Lakes of the Earth

The 15 Largest Lakes by Volume

rank	lake	landmass	total volume	surface area	surface elevation	maximum depth	average depth	average salinity
1	Caspian Sea	Eurasia	78,200 km³	374,000 km²	-28 m	1,025 m	209 m	11‰
2	Lake Baikal	Eurasia	23,000 km³	31,500 km²	456 m	1,741 m	730 m	0‰
3	Lake Tanganyika	Africa	17,800 km³	32,000 km²	773 m	1,471 m	556 m	0‰
4	Lake Superior	North America	12,232 km³	82,097 km²	183 m	406 m	149 m	0‰
5	Lake Michigan and Lake Huron 1	North America	8,456 km³	117,318 km²	176 m	281 m	72 m	0‰
6	Nyasa Malawi	Africa	8,400 km³	30,044 km²	500 m	706 m	280 m	0‰
7	Lake Victoria	Africa	2,750 km³	68,800 km²	1,134 m	84 m	40 m	0‰
8	Great Bear Lake	North America	2,240 km³	31,153 km²	186 m	446 m	72 m	0‰
9	Great Slave Lake	North America	2,090 km³	28,568 km²	156 m	614 m	73 m	0‰
10	Ysyk-Köl	Eurasia	1,738 km³	6,236 km²	1,606 m	668 m	279 m	6‰
11	Lake Ontario	North America	1,639 km³	19,009 km²	75 m	224 m	86 m	0‰
12	Lake Ladoga	Eurasia	908 km³	18,135 km²	5 m	230 m	50 m	0‰
13	Lago Titicaca	South America	893 km³	8,372 km²	3,812 m	281 m	107 m	0‰
14	Lake Erie	North America	483 km³	25,655 km²	174 m	64 m	19 m	0‰
15	Lake Hubsugul	Eurasia	381 km³	2,770 km²	1,645 m	267 m	138 m	0‰
Note 1: Lake Michigan and Lake Huron form a single body of fresh water.

The 15 Largest Lakes by Surface Area

rank	lake	landmass	total volume	surface area	surface elevation	maximum depth	average depth	average salinity
1	Caspian Sea	Eurasia	78,200 km³	374,000 km²	-28 m	1,025 m	209 m	11‰
2	Lake Michigan and Lake Huron 1	North America	8,456 km³	117,318 km²	176 m	281 m	72 m	0‰
3	Lake Superior	North America	12,232 km³	82,097 km²	183 m	406 m	149 m	0‰
4	Lake Victoria	Africa	2,750 km³	68,800 km²	1,134 m	84 m	40 m	0‰
5	Lake Tanganyika	Africa	17,800 km³	32,000 km²	773 m	1,471 m	556 m	0‰
6	Lake Baikal	Eurasia	23,000 km³	31,500 km²	456 m	1,741 m	730 m	0‰
7	Great Bear Lake	North America	2,240 km³	31,153 km²	186 m	446 m	72 m	0‰
8	Nyasa Malawi	Africa	8,400 km³	30,044 km²	500 m	706 m	280 m	0‰
9	Great Slave Lake	North America	2,090 km³	28,568 km²	156 m	614 m	73 m	0‰
10	Aral Sea 2	Eurasia	181 km³	28,000 km²	53 m	69 m	6 m	25‰
11	Lake Erie	North America	483 km³	25,655 km²	174 m	64 m	19 m	0‰
12	Lake Winnipeg	North America	284 km³	23,750 km²	217 m	36 m	12 m	0‰
13	Lake Ontario	North America	1,639 km³	19,009 km²	75 m	224 m	86 m	0‰
14	Lake Balkhash	Eurasia	106 km³	18,200 km²	341 m	26 m	6 m	3‰
15	Lake Ladoga	Eurasia	908 km³	18,135 km²	5 m	230 m	50 m	0‰
Note 1: Lake Michigan and Lake Huron form a single body of fresh water. Note 2: The volume, surface area, and salinity of the Aral Sea fluctuate greatly. See satellite images.

The 15 Deepest Lakes by Maximum Depth

rank	lake	landmass	total volume	surface area	surface elevation	maximum depth	average depth	average salinity
1	Lake Baikal	Eurasia	23,000 km³	31,500 km²	456 m	1,741 m	730 m	0‰
2	Lake Tanganyika	Africa	17,800 km³	32,000 km²	773 m	1,471 m	556 m	0‰
3	Caspian Sea	Eurasia	78,200 km³	374,000 km²	-28 m	1,025 m	209 m	11‰
4	Nyasa Malawi	Africa	8,400 km³	30,044 km²	500 m	706 m	280 m	0‰
5	Ysyk-Köl	Eurasia	1,738 km³	6,236 km²	1,606 m	668 m	279 m	6‰
6	Great Slave Lake	North America	2,090 km³	28,568 km²	156 m	614 m	73 m	0‰
7	Danau Matana	Sulawesi	98 km³	1,641 km²	383 m	590 m	60 m	0‰
8	Crater Lake	North America	17 km³	53 km²	1,882 m	589 m	328 m	0‰
9	Danau Toba	Sumatera	240 km³	1,103 km²	905 m	529 m	218 m	0‰
10	Lake Hornindal	Eurasia		50 km²		514 m		0‰
11	Lake Tahoe	North America	156 km³	499 km²	1,897 m	505 m	313 m	0‰
12	Ozero Sarezskoye	Eurasia	17 km³	87 km²	3,255 m	505 m	200 m	0‰
13	Lago Argentino	South America	220 km³	1,466 km²	187 m	500 m	150 m	0‰
14	Lac Kivu	Africa	333 km³	2,220 km²	1,460 m	480 m	150 m	0‰
15	Quesnel Lake	North America	43 km³	300 km²	728 m	475 m	143 m	0‰

The 15 Deepest Lakes by Average Depth

rank	lake	landmass	total volume	surface area	surface elevation	maximum depth	average depth	average salinity
1	Lake Baikal	Eurasia	23,000 km³	31,500 km²	456 m	1,741 m	730 m	0‰
2	Lake Tanganyika	Africa	17,800 km³	32,000 km²	773 m	1,471 m	556 m	0‰
3	Crater Lake	North America	17 km³	53 km²	1,882 m	589 m	328 m	0‰
4	Lake Tahoe	North America	156 km³	499 km²	1,897 m	505 m	313 m	0‰
5	Nyasa Malawi	Africa	8,400 km³	30,044 km²	500 m	706 m	280 m	0‰
6	Ysyk-Köl	Eurasia	1,738 km³	6,236 km²	1,606 m	668 m	279 m	6‰
7	Shikotsu-ko	Hokkaido	21 km³	79 km²	248 m	360 m	266 m	0‰
8	Danau Toba	Sumatera	240 km³	1,103 km²	905 m	529 m	218 m	0‰
9	Caspian Sea	Eurasia	78,200 km³	374,000 km²	-28 m	1,025 m	209 m	11‰
10	Ozero Sarezskoye	Eurasia	17 km³	87 km²	3,255 m	505 m	200 m	0‰
11	Lago Todos Los Santos	South America	34 km³	179 km²	189 m	337 m	193 m	0‰
12	Lago Llanquihue	South America	159 km³	866 km²	51 m	317 m	183 m	0‰
13	Lago Maggiore	Eurasia	38 km³	213 km²	194 m	370 m	176 m	0‰
14	Lago Lacar	South America	9 km³	55 km²	630 m	277 m	167 m	0‰
15	Lake Pend Oreille	North America	53 km³	332 km²	629 m	357 m	160 m	0‰

The Lake with Greatest Volume on Each Continent

rank	continent	lake	total volume	surface area	surface elevation	maximum depth	average depth	average salinity
1	Asia Europe	Caspian Sea	78,200 km³	374,000 km²	-28 m	1,025 m	209 m	11‰
3	Africa	Lake Tanganyika	17,800 km³	32,000 km²	773 m	1,471 m	556 m	0‰
4	North America	Lake Superior	12,232 km³	82,097 km²	183 m	406 m	149 m	0‰
5	South America	Lago Titicaca	893 km³	8,372 km²	3,812 m	281 m	107 m	0‰
6	Ocean Islands	Danau Toba	240 km³	1,103 km²	905 m	529 m	218 m	0‰
7	Australia	Lake Eyre 1	30 km³	9,690 km²	-15 m	6 m	3 m	100‰
Note 1: The volume, surface area, and salinity of Lake Eyre fluctuate greatly.

The Lake with Greatest Surface Area on Each Continent

rank	continent	lake	total volume	surface area	surface elevation	maximum depth	average depth	average salinity
1	Asia Europe	Caspian Sea	78,200 km³	374,000 km²	-28 m	1,025 m	209 m	11‰
3	North America	Lake Michigan and Lake Huron 1	8,456 km³	117,318 km²	176 m	281 m	72 m	0‰
4	Africa	Lake Victoria	2,750 km³	68,800 km²	1,134 m	84 m	40 m	0‰
5	South America	Lago de Maracaibo	280 km³	13,010 km²	0 m	60 m	22 m	0‰
6	Australia	Lake Eyre 2	30 km³	9,690 km²	-15 m	6 m	3 m	100‰
7	Ocean Islands	Danau Matana	98 km³	1,641 km²	383 m	590 m	60 m	0‰
Note 1: Lake Michigan and Lake Huron form a single body of fresh water. Note 2: The volume, surface area, and salinity of Lake Eyre fluctuate greatly.

The Lake with Greatest Maximum Depth on Each Continent

rank	continent	lake	total volume	surface area	surface elevation	maximum depth	average depth	average salinity
1	Asia	Lake Baikal	23,000 km³	31,500 km²	456 m	1,741 m	730 m	0‰
2	Africa	Lake Tanganyika	17,800 km³	32,000 km²	773 m	1,471 m	556 m	0‰
3	Europe	Caspian Sea	78,200 km³	374,000 km²	-28 m	1,025 m	209 m	11‰
4	North America	Great Slave Lake	2,090 km³	28,568 km²	156 m	614 m	73 m	0‰
5	Ocean Islands	Danau Matana	98 km³	1,641 km²	383 m	590 m	60 m	0‰
6	South America	Lago Argentino	220 km³	1,466 km²	187 m	500 m	150 m	0‰

The Lake with Greatest Average Depth on Each Continent

rank	continent	lake	total volume	surface area	surface elevation	maximum depth	average depth	average salinity
1	Asia	Lake Baikal	23,000 km³	31,500 km²	456 m	1,741 m	730 m	0‰
2	Africa	Lake Tanganyika	17,800 km³	32,000 km²	773 m	1,471 m	556 m	0‰
3	North America	Crater Lake	17 km³	53 km²	1,882 m	589 m	328 m	0‰
4	Ocean Islands	Shikotsu-ko	21 km³	79 km²	248 m	360 m	266 m	0‰
5	Europe	Caspian Sea	78,200 km³	374,000 km²	-28 m	1,025 m	209 m	11‰
6	South America	Lago Todos Los Santos	34 km³	179 km²	189 m	337 m	193 m	0‰

Earth Extremes Countries Landmasses Oceans Lakes Rivers Mountains Depressions Resources

Home Links Resources Google Yahoo