The deepest lake in the world print. The deepest lake in the world. Which lake is the deepest in the world: are there any competitors?

In the largest country in the world there is the deepest lake, its name is Baikal. More than one volume of books is dedicated to this lake; legends are made about this lake. Every year tourists come to admire the beauty of Lake Baikal, researchers do not ignore the lake, and politics do not forget about the national heritage. Expeditions regularly gather to these places, ending with the most interesting discoveries.

Dimensions of Baikal

To walk along the bottom of the lake, you will have to descend to a depth of 1642 meters - this is the lowest point of Lake Baikal. The average value is 744 meters. You can’t get around Baikal on foot, the narrowest part of the lake is 24 km, and the widest is 79 km, and the total length of the shore is 2 thousand 100 meters.

If you add up two countries, such as Belgium and the Netherlands, you can get an area equal to the area of ​​Lake Baikal.

The reservoir seems to be buried in the embrace of mountain ranges. Moreover, if in the western part the coast is literally lined with a fence of rocks, then the relief of the eastern part is significantly softened.

Water volume

No other lake contains so much fresh water. Just think about these numbers - 23 thousand 615 km3 - this is a fifth of all world reserves.

Baikal is second only to the Caspian Sea in terms of water reserves. If we take water from the five Great Lakes - Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario - and pour it into one giant vat, we still won't get Lake Baikal. It's so roomy!

The lake has amazingly clean water - a 40-centimeter water surface allows you to see the contents of the bottom.

Origin of the lake

Baikal keeps the secret of its origin - scientists still do not know how old it is, or where it was formed from. An approximate estimate of the age of Baikal is about thirty million years. And even in this it is unique! Typically, the lifespan of glacial lakes is no more than 15 thousand years, then they die under silty sediments.

But not everyone agrees with the multimillion-year age of Baikal; Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences Alexander Tatarinov is ready to argue with his colleagues. According to his calculations, the lake is no more than 150 thousand years old.

Flora and fauna

Surprisingly, new species of living organisms inhabiting this deep lake are still being discovered. At the moment, two thousand six hundred species of animals are known, and a little more than two thousand of plants. Presumably, this constitutes no more than 80% of the entire flora and fauna of Lake Baikal.

Baikal is completely populated - both on the surface and in the depths. Moreover, almost half of all the creatures inhabiting the reservoir cannot be found anywhere else. Most of the animals, and slightly less than half of the plants, are endemic. The lake became home to two hundred species of birds and 58 varieties of fish.

A unique animal lives here - the Baikal seal. This typical inhabitant of the seas, most likely during the Ice Age, sailed to these places from the Arctic Ocean and has since settled here. At the moment there are several tens of thousands of seals in the lake.

Every year, in winter, Lake Baikal is covered with ice up to one and a half meters thick. The uniqueness of Baikal ice is that, firstly, it is surprisingly transparent, and secondly, sokui appear on the surface - hills of ice. Such cones, hollow inside, can reach six meters in height.

Another mystery that scientists are struggling with is that circles form on the ice of the lake - they are clearly visible on satellite images. Every year they appear in a new place; scientists have yet to find out what this is connected with.

Legends and myths

Local residents treat the lake with respect: they believe that Baikal is a living creature that must be handled with extreme care; no good will come to anyone who angers the powerful healer.

According to one legend, 336 river sons flowed into the waters of Father Baikal, and the Angara - their only daughter. In this way they replenished its waters. And it was like this until a bright feeling settled in the daughter’s heart. And the flow of the river turned back, and the Angara began to give her father’s water to her beloved Yenisei. The angry father, cursing, threw a piece of rock into the Angara. Since then, the Shaman Stone has been lying at the source of the Angara.

And people still believe that if you anger Father Baikal, he will tear the Shaman’s stone from its place, water will pour out and flood everything around. Currently, a dam has been built on the Angara, so only the top of the Shaman Stone is visible.

The deepest lakes in the world are beautiful and unique places with an interesting history. Every year they attract thousands of tourists from different parts of the world. Each of the leaders of this TOP has something to surprise travelers.

The deepest lake in the world is located in the south of Eastern Siberia, on the border of Buryatia and the Irkutsk region. The greatest depth is 1642 meters. The average depth is also large - 774 meters. The surface area of ​​the water is 31,722 square meters. km, which is close in area to the Netherlands Square.

The lake is a flooded basin, divided into three parts by two ridges: Academic (the islands of Ushkany and Olkhon are part of it) and Selenginsky. The water of Baikal is distinguished by its purity: the bottom is visible for 40 meters, there are very few mineral and organic substances, but there is a lot of oxygen.

There are 27 islands on the lake, the largest of which is Olkhon. The largest peninsula is called Holy Nose. Nine large rivers flow into Baikal: Upper Angara, Selenga, Turka, Tyya, Snezhnaya, Kichera, Buguldeika and Goloustnaya, and one flows out - the mighty Angara.

The Baikal zone is at the stage of formation, as high seismic activity remains there. For example, Proval Bay was formed in 1862, when, as a result of an earthquake, 200 square meters went under water. km of land.

The climate in the lake area is milder than in Eastern Siberia as a whole: the huge mass of the lake has its influence. Thanks to it, winter here is milder, spring comes late, summer is cooler, and autumn is longer.

More than 2,600 species and subspecies of organisms live in Baikal. Most of them live only here: this is due to the incomparably high oxygen content in the water. The crustacean epishura, which is found only in the waters of Lake Baikal, plays a big role in the cleanliness of the lake. It eats the bulk of the algae, filtering the water.

There are natural, cultural and archaeological monuments on the lake and in the surrounding area.

This body of water is recognized as the largest lake in Africa and the longest freshwater lake in the world. Its maximum depth is 1470 m, average - 570 m. The lake is located at an altitude of 773 meters. The length of the reservoir is 676 km, and the average width is 50 km.

The coast is shared by four countries:

• Tanzania;
• Democratic Republic of the Congo;
• Burundi;
• Zambia.

The lake is located in a very deep tectonic depression; an underwater reef divides it into two basins. The lake is surrounded by huge rocks, the shore is gentle only on the eastern side.

The lake is very clean - it can be easily seen to a depth of 30 meters. The average water temperature is 25 degrees.

The reservoir is fed by several tributaries, of which the two largest are the Ruzizi, which flows in the north, and the Malagarasi, which flows in the east. The lake is drainage: the Lukuga River flows out of it.

There are more than 2000 species of inhabitants of the lake, 600 of which are found only in this area. Hippos, crocodiles, shellfish and waterfowl are found here. In some places the lake is surrounded by jungle and its inhabitants. Chimpanzees live in nature reserves nearby. The northern shore of the lake is savannah.

Tourists are attracted not only by the beauty of the lake and the warm climate, but also by the huge number of unusual and beautiful fish, which are transported for aquarium keeping all over the world. Fishing competitions are held here every year.

This is an endorheic closed body of water, which can be positioned as a lake or as a sea due to its area (371,000 sq. km) and oceanic type bed. The Caspian Sea-lake has a maximum depth of 1025 m. The water in the lake is brackish mostly closer to the southeast and fresher near the mouth of the Volga.

The reservoir is located on the border of Asia and Europe, the water level in it fluctuates. As of 2009, it was 27.16 meters below sea level. The lake has a length of 1200 km from north to south and 435 km from west to east at its widest point.

The lake coast is divided between five countries:

• Kazakhstan;
• Russia;
• Azerbaijan;
• Iran;
• Turkmenistan.

The lake is conventionally divided into three territories: Northern, Middle and Southern Caspian. They all differ in physical and geographical conditions:

• The Northern Caspian is shallow, there are banks and islands (the result of volcanic activity at the bottom of the lake). The banks have a sharply defined edge. The Northern and Middle Caspian Seas are separated by the Mangyshlak threshold.
• The middle part of the lake is deeper and is a basin. The Derbent depression is located in this basin. The coastline of the Middle Caspian is smoother in the West and rugged in the East. The middle and southern parts of the Caspian Sea are separated by the Ashperon threshold.
• The southern part is even deeper. It is the depth in the South Caspian depression that gives the lake third place in the list of deepest. In the southern part are the islands of the Baku archipelago.

130 rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, the largest of them is the Volga. There are 6 large peninsulas on the coastline, and approximately 50 islands throughout the entire sea area.

Tourists are attracted by the healing properties of the Caspian Sea, excursions on ships and boats, as well as the ancient city of Derbent, located nearby.

The largest of the 145 known subglacial lakes in Antarctica, located under an ice sheet approximately 4 km thick. Different sources indicate different depths of the reservoir: from 1000 to 1200 meters. The lake is located in the area of ​​the Antarctic station of the same name.

What makes the lake unique is that it was likely isolated for at least 500,000 years thanks to its shell of ice. Scientists suggest that living creatures may live in the water of this lake.

Not much is known about the lake itself, which is not surprising: getting to it is not easy, and what has been drilled freezes quickly. We can confidently state only the following facts:

• The water in the lake is fresh.
• The water is saturated with oxygen, 10-100 times more than ordinary fresh water in lakes. This is explained by the fact that oxygen enters the water along with the ice sinking to the bottom of the lake.
• The water temperature in the depths of the lake is up to +10 degrees, and between the surface of the water and the ice shell - -3 degrees. The water temperature is probably maintained by underground thermal springs.
• According to calculations, the pressure created by the ice shell exceeds 300 atmospheres.

Information appeared about microorganisms discovered during drilling, but no one could confirm that they were the inhabitants of the lake, and not aliens who entered there along with the drilling tools.

At the moment, research work in the Lake Vostok area has been suspended.

The lake is located in the south of South America in the Patagonian Andes on the border of Argentina (province of Santa Cruz), where it is called San Martin, and Chile (region of Aisen del General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo), where locals call the lake O'Higgins. In the language of local peoples, the reservoir was called Charre.

The lake is located at an altitude of 250 meters above sea level. O'Higgins is the deepest lake in America. Its depth reaches 836 meters. The deepest place is near the O'Higgins Glacier. The lake is of natural glacial origin, fresh, has an elongated shape with branches.

The Mayer River and several small streams flow into the reservoir. The lake is a drainage lake and the Pascua River flows out of it and flows into the Baker Fjord in the Pacific Ocean.

The lake was formed when rocks and clay blocked the exit from a tectonic fissure through which water drained from an glacial plateau. After the exit was blocked, meltwater formed a lake.

The reservoir is mostly surrounded by glaciers (O'Higgins is the largest, besides it you can see Chico, Bryggen and Umeul). Elsewhere around the lake there are majestic cliffs and extinct volcanoes.

The first settlers in this area were immigrants from Norway, which is not surprising: probably the cool climate, fjords and inaccessible terrain reminded them of their native land.

Tourists are attracted by hiking and horseback riding in national parks (Bernardo O'Higgins Park on the Chilean side and Los Guardes on the Argentine side), the opportunity to go mountain climbing and trout fishing. Sometimes fishing competitions are held here.

Lake Nyasa is a water-filled tectonic fault or deep depression in the earth's crust. It is located in East Africa between Tanzania, Mozambique and Malawi. The reservoir has an elongated shape, its length is 560 km, and its width is 75 km. This lake contains 7% of the world's fresh water.

The depth of the lake gradually increases towards the north - there the mountains that previously surrounded the water descend directly into the reservoir. In other places there is a coastal zone between the lake and the mountains - the widest is located in the northwest.

The bottom of the reservoir is covered with sedimentary rocks. The thickness of the layer is about 4 km. This indicates the great age of the lake - according to some sources, it has existed for several million years.

14 rivers flow into Nyasa, the most important of which are recognized:

• Ruhuhu;
• Songwe;
• Northern Rukuru;
• South Rukuru;
• Dwangwa;
• Lilongwe.

The only drainage of the lake is the Shire River. However, the lake releases water extremely reluctantly: of the total volume that enters it during the year, only 16% flows into the Shire. Because of this, the water in the lake is renewed very slowly, mainly through evaporation. This explains why the mineralization of the lake is significantly higher compared to the water of the rivers flowing into it. However, the fact that substances that enter the lake can only leave it by being deposited at the bottom, evaporating, or leaving with Shire water makes Nyasa extremely vulnerable to pollution.

Among local fishermen, the lake is famous for its wayward character: hurricane storms often and unexpectedly begin here.

There are two islands in the eastern part of the lake. One of them has a local landmark: St. Peter's Cathedral, built in the Anglican style. Huge baobab trees grow on the islands: some of them reach 30 meters in diameter, their age is about 2000 years.

The ecosystem of the lake is diverse in the number of species, most of them are found only in this reservoir. There are about 1000 species of fish alone. Such diversity attracts birds, hippos and crocodiles.

The lake is located on the territory of Kyrgyzstan and is one of the thirty largest lakes by area. Its maximum depth reaches 702 meters, and the average is 278 meters. The lake is located between two ridges: Kungoy-Ala-Too and Terksey-Ala-Too, which belong to the northern Tien Shan system. The lake is located at an altitude of 1609 meters above sea level.

The Kyrgyz word “Ysyk-Kel” is literally translated as “hot (warm) lake”. This is probably due to the fact that the water in it does not freeze in winter. True, the point here is not the hot springs, but the high salinity of the water, the mildness of winter and the heat reserves in this huge column of water - it simply does not have time to cool down enough to freeze.

About 80 small tributaries flow into the lake (the largest are Tyup and Dzherglan in the east). Neither rivers nor streams come out of the lake. Its level rises and falls over several decades.

The climate on the lake is moderate, with mild winters and cool summers. At the same time, the number of hours of sunshine is greater than on the Black Sea, and precipitation mostly falls on the eastern part of the reservoir.

There are about 21 species of fish in the lake, five of which are found only in this lake. The most popular is Issykul chebak.

The largest number of tourists come here at the end of summer. They are attracted to large warm beaches and sunny days. The mountains protect the lake, located in the depression, from cold winds and dry winds, and present a delightful landscape. This corner combines the salinity of sea air (the water in the lake is brackish) with steppes, mountains and glaciers.

The maximum depth of this lake is 614 meters, and its area is 28,568 square meters. km. It is located in northwestern Canada and is the deepest lake in North America. For 8 months of the year, the lake is covered with a thick layer of ice - so thick that a heavy truck can drive across it.

Rivers flow into the lake:

• Hay (702 kilometers long, describes a kind of circle in northwestern Canada);
• Slave River (434 km long, flows along the borders of Wood Buffalo National Park);
• Tolson (also flows through Lake Nonacho);
• Snowdirft;
• Yellowknife (also the name of the city on the left bank of the lake).

One river flows out of the lake, which was named after the Scottish traveler who discovered it, Mackenzie, although he himself called it with an English word that translates as “disappointment,” probably because he hoped to use it to get to the Pacific Ocean, and not to the Arctic Ocean.

The most picturesque and popular among tourists is the eastern branch. Here you can see rushing rivers and towering rocks. The branch itself is divided into two parts by the Petey Peninsula. Thus, two bays were formed: in the south - Christie Bay, and in the north - McLeod.

The climate in this area is subarctic, winters are dry and frosty, and summers are moderately warm and rainy. The reservoir is inhabited by trout and whitefish (a type of salmon).

The lake has nothing to do with the slave trade: on the shore of the lake there was a settlement of Indians, whose name resembled the English word “slave”.

The maximum depth of this reservoir is 594 meters. The lake is the deepest in the United States and the second deepest in North America. Its width is 8 km and its length is 9.6 km. The reservoir is located in the southern part of Oregon in the territory of the national park of the same name near the city of Medfor.

The lake was formed in a basin that formed on the site of the Mount Mazama volcano after its destruction. The age of the lake is approximately 7000 years. The edges of the basin are located at an altitude of 1200 to 2400 meters above sea level, while the lake itself is at an altitude of 1883 meters. In the center of the basin there are platforms of volcanic origin: they are solidified lava. The formation of the Witch Island in the lake and the Merriam cone are also explained.

The water in the lake is particularly clean and blue in color; this is explained by the fact that the lake is replenished by melting snow.

The lake has another interesting attraction: a log that floats in the water in a vertical position. He is called the “Old Man of the Lake”. Thanks to the low water temperature, the “Old Man of the Lake” travels through the Crater for more than a hundred years, rising above the water level by a little more than a meter.

During the summer months, the Rim Drive is open around the lake. Traveling along it and stopping at observation points, you can see the lake in all its glory.

It is noteworthy that no rivers or streams flow into the lake, and nothing flows out of it. The reservoir is considered one of the strangest lakes: at times its bright blue color changes to a harsh dark gray.

This body of water is located in Indonesia, South Sulawesi province. It is considered the deepest lake in the country and the tenth deepest in the world. Sometimes Matana is displaced from this position, compared to Lake Buenos Aires. They are believed to be tied for tenth place. Their depth is approximately the same, but according to some data, Buenos Aires is 4 meters shallower.

The maximum depth of the lake is 590 meters, the average is 37 meters. According to some estimates, the age of the lake can reach 4 million years. The word “matano” means “spring”, but this has nothing to do with the origin of the lake. It appeared as a result of the movement of tectonic plates: due to shifts, the earth’s crust was destroyed and a reservoir was formed.

The water in the lake is very poorly saturated with minerals and nutrients. It is home to representatives of unique flora and fauna that are found only in this area. The most famous endemic representative is the buttini fish.

The Patea River emerges from Matan. Passing through the waterfall, it flows into Lake Mahalona.

Near Lake Matana is the city of Sorovako, famous for the mining of nickel ore located on the shores of the reservoir.

The attraction of the lake is the underwater caves. They are clearly visible from the surface, especially when the water recedes slightly from the wide mouth at the entrance to the cave.

Having come to relax on Lake Matana, tourists can go canoeing, windsurfing and kayaking.

The deepest lakes in the world are not just picturesque places, but also unique representatives of the animal and plant world, fresh water reserves, climate regulators and natural monuments.

There are about five million lakes in the world - we are all accustomed to seeing only small bodies of fresh water in them,

where it is so convenient to spend summer days. But there are also lakes in the world whose depth can rival any sea:

there are storms and storms here, which even an experienced sailor would not risk getting into. In our list you will find the top most

deep lakes of the planet, each of which has its own unique properties.

Matano

Depth: 590 meters

Lake Matano is located on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. It is considered the local Baikal, because the water from the lake can be drunk without

additional processing. Matano is quite navigable and even has its own storms and storms.

Crater

Depth: 594 meters

The deepest lake in the USA is located in Oregon. The crater was formed as a result of volcanic activity -

in fact, this is the former crater of the Mount Mazama volcano, which has sunk into oblivion. The waters of the Crater have a special, heavenly

in blue: this occurs due to snow melting.

Malawi

Depth: 706 meters

Malawi is the deepest of the lakes in the East African Rift Valley. In this body of water, scientists found a real Noah

Ark: It is home to exceptional species of fish that are not found anywhere else in the world.

Caspian Sea

Depth: 1025 meters

The Caspian Sea washes the shores of as many as five countries: Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. Salt lake area

is an impressive 371 thousand square kilometers, not only commercial mining is carried out here, but also development

oil deposits.

East

Depth: 1200 meters

Lake Vostok can rightfully be called the most unusual on our entire planet. This strange body of water was discovered near

Russian Antarctic station "Vostok". To drill through the ice shell and get to open water, scientists

it took twenty whole years - but the result was worth it. Here, in their original form, microorganisms that lived

on Earth millions of years ago.

Tanganyika

Depth: 1470 meters

Tanganyika is located in the deepest tectonic basin in Africa. Several species of crocodiles and hippopotamuses live here.

The lake is home to as many as five species of endemic birds. It was discovered completely by accident: British researchers John

Speke and Richard Burton literally stumbled upon the lake while searching for the source of the Nile.

Baikal

Depth: 1642 meters

And of course, the first place goes to our Baikal - a lake that is the world's largest reservoir of fresh water.

Baikal was formed as much as 35 million years ago, several species of flora and fauna still live here, not

found nowhere else in the world.

The pearl of Siberia, the deepest and cleanest lake in the world, is truly a masterpiece of nature, whose name is Baikal. Russian Cossack explorers, who first set foot on the shores of Lake Baikal in the 17th century, nicknamed it “the great ocean-sea.” No other body of water on the entire planet deserves so many rave reviews and mentions, which is not surprising. Baikal is the absolute leader in the number of records in a variety of categories among all the lakes in the world. Dozens of discoveries are made here every year; Crowds of researchers and tourists flock here to personally enjoy all the beauties of the legendary lake and its surroundings.

General information about Baikal

Baikal is a freshwater lake of tectonic origin, located in the southern part of Eastern Siberia on the border of the Irkutsk region and the Republic of Buryatia. The length of the lake from northeast to southwest is 636 km (according to other sources - 620 km), the maximum width is about 80 km, and the length of the coastline is at least 2000 km.

The origin of Baikal and its true age are still debated among scientists. Most researchers support the theory of its tectonic origin at the epicenter of a transform fault. The age of the lake is traditionally estimated at 25-35 million years, but some scientists are inclined to believe that this figure is much more modest.

The average depth of Lake Baikal ranges from 730-750 m, the maximum depth is 1642 m (the value was established in 1983 and confirmed in 2002). There are not many lakes on Earth deeper than 1000 m. These are, in particular, Tanganyika (1470 m), the Caspian Sea (1025 m) and, possibly, the ice-covered Lake Vostok in Antarctica (at least 1200 m). In this list, Baikal holds the depth record.

The total area of ​​the lake's water surface, excluding islands, is 31,722 km², and this fact leaves no doubt that Baikal is not only the largest lake in Russia by area, but also one of the largest enclosed bodies of water in the world. True, in this ranking Baikal holds only seventh place (the top three are the Caspian Sea, Victoria and Tanganyika).

As for the volume of water mass contained in the basin of the lake, here Baikal with an indicator of 23,615 km³ again finds itself in a leading position, second only to the same Caspian Sea. However, in the Caspian Sea the water is salty, while Baikal is famous for its purest fresh water, and therefore is known as the largest freshwater lake in the world. Moreover, the volume of Baikal water makes up almost 20% of all the world's fresh lake water resources (polar and mountain glaciers, river waters and moisture contained in the atmosphere are not taken into account).

As noted above, the water in the lake is unusually clean and transparent. It contains a negligible percentage of suspended mineral particles and organic impurities, but there is a high concentration of oxygen. Experts assure that water with such properties in some cases can be used as distilled water.

The water in Baikal is so transparent that, for example, in early spring, individual stones and other objects can be seen at a depth of up to 40 m. All this is also surprising because at least 336 rivers, rivulets and streams flow into the lake, and only one river is the Angara. The largest tributaries are the Upper Angara, Selenga, Barguzin, Turka, etc. The drainage basin area is estimated at 588 thousand km², of which 53% falls on the territory of Russia.

Flora and fauna of Baikal

The flora and fauna of Lake Baikal are unique and infinitely diverse. Of the 2,630 names of plants and animals that live both in the lake itself and on its shores, more than half are endemic (that is, found only here and nowhere else). This biological abundance is explained by the exceptionally high concentration of oxygen in the lake water.

The unusually clear waters of Lake Baikal are home to 58 species of fish, 27 of which are classified as endemic. The most famous of them are Baikal sturgeon, whitefish, grayling, pike, taimen. The legendary Baikal omul, which is not found anywhere else in the world, deserves special attention. Another endemic species is quite interesting - the viviparous golomyanka fish, which contains up to 30% fat in its body.

The real symbol of Baikal is the Baikal seal - the only seal in the world that lives in fresh waters. This species is most common in the northern and central parts of the reservoir.

The bulk of the zooplankton in the lake is made up of the small copepod epishura, unique in addition to its endemicity and the fact that it purifies Baikal water by filtering it during the feeding process. Over the course of a year, the epishura population is capable of filtering the water in the entire lake up to ten times or more. Largely thanks to this inconspicuous crustacean, Baikal is famous as the cleanest lake in Russia.

On the mountainous shores of the lake grow relict pines, cedars and larches, preserved here since the last ice age. Some trees are so huge that they reach 40 m in height. Some of them are about 700 years old. Thyme, Rhodiola rosea, wild garlic, rhododendron and even edelweiss are also found in the local foothills, although quite rarely.

In order to preserve the integrity of such a unique corner of wildlife in the area of ​​Lake Baikal, three nature reserves and two national parks were established at one time.

1. In terms of water surface area (excluding the area of ​​the islands), Baikal is comparable to the territories of countries such as Belgium, Denmark or the Netherlands.
2. Baikal's fresh water reserves could well be enough to supply the entire population of the Earth for 40 years.
3. The oldest known mention of Baikal is contained in Chinese chronicles dating back to 110 BC.
4. If all the water contained in the lake is divided by the number of residents of Russia, then each citizen will be the owner of 2,700 railway tanks with water.
5. Such well-known personalities as Russian President V. Putin, director J. Cameron (who, by the way, celebrated his 56th birthday here) and writer V. Rasputin have dived to the bottom of Lake Baikal.
6. The peculiar local climate is determined by the influence of winds, many of which have their own names: Barguzin, Verkhovik, Shelonnik, Sarma, Kultuk, etc.
7. Baikal contains more water than all five Great Lakes of North America together; it is 2 times larger than Lake Tanganyika, 4 times larger than the Baltic Sea and 23 times larger than Lake Ladoga.
8. Every year, about 4 thousand tons of oil enter the water column from the bottom of the lake, which is completely utilized by copepods - epishurs.
9. If we assume that the flow of water into Baikal due to the existing tributaries ceased, then a river equal in flow strength to the Angara would take 383 years to completely drain the lake. On the contrary, to fill the Baikal basin to the top, all the rivers of the world would need about 200 days.
10. There is enough water in the lake to simultaneously feed about forty-six quadrillion five hundred trillion people (assuming that each person gets about 0.5 liters).
11. The number of sunny days in the vicinity of Lake Baikal can be considered a record for Russia. More of them happen here per year than on the Black Sea coast. On Olkhon Island, for example, there are less than 50 cloudy days per year.
12. The name “Baikal” is given to asteroid 2776, discovered in 1976, a soft carbonated drink known to many since childhood, and one of the bays of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk.

So, a multiple winner of the Guinness Book of Records, the largest lake in Russia and Asia, Baikal is also a kind of Mecca for a huge number of tourists from many countries of the world.

The deepest lake in the world, freshwater Lake Baikal, is located in Russia. Its depth exceeds 1600 meters.

Lake Baikal is the largest lake in the world in terms of volume of fresh water. The lake contains 20% of the world's fresh water. Baikal water is one of the cleanest in the world, and even some scientists consider it the cleanest lake in the world. You can see and observe the bottom of the lake up to 40 meters deep without any equipment.

The area of ​​Lake Baikal's water surface is 31,500 square km. This is about the same size as the area of ​​Belgium, the Netherlands or Denmark.

Baikal is also the oldest lake in the world. It is approximately 25 million years old. During these years, sediments were deposited in the lake up to 8,500 meters thick. If the lake level remains unchanged, the depth of the lake can be up to 8.5 kilometers. This means that Lake Baikal contains the highest mountains on earth, but they are hidden from human eyes by water and mud.

Lake Baikal arose as a result of seismic activity. This activity continues today. During the earthquake of 1862, about 200 square kilometers of land with 5 villages went under water.

Baikal is home to more than a thousand species of animals and plants that are found nowhere else. For example, a unique deep-sea predatory fish is viviparous. This fish does not spawn, but spawns small fish. Only a few species of fish found in the tropics can also do this. The water in the lake is very cold, especially in the depths. To survive in such conditions, has 30-40% fat. In addition, due to the fat, this fish is almost transparent. In ancient times, the fat of this fish was used to make candles.