List of lakes by area


This is a list of terrestrial lakes with a surface area of more than approximately, ranked by area. 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, Mar Chiquita Lake , Lake Torrens and Great Salt Lake.

List of lakes

NameCountries with shorelineAreaLengthMaximum depthWater volumeThumbnail Notes
1Caspian Sea*.



Despite its name, it is often regarded as the world's largest lake, though it contains an oceanic basin rather than being entirely over continental crust.
2Superior
Largest of the Great Lakes by volume, having more water than the other four combined. The largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area.
3Victoria

The largest lake by area in Africa.
4Huron
Contains Manitoulin Island, the world's largest lake island.
5MichiganThe largest lake that is located entirely in one country.
6Tanganyika


Longest freshwater lake in the world and second-largest by volume.
7BaikalDeepest lake in the world and largest volume freshwater lake in the world.
8Great Bear LakeLargest lake entirely within Canada, and the largest lake situated within the Arctic Circle
9Malawi

Has more species of fish than any other lake in the world.
10Great Slave LakeDeepest lake in North America
11Erie
12Winnipeg
13Ontario
14LadogaLargest lake solely in Europe
15Balkhash*
16Bangweulu
17VostokLargest lake in Antarctica
18Onega
19Titicaca
Highest navigable lake in the world and largest lake in South America.
20Nicaragua
21Athabasca
22TaymyrLargest lake entirely within the Arctic Circle.
23Turkana*
Largest permanent desert lake and the world's largest alkaline lake.
24Reindeer Lake
25Issyk-Kul*
26Urmia*
27VänernLargest lake in the European Union
28Winnipegosis
29Albert
30Mweru
31NettillingLake is on Baffin Island and is the largest lake on an island.
32Nipigon
33Manitoba
34Qinghai Lake*
35Saimaa
36Lake of the Woods
37Khanka
38Sarygamysh
39Dubawnt
40Van*
41Peipus
42Uvs*
43Poyang
44Tana
45Amadjuak
46Melville*

* denotes saline lake.
Source for the 20 largest lakes :