Lakes are water bodies that formed in the natural depressions of the earth's surface. Most of them contain fresh water, but there are lakes with salt water. Lakes contain more than 67% of all fresh water on the planet. Many of them are huge and deep. What are the deepest lakes in the world? We present you the ten deepest lakes on our planet.
10. Lake Buenos Aires | 590 m
This pond is located in South America, in the Andes, on the border of Argentina and Chile. This lake appeared due to the movement of glaciers that created the basin of the reservoir. The maximum depth of the lake is 590 meters. The pond is located at an altitude of 217 meters above sea level. The lake is famous for its beauty and the famous marble caves, which are visited by thousands of tourists every year. The lake has clear water, a large amount of fish is found in it.
9. Lake Matano | 590 m
The deepest lake in Indonesia and one of the most important sources of fresh water in the country. The maximum depth of the reservoir is 590 meters, it is located in the southern part of the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. The waters of this lake are crystal clear and are home to hundreds of species of fish, plants and other living things. On the shores of the lake are huge reserves of nickel ore.
From the Matano Lake flows the Patea River, which carries its waters into the Pacific Ocean.
8. Crater Lake | 592 m
It is the largest lake in the USA. It has volcanic origin and is located in the eponymous national park located in Oregon. The maximum depth of Kreiter is 592 meters, it is located in the crater of an extinct volcano and is incredibly beautiful. The lake is fed by rivers that originate in mountain glaciers, so Kreiter’s water is amazingly clean and transparent. It has the cleanest water in North America.
Local Indians have built up a large number of myths and legends about the lake, they are all beautiful and poetic.
7. Big Slave Lake | 614 m
Located in northwestern Canada and has an area of over 11 thousand square miles. it the deepest lake in North AmericaIts maximum depth is 614 meters. The Big Slave Lake is located in the northern latitudes and is almost eight months a year ice-bound. In winter, the ice is so strong that heavy trucks can easily be transported along it.
There is a legend that a strange creature lives in this lake, very reminiscent of a dragon. Many witnesses saw him, but the science of evidence for the existence of a mysterious creature has not yet been found. In the middle of the last century, gold reserves were found in the vicinity of the lake. The shores of the lake are very picturesque.
6. Issyk-Kul Lake | 704 m
This is an alpine lake, which is located in Kyrgyzstan. The water in this pond is salty, its maximum depth is 704 meters, and the average depth of the lake is more than three hundred meters. Thanks to the salt water, Issyk-Kul does not freeze even in the most severe winters. Very interesting legends are associated with the lake.
According to archaeologists, several millennia ago, on the site of the lake was a very advanced ancient civilization. Not a single river flows from Issyk-Kul.
5. Lake Malawi (Nyasa) | 706 m
In fifth place among the deepest lakes of the world there is another African pond. It also formed at the site of the fracture of the earth's crust, and has a maximum depth of 706 meters.
This lake is located on the territory of three African countries: Malawi, Tanzania and Mozambique. Due to the high temperature of the water, the largest number of fish species on Earth lives in the lake. The fish of Lake Malawi are the favorite inhabitants of aquariums. The water in it is crystal clear and attracts a huge number of scuba diving enthusiasts.
4. Lake San Martin | 836 m
Located on the border of two South American countries: Chile and Argentina. Its maximum depth is 836 meters. This is the deepest lake not only in South, but also in North America. Many small rivers flow into Lake San Martin; the Pasqua River flows from it, which carries its waters to the Pacific Ocean.
3. The Caspian Sea | 1025 m
In third place on our list is a lake called the sea. The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on our planet. It has salt water and is located between the southern borders of Russia and the northern part of Iran. The maximum depth of the Caspian Sea is 1025 meters. Its waters are also washed by the shores of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. More than a hundred rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, the largest of which is the Volga.
The natural world of the reservoir is very rich. Very valuable fish species are found here. A large number of minerals have been explored on the shelf of the Caspian Sea. There is a lot of oil and natural gas.
2. Lake Tanganyika | 1470 m
This lake is located almost in the center of the African continent and is considered the second deepest lake in the world and the deepest in Africa. It was formed on the site of an ancient fault in the earth's crust. The maximum depth of the reservoir is 1470 meters. Tanganyika is located on the territory of four African countries at once: Zambia, Burundi, DR Congo and Tanzania.
This pond is considered the longest lake in the worldIts length is 670 kilometers. The natural world of the lake is very rich and interesting: crocodiles, hippos and a huge number of unique fish are found here. Tanganyika plays a huge role in the economy of all the states in whose territory it is located.
1. Lake Baikal | 1642 m
It is the deepest freshwater lake on Earth. It is also one of the largest freshwater reservoirs on our planet. Its maximum depth is 1642 meters. The average depth of the lake is more than seven hundred meters.
The origin of Lake Baikal
Baikal was formed at the site of the rupture of the earth's crust (a lot of lakes with great depth have a similar origin).
Baikal is located in the eastern part of Eurasia, not far from the Russian-Mongolian border. This lake takes the second place by the volume of water and contains 20% of all fresh water that is available on our planet.
This lake has a unique ecosystem, there are 1700 species of plants and animals, while most of them are endemic. Thousands of tourists come to Lake Baikal every year - this is a real gem of Siberia. Locals consider Baikal a sacred lake. Shamans from all over East Asia regularly gather here. Numerous myths and legends are associated with Baikal.
+ Lake East | 1200 m
Separately, it is worth mentioning the unique Lake Vostok, which is located in Antarctica, not far from the eponymous Russian polar station. This lake is covered with almost four kilometers of ice, and its estimated depth is 1200 meters. This amazing pond was opened only in 1996 and so far little is known about it.
Scientists believe that the water temperature in Lake Vostok is -3 ° C, but despite this, the water does not freeze due to the huge pressure that the ice exerts. It still remains a mystery whether there is life in this gloomy under-ice world. Only in 2012, scientists were able to drill a layer of ice and get to the surface of the lake. These studies can provide a lot of new information about what our planet was hundreds of thousands of years ago.