Top 10 Largest Lakes in the World

From the vast saltwater expanse of the Caspian Sea to the icy depths of Lake Baikal, the largest lakes in the world are staggering in size and rich in history. These massive water bodies – both freshwater and saline – span multiple continents and climates, supporting diverse ecosystems and human communities. Below we rank the top ten largest lakes on Earth by surface area, noting each lake’s area in square kilometers (and square miles) and providing its volume in cubic kilometers (and cubic miles) as context. This list of the largest lakes in the world highlights not only their sheer size, but also their ecological and cultural significance around the globe.

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1. Caspian Sea

• Location: Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Russia, Azerbaijan, and Iran
• Surface area: 386,400 km² (149,200 sq mi)
• Volume: 78,200 km³ (~18,800 cu mi)

The Caspian Sea is the largest lake by area and volume, often dubbed a “sea” for its sheer scale and saline water. Straddling Europe and Asia, this landlocked lake covers an area larger than Japan and holds roughly 40% of the world’s lake water. The Caspian’s waters are brackish (about one-third as salty as ocean water) and are home to the famed beluga sturgeon, source of the world’s priciest caviar. Rich petroleum deposits have made the Caspian a hub of the oil industry, though pollution from drilling is a concern. Its vast size and ancient history (once part of the Tethys Ocean) have made the Caspian Sea a focal point of regional culture, trade, and biodiversity.

2. Lake Superior

• Location: Canada (Ontario) and United States (Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin)
• Surface area: 82,100 km² (31,700 sq mi)
• Volume: ~12,100 km³ (~2,900 cu mi)

‍Lake Superior is the world’s largest freshwater lake by surface area, impressive enough to be nicknamed an “inland sea.” Shared by Canada and the U.S., Superior contains about 10% of the global surface fresh water. Its crystal-clear, cold waters reach depths of 406 m, and hold a volume exceeded only by Lake Baikal and Lake Tanganyika among freshwaters. The lake’s size moderates the climate of surrounding regions and has nurtured a robust fishery (famous for lake trout and whitefish). Culturally, Lake Superior looms large in Indigenous Ojibwe lore (known as Gichigami) and in maritime history — its often-stormy waters have inspired songs and claimed ships (e.g., the Edmund Fitzgerald). Today, Lake Superior’s scenic shores and national parks draw nature lovers, while its waters serve as a crucial resource for shipping, drinking water, and recreation.

3. Lake Victoria

• Location: Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya
• Surface area: 69,484 km² (26,828 sq mi)
• Volume: ~2,750 km³ (~660 cu mi)
  

Lake Victoria is Africa’s largest lake by area and the world’s second-largest freshwater lake by surface area (after Superior). Sprawling across the equatorial reaches of East Africa, Victoria is relatively shallow (maximum depth ~80 m), so its volume is modest for its size. This lake is the headwaters of the Nile River, making it hydrologically and historically important. Lake Victoria teems with life and supports millions of people in the surrounding countries through fishing and agriculture. Notably, it harbors a rich variety of fish, especially cichlid species, though many native fish populations were disrupted by the 20th-century introduction of the invasive Nile perch. The lake’s shores are densely populated, including cities like Kampala and Kisumu, and its waters are vital for transport (ferries crisscross between nations). However, environmental challenges such as algal blooms, invasive water hyacinth, and pollution now threaten Lake Victoria’s ecosystem and those who rely on it, spurring regional conservation efforts.

4. Lake Huron

• Location: Canada (Ontario) and United States (Michigan)
• Surface area: 59,570 km² (23,000 sq mi)
• Volume: ~3,540 km³ (~850 cu mi)
  

Lake Huron, one of North America’s Great Lakes, ranks fourth worldwide in surface area. Tucked between Ontario and Michigan, Huron’s waters and coastline are a paradise of forested shores and over 30,000 islands – including Manitoulin Island, the largest freshwater island on Earth. Hydrologically, Huron is connected to Lake Michigan through the Strait of Mackinac, and together Lake Michigan-Huron actually forms a single, gigantic body of water. Lake Huron’s vast open waters support a productive fishery (whitefish, salmon, perch) and its Georgian Bay and Saginaw Bay are renowned for their scenic beauty and wetlands. Rich maritime history lies beneath Huron’s surface as well, with hundreds of shipwrecks preserved in its cold depths. Today, cottage goers, boaters, and anglers flock to Lake Huron’s shores, even as environmental stewards work to combat issues like invasive mussels and nutrient runoff affecting its water quality.

5. Lake Michigan

• Location: United States (Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana)
• Surface area: 57,757 km² (22,300 sq mi)
• Volume: ~4,918 km³ (~1,180 cu mi)
  

Lake Michigan is the world’s fifth-largest lake by area and the only Great Lake entirely within one country (the United States). Bordered by four U.S. states, its 1,640 km shoreline ranges from bustling urban waterfronts to serene sand dunes. Major cities like Chicago and Milwaukee sit on Lake Michigan’s shores, relying on it for drinking water, transport, and recreation. The lake’s vast volume (over 1.1 thousand cubic miles of water) makes it the second-largest Great Lake by volume after Superior. Ecologically, Lake Michigan supports diverse habitats—from shallow wetlands teeming with waterfowl at its southern end to deep, cold offshore waters home to trout and salmon. Popular beaches and towering dunes (such as those at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore) attest to Michigan’s importance for tourism and outdoor life. Like its Great Lakes counterparts, Lake Michigan faces environmental pressures, including invasive species (zebra mussels, carp) and pollution, but binational conservation efforts aim to preserve this great “Sweetwater Sea” for future generations.

6. Lake Tanganyika

• Location: Tanzania, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Burundi, and Zambia
• Surface area: 32,900 km² (12,700 sq mi)
• Volume: ~18,900 km³ (~4,500 cu mi)
  

Lake Tanganyika is a long, rift valley lake snaking through central Africa – and it’s a record-setter in many ways. It is Earth’s second-deepest and second-oldest freshwater lake (after Baikal), plunging to ~1,470 m depth and estimated at 9–12 million years old. Tanganyika holds roughly 18% of the world’s available fresh surface water, nearly as much volume as all five North American Great Lakes combined. The lake’s elongated shape (spanning ~673 km north to south) creates distinct northern and southern basins, harboring an extraordinary array of life. Hundreds of species of fish thrive here – notably colorful cichlids – most of which are endemic (found nowhere else) due to Tanganyika’s great age and stable tropical environment. Surrounding communities from four nations depend on Tanganyika for fisheries (it’s a crucial source of protein) and transport. The lake drains into the Congo River basin, linking it to the Atlantic. Though relatively remote, Tanganyika faces threats from overfishing and sedimentation; nonetheless, it remains one of the most biologically diverse lakes in the world and a natural wonder of Africa.

7. Lake Baikal

• Location: Russia (Siberia)
• Surface area: 31,500 km² (12,200 sq mi)
• Volume: ~23,000 km³ (~5,500 cu mi)
  

Lake Baikal in Siberia is often called the “Pearl of Russia,” and for good reason. It is the deepest and oldest lake on Earth, plunging to 1,642 m and formed ~25 million years ago. Baikal is also the largest freshwater lake by volume in the world, holding about one-fifth of all unfrozen fresh water on the planet – more water than all of North America’s Great Lakes combined. Despite its huge volume, Baikal’s surface area is only seventh worldwide, owing to its depth. This lake’s isolation and age have fostered a unique ecosystem harboring thousands of species, most famously the Baikal seal (nerpa) – the world’s only exclusively freshwater seal. In Baikal’s clear waters (visibility 40 m down on a good day), unusual species like oilfish (golomyanka) thrive alongside prolific endemic sponges and crustaceans, earning Baikal a UNESCO World Heritage status for its biodiversity. Culturally, Baikal has long been sacred to local peoples and features in Russian folklore. It is ringed by mountains and forests, with a few towns and the Trans-Siberian Railway skirting its shores. Although Baikal’s waters are pristine, environmental concerns include climate change warming its waters and pollution from past industrial activities. Strong conservation measures are in place to protect this “Sacred Sea” for future generations.

8. Great Bear Lake

• Location: Canada (Northwest Territories)
• Surface area: 31,328 km² (12,096 sq mi)
• Volume: ~2,236 km³ (~536 cu mi)
  

Great Bear Lake is the largest lake entirely within Canada and the eighth-largest in the world by area. Fittingly, it lies just south of the Arctic Circle, in a sparsely populated subarctic region of the Northwest Territories. Great Bear is a cold, crystal-clear lake that remains ice-covered for much of the year. It reaches 446 m at its deepest and holds a substantial volume of water, making it one of the top ten lakes globally by volume as well. Despite its size, Great Bear Lake’s remote location means its watershed is nearly pristine; only one small community (Délı̨ne) sits on its shore. The lake was named for the bears in the area (the name comes from the Dene language, meaning “Grizzly Bear Lake”), and it supports a scant but hardy array of life. Its waters host only a dozen or so fish species (including lake trout and Arctic grayling), yet those fisheries are world-renowned for producing trophy-sized trout due to the lake’s low nutrient, cold environment. Historically, the area saw a burst of activity in the 1930s when radium and uranium were mined at Port Radium on the east arm of the lake. Today, Great Bear Lake is treasured for its unspoiled wilderness — a destination for adventurous anglers and a crucial part of the Mackenzie River system, as it drains via the Great Bear River into Canada’s longest river.

9. Lake Malawi (Lake Nyasa)

• Location: Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania
• Surface area: 29,604 km² (11,430 sq mi)
• Volume: ~8,640 km³ (~2,070 cu mi)
  

Lake Malawi, also known as Lake Nyasa, is the third-largest lake in Africa and the world’s ninth-largest by area. Nestled in the southern end of the Great Rift Valley, Lake Malawi is renowned for its remarkable biodiversity. It contains more fish species than any other lake on Earth – over 700 species of cichlid fish alone, many displaying dazzling colors and found nowhere else. The lake is meromictic (with layered water that rarely mixes), contributing to its clear separation of habitats for different species. Lake Malawi is also one of the world’s deepest lakes (706 m maximum), which explains its massive volume of water. Culturally and economically, the lake is a lifeline for the nations that share it: fishermen haul in bounties of tilapia (chambo) to support local diets and economies, while the lake’s palm-fringed shores and islands (like Likoma) draw tourists for snorkeling, boating, and lakeside retreats. A unique aspect of Lake Malawi is its various names – called “Nyasa” or “Niassa” in Tanzania and Mozambique – and a longstanding border dispute between Malawi and Tanzania over their share of the lake. Despite some regional tensions, the lake’s importance as a shared natural heritage is undisputed. Conservation efforts focus on managing overfishing and protecting the lake’s extraordinary aquatic life for future generations.

10. Great Slave Lake

• Location: Canada (Northwest Territories)
• Surface area: 28,568 km² (11,030 sq mi)
• Volume: ~2,090 km³ (~502 cu mi)‍

Great Slave Lake rounds out the world’s top ten by area. It lies in Canada’s remote Northwest Territories and is famous as North America’s deepest lake (614 m max depth). Great Slave Lake’s cold, dark waters fill a massive glacial basin; with over 2,000 km³ of water, it rivals Great Bear Lake in volume. The lake is named after the Slavey (Dene) people indigenous to the region and has been central to local culture and livelihoods for centuries. The modern city of Yellowknife, NWT’s capital, sits on the northern shore and began as a 1930s gold rush town. Despite this outpost of urban life, most of Great Slave’s shoreline remains wilderness. Each winter, the lake freezes solid enough to support ice roads—temporary highways on the ice—that connect isolated communities and even enable trucks to deliver supplies across its surface. When ice-out comes, Great Slave Lake becomes a playground for anglers seeking giant lake trout and pike, and for adventurous paddlers embarking on the Mackenzie River which flows out of it. The lake’s natural beauty and extremely clear waters are balanced with challenges: its trout fishery must be carefully managed, and climate change is shortening the ice season. Still, Great Slave Lake endures as a majestic northern lake, anchoring the headwaters of the Mackenzie River and captivating all who experience its vast, wild expanse.

Why the World’s Largest Lakes Matter

The largest lakes in the world are more than geographic superlatives; they are climate stabilizers, biodiversity hotspots, and cultural touchstones for millions. From the brackish Caspian Sea to the crystal depths of Baikal, these massive water bodies store vast freshwater reserves, moderate regional weather, and support unique ecosystems teeming with endemic species. They also fuel economies—through fisheries, tourism, and shipping—while offering spiritual and historical resonance to the societies that line their shores. As climate change, pollution, and overuse threaten their delicate balance, safeguarding these lakes becomes a global responsibility. Protecting their waters today ensures they remain life-sustaining giants for generations to come.

FAQ

What is the largest lake in the world by surface area?

The Caspian Sea tops the list at about 386,400 km² (149,200 sq mi), making it the undisputed leader among the largest lakes in the world.

Which lake holds the most freshwater by volume?

Lake Baikal in Siberia stores roughly 23,000 km³ of water—about 20 % of Earth’s unfrozen surface freshwater—despite ranking seventh in surface area.

How is a lake’s surface area measured?

Researchers use satellite imagery and geospatial mapping to trace a lake’s shoreline at an established water level, then calculate the enclosed area in square kilometers (and square miles).

Are all of the world’s largest lakes freshwater?

No. While many are freshwater (e.g., Superior, Baikal), the Caspian Sea is saline and Lake Tanganyika is slightly alkaline; composition depends on geology and climate.

Why do surface area and volume rankings differ?

Depth varies widely: a shallow but widespread lake like Victoria ranks high in area yet lower in volume, whereas deep lakes like Baikal and Tanganyika store far more water in a smaller footprint.

What threats do the largest lakes face today?

Key challenges include climate change altering water levels, pollution from industry or agriculture, invasive species disrupting ecosystems, and overfishing that strains local fisheries.