World’s Largest Freshwater Lake

Part of: Fact of the Day

Superior, you say? Well, yes and no. By surface area, the greatest of the Great Lakes would correctly answer the question.

But if you consider the actual volume of water, nothing on the globe compares to Lake Baikal in southern Siberia. With a maximum depth of just over a mile, it’s the deepest lake in the world. And at over 400 miles in length, Lake Baikal contains a full one-fifth of the freshwater on the entire planet. That’s right — if you were to dump the H2O from all five Great Lakes into an empty Baikal, you’d have room to spare.

Scientists estimate the lake is about 25 million years old. Because of its age and isolation, the beautifully pure Lake Baikal is one of Earth’s richest sources of freshwater life forms, containing in excess 2,000 unique species of flora and fauna.

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Article comments

  • 1 - angel

    Jun 04, 2008 at 2:08 pm

    why do they lie

  • 2 - lol

    Nov 10, 2009 at 1:11 pm

    HaHa i did not know that!!!!!!

  • 3 - Dan

    Jul 12, 2010 at 1:07 pm

    When you travel the Trans-siberian express, the Lake Baikal stop is the best. Local towns people bring out all kinds of fish meals to the train passengers.

  • 4 - Bigthingz

    Nov 02, 2011 at 6:21 pm

    first am knowing all of this thanks for sharing it with me

  • 5 - SURESH BANSAL

    Jun 09, 2012 at 10:23 pm

    GOOD

  • 6 - anupam

    Jul 01, 2012 at 5:00 am

    stupid donkey

  • 7 - anupam

    Jul 01, 2012 at 5:01 am

    sorry

  • 8 - Scientist Jab Conger

    Jan 15, 2013 at 5:29 pm

    What you have said is correct in a sense and incorret in a sense. Everything you said was factual information, except for the fact that dumping all the great lakes into Baikal will keep room to spare. Dumping the Great lakes into Baikal could cause a major flood.

  • 9 - Scientist Jab Conger

    Jan 15, 2013 at 5:31 pm

    My apologies, you are actually correct

  • 10 - Maggie

    Jan 15, 2013 at 5:31 pm

    Wow

  • 11 - Re465443

    Jan 15, 2013 at 5:32 pm

    THat is impresive

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