The largest lakes in the world include the Caspian Sea, Lake Superior, Victoria, Huron, Michigan, the Aral Sea, Tanganyika and Baikal. These bodies of water are larger than some seas, and on which large storm waves arise.
Three of the largest lakes in the world
The Caspian Sea tops the list of the largest lakes. It is located at the junction of Asia and Europe. It is called the sea because of its enormous size. It is a closed salt lake. The sea area is 371,000 sq. km. It stretches from west to east - 315 km, from north to south - 1200 km. There are about 50 islands, a dozen peninsulas and bays on the lake. Such rivers as Terek, Volga, Ural flow into the Caspian Sea. The reservoir washes the shores of Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Russia and Azerbaijan. On the shores are the large cities of Baku, Turkmenbashi, Makhachkala, Kaspiysk. There are 101 species of fish in the Caspian Sea, and you can also find seals. On the shelf of the reservoir, work is underway to extract oil, limestone, salt, sand and clay.
The second place in the ranking is occupied by Lake Superior, located on the border of the United States and Canada. Has an area of 82,700 sq. km. Also, Lake Superior is the largest freshwater reservoir in the world. It is located at an altitude of 183 m above sea level and was formed due to the melting of glaciers. The coastline is rugged, steep and rocky. The lake is rich in trout, sturgeon, whitefish and other fish species. Shipping is well developed. The main ports are considered to be Thunder Bay, Ashland, Superior and Duluth.
The three largest lakes in the world are closed by Victoria. It is located in East Africa, on the border of three states - Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The area of the lake is 68,000 sq. km. Victoria is also considered the second largest freshwater lake on the planet. There are many islands on the reservoir. Fishing and shipping are well developed on the lake. The Kager River flows into it and the longest river in the world, the Nile, flows out. The reservoir was discovered by the Englishman John Speke in 1858 and named after Queen Victoria.
Other large lakes on the planet
In fourth and fifth place on the list of large lakes are the Huron and Michigan reservoirs, which are part of the North American Great Lakes. Michigan and Huron are connected by the Mackinac Strait. Manitoulin is located on Huron, which is considered the largest island in the world, located on a freshwater lake. Lake Michigan is entirely located in the United States. The coastline is dominated by cities such as Chicago, Milwaukee, Evanston and Hammond.
The sixth place is occupied by the endless Aral Sea. It is located on the border of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. The area of the sea and the volume of water in it are rapidly decreasing every year. Researchers say that by 2020 the Aral Sea may completely disappear from the face of the earth.
In seventh place is one of the ancient lakes on the planet Tanganyika. The shores of the reservoir belong to Zambia, Tanzania, Congo and Burundi. The coastline of the lake is dissected by bays and bays. The lake is home to crocodiles, hippos and fish. Next on the list is Baikal, which is also the deepest lake in the world.
