When we speak of a lake, we are referring to a permanent body of water that is deposited in the depressions that exist in a field. These depressions can be formed from geological faults and by orogenesis. They can also occur due to the accumulation of glacial moraines or numerous snow avalanches. Today we bring you the list of the largest lakes in the world.
We are going to tell you which are the largest lakes in the world and what are their main characteristics.
Caspian Sea
A lake can contain both freshwater and saltwater. The formation of each type of lake determines the characteristics and type of water it will contain. In this case, we're talking about the Caspian Sea. It's a lake so vast that it's considered a sea. It contains brackish water and is located between Europe and Asia. with a depth of 371.000 km2 and an average depth of 170 meters.
The name Caspian Sea is due to Caspian. It is the name of an ancient town that had developed southwest of the lake. It has quite abundant flora and fauna and is rich in sturgeons and seals. Unfortunately, it is a sea with many disputes between countries since it also has mineral resources such as oil and natural gas and is subject to continuous problems. Fishing and international waters also cause problems, because from a certain space, it is not known whose management is responsible.
The northern part of the lake freezes during the colder months and is used to build some ski slopes. It could be said that it's a salty ice that's not very common on any mountain. Furthermore, the characteristics of the Caspian Sea make it interesting for studies on climate change and the impact of the climate change.
Lake superior
It is one of the 5 Great Lakes of North America. It is located between the United States and Canada. It has an area of 82.000 km2, being the largest freshwater lake in the world. It has this volume of water because there are more than 200 rivers that flow into it and are continuously feeding it.
The name of Lake Superior is due to the fact that the English put it during an exploration in 1760. It was the lake with the largest volume and quantity of water that they had discovered in their lives. The average temperature of the water is 7 degrees throughout the year. Winters at this lake are not very cold, and summers are cooler. In this sense, learning more about lakes can lead to reflections on the impact of climate change. climate change and the impact on ecosystems Oceanic climate.
Lake Victoria
This large lake is located in the central eastern part of Africa. It is surrounded by Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. Its length is 69.482 km2, being considered the second largest freshwater lake on the planet, after Lake Superior. The Kagera River is the largest tributary that feeds it continuously. The depth of the lake is 82 meters since it is located on top of a slight depression. The average depth is 40 meters while 82m is the maximum that is found in the epicenter of said depression.
There are several environmental issues that are causing the extinction of numerous fish species due to overfishing. Water hyacinth is one of the plants invading the lake and turning it toxic. Another reason for the deterioration of the quality of these waters is the numerous discharges of domestic and industrial waste, which makes a more in-depth analysis of the situation of these lakes necessary in the context of the current situation. climate change.
Lake Huron
It's another of the Great Lakes of North America. It's the second largest of the five lakes located between the United States and Canada. This lake borders Ontario and Michigan to the west, another of the Great Lakes. Its average depth is 59 meters and the maximum is 229 meters. It is one of the lakes in the world with the most traffic in boats.
Due to the weather conditions found on the lake, it's common for the lake to freeze completely between December and April. This makes its waters uninhabitable during this time. Many businesses that require boats to cross the lake find their operations halted, a clear example of how the weather profoundly affects their businesses.
Lake Michigan
Another of the Great Lakes of North America. It is surrounded by Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. It is located entirely in the United States and has a surface area of 57.750 square kilometers. The average depth is 85 meters and the maximum is 281 meters. It is considered the fifth largest lake in the world. Its beaches are known in the United States for their sand that is quite different from the rest. This is because it has a high quartz content and makes a sound when you walk on it, a characteristic that contributes to the uniqueness of these large bodies of water.
Lake Baikal
El Lake Baikal It is one of the largest lakes in Siberia. It is also known as the Blue Eye. Its length is 5539 km and it is one of the clearest lakes in the world. It has very little turbidity. It was classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996. and has a surface area of 21.494 square kilometers. The average depth is 744 meters and the maximum depth is 1642 meters. As you can see, it's deeper than the Caspian Sea.
It is the largest freshwater lake in Asia and one of the deepest in the world. It is home to more than 233 varieties of algae and over 852 species of fauna and flora. This highlights its importance not only as a natural resource but also as a vital habitat that deserves to be protected, an aspect that is also related to the study of the climate change.
Tanganyika lake
It is one of the largest lakes in all of Africa. It has an average depth of 570 meters and a maximum depth of 1470 meters. It is considered the second deepest lake in the world. It contains a wide biodiversity of fish and other species of flora and fauna that create numerous jobs that amount to 45.000. It is situated between the countries of Tanzania, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about the largest lakes in the world. As you can see, there are lakes with a depth and surface that resemble real seas. I hope you can be lucky enough to travel to some of these beautiful and wonderful places.
