This is a list of terrestrial lakes with a surface area of more than approximately 3,000 square kilometres (1,200 sq mi), ranked by area.[1][2][3] This list does not include reservoirs or lagoons.
The area of some lakes can vary considerably over time, either seasonally or from year to year. This is especially true of salt lakes in arid climates.
This list excludes seasonal lakes such as Lake Eyre (maximum area 9,500 km2, 3,700 sq mi), Mar Chiquita Lake (Córdoba) (maximum area 6,000 km2, 2,300 sq mi), Lake Torrens (maximum area 5,745 km2, 2,218 sq mi) and Great Salt Lake (maximum area, 1988, 8,500 km2, 3,300 sq mi).
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Name | Countries with shoreline | Type | Area | Length | Max. depth |
Volume | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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1 | Caspian Sea[n 1] | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Saline 1.2 % | 371,000 km2 143,000 sq mi |
1,199 km 745 mi |
1,025 m 3,363 ft |
78,200 km3 18,800 cu mi |
Despite its name, it is often regarded as the world's largest lake, though it contains an oceanic basin (contiguous with the world ocean until 11 million years ago) rather than being entirely over continental crust.[4][5][6][7][8] |
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2 | Superior | ![]() ![]() |
82,100 km2 31,700 sq mi[9] |
616 km 383 mi[9] |
406 m 1,332 ft[9] |
12,100 km3 2,900 cu mi[9] |
Largest of the Great Lakes by volume, having more water than the other four combined.[10] The largest freshwater lake in the world by area.[11] | |
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3 | Victoria | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
68,870 km2 26,590 sq mi |
322 km 200 mi |
84 m 276 ft |
2,750 km3 660 cu mi |
The largest lake by area in Africa.[12] | |
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4 | Huron[n 2] | ![]() ![]() |
59,600 km2 23,000 sq mi[9] |
332 km 206 mi[9] |
229 m 751 ft[9] |
3,540 km3 850 cu mi[9] |
Contains Manitoulin Island, the world's largest lake island.[18] | |
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5 | Michigan[n 2] | ![]() |
58,000 km2 22,000 sq mi[9] |
494 km 307 mi[9] |
281 m 922 ft[9] |
4,900 km3 1,200 cu mi[9] |
The largest lake (by area) that is located entirely in one country. | |
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6 | Tanganyika |
|
32,600 km2 12,600 sq mi |
676 km 420 mi |
1,470 m 4,820 ft |
18,900 km3 4,500 cu mi |
Longest freshwater lake in the world and third largest of any kind by volume.[19] | |
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7 | Baikal | ![]() |
31,500 km2 12,200 sq mi |
636 km 395 mi |
1,642 m 5,387 ft |
23,600 km3 5,700 cu mi |
Deepest lake in the world and largest freshwater lake in the world by volume.[20] | |
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8 | Great Bear Lake | ![]() |
31,000 km2 12,000 sq mi |
373 km 232 mi |
446 m 1,463 ft |
2,236 km3 536 cu mi |
Largest lake entirely within Canada,[21] and the largest lake partially within the Arctic Circle | |
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9 | Malawi | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
29,500 km2 11,400 sq mi |
579 km 360 mi |
706 m 2,316 ft |
8,400 km3 2,000 cu mi |
Has more species of fish than any other lake in the world.[22] | |
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10 | Great Slave Lake | ![]() |
27,000 km2 10,000 sq mi |
480 km 300 mi |
614 m 2,014 ft |
1,560 km3 370 cu mi |
Deepest lake in North America[23] | |
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11 | Erie | ![]() ![]() |
25,700 km2 9,900 sq mi[9] |
388 km 241 mi[9] |
64 m 210 ft[9] |
489 km3 117 cu mi[9] |
Got the smallest volume of the Great Lakes. | |
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12 | Winnipeg | ![]() |
24,514 km2 9,465 sq mi |
425 km 264 mi |
36 m 118 ft |
283 km3 68 cu mi |
Very large catchment area compared to own size. No other great lake has that ratio. | |
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13 | Ontario | ![]() ![]() |
18,960 km2 7,320 sq mi[9] |
311 km 193 mi[9] |
244 m 801 ft[9] |
1,639 km3 393 cu mi[9] |
The lowest lying of the Great Lakes. | |
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14 | Ladoga | ![]() |
18,130 km2 7,000 sq mi |
219 km 136 mi |
230 m 750 ft |
908 km3 218 cu mi |
Largest lake in Europe.[24] | |
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15 | Balkhash | ![]() |
Saline 0.3 % (variable) | 16,400 km2 6,300 sq mi |
605 km 376 mi |
26 m 85 ft |
106 km3 25 cu mi |
Fresh shallow western part. Salty deeper eastern part. Shrinking in size. |
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16 | Vostok | ![]() |
12,500 km2 4,800 sq mi |
250 km 160 mi |
900–1,000 m 3,000–3,300 ft |
5,400 ± 1,600 km3 1,300 ± 380 cu mi |
Largest lake in Antarctica, but subglacial. | |
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17 | Onega | ![]() |
9,700 km2 3,700 sq mi |
245 km 152 mi |
127 m 417 ft |
285 km3 68 cu mi |
Second-largest lake in Europe. | |
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18 | Titicaca | ![]() ![]() |
8,372 km2 3,232 sq mi |
177 km 110 mi |
281 m 922 ft |
893 km3 214 cu mi |
Highest navigable lake in the world. Greatest mountain lake too. Largest lake in South America. | |
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19 | Nicaragua | ![]() |
8,264 km2 3,191 sq mi |
177 km 110 mi |
26 m 85 ft |
108 km3 26 cu mi |
Largest lake in Central America. Contains fresh water sharks . | |
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20 | Athabasca | ![]() |
7,850 km2 3,030 sq mi |
335 km 208 mi |
124 m 407 ft |
204 km3 49 cu mi |
A remnant of the vast, Glacial Lake McConnell. | |
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21 | Turkana | ![]() ![]() |
Saline 0.25 % (approx.) | 6,405 km2 2,473 sq mi |
248 km 154 mi |
109 m 358 ft |
204 km3 49 cu mi |
Largest permanent desert lake and the world's largest alkaline lake.[25] |
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22 | Reindeer | ![]() |
6,330 km2 2,440 sq mi |
245 km 152 mi |
219 m 719 ft |
95.25 km3 22.85 cu mi |
The deepest areas are the site of a large meteorite impact, for almost 100 million years ago. Much older than the lake. | |
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23 | Issyk-Kul | ![]() |
Saline 0.6 % | 6,200 km2 2,400 sq mi |
182 km 113 mi |
668 m 2,192 ft |
1,738 km3 417 cu mi |
Second largest mountain lake in the world. Second deepest saline lake as well. |
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24 | Vänern | ![]() |
5,545 km2 2,141 sq mi |
140 km 87 mi |
106 m 348 ft |
153 km3 37 cu mi |
Largest lake in the European Union. | |
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25 | Winnipegosis | ![]() |
5,370 km2 2,070 sq mi |
245 km 152 mi |
12 m 39 ft |
17.2 km3 |
Second largest lake in Manitoba. | |
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26 | Albert | ![]() ![]() |
5,299 km2 2,046 sq mi |
161 km 100 mi |
51 m 167 ft |
132 km3 32 cu mi |
Located in the centre of Africa. The continents seventh largest lake. | |
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27 | Mweru | ![]() ![]() |
5,120 km2 1,980 sq mi |
131 km 81 mi |
27 m 89 ft |
38 km3 9.1 cu mi |
The second largest lake in the Congo's drainage basin. Tanganyika being the largest. | |
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28 | Nettilling | ![]() |
5,066 km2 1,956 sq mi |
113 km 70 mi |
132 m 433 ft |
114 km3 |
Largest lake on an island, namely Baffin Island.[26] | |
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29 | Nipigon | ![]() |
4,843 km2 1,870 sq mi |
116 km 72 mi |
165 m 541 ft |
248 km3 59 cu mi |
Largest lake entirely in Ontario. Part of the Great Lake drainage basin. Often referred to as the, "sixth lake". | |
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30 | Manitoba | ![]() |
Saline 0.35 % | 4,706 km2 1,817 sq mi |
225 km 140 mi |
7 m 23 ft |
14.1 km3 3.4 cu mi |
A remnant of the prehistoric, Glacial Lake Agassiz together with: Winnipeg and Winnipegosis. |
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31 | Taymyr | ![]() |
4,560 km2 1,760 sq mi |
250 km 160 mi |
26 m 85 ft |
12.8 km3 3.1 cu mi |
Largest lake entirely within the Arctic Circle. | |
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32 | Qinghai | ![]() |
Saline 1.4 % (variable) | 4,489 km2 1,733 sq mi (2007) |
32.8 m 108 ft |
108 km3 |
Largest lake in China. Variable in size. Endorheic basin. | |
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33 | Saimaa | ![]() |
≈ 4,400 km2 1,700 sq mi |
82 m 269 ft |
36 km3 8.6 cu mi |
Largest catchment area of the lakes, within the nordic countries. | ||
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34 | Lake of the Woods | ![]() ![]() |
4,350 km2 1,680 sq mi |
110 km 68 mi |
64 m 210 ft |
19.4 km3 4.7 cu mi |
About 15 000 islands. The shoreline measures (included these) roughly: 105 000 km. | |
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35 | Khanka | ![]() ![]() |
4,190 km2 1,620 sq mi |
90 km 56 mi |
10.6 m 35 ft |
18.3 km3 4.4 cu mi |
It has a shape like a pear. Variable size. Drains through the Amur River, that ends in the Sea of Japan. | |
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36 | Sarygamysh | ![]() ![]() |
Saline 1.15 % (approx.) | 3,955 km2 1,527 sq mi |
125 km 78 mi |
40 m 130 ft |
68.56 km3 16.45 cu mi |
It's located about midway between the Caspian Endorheic basin and former Aral Sea. No drainage river today. Drained centuries ago to the Caspian Sea (Uzboy River). Polluted. |
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37 | Dubawnt | ![]() |
3,833 km2 1,480 sq mi |
91 km3 |
Frozen surface 10 months each year. No permanent settlements on its shores. | |||
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38 | Van | ![]() |
Saline 2.3 % | 3,755 km2 1,450 sq mi |
119 km 74 mi |
451 m 1,480 ft |
607 km3 146 cu mi |
Largest lake in the Middle East. Third deepest saline lake. |
39 | Peipus | ![]() ![]() |
3,555 km2 1,373 sq mi |
15.3 m 50 ft |
25 km3 6.0 cu mi |
Largest trans-boundary lake in Europe. | |||
40 | Uvs | ![]()
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Saline 1.9 % (approx.) | 3,350 km2 1,290 sq mi |
84 km 52 mi |
22 m 72 ft |
20 km3 |
Greatest lake in Mongolia (by area). Very large catchment area (endorheic). | |
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41 | North Aral Sea | ![]() |
3,300 km2 1,300 sq mi |
42 m 138 ft |
28.7 km3 |
Largest remnant of the former, Aral Sea. Once the world's fourth largest lake. | ||
42 | Poyang | ![]() |
3,210 km2 1,240 sq mi |
170 km 110 mi |
25.1 m 82 ft |
25.2 km3 6.0 cu mi |
Largest freshwater lake in China. Variable size. Important location for the birdlife. | ||
43 | Tana | ![]() |
3,200 km2 1,200 sq mi |
84 km 52 mi |
15 m 49 ft |
25.6 km3 |
The source of the Blue Nile. | ||
44 | Amadjuak | ![]() |
3,115 km2 1,203 sq mi |
74 km3 |
In geological terms, a "young" lake (approx. 4 500 years old). Second largest on Baffin Island. Third largest in Nunavut. | ||||
45 | Melville | ![]() |
Saline 1.95 % (approx. average of surface and bottom water) | 3,069 km2 1,185 sq mi |
140 km |
256 m |
313 km3 |
Estuary connected with the Atlantic Ocean. Large drainage basin in the Labrador. | |
46 | Bangweulu | ![]() |
3,000 km2 1,200 sq mi (permanent) |
75 km 47 mi |
10 m 33 ft |
12 km3 |
One of the world's great wetland systems. The area have swamps and floodplain. Variable size on this shallow lake. Crucial importance for animals and birds, of a far larger area. |
Source for the 20 largest lakes (and their areas):[27]
Note: Lake areas may slightly vary depending on the sources.