant wild rosemary.

Animal world

Scientists believe that the fauna of the deepest lake is ancient, and consists of a large number of different animals, including very rare ones. More than 2.5 thousand species of animals live here, more than half of which are endemic. First of all, it is worth noting the microscopic crustaceans called Epishura endemic, which are a biological filter. Their presence is one of the main factors affecting the crystal clearness of the lake water.
The deepest lake is home to 54 species of fish, and 15 of them are considered commercial. The most famous of them is omul. He lives for about 25 years. It should be noted an amazing, almost transparent fish called golomyanka. She gives birth to live larvae. Not a single fish in the world reproduces in this way.
The seal lives here - the only seal that lives in fresh water reservoirs. There are also many sturgeons, pikes, whitefish, taimen in the lake.
A wide variety of animals and birds are found in forest areas and on the hills of the Baikal region. A large number of marals, martens, and sables live in the forests. Sheep are found in the mountainous areas, and marmots and ground squirrels are found in the steppes. A huge number of ducks live in these parts. Gulls and cormorants nest here. Geese, herons, swans, and loons are less common. There are 7 species of eagles here.
The nature of Lake Baikal is diverse and unique. Every effort must be made to preserve this rare land for posterity.

Some are interested in the question of which lake is the largest in the world. And oddly enough, this, despite its name, is the largest lake in the whole world. This body of water separates the land of Europe and Asia.

What is special about it?

The lake does not have any current, but at the same time it is usually called the sea. The presence of the second name of the reservoir is due to the following factors:

• dimensions
• depth
• features of the bed

After the formation of the largest lake in the world, numerous studies were carried out, thanks to which it was possible to find out the basic information and understand what a body of water is, what important differences it has.
The Caspian Sea is a lake, the shape of which resembles the Latin letter S. The surface area of ​​the reservoir is 371 thousand square meters, the width is four hundred and fifteen thousand square meters. Such dimensions lead to the fact that many countries border on the Caspian Sea.
An important advantage of the reservoir is an amazingly rich underwater world, and many of its inhabitants have acquired resistance to constant changes in the reservoir.
The reservoir includes several bays. At the same time, the largest is Kara-Bogaz-Gol (the separation took place in 1980 with the help of a deep dam, and four years after an important event, the result was fixed by a culvert).
In addition, the lake includes the following large bays:

• Komsomolets
• Turkmen
• Mangyshlak
• Kazakh
• Krasnovodsk
• Agrakhansky
• Kizlyarsky

The water area of ​​the Caspian includes 50 islands of different sizes. Moreover, some islands have an area of ​​more than 350 square meters. Some are united into island archipelagos, known as Apsheron and Baku.
The Caspian Sea appeared due to oceanic processes. This is proved by the features of the bed, which consists of the earth's crust of the oceanic type. At the same time, the process of creation dates back to distant times, because the age of the lake is already 13,000,000 years. It was then that the Alps mountains appeared, which separated the Sarmatian and Mediterranean seas from each other. The Akchagyl Sea existed for a long period. But after that, numerous transformations of the reservoir began:
1. The Pontic Sea dried up, as a result of which only Balakhan Lake (the southern part of the Caspian Sea) remained;
2. The Akchagyl Sea turned into the Apsheron Sea;
The main changes associated with the reservoir took place approximately 17,000 - 13,100 years ago. At the same time, the changes were due to transgression.
Now, after numerous transformations, there is the Caspian Sea, which is actually a lake.
Such changes have led to the need for a thorough study of the region. As it turned out, the south coast includes numerous caves. At the same time, scientists note that people lived in these parts about 75,000 years ago.
The first mentions of the reservoir and the Massageta tribe that inhabited the region can be found in Herodotus. At the same time, it was established that other tribes also lived in the region: Saki, Talysh.
Handwritten documents indicate that the Russians have been sailing to the Caspian Sea since the 9th-10th centuries. The presence of such official information indicates that the lake has attracted increased attention from the very beginning.

Is the largest lake on planet Earth. A distinctive feature of the reservoir is the instability of the hydrological regime, which is due to specific influences:

• climatic
• geological
• hydrological

On the territory of the Caspian basin, special processes take place that gradually change the lake. Scientists note that the water balance changes quite often, and changes occur at different periods of time (tens, hundreds, thousands of years).
The changes include:

• level with maximum value
• temperature regime

At the same time, researchers describe the current state of the Caspian Sea, allowing the inhabitants of the planet to understand how the largest lake in the world differs from many other bodies of water.

Water temperature

The temperature regime fluctuates in the following ranges:

• Winter. In the southern part - +10 - +13 degrees Celsius, in the northern part - below 0 degrees Celsius
• Summer. In this season, the temperature can rise to +25 - +28 degrees Celsius

At depth, the water temperature is about +5 degrees Celsius.
In fact, the water temperature undergoes significant latitudinal changes, which are primarily manifested in the cold season. The difference is about +10 degrees, which is a significant indicator. In fact, these indicators do not become prohibitive: shallow areas, where the depth is less than 25 meters, the annual difference can even reach twenty-five degrees Celsius.
At the same time, the average indicators of the difference can be noted:
The west coast is usually a couple of Celsius warmer than the east;
The open and closed parts also differ in their temperature regime. At the same time, external influences lead to warming up to four degrees Celsius.
The researchers note that over time, the temperature regime of the reservoir can change.

Features of the climate of the Caspian Sea basin

The climate of the region, in which the Caspian Sea is located, captures 3 directions at once, which causes a significant difference in temperature conditions at different times of the year.
In winter, the air temperature varies from minus 8 degrees Celsius in the north to plus 10 degrees Celsius in the south. Thus, the maximum difference can be up to 22 degrees.
At the same time, in summer, the temperature ranges from +24 to +27 degrees Celsius, as a result of which a difference of a couple of dozen is excluded. In the entire history of observations, the maximum air temperature was +44 degrees, and this important event took place on the east coast.
On average, 200 millimeters of precipitation falls annually, but the indicators for different parts of the region vary significantly:
The eastern part is always characterized by dry weather. As a result, the indicator does not exceed millimeters;
The southwest region boasts 1,700 millimeters.
It should be noted that water can evaporate quite actively from the surface of the lake. This has a positive effect on the climate of the region. Successful evaporation of the water guarantees correct water circulation, as a result of which large fluctuations in humidity levels are avoided.
The average annual wind speed in the region ranges from three to seven meters per second. In this case, the northern direction is predominant. It should be noted that in the cold months of the year, wind gusts sometimes reach forty meters per second.
The most windy areas are traditionally considered:

• Absheron peninsula
• Makhachkala
• Derbent

It is in this territory that the highest indicators of windiness can be recorded. The peculiarities of the region's climate are largely determined by the influence of the Caspian Sea.

Currents

The North Caspian plays the most important role in shaping the climate of the region. In this case, the main direction of the flow occurs from the northern side of the reservoir.

Salinity of water

Salinity ranges from 0.3% (the lowest). This characteristic is recorded near the mouth of the Volga. The salinity index suggests that the North Caspian is a desalinated sea basin. At the same time, in the southeast, the salinity reaches 13%. The maximum rate is recorded in the Kara-Bogaz-Gol gulf, where it already reaches 300%.

The relief of the lake

The Caspian Sea has a specific bottom topography, which is divided into three types:
Shelf;
Continental slope;
Deep-sea depressions.
How were all the above types of relief distributed?
The shelf starts from the coastline and extends to a depth of 100 meters. At the same time, below its border, the continental slope begins, the depth of which, depending on the region of the lake, ranges from 500 to 750 meters;
The coast is characterized by low-lying relief. At the same time, the banks have canopies and indented places;
The Middle Caspian includes a mountainous coast, which practically does not have an indented shape;
The eastern part is elevated;
The South Caspian has mountainous areas. At the same time, the coastline is more indented.
The Caspian Sea and its relief belong to the zone of increased seismicity. It should be noted that in the region where the lake is located, mud volcanoes often erupt, located at the southern point of the reservoir.

The characteristics of the reservoir

Historians and scholars have shown that the area and volume of water can vary significantly. Both factors are severely influenced by fluctuations in water levels.
What examples can you give? For example, when a reservoir rises, it may account for up to 78 and a half thousand cubic kilometers. Moreover, in this case, the volume indicator reaches about 44% of all lake water reserves.
The maximum depth is 1025 meters. This indicator was recorded in the South Caspian depression. It should be noted that the Caspian Sea is the third deepest. The leader is Baikal with 1620 meters, and Tanganyika with 1435 meters. It is important to note that the northern part is a shallow section of the reservoir, because the maximum depth never exceeds twenty-five meters.

Fluctuation of water in a body of water

Historical research confirms that the water level in the lake can fluctuate significantly. At the same time, scientists and historians record the peculiarities of changes in the water level.
Throughout the history of the reservoir, frequent changes in its characteristics are noted. It should be noted that in the Middle Ages, the highest indicators were noted in relation to the height of the water. Despite this, the process is continuous, the tendency to a decrease and increase in the water level in the lake is constantly replacing each other, which indicates the circulation and maintenance of the water balance. Any fixed figure cannot be final.
Measurements have been carried out on a regular basis since 1837, with researchers using special instruments for regular checks. Scientists note that the tendency to decrease - rise in the total water level changed many times, and these changes occurred at different intervals.
Serious fluctuations are caused by a whole chain of factors, which are divided into the following areas. The researchers note that in the future, fluctuations in the water of the Caspian Sea should remain, but the safety of the reservoir is guaranteed.

Features of water balance cycles

Surface currents define complex cyclones that replace each other. Significant differences are noted in each part of the Caspian. It should be noted that the lake belongs to troubled water bodies. For example, changes in atmospheric pressure and direction, wind speed always lead to fluctuations in the water level. Changes in characteristics are most pronounced in the shallow part of the reservoir, because surges during stormy weather can even reach four meters.
The instability of the lake leads to the fact that the climatic picture is also subject to serious changes.
The water balance is always determined by the characteristics of the flow and atmospheric influences, the volume of evaporating liquid from the surface of the reservoir. At the same time, the Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay belongs to the discharge part of the reservoir. The most important role is played by the Volga runoff, which belongs to the incoming part. The Volga runoff can reach about 80% of the river water inflow for the formation of the Caspian Sea.

Water composition

The Caspian Sea is distinguished by its closed structure and unique composition. At the same time, serious differences in proportions are noted for the waters of regions that are under the influence of continental runoff.
Constant fluctuations in water and changes in water balance prevent chloride levels from rising.
At the same time, it is planned to regularly increase the following components:

• Carbonates
• Calcium
• Sulphates

The three above-mentioned components occupy an important place in any river waters. The composition of water also changes under the influence of complex cyclical factors.

The largest lake is usually called the Caspian Sea, and many are interested in the question: where is the largest lake in the world? This body of water is located in the part of the world where Europe and Asia dock. Thus, the lake belongs to Eurasia.
The water area is divided into three large parts, which have the characteristics of the climatic region, the unique characteristics of the reservoir and its water balance:

• The North Caspian occupies 25% of the territory
• The Middle Caspian has 36%
• The South Caspian possesses 39% of the total established area

It is important to note that the body of water is characterized by severe fluctuations in depth. For example, the northern part accounts for up to 22 meters, and the southern part - up to 1025 meters. Moreover, the depth of less than one meter is recorded at 20% of the Northern Caspian. Despite such fluctuations, the Caspian still occupies the third position in the world in terms of depth.
The large size of the Caspian Sea determines that as many as five countries belonging to Eurasia are in contact with the lake along the borders:

• Russia
• Azerbaijan
• Kazakhstan
• Turkmenistan

This information proves that the lake actually occupies an important place on the world map.
Caspian basin
Four more states are included in the Caspian basin: Armenia, Georgia, Turkey, Uzbekistan. Each country has a direct access to the Caspian Sea.
The basin includes more than one hundred and thirty rivers, with the Volga being the largest. It is the Volga River that connects the Caspian Sea and the World Ocean. The Volga and all its river tributaries are regulated by the existing reservoirs, which are formed by the dams of the hydroelectric power station.
The Caspian Basin also includes additional rivers that ensure the water balance of the world's largest lake is maintained. In this case, the most important is the Volga, which flows through the territory of Europe.
It should be noted that the eastern coast of the Caspian can no longer boast of a developed hydrographic network. The Emba and Ural rivers flow into the territory of Kazakhstan. There is one watercourse noted in Turkmenistan that is not permanent, but it still needs to be noted: the Atrek River. Iran is distinguished by the connection of the Caspian Sea and several rivers. Despite the fact that connections still exist in the eastern direction, their total length turns out to be significantly less.

Cities of the Caspian Sea

The largest port city located on the Caspian Sea is the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku. The city is located in the south of the Absheron Peninsula. It should be noted that in 2010, there were 2,500,000 people living in Baku.
The following large cities are also associated with the Caspian Sea:
Sumgait, Lankaran (Azerbaijan);
Turkmenbashi (Turkmenistan);
Aktau, Atyrau (Kazakhstan);
Kaspiysk, Makhachkala, Astrakhan (Russia).
This geographical position, and, accordingly, the relationship with rivers, countries and cities, indicates that the Caspian Sea is in fact the largest lake in the world.
Features of the development of the Caspian Sea
The economic development of the Caspian Sea has been of interest to society since ancient times. Historical information testifies to this. Currently, people have managed to achieve good results.

Features of the story

For the first time, the study of the reservoir began in 285 BC. At the same time, the corresponding measures were carried out by the Greeks. After the first attempt, the work was postponed for a long time.
Nowadays, they began to try thanks to Peter the Great, who organized an expedition in 1714 for almost a whole year. Then, hydrographic studies were carried out in the 1720s with the help of Russian and foreign researchers.
At the beginning of the 19th century, there was already an opportunity for instrumental photography, thanks to which it was possible to thoroughly analyze the peculiarities of the geography of the reservoir and the region.
In 1866, 50 years of research began. The main objective was to enrich knowledge regarding hydrobiology and hydrology.
The most active research began in the late 1890s. At the same time, Soviet geologists made every effort to understand the features of fluctuations in the level of a reservoir, to study the water balance and find oil.
Numerous expeditions made it possible to start using the Caspian Sea for the benefit of the entire world society.

Development results

How can the Caspian Sea be used for the benefit of the people?
Gas and oil production. On the territory of the Caspian Sea, numerous deposits with a special purpose are being developed. To date, the resources of oil and gas condensate amount to about twenty billion tons, with oil accounting for half of this volume. Extraction of valuable minerals has been carried out since the 1820s, but it was possible to reach the industrial level only in the second half of the 19th century.
The Caspian shelf, which is included in the water basin, is used for the extraction of salt, stone, sand, clay, limestone.
The developed network allows the use of the Caspian Sea for shipping.
The lake has a rich water world. This is used for the active development of fishing. It should be noted that more than 90% of sturgeon fish can be caught in this region. By now, fishing and the extraction of valuable caviar have been successfully developed. At the same time, the seal fishery is also developing at a rapid pace.
Recreational resources are another advantage associated with the Caspian region. A special water composition and a unique balance, a beneficial climate make it possible to successfully develop a number of resorts, but at the same time, the economic, political and religious characteristics of the eastern states do not allow the use of the recreational resources of the Caspian region due to the unique characteristics of the sea-lake.
The Caspian Sea is the largest and most important lake in the world, which justifies its position and increased attention to itself.

TOP 10 deepest lakes in the world

If you did not yet know which lake is the deepest in the world and where the deepest lake in the world is, then you should familiarize yourself with the TOP-10. Baikal is a legendary lake. It is written about in various sources; travelers and researchers are extremely fond of the reservoir. Every year, amazing discoveries are made at Lake Baikal, they conduct expeditions, and do research. This lake holds an impressive number of different world records.
The deepest lake is considered one of the oldest on the planet, and it is also the deepest in the world. The average depth is 730 meters, and the maximum mark is 1637 meters. Since 1996, Baikal has been on the UNESCO list as a World Heritage Site.
There is still debate about the origin of the lake. Scientists have not come to a consensus regarding the age of the reservoir, which is estimated at about 25-35 million years. That is why Baikal is considered a unique reservoir, because other glacial lakes “live” on average for 10-15 thousand years, gradually becoming swampy.
A distinctive feature of the deepest lake in the world is the fact that it contains about 19% of the world's fresh water reserves. This is an impressive amount, which is not found in any other body of water in the world. The transparency of the lake also attracts attention. Inhabitants or various objects can be seen at depths of up to 40 meters. At the same time, the water contains a minimum amount of mineral salts, on average reaching 100 mg per liter. All this makes it possible to use the water of Lake Baikal as distilled water.
In total, it has about 2630 species of both plant and animal inhabitants. Moreover, most of them are endemic. In other words, you can only find them here. The abundance of living organisms can be explained by the impressive oxygen content in the water column. Among all animals, golomyanka is distinguished. This fish contains less than 30% fat. The Epishura crustacean, of which there are over 300 species, also becomes an amazing inhabitant. Among mammals, it is worth highlighting the seal, which is called the Baikal seal.
It is interesting that the reserves of water in Lake Baikal are so impressive that they could provide all the inhabitants of the world for 40 long years. Scientists are still researching the Baikal ice, which is fraught with many mysteries. An extraordinary shape becomes a distinctive feature. It can be found exclusively on Lake Baikal. If you see the lake from space, you can see dark rings in the images. Their origin is not known at the moment, although scientists are making a lot of guesses. Answering the question which lake is the deepest in the world, there is no doubt that it is Baikal.

All the deepest lakes in the world are of interest, and Tanganyika is a special lake that has a personal status in Africa. Its location is known to locals throughout the continent. A distinctive feature of Lake Tanganyika is its amazing fauna and flora, as well as impressive dimensions. The waters of the lake are located in the East African Rift, which is a narrow valley with an impressive length. The crescent shape and proximity to the mountains make the area surprisingly picturesque.
Lake Tanganyika feeds the great Congo River. This is done across the Lukuga River. However, Tanganyika does not belong to the Congo Basin. The lake holds one of the world records as the longest freshwater body of water. Moreover, it is located above the sea at an altitude of 773 meters. The total length reaches 673 kilometers, and the width at the largest point is 72 kilometers. The depth of the reservoir is quite impressive and is 1470 meters, which makes the lake the second deepest in the world. On the territory of the entire reservoir, the average depth reaches 570 meters.
The volume of water in Lake Tanganyika is 18.9 thousand cubic meters, which also puts the lake in second place in the world ranking. The total area exceeds 32 thousand square kilometers. The coastline has an impressive length of 1,828 kilometers. The reservoir also includes streams and rivers. In general, Lake Tanganyika is often called the "African pearl", because it owns a huge number of world records.
It is surrounded from different sides by four countries at once. These are Zambia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Tanzania. There is also a connection with the Atlantic Ocean through the Congo and Lukuga rivers. Interestingly, Tanganyika is distinguished by an impressive age of 10-12 million years. For the entire impressive period of history, the lake has never dried up. As a result of this, an unusual underwater world was formed, which is not similar to any other corner of the planet.
There is no full water turnover in the lake, the reason is the impressive depth, as well as the absence of bottom currents. As a result, a high amount of hydrogen sulfide is concentrated in the lower layers of water. Already at a depth of 200 meters, the so-called "dead zone" begins. There is no life here due to the lack of oxygen. The water surface has an impressive variety of fish species. There are especially many cichlids here. They are present in the amount of 250 species, of which about 98% live exclusively in this lake.

When asked which lake is the largest in the world or where is the largest lake in the world, you will be somewhat surprised. The Caspian Sea is an unusual body of water with a non-standard name. In fact, this sea has no connection with the World Ocean, it is located at a considerable distance from it. In the north and east, the sea borders on a desert area, the southern coast is lowland, and the western coast is represented by the mountain ranges of the Greater Caucasus. On all sides, the reservoir is surrounded by land, therefore it is called the "sea-lake".
A distinctive feature is the different bottom topography. In the northern part, shallow water is observed, in the central and southern parts - depressions and an underwater sill. An interesting feature is the fact that the Caspian Sea is located in more than one climatic zone. The northern part of the sea is represented by a continental climate, the western is temperate, the eastern is desert, and the southwestern is subtropical humid.
This climatic feature leads to the fact that the sea behaves differently at different times of the year. In winter, strong winds and low temperatures prevail here, reaching a maximum of 8-10 degrees below zero in the air. In spring, north-westerly winds reign here. In summer, the air masses circulate insignificantly; near the coast, the wind can intensify. Summer temperatures can rise to a maximum of 27-28 degrees above zero. It can be concluded that winters in the Caspian Sea are cold and windy, while summers are windy and hot.
The volume of river flow differs significantly throughout the year. It reaches its maximum rates in spring, as well as at the beginning of summer. Spring floods may occur. Today, the water resources of the lake are actively used by people, reservoirs and hydroelectric power plants are being built. All this has led to the fact that the water level in the Caspian Sea has dropped somewhat today.
The main food of the lake is river. Among the rivers that flow into the Caspian Sea, the Ural, Volga and Terek are distinguished. It is these three rivers that bring about 90% of the river flow. About 9% of the rivers flow from the western side and only 1% from the rivers of the Iranian coast. There are also tidal waves in the lake, which are noticeable especially in November and December. It is during this period of time that the sea level can increase by an average of 2-3 meters. In summer, the sea level practically does not change.
An impressive number of fish species are found here. As a result, fishing and fishery are actively developing here. In particular, there are many sturgeon fish, and oil has recently been discovered in the Caspian Sea.

San Martin- a body of water located in the state of Santa Cruz in Argentina. San Martin, like other deepest lakes in the world, impresses with its impressive dimensions, which makes it one of the largest in the world. It is also the deepest on the South American continent. The lake covers an area between Chile and Argentina, located right on the border. Interestingly, the reservoir also has another name for its Argentine part. He was given a "name" in honor of José de San Martín, who is a national hero.
The area of ​​the reservoir reaches 1010 square meters, and the maximum depth is 836 meters. The shape of the lake is uneven and "ragged"; it is additionally represented by eight arms. The Mayer River becomes the main tributary, flows into Lake San Martin and the Chico, O'Higgins glaciers, and there are also small streams. Only one river Pasqua flows out of the reservoir.
Around the lake there are picturesque views of the pampas, and also amaze with snowy peaks. The area is rich in flora and fauna, in particular, there are many species of birds and animals. A huge number of trout live here, so sport fishing competitions are often organized. Lake San Martin is amazingly clear, the water in it can change its color from green to deep blue.
Nearby there is the town of El Chalten, which is called the tourist center of the region. Everything here is arranged so that it is convenient for travelers to relax and explore the lake. The town has information centers, travel agencies, souvenir shops, and camping-style hotels. Additionally, there is an opportunity to choose a walking tour along the coast of San Martin. Also offered are boat trips, extreme trips to the snowy peaks of the nearby Andes mountains.
Are available on the shores of Lake San Martin and full-fledged attractions. These include the luxurious Nahuel Huapi estate. Lake guests can take time to explore the estate. For this, horseback riding tours are offered, which give incredible pleasure from the trip.
Lake San Martin reaches 1058 square kilometers. The reservoir is located above sea level, at an altitude of 250 meters. The coastline is quite impressive and reaches 525 kilometers in length. The lake is considered the deepest in America. Here you can always meet tourists and locals, photographers and artists who come here to admire the picturesque and magnificent views of the territory.

Nyasa is called one of the largest African reservoirs and the deepest lakes in the world. It is located in East Africa in the Great Rift Valley. The lake is 560 kilometers long and 80 kilometers wide. The depth is quite impressive and reaches 704 meters. This makes it possible to bring Lake Nyasa to the fifth place in the world ranking of the deepest bodies of water. The reservoir was discovered in 1616 by the Bucarro travelers from Portugal.
The name of the reservoir is fairly standard. It was selected in the Yao language, and in translation it means "lake". Nyasa is located on the territory of several countries at once - Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, occupying their borders. A distinctive feature is the coastal relief, which is represented by spatial beaches and steep shores. The plains from the northwestern part of Lake Nyasa, where the plains amaze with their picturesqueness, have special expanses.
In the same place the Songwe River flows into the lake. In addition, the reservoir feeds 14 rivers, among which Bua, Ruhuhu, Lilongwe, Rukuru are distinguished. The only river that flows out of the reservoir is the river with the sonorous name Shire. The water of Lake Nyasa has different temperatures, ranging from warm to cool. The lake impresses with its rich fauna, so fishing is actively practiced here. In total, it accounts for about 4% of Malawi's GDP. Nyasa is home to a huge number of different species of fish, as well as crocodiles, whooper eagles. All this emphasizes the originality of the lake. Crocodiles and whooper eagles hunt fish.
Lake Nyasa is a natural landmark that amazes with its picturesqueness and originality. This is precisely what attracts the attention of travelers from all over the world. The reservoir itself ranks third in Africa and is one of the five deepest in the world. Today, shipping is developed here, among the main ports are Karonga, Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkota Kota, Bandave, Mwai, Metangula.
Lake Nyasa basin is sparsely populated. Most of the people live near the southern coast of Nyasa. The western and northern coasts have a very sparse population with low economic activity. There is a hydroelectric power station on the outflowing river Shira. It becomes the main source of electricity. Very often, the country's energy sector suffers from the impermanence of the lake. The greatest deficiency was observed in 1997, when the level of the lake was at its lowest.

Kyrgyzstan Is an amazingly picturesque country that abounds in luxurious territories. Especially the Issyk-Kul lake attracts attention. This reservoir is considered one of the largest in the world. It is interesting that in terms of water transparency, this reservoir is in second position in the world ranking, second only to Lake Baikal. Issyk-Kul is considered the pearl of both Kyrgyzstan itself and Central Asia. The lake is salty and mild winters prevent the reservoir from freezing even in winter. A distinctive feature is the amazing surrounding beauty that attracts the attention of tourists from all over the world.
Issyk-Kul Lake is located in the Northern Tien Shan, occupying an area between two ridges. Their maximum height is 5200 meters. On their slopes on the north side there are spruce forests, and on the south - steppe vegetation. The lake is fed by rivers, of which there are about 80 rivers in total. Among the main ones are Zhuku, Zhyr-galan, Tyup, Ak-Terek, Tong and some others. Most of the rivers are fed by glaciers.
Interestingly, the appearance of the river looks unexpected from space. The astronauts themselves assert this. Lake Issyk-Kul is distinguished along with the Great Wall of China and the pyramids of Cheops. From space at such an impressive height, it resembles a human eye.
Not a single river flows out of the reservoir. This leads to the fact that the water in the river is salty, as mineral substances are collected. However, in terms of its salinity, the reservoir is significantly inferior to seawater, on average, five and a half times. However, the type of mineralization is considered to be quite valuable, which belongs to the chloride-sulfate-sodium-magnesium species.
The water is permeated with oxygen, which makes it light and transparent. It is unusually reminiscent of the ocean or sea. Many different legends are associated with this lake. One of them says that at the bottom of the reservoir are the ruins of the most ancient city, which was distinguished by its beautiful appearance. The color of the water is unusual. It can change shades from pale blue to dark blue.
Issyk-Kul Lake has an impressive history. The first mention dates back to the chronicles of the second century BC. In them, the reservoir is called Zhe-Hai, which means "warm sea" in Chinese. Most likely this name was given due to the fact that the lake does not freeze. The scientific study of the flora and fauna of the reservoir, as well as the composition of the water, began in the 19th century. Many scientists were so interested in the nature of this place that they bequeathed to bury themselves on its coast.

The Big Slave Lake is an amazing reservoir that amazes with its spaciousness and picturesqueness. The name Slave has an unknown origin and most experts are inclined to believe that it was not given to him by chance. The reservoir itself is located in Canada and in its dimensions it can easily compete with the largest lakes in the world, including the Great American Lakes.
The depth of the large Slave Lake is about 614 meters. For the North American continent, this figure is considered the maximum. In the world ranking, the reservoir ranks seventh. Shipping is organized on Slave Lake in the summer, and under the ice in the winter. It is so strong that cars can easily drive on it. Until recently, the road on frozen ice was the only one, until a full-fledged highway was built.
Great Slave Lake is completely covered with ice for seven to eight months a year, from November to June. Interestingly, the lake itself appeared during a global cooling. It reminds of this time for most of the year. A distinctive feature is the picturesque nature of the surrounding area, which attracts the attention of tourists. The banks are decorated with dense tundra forests. The seething streams of water that can be seen between the rocks look spectacular.
Gold miners are usually attracted to the northern shores of water bodies. It will be interesting for adventure lovers who dream of learning about the education of the city of Yellowknife. It arose precisely during the gold rush. Before that, only Indians lived on the coast of the lake, namely, the Slavey tribe. It is interesting that the name of the tribe in translation into Russian means "slave" or "slave".
It was from this tribe that the name of the lake appeared, as most researchers believe. However, after lengthy studies of this fact, it was discovered that the slave tribe has nothing to do with slaves. Representatives of the tribe are brave, courageous and strong people. Today the tribe is about ten thousand people. They all live on the coast of this reservoir.
In length, the large Slave Lake reaches 480 kilometers, and the width of the reservoir reaches from 19 to 225 kilometers. Several rivers flow into the lake, in particular Slave, Snowdrift, Hay, Tolson, Yellowknife. Only one river flows out of the lake - this is Mackenzie. In terms of area, the reservoir reaches 28.5 thousand square kilometers with a volume of over 1500 cubic meters.

- one of the most amazing natural objects in the world. The formation of this reservoir occurred after the eruption of Mount Mazama volcano. It happened over seven thousand years ago. A distinctive feature of the lake is its deep blue hue and the incredible beauty of the surrounding landscape. This place is considered one of the most picturesque in the world. Not every lake evokes such a storm of emotions as Crater.
The depth of Crater Lake reaches 594 meters. This explains its rich dark blue hue. The cleanliness of the surrounding area and its environmental friendliness are also attractive. Here you can often meet tourists who come to admire the beauty. You can also see photographers and artists trying to capture the picturesque.
The history of the lake began about twelve thousand years ago. It was then that people began to live here for the first time, and they saw the eruption of the volcano. As a result, Crater Lake appeared. For a long time it was not known to Europeans. It was found for the first time by John Fremont, who led the expedition of 1843-1846. Gradually, they began to explore the lake, and a lake was found here. It has changed its name several times. The modern was consolidated only by 1869.
Many researchers wonder why the water came out at the top of the mountain. Most experts are inclined to believe that this has happened over the centuries. This happened gradually by filling the lake with snow and rain. The lake is a volcano bowl.
Interestingly, the lake has many different attractions. One of them is a ghost ship. It is an island that reaches 48 meters in height. It is formed from the lava of a volcano and resembles a ship in its silhouette. Another attraction is Halman Peak. This is a volcanic cone, which is more than 70 thousand years old. It was named so in honor of the explorer who first discovered this lake.
It is also worth highlighting the Island of the Sorcerer, located on the island. His name is given to him in honor of the wizard's hat, which he resembles with himself. It is extraordinarily beautiful and reaches 233 meters in height. The pinnacles are also distinguished by the peaked peaks, which were the result of volcanic gases and erosion. Crater Lake is now part of the park. Everything has been created here for the convenience of tourists, in order to provide them with a comfortable examination of the picturesque territory.

Lakes are extremely important for our planet, as they contain an impressive amount of fresh water. Lake Buenos Aires and Matano are called one of the most interesting and attracting attention. Matano is a lake located in Indonesia. In its country, it is an important source of fresh water. The lake is located in the south of the island of Sulawesi. The area of ​​the reservoir is impressive and reaches 164 square kilometers, and the depth is 590 meters.
A distinctive feature of Buenos Aires and Matano lakes is the crystal clear water. Those who have been here claim that you can easily see everything that happens at a depth of 20-25 meters. An interesting feature is the unique flora. It is here that an impressive number of fish are found, whose ancestors swam here several millennia ago.
The picturesque area around the lake also attracts. It is represented by mountains and tropical forests. For the convenience of tourists, beaches with white sand are organized here. Diving is also available on the lake. A huge number of divers gather here who dream of admiring the beauty of the underwater world. An extraordinary feature of Matano is the presence of two levels of the water column. The first has a high percentage of oxygen content, and the second has no sulfates, there is an excess of iron. Many scientists compare such a composition with the oceanic composition, which is quite atypical for lakes.
Lake Buenos Aires and Matano is located on the border of Chile and Argentina. It has the same depth as Matano, reaching 590 meters. The total area of ​​the reservoir is 1,850 square kilometers. The origin and nutrition of the lake is glacial, and it is located directly in the Patagonian Andes. In South America, Buenos Aires is considered the deepest body of water, and in the world ranking it occupies the ninth position.
The main feature is excellent ecology and crystal clear water. Also, Lake Buenos Aires and Matano are notable for the presence of marble caves. They have an amazingly beautiful view that attracts tourists from all over the world. The color of the water also looks interesting, which consists of shades of turquoise and emerald.
An impressive number of cities and towns are located near the lake. This is due to the excellent climate and scenic beauty of the territory. Excursions are often organized here so that tourists have the opportunity to admire the magnificent external appearance of the marble caves. You can only see the beauty in person, as photographs are not able to convey it.

- an amazing body of water that attracts attention. It has not yet been fully explored, so the official parameters have not been set. Today it is believed that the depth of the lake reaches 514 meters, but this is not an accurate indicator. However, it also allows Hornindalsvatnet to be the deepest lake both in Norway and throughout Europe. In the world ranking, the lake occupies the tenth position.
In the 90s of the 20th century, the Telenor company began to study the lake. It was previously the country's official telephone company. Telenor planned to lay the fiber optics directly along the bottom of Lake Hornindalsvatnet. At this moment, the depth of 612 meters was declared. If this indicator is officially confirmed, the lake will take the seventh position in the world ranking.
Lake Hornindalsvatnet has no other outstanding characteristics. Its water volume reaches 12 cubic meters with a total surface area of ​​50 square meters. These are quite modest dimensions even for Norway. In terms of the country, in terms of its volume and area, the lake occupies 19th place.
The location of the lake is of interest. It is located in the Norwegian province in the west of Norway. This is the Atlantic coast in Sogn aux Fjordane county. Hornindalsvatnet is located above the sea at an altitude of 53 meters, and Hornindal is located on its shore. It is the administrative center of the commune. The town is quite small and has only a few hotels.
Crystal clear water becomes a distinctive feature of the lake. In the whole of Scandinavia, it is Lake Hornindalsvatnet that is considered the cleanest lake. This is explained by the fact that the water supply is not associated with rivers. The main source of food is glaciers. Here everyone can go fishing, because the fauna of the reservoir is really unique. You can find quite rare varieties of fish that are not found in other bodies of water in Norway. Moreover, their fishing is not prohibited.
The landscape is also remarkable, which is notable for its beauty and picturesqueness. Many consider this place to be the pearl of the country, so excursions are often organized here. Also, on the lake, every year in the middle of summer, a Marathon is held, in which an impressive number of people take part. This is an impressive race of 42 kilometers and 195 meters. If you wish, here you can just relax, swim and sunbathe on the beach. You can also try your hand at rowing, which is developed on Hornindalsvatnet.

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There are many lakes in the world, and most of them are located in the Northern Hemisphere. Baikal is the deepest lake in the world. In the form of a narrow blue crescent, Baikal is located almost in the center of the huge continent of Eurasia. Surrounded on all sides by mountain ranges, it stretches for 636 kilometers, up to 80 km wide, with a total area of ​​Belgium, with its 10 million population.

Historians are still arguing about how Baikal arose - either as a result of slow transformations, or because of a terrible catastrophe, as a result of which there was a failure in the earth's crust.

336 rivers and streams flow into the deepest lake in the world, while half of the water that enters the lake comes from the Selenga River. The only river flowing from Lake Baikal is the Angara.

The water surface of Lake Baikal is 31,470 square kilometers. The average depth of the lake is 730 m, and the maximum depth is 1637 m, which makes it the deepest lake in the world, ahead of the African lake Tanganyika - the closest contender for this title - by 200 meters.

To describe the immensity of the Baikal water body, it should be pointed out that the Angara River, which annually carries 60.9 km3 of water from the lake, will need about 378 years of uninterrupted operation to completely drain its bowl. Of course, provided that during this time it does not evaporate from its surface and not a liter of water gets into it.

The deepest lake in the world has 30 islands, the largest of which is Olkhon.

Baikal water

Like Baikal itself, its water is unique and amazing. She is very clean and transparent. Our ancestors considered it to be curative and with its help healed diseases.

In the springtime, the transparency of the water of the deepest lake in the world reaches 40 meters. Such a deep transparency is explained by the fact that due to the activity of living organisms, Baikal water is rather weakly mineralized and approaches distilled water.



About 23 thousand cubic kilometers - this is the volume of the deepest lake in the world. It provides 90% of Russian and 20% of the world's fresh water reserves. In terms of the amount of water it can hold, Baikal will outperform all five Great American Lakes combined (22,725 km3). Each year, the Baikal ecosystem produces on average 60 cubic kilometers of oxygenated clear water.

Inhabitants of Baikal

Due to the many physical and geographical features of the deepest lake in the world, plant and animal life is in full swing here.

The lake has 52 species of fish from several families among its permanent residents:

salmon (Davatchan, taimen, lenok, Baikal omul - endemic fish, whitefish)

sturgeon (Baikal sturgeon)

grayling (Siberian grayling)

carp

pike

catfish

loach

perch

cod

golomyanki

sculpting gobies

The pyramid of the lake ecosystem is headed by the only representative of mammals in the lake - the seal, or the Baikal seal. For almost the whole year, seals live in the water, and in autumn they form massive "lying" on the rocky shores of the lake.

The life of local animals is associated not only with the lake itself, but also with its coast. Gogols, seagulls, scooters, mergansers, white-tailed eagles, osprey, ogary and other birds build nests on the shores of the deepest lake in the world and on its islands.

Another integral contingent of the great lake is made up of brown bears, which arrange a massive exit to the shores. And in the mountain taiga of the Baikal region, the smallest deer lives - musk deer.

The diversity of the organic world of Lake Baikal will turn the head of every lover of nature. A large number of inhabitants of the deepest lake in the world, including animals and plants, cannot be found in other bodies of water in the world. Baikal has 848 species of endemic (characteristic only of this region) animals (about 60%) and 133 species of endemic plants (15%).

However, Baikal also has environmental problems, such as a pulp and paper mill, as well as a Dzhida tungsten-molybdenum mill, which dump their waste into the lake's ecosystem.

In an interview with the Russian edition of The Epoch Times in early 2010, Vladimir Kulish, a board member of the Movement in Defense of Baikal, spoke about the waste situation at the deepest lake in the world: “Hundreds of meters from Lake Baikal, next to a pulp and paper mill, in The sludge ponds contain tens of millions of cubic meters of the plant's solid waste - lignin. It contains hazardous compounds of heavy metals and chlorine. The plant is located in a zone of increased seismic activity, and in case of damage to the sludge collectors, everything will flow directly to Baikal. "

December 18, 2010 in Irkutsk, the closest city to Lake Baikal, there was a collection of signatures under New Year's ecological cards to Santa Claus with a request to solve the problem of pollution of the deepest lake in the world.

Perhaps Santa Claus heeded the requests of environmentally conscious citizens, since a few days later, representatives of the Russian authorities announced that the state would allocate one billion rubles in 2011 for the implementation of a program for the next ten years for the protection of Lake Baikal and the socio-economic development of the Baikal natural territory.

Igor Maidanov, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology, said that work will be financed to eliminate waste from both plants, which are like "poisonous pimples around Lake Baikal."

Baikal and tourists

Today, the deepest lake in the world is a magnet for tourists from all over the world. The opening of a tourist and recreational zone on Lake Baikal made it possible to significantly increase the number of tourist centers and improve the quality of service.

A huge amount of water, which contains the deepest lake in the world, has a bewitching effect on a person, and he involuntarily penetrates to Baikal with mystical feelings.

Northern Baikal with its wild and uninhabited shores is especially little traveled and beautiful, the nature here is untouched. The area is also famous for the large number of thermal springs where you can swim.

Some tourists bring a kayak with them to sail along the shore of Lake Baikal, others rent a boat. For those who value comfort, the latter is preferable, but in any case, you can get a lot of positive emotions while admiring the magnificent mountain landscapes. The height of the local mountains reaches 2.5 km, you can see glaciers and eternal snows.

However, tourists are not advised to tempt themselves to cross Baikal in a kayak, since the local weather is very changeable, and a storm may break out at any moment. There are many winds on Lake Baikal, and each has its own name. The main winds are: Kultuk, Barguzin, Sarma, Miner, Verkhovik. Some of them are extremely dangerous on the water and, having caught a light boat in the middle of the lake, will easily overturn it!

According to the indigenous people, Baikal is sacred, and many Buryats consider it not just a lake, but a reasonable and wise creature. There are many legends and beliefs about Baikal. The indigenous Buryats will not allow themselves to throw a coastal stone into the deepest lake in the world unnecessarily: "Baikal put it in a wave in this place, so this is where it should lie!"

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 on the 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 are the deepest lakes in the world? We present to you ten of the deepest lakes on our planet.

10. Lake Buenos Aires | 590 m

This body of water 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 and is home to 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 things. 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 largest lake in the USA... It is of volcanic origin and is located in the national park of the same name, located in the state of Oregon. The maximum depth of Kreiter is 592 meters, it is located in the crater of an extinct volcano and is notable for its incredible beauty. The lake is fed by rivers that originate in mountain glaciers, so the Kreiter water is amazingly clear and transparent. It has the cleanest water in North America.

Local Indians have added 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 thousand 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 frozen in ice for almost eight months a year. In winter, the ice is so strong that heavy trucks can easily cross it.

There is a legend that a strange creature very much like a dragon lives in this lake. Many witnesses saw him, but science has not yet found evidence of the existence of a mysterious creature. 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 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 the salty water, Issyk-Kul does not freeze even in the most severe winters. There are very interesting legends associated with the lake.

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

5. Lake Malawi (Nyasa) | 706 m

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

This lake is located on the territory of three African countries at once: Malawi, Tanzania and Mozambique. Due to the high water temperature, the lake is home to the largest number of fish species on Earth. The fish of Lake Malawi are a favorite in aquariums. Its water 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 deepest lake not only South but also North America. Many small rivers flow into Lake San Martin, and the Pasqua River flows out of it, which carries its waters into 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 the largest indoor 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.

The natural world of the reservoir is very rich. Very valuable fish species 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 at the site of an ancient break 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 the longest lake in the world, its length is 670 kilometers. The natural world of the lake is very rich and interesting: crocodiles, hippos and a huge number of unique fish are found here. Tanganyika plays a huge role in the economy of all states on whose territory it is located.

1. Lake Baikal | 1642 m

It is the deepest freshwater lake on Earth. It is also one of the largest freshwater bodies of water on our planet. Its maximum depth is 1642 meters. The average depth of the lake is over seven hundred meters.

The origin of lake baikal

It was formed at the site of the rupture of 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 has the second largest volume of water and contains 20% of all fresh water that is on our planet.

This lake has a unique ecosystem, there are 1,700 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. Local residents consider Baikal a sacred lake. Shamans from all over East Asia regularly gather here. Numerous myths and legends are associated with Baikal.

+ Lake Vostok | 1200 m

We should also mention 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 tremendous 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.

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