The largest lakes in Russia. Lakes of Russia The largest lake in Russia and the world

Russia has many attractions and unique natural sites. And in particular, these are the country’s reservoirs.

Many of Russia's lakes have unique features, some of them are especially deep, while others are inhabited by unique inhabitants. There are also particularly large lakes in the country. And it is precisely them that are worth talking about in this article.

Fifth place - Lake Taimyr


Lake Taimyr is in fifth place in size. In addition to its large area, it also has other remarkable qualities, although even the area is worth talking about separately. It is constantly changing, the lake increases and decreases in size, following its annual cycles. Lake Taimyr is the northernmost lake in the world, and almost always it remains covered with ice - however, in the summer they melt for a short time. The inhabitants of this reservoir are unique; endemic polar fish live here, not found in other reservoirs. It is located in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, and on average its area is 4560 square kilometers. Its depth is small, reaching 27 meters.

Fourth place – Lake Onega


This beautiful lake is located on the territory of three Russian regions. Reaching a depth of 127 meters, this body of water has an area of ​​9,700 square kilometers.. Many rivers carry their waters into this huge reservoir, and the Svir River flows out of it. This is a clean and beautiful lake that tourists come to admire.

Third place – Lake Ladoga


This lake is located on the territory of Karelia and the Leningrad region, like the previous one. In general, these lowland areas have always been rich in water, which is not surprising. Lake Ladoga has a size of 17,600 square meters. meters, with a depth of 230 meters. The Neva River is born from this lake, and more than 30 small rivers flow into it. This lake is abundant in fish, numerous species of which breed so actively that industrial fishing successfully flourishes here to this day.

And besides, it is worth remembering that food was delivered along its ice to besieged Leningrad - along a dangerous, but the only accessible “road of life.” So the reservoir played a huge role in saving people and maintaining life in the besieged city.

Second place - Lake Baikal


Lake Baikal is known for its crystal clear waters. It is the second largest in Russia, has an area of ​​315,000 meters, and is one of the ten largest bodies of water in the world. It is also the deepest in the world, with a depth of up to 1640 meters. Located in Buryatia and Irkutsk region. This lake contains 90 percent of the fresh water reserves of all of Russia. The proud and mighty Angara flows from this lake. Many species, for example, the Baikal seal, live only in this reservoir, and therefore the local nature must be protected. Moreover, the local flora and fauna are accustomed to the exceptional purity of the waters, and it is possible to preserve all aquatic inhabitants only by maintaining these indicators.

Baikal is a very interesting natural object, and its enormous depth is not at all accidental. The lake is located on a fault of lithospheric plates, which gradually, centimeter by centimeter, move away from one another. This means that over time the reservoir will only grow, and one day it will turn into a sea, and even into an entire ocean, tearing the continent of Eurasia in half. In the vicinity of the lake, earthquakes occur, albeit small ones, which indicate tectonic activity. And sometimes large areas of land unexpectedly go underground.

The largest lake in Russia


The largest lake in Russia is the Caspian Sea. Many people believe that the Caspian Sea is a sea, because the water in this reservoir is salty. However, a body of water that has access to the ocean is considered a sea, while the Caspian has no outlet. This is a lake that ranks first in area both in Russia and in the world. Five different states surround a huge reservoir, overlooking it and the territory of Russia. Its depth reaches 1025 meters, and its total area is 370 thousand kilometers. Fishing is developed here, and in addition there are oil deposits. The water level in this lake changes, it “breathes”. Many scientists believe that in the past the level was so much higher that the Caspian Sea was connected to the Black Sea, forming a single system and with the drying up Aral Sea. However, later the water level dropped, and the lake became isolated, separated by the Caucasus Range.

There are many lakes in Russia, large and small. Many of them have endemic inhabitants, and some of them are associated with legends. But be that as it may, lakes need to be protected so that they remain clean and beautiful even in these years, when the environment is constantly deteriorating. After all, only then will they be able to preserve not only their natural beauty, but also their fish stock, as well as their recreational qualities. After all, relaxing near any lake is a very special pastime that quickly restores the strength of every person. This includes fishing, swimming, and relaxing on the beach.

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06/25/2016 at 21:35 · Pavlofox · 41 290

The largest lakes in Russia

Our country boasts the largest reserves of fresh water, most of which are contained in lakes. 19% of all world reserves are concentrated in just one. In total, within the Russian Federation there are about 2 million lakes with a total occupied territory of more than 700 thousand square meters. km including the Caspian Sea.

The top 10 includes the largest lakes in Russia by area.

10. White Lake | Area 1.29 thousand square meters. km

It opens the ranking of the largest lakes in Russia and occupies an area of ​​1.29 thousand square meters. km, but due to the low banks, the area may fluctuate throughout the year. The volume of water mass increased sharply in 1964 and this is due to the construction of the Sheksninsky reservoir. The huge natural basin is filled with water using seventeen large rivers. The total number of rivers and streams flowing into the lake is about 60. The lake belongs to the Caspian Sea, since the only river flowing from it flows into the Volga.

9. Vats | Area 2 thousand square meters. km


It occupies ninth place in the list of the largest lakes located on the territory of the Russian Federation. Endorheic salt reservoir with an area of ​​2 thousand square meters. km. It is located in the Barabinskaya lowland of the Novosibirsk region. The name of the lake comes from the Turkic “chan”, which means “large vessel”. On its territory there are about 70 islands, the largest of which are Lezhan, Amelkina Griva, Medvezhiy and Kolpachok. Chany is home to 16 species of fish, including pike perch, perch, carp, silver carp and others.

8. Uvs-Nur | Area 3.3 thousand square meters. km


It is one of the ten largest lakes in Russia with an area of ​​3.3 thousand square meters. km. The length of the reservoir is 85 kilometers and the width is 80 km. Part of the lake is located in Mongolia, where Ubu Nur is considered the largest body of water. About 29 species of fish live here, of which only one is consumed by humans - the Altai osman.

7. Lake Peipus-Pskov | Area 3.5 thousand sq. km


It is located in seventh position among the largest bodies of water in Russia. Its total area is about 3.5 thousand square meters. km. 30 water arteries flow into the lake, and the only river outflows is Narva. The reservoir is located on the borders of Russia and Estonia. On the territory of Lake Chudsko-Pskov there are 29 islands with an occupied territory of about 26 square meters. km. In the coastal zone there is the ornithological reserve “Pskov-Chudskaya Lakeside Lowland”, which is the most valuable reserve of rare species of plants and animals in the Baltic region.

6. Khanka | Area 4 thousand sq. km


The sixth place in the top 10 largest lakes in Russia goes to the reservoir. Its location is the border between the Primorsky Territory of the Russian Federation and the Heilongjiang province of China. Khanka is the largest freshwater reservoir in the Far East with an area of ​​4 thousand square meters. km. 24 water arteries flow into the lake, including Melgunovka, Komissarovka, and the Ilistaya River. Only one river flows out of Khanka - Sungacha. The international Russian-Chinese Khanka Nature Reserve is located here.

5. Taimyr | Area 4.6 thousand square meters. km


It ranks fifth among the largest lakes in Russia by area. The largest body of water in the Krasnoyarsk Territory has an area of ​​4.6 thousand square meters. km. Its peculiarity is that for 9 months the lake is under ice. Representatives of the local flora include arctic fish species, including char, whitefish, muksun and others. Local islands serve as a nesting site for migratory birds - red-breasted geese and geese. The Western, Northern, Upper Taimyr, and Baikura rivers flow into Taimyr, and the Lower Taimyr flows out.

4. Lake Onega | Area 9.6 thousand square meters. km


It occupies fourth place in the ranking with an area of ​​9.6 thousand square meters. km. Its length is 245 km and its width is 91 kilometers. The reservoir is located on the territory of Karelia, as well as the Vologda and Leningrad regions. About 50 rivers flow into it, and the only river flows out is the Svir. Within Lake Onega there are about 1,650 islands with a total occupied territory of 224 kilometers. The most famous is the island of Kizhi, where the museum-reserve of the same name is located. The inhabitants of the reservoir are 47 species of fish, including salmon, trout, sterlet, pike perch, eel and others. Due to the habitat of valuable species of fish, fishing is developed here.

3. Lake Ladoga | Area 18 thousand square meters. km


Discovers the three largest lakes in Russia. It belongs to one of the largest fresh water bodies in Europe. Its area is about 18 thousand square meters. km, and the maximum depth reaches 230 meters. From south to north, Lake Ladoga stretches for 219 kilometers, from west to east - for 138 kilometers. About 40 rivers and streams flow into the fresh water body, and the only river flows out is the Neva. There are more than 600 islands on Ladoga with a total area of ​​435 square meters. km. The largest of them are Riekkalansari, Kilpola and Vaalam. In the depths of the water, 120 species of plants grow and 53 species of fish live, of which the most valuable are salmon, trout, pike perch and others. The Ladoga ringed seal, which is the only representative of pinnipeds, lives here. The species is protected and listed in the Red Book.

2. Baikal | Area 31.7 thousand square meters. km


It occupies second place in the ranking of the largest lakes in Russia. It is the deepest lake in the world and the largest natural reservoir of fresh water, containing about 19% of all world reserves. Its area is 31.7 thousand square meters. km, and the depth is 1642 m. Baikal stretches 636 km in length and 80 km in width. On its territory there are 27 peninsulas and islands, the largest of which is the Svyatoy Nos Peninsula. According to some reports, about 500 rivers and streams flow into it. The largest rivers flowing into Baikal include the Selenga, Upper Angara, Turka, Tyya, etc. Only one river flows out of the lake - the Angara. The water in Baikal is very clear: at a depth of up to 40 meters, the flora and fauna of the reservoir is visible. There is a very rich fauna here, represented by 2,600 species, of which about a thousand are endemic.

1. Caspian Sea | Area 371 thousand square meters. km


The name of this lake already speaks of its incredible size. The largest lake in Russia has an area of ​​371 thousand square meters. km. with a maximum depth in the South Caspian depression of more than a thousand meters. Its length is 1.2 thousand km and its width is about 500 kilometers. It is also the largest enclosed body of water in the world, which due to its size is equated to the sea. The lake supposedly got its name in honor of the Caspian tribes who lived on the coast in ancient times. The Caspian Sea is located at the junction of the continents of Europe and Asia. About 130 rivers flow into it, including such large waterways as the Volga, Sulak, Samur, Ural, etc. The sea washes the shores of 5 states at once: Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. The flora and fauna of the salty reservoir is very rich and has about 2 thousand representatives of the animal world and more than 700 species of plants.

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Our Motherland, Russia, is rich in water resources. These include reserves of clean fresh water and vast salty seas and lakes. This article is dedicated to the largest lakes in Russia. There are a lot of them, we will highlight ten main ones. And if you are concerned about the question: what is the largest lake in Russia?, then by carefully studying this TOP, you will get the answer.

1. Caspian Sea

This lake is considered to be a sea because it has salty waters and is huge in size. It is the largest lake not only in Russia, but on the entire planet. There are five states along its banks: Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan). The territories of Russia washed by this lake are Kalmykia, Dagestan, Astrakhan region. The area of ​​the Caspian Sea is more than 370 thousand sq. km, and the maximum depth is 1025 meters. It bears its name as a legacy of ancient tribes - the Caspians, who lived in ancient times in the southwest of its coast.

2. Baikal

The second largest lake in Russia. This is the largest freshwater lake. It is located in Eastern Siberia on the territory of Buryatia and the Irkutsk region. Baikal is the deepest lake on the planet. Its maximum depth is 1640 meters. The area of ​​this lake is more than 315,000 sq. km., it is the main reservoir of fresh water in Russia (90% of the total reserves). The Angara River flows out of Lake Baikal. The waters of this beautiful lake are clean and fresh. For now we have something to be proud of.

Located on the territory of the Republic of Karelia and the Leningrad region, a large lake with an area of ​​17,600 sq. km amazes with its beauty and picturesque nature. Lake Ladoga is one of the largest freshwater lakes in Europe, with a maximum depth of 230 meters. 35 large rivers stretch to its bosom, and the proud Neva flows out of it. Industrial and private fishing flourishes on Lake Ladoga, which is facilitated by the abundance of different species of fish.

4. Lake Onega

Freshwater lake in Karelia, Leningrad and Vologda regions. Along its wide banks there are numerous monuments of Russian culture. The clear water of “Onego-father”, as it is lovingly called by the people, extends over 9616 sq. km and has a greatest depth of 127 meters. The Svir River flows out of the lake.

The lake spreads over 4,560 sq. km in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. it is located on the peninsula of the same name. Taimyr is the northernmost lake on Earth. The depth and width of the lake varies depending on the ice density and time of year, but in general the deepest place is 26 meters. Mostly the Taimyr Lake is home to arctic fish species adapted to survive in harsh cold conditions.

6. Khanka

The lake is located in Primorye, on the border with China. A favorite place for tourists who want to visit both the Russian Far East and China, and get acquainted with the culture and customs of two countries so different from each other.
The maximum depth of Khanka is 11 meters, and the area is about 4070 sq. km. The lake is rich in its fauna, but many species of fish are listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation and are prohibited from catching.

Located in the Pskov region. It has an area of ​​3550 sq. km and a greatest depth of 15 km. The Narva River originates from here.

8. Uvsu-Nur

This salty, beautiful lake with an unusual name is located in Tuva. Its area is 3350 sq. km, and its maximum depth reaches 15 meters.

9. Lake Chany

Salt lake in the Novosibirsk region. There is a legend that a huge snake lives in this lake and devours people. And what? There is plenty of room to wander around. After all, the area of ​​this lake varies, reaching 2000 sq. km, and the depth in some places is 12 meters. And although these may be fairy tales for tourists, the lake fascinates with its living beauty.

10. White Lake

The freshwater lake, located in the Vologda region, covers an area of ​​about 1290 sq. km, reaches a maximum depth of 20 meters, although the shore of White Lake is quite low and its average depth is 5-7 meters. The Sheksna River flows from its depths. The lake is rich in fish, and happy fishermen catch up to 30 different species of fish.

We have listed some of the many lakes located in our country. As you can see, Karelia is the richest area in Russia with lakes. Lucky!

Well, the smallest lake in Russia has not yet bothered to get its name. Apparently, because there are thousands of such lakes in Russia! Some people call them by the names of the surrounding villages. The official version of the smallest lake is Lake Ertso, on the territory of South Ossetia. Every 3-5 years the lake completely goes underground, as if it never existed, and after a while it appears again with a solemn appearance. A kind of “ghost”. In high water it reaches 0.5 sq. km. This is such an unusual lake.

Russia can be called a country of lakes; there are more than two million of them in our country.

Their total area is 350 thousand square kilometers, and the volume of lake water is estimated at 26 thousand cubic kilometers.

Russia has the largest lake in Europe - Ladoga, as well as the deepest lake in the world - Baikal. Baikal is also the world leader in fresh water reserves (22% of world reserves and 85% of Russian ones). On the territory of the Russian Federation, lakes are distributed unevenly; there are regions in which there are a lot of them (the Republic of Karelia, for example), and there are regions poor in lakes (for example, the Republic of Tyva).

Small lake in the Republic of Karelia

Most lakes are of glacial origin. Of the two million, most (about 95%) are small lakes.

Ten largest lakes in Russia(not counting the Caspian Sea):

Name

Area sq.km

Maximum depth in meters

Irkutsk region, Buryatia

Ladoga

Leningrad region and Karelia

Lake Onega

Vologda and Leningrad regions, Karelia

Krasnoyarsk region

Primorsky Krai

Chudsko-Pskovskoe

Pskov region

Novosibirsk region

Vologda Region

Topozero

Lakes in Russia are a favorite vacation spot for Russians, many of them are important for the economies of the regions (transport routes, fishing). Unfortunately, there are also plenty of problems, in particular with water pollution and poaching of fish.

In this section on our website we will talk about the largest lakes in Russia. You can find detailed information about small ones in the regional sections; there we bypass only very small bodies of water.

Lake in Leningrad region

Lake Middle Kuito, Republic of Karelia

Baikal is the largest freshwater lake in Russia (the Caspian Sea only partially washes our country). It is located in the south of Siberia in the Irkutsk and Buryat regions. This is one of the greatest lakes in the world, the cradle of ancient cultures and peoples. Its area is 31 thousand square kilometers.

Due to its unusual shape, amazing natural features and the structure of the bottom bowl, since ancient times Baikal has been divided into three parts: Southern, Northern and Middle. Each has its own unique vegetation, its own unique landscape and climatic conditions.

Baikal climate

Baikal stretches into five climatic zones (mountain, steppe, swamp, taiga and mountain).

It is best to come here in the summer: the climate is milder and there are more opportunities to find good accommodation. However, at any time of the year the lake is beautiful in its own way. There are few tourists in winter, but those who make it there will be rewarded with beautiful landscapes with winter fog and clean lake air.

Winter means skiing and ice fishing. Spring on the lake begins late. The ice melts only in early June, so it can be chilly. You can see bears on the beaches of the Baikal-Lena Nature Reserve.

It is especially beautiful here in summer and early September.

Nature of Baikal

The flora and fauna of Lake Baikal is extremely diverse and there are up to three thousand species. More than half of them are found nowhere else (endemics). The most famous inhabitants of the lake are grayling, omul, whitefish, sturgeon, and lenok.

In Baikal there lives a mammal typical of the seas (this is very rare for lakes) - the seal.

Baikal is a favorite vacation spot not only for our compatriots, but also for travelers from all over the world. The best vacation spots are the village of Listvyanka, located on the coast of the lake and the sources of the Angara River.

Olkhon Island is a place where it is rarely cloudy, but it is best to go here in July to catch some of the Siberian warmth. Favorite activities of tourists are fishing, hunting and diving.

Interesting facts about Baikal

Water evaporation from the surface of Baikal is insignificant, so clouds form over the lake extremely rarely. No matter what time of year you come, you will almost always find clear skies.

Lake on the map

Photos

The largest lakes in Russia

On the territory of Russia there are over two million lakes with a total area of ​​more than 350 thousand km² (excluding the Caspian Sea-lake). The total reserves of lake water reach 26 thousand km³. Most of the lakes are of glacial origin.

The largest lakes in the European part of Russia (located mainly in its north-west) are Ladoga and Onega (with an area of ​​17,680 and 9,720 km², respectively); Lake Peipus-Pskov on the border with Estonia (3550 km²); Ilmen (about 1000 km², the area varies depending on the water level), as well as Topozero, Vygozero and other “lake regions” of Karelia.

The largest lake in Siberia and Russia (excluding the Caspian Sea) - Baikal - is also the deepest in the world; Baikal contains 85% of Russia's fresh lake water and 22% of the world's fresh water reserves. The length of the lake is 636 km, the average width is 48 km; total area - 31.7 thousand km²; the greatest depth is 1620 m (Teletskoye Lake (325 m) in Altai and Khantaiskoye Lake (520 m) in Pre-Taimyr region are also very deep). Baikal is located in a rift basin and is approximately 25-30 million years old

Caspian Sea tops the rating of “The Largest Lakes in the World” - despite the fact that it is called a sea, in fact it is the largest closed lake on the planet. It is located at the junction of Europe and Asia, and is called a sea only because of its size. The Caspian Sea is an endorheic lake, and the water in it is salty, from 0.05 ‰ near the mouth of the Volga to 11-13 ‰ in the southeast.

The Caspian Sea is shaped like the Latin letter S, its length from north to south is approximately 1200 kilometers, from west to east - from 195 to 435 kilometers, on average 310-320 kilometers.

The Caspian Sea is conventionally divided according to physical and geographical conditions into 3 parts - the Northern Caspian, the Middle Caspian and the Southern Caspian.

The conditional border between the Northern and Middle Caspian Seas runs along the line Chechen (island) - Tyub-Karagansky Cape, between the Middle and Southern Caspian Seas - along the line Zhiloy (island) - Gan-Gulu (cape). The area of ​​the Northern, Middle and Southern Caspian is respectively 25, 36, 39 percent of the total area of ​​the Caspian Sea

The length of the coastline of the Caspian Sea is estimated at approximately 6500 - 6700 kilometers, with islands - up to 7000 kilometers. The shores of the Caspian Sea in most of its territory are low-lying and smooth. In the northern part, the coastline is indented by water channels and islands of the Volga and Ural deltas, the banks are low and swampy, and the water surface in many places is covered with thickets

The east coast is dominated by limestone shores adjacent to semi-deserts and deserts. The most winding coasts are on the western coast in the area of ​​the Absheron Peninsula and on the eastern coast in the area of ​​the Kazakh Gulf and Kara-Bogaz-Gol

The area and volume of water in the Caspian Sea varies significantly depending on fluctuations in water levels. At a water level of 26.75 m, the area is approximately 371,000 km square kilometers, the volume of water is 78,648 cubic kilometers, which is approximately 44 percent of the world's lake water reserves. The maximum depth of the Caspian Sea is in the South Caspian depression, 1025 meters from its surface level. In terms of maximum depth, the Caspian Sea is second only to Baikal (1620 m) and Tanganyika (1435 m). The average depth of the Caspian Sea is 208 meters. At the same time, the northern part of the Caspian Sea is shallow, its maximum depth does not exceed 25 meters, and the average depth is 4 meters.

There are about one hundred thousand lakes and about 20 large reservoirs in the Murmansk region. The largest lake in the region is Imandra (876 km²), the deepest is Umbozero (115 m).

Largest lakes

Lake District (district) Area, km² Altitude above sea level, m Depth, m River basin
Chudzyavr Lovozersky district 57,8 - Crow
Chiliavr Lovozersky district 38,6 - Varzina
Umbozero Lovozersky district Umba
Tolvand Kandalaksha district 52,7 97,8 - Kovda
Sergozero Tersky district - Varzuga
Notozero Kola district 78,9 Tuloma
Lower Pirenga Kovdorsky district 58,5 - Niva
Nizhneye Ondomozero Tersky district 31,8 - Chavanga
Moncheozero Monchegorsk 39,1 - Niva
Lyavozero Lovozersky district 38,2 216,6 - Kharlovka
Lovozero Lovozersky district Crow
Kolozero Olenegorsk 140,9 - Cola
Kolvitskoe Tersky district - Kolvitsa
Kovdozero Kandalaksha district 224 Kovda
Kanozero Tersky district 84,3 - Umba
Kalozhnoe Kovdorsky district 33,3 - Niva
Imandra - Niva
Yonozero Lovozersky district 94,4 220,4 - Varzina
Vyalozero Tersky district 98,6 - Umba
Upper Pirenga Kovdorsky district 88,8 - Niva
Upper Ondomozero Tersky district 54,7 164,9 - Chavanga
Babozero Tersky district - Varzuga

Imandra

Imandra- the largest lake on the Kola Peninsula. The length of the lake is 109 kilometers, the width varies from 9 to 19 kilometers. The total area of ​​the reservoir is 885 sq. m, and if you subtract the area of ​​the islands from it, it will be 815.5 square kilometers. The lake consists of three reaches: Bolshaya Imandra, Yokostrovskaya Imandra and Babinskaya Imandra. The reaches are connected by the Yokostrovsky and Shirokaya Salma straits.

Oz. Imandra is a type of moderately cold water body. After the lake is freed from ice, the water mass begins to quickly heat up, and direct temperature stratification is established. In July, further warming of the reservoir occurs, somewhat slower in open parts and faster in shallow water and coastal parts. The temperature transition through 10 °C is usually observed in the third ten days of July. The water layer warms up the most up to 10 m (up to 14 °C, and in some years up to 18 °C); deeper, the temperature drops much more slowly.

Flora and fauna:

Fish appeared in the reservoirs of the European Arctic after the retreat of the last glacier, i.e. approximately 10 thousand years ago. Ichthyofauna of water bodies of the Kola North, including lake. Imandra is relatively poor in species. The fish part of the Imandra community is represented by four faunal complexes: boreal lowland - pike, perch, ruffe, ide, lake minnow; boreal-piedmont - grayling, brown trout; Ponto-Caspian freshwater - stickleback; Arctic freshwater - whitefish, loaches of the genus Salvelinus, smelt, burbot. Fishing here is especially interesting and productive in May. In terms of the number of species in the lake, fish of the boreal lowland complex dominate, but the main share of ichthyoproducts is made up of fish of the freshwater arctic complex. Fishing is a common activity in these places. In commercial catches their share sometimes reaches 90%.

And finally, the flora and fauna that developed on the borders of the tundra and forest zones. The forests of the Lake Imandra basin are home to many wild animals and birds, such as brown bear, reindeer, elk, wolverine, wolf, hare, marten, etc.

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Physiographic statistics of Russia

Big lakes of Russia

For lakes, consider the following numerical characteristics:

Water surface area;

Surface height above sea level;

Water volume;

Average depth;

Greatest depth;

Salinity.

Salinity, although at any given moment can be expressed numerically, is usually given as a qualitative indicator: lake fresh, salty, salty, bitter-salty; sometimes among salt lakes they distinguish self-propelled. This is explained by the fact that in most salt lakes the salinity value changes throughout the year, and significantly, sometimes several times. Salinity is associated with another property of the lake - the presence or absence of runoff.

Information about the largest lakes by area located on the territory of Russia or on its borders is given in Table 1.
It contains information about natural bodies of water. But there are lakes whose level is artificially raised by hydraulic structures; Accordingly, the area of ​​the reservoir has also increased, and if the rise is significant and the banks of the reservoir are low, the increase in area can be very large, so it is impossible to say for sure whether the reservoir has become a reservoir or remains a lake.

Here's more information about some of the lakes included in the table.

Caspian Sea- lake, the largest in the world in terms of area and volume of water. Five states border its shores. The origin of the basin is tectonic. The Northern Caspian is shallow, great depths are found in the Middle and Southern Caspian, separated by the Absheron ridge, which is an underwater connection of the Caucasus and Kopetdag mountain systems. The salinity of most of the reservoir is approximately three times less than that of the ocean; in the north the water is almost fresh.

Baikal- the largest freshwater lake in Eurasia. Tectonic basin (Baikal rift).

During the construction of the Irkutsk reservoir, the level was raised by 0.8 m, but this had little effect on the area: the banks are steep. The deepest lake in the world. Until the end of the 50s of the twentieth century. they gave a depth of 1741 m on maps and in textbooks, then it was recognized as erroneous and they began to indicate 1620 m. Recently, making more and more amendments to the instrument readings, they give values ​​of 1632, 1637 and 1642 m; the last figure is confirmed by studies conducted by reputable scientific organizations; we will accept it.

Ladoga And Lake Onega- the largest in Europe. The basins were processed by the glacier, but the main depressions are tectonic, so the basins should be considered tectonic.

Taimyr- a lake on the Taimyr Peninsula, in the Byrranga mountains. The basin is tectonic, processed by a glacier. Level fluctuations are up to 6 m, because of this the area changes from 4560 to 1200 km 2.

Khanka- a lake on the border with China. Please note to students: due to the configuration of the border, the southern part of the lake coast belongs to Russia, and the northern part belongs to China.

Lake Peipus-Pskov is located on the border of Russia and Estonia and consists of two parts - the northern, larger (Chudskoye Lake), and the southern (Pskovskoye) parts, connected by a strait (Teploye Lake). The battle of Alexander Nevsky with the Teutonic knights in 1242 took place on the ice of Lake Warm.

Uvsu-Nur- a lake on the border of Russia (Tuva) and Mongolia.

Khantayskoye Lake in the Putorana Mountains, in a tectonic basin, the third deepest in Russia after Lake Baikal and the Caspian Sea.

Imandra- a lake in the tectonic basin between the Khibiny and Monchetundra mountains. The level was raised as a result of the construction of a dam and a reservoir was created.

Notozero- in fact, a reservoir into which the lake entered entirely, increasing its area by 9.5 times (it was 78.9 km 2).

Red- lake near the mouth of the river. Anadyr is connected to it by a channel. Subject to the influence of sea tides.

From the lake Vozhe The small river Svid flows out and flows into the lake. Lacha, where Onega flows.

We have already drawn attention to the fact that information about the depth of lakes is often incomplete 1 .

The deepest lakes are distinguished only among those that are large in area. Meanwhile, small lakes, for example, karst sinkholes 2, can be very deep. In Kabardino-Balkaria, near Nalchik, there is Lake Tserik-Kel with an area of ​​about 1 hectare (that is, on a map of scale 1: 100,000 it will be 1 mm2), and its depth is 238 m. It is included in Table 2, but where is the guarantee , that there are no other lakes similar to it?

table 2

The deepest lakes in Russia

The location of the lakes included in both tables is indicated on the map. Most of the lakes are marked with off-scale signs; they would not be expressed on a scale, but such a diagram will help you find the necessary objects on a map of a larger scale.

1 K.S. Lazarevich. Physiographic objects in numbers. - M.: LLC “Chistye Prudy”, 2005. - (Library “First of September”, series “Geography”). - P. 26.

2 V.K. Lesnenko. World of Lakes: A book for extracurricular reading for students in grades 8-10. avg. schools. - M.: Education, 1989. - (World of Knowledge). - P. 30.

K.S. LAZAREVICH

New data on the depth of Lake Baikal

The newest map of the bottom of the deepest freshwater lake on the planet, Lake Baikal, has been created. The work involved scientists from Russia, as well as the Renard Center for Marine Geology of the University of Ghent (Belgium) and the joint research group for marine geosciences of the University of Barcelona (Spain). According to the chief researcher of the Limnological Institute of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Physics and Mathematics. Sciences Pavel Sherstyankin, measurement methods are being improved, and currently the deepest place on the “glorious sea” is known - 1642 m from the surface. The new map shows almost 1.5 million depth points. The map will become an indispensable working tool for scientists, primarily geologists, ichthyologists, and seismologists.

ITAR-TASS. 08/12/2004

The largest lakes in Russia

Table 1

Lakes of Russia with an area of ​​more than 350 km 2

Lakes are ranked by water surface area.
Designations in the column “Salinity”:
P - fresh,
S - salty,
GS - bitter-salty.
For lakes whose names are marked with an asterisk (*), explanations are given in the text.


Russia is a huge state, covering a colossal number of cities, villages and lakes. Yes, yes, on the territory of the Russian Federation there are over 2,000,000 lakes, the total area of ​​which is more than 350 thousand square kilometers. At the same time, our state contains the largest lakes in Europe, although only a small part of the country is part of the continent. We bring to your attention the largest lakes in Russia . On the list you will see not only spacious, but also unique bodies of water, the likes of which cannot be found throughout the world.

Top 10 Largest Lakes in Russia

10

Volgograd region


The list of the largest lakes in Russia opens with White Lake. The unique reservoir is located on the territory of the Volgograd region. The area of ​​this amazing place is 1300 square meters. The depth is 5-7 meters. In some locations the figure reaches 20 meters. For this reason, diving in this place has been successful for many years. Many tourists are interested in underwater pits. Currently, 29 species of fish are registered here.

It makes no sense to talk about a large number of fishermen.

Novosibirsk region


Chany is in penultimate place in the Top 10 lakes. The area is 1.2 square meters. The depth is 12 meters. It is worth noting that there are a huge number of legends about this lake. According to one of them, a large monster lives in the depths of the island, which eats livestock and poor fishermen. Many adults believe in this epic. Although, most local residents claim that the myth of the underwater serpent was created to attract foreigners. No matter how funny it may seem, many travelers really want to see an underwater kite.

Republic of Tuva


We are talking about the largest lake in Mongolia, which also covers Russia. It should be noted that in the vastness of the Russian Federation, this lake is part of the Republic of Tuva. By no means, in our state there are only 12 square kilometers of the lake out of 3,350 existing ones. The depth of this reservoir is 15 meters. It is worth noting that this reservoir is drainless. Consequently, no river flows out of the lake. Finally, it should be noted that Uvs-Nur is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Pskov region


This reservoir is slightly larger in size than Lake Uvs-Nur. It is located on the territory of the Pskov region. Moreover, part of it reaches the border of Estonia and the Leningrad region. The reservoir consists of several lakes, including Pskovskoe and Teploe. The total area is 3,555 square kilometers. The depth is 15 meters. In total, the Lake includes 30 rivers. Only one follows - Narva.

Far East


The reservoir, with an area of ​​4.2 thousand square kilometers, is located on the border of China. The maximum depth of this lake is 11 meters. The amazing diversity of the underwater world is due to the unique location of one of the largest lakes in Russia. Every year there are many tourists here who can enjoy the culture of two states at once. In total, there are approximately 75 different species of fish in the lake. Some individuals are listed in the Red Book.

Krasnoyarsk region


The northernmost lake in the world is Taimyr. The entire reservoir is covered with ice, but only one and a half meters is in a liquid state. The unique lake freezes to the very bottom in winter. Moreover, its depth is 26 meters. Not surprising? In addition, the area here can vary from 3.9 to 4.56 thousand square kilometers. This is due, of course, to a change in the state of aggregation. The flora of the lake is represented by arctic faunas. The Verkhnyaya Taymra river flows through the lake, thanks to which the lake melts, but only from time to time.


On the territory of the Leningrad, Volgograd regions and Karelia there is a lake named after the Republic. The area of ​​the lake is 9.7 thousand square kilometers. The maximum depth is 124 meters. This beautiful body of water is famous for its clean water and interesting history. There are numerous monuments right on the banks of the reservoir.


Lake Ladoga is one of the largest lakes in Russia. This body of water extends over an area of ​​17.6 thousand square kilometers. Its maximum depth reaches 230 meters. It is located on the Northwestern side of the Russian Federation. It should be noted that Onega is similar to Lake Ladoga. In fact, they are located on one side of the amazing Baltic Sea basin. Why amazing? Because it amazes with the presence of the underwater world. Accordingly, Lake Ladoga is rich in various types of fish.