Lakes are not only beautiful, but also fascinating and mysterious. To know more about the deepest lakes in the world, read on.

Deepest Lake In The World

It is quite interesting to learn how nature has so beautifully laid down the foundation of various elements that attracts the attention and appreciation of people from time to time. One such natural element that adds on to the ornamental beauty of nature is a lake which is formed due to diverse geographical structures and various river systems in the world. Apart from adding charm to their surroundings, lakes also are also home to various species of flora and fauna making them great tourist attractions. The numinous beauty of different lakes and the interesting historical facts attached to them bring in a pool of visitors to the places of their existence. This article brings forth the details on the deepest lakes in the world. Go through the lines to follow and learn about world’s largest and deepest lakes, and the legends and mysteries that lie beneath their dark and mysterious depths.

World’s Deepest Lake

Lake Baikal
The ‘Blue Eye of Siberia’ as Lake Baikal is fondly called is located near the Russo-Mongolian border in Southern Siberia. Lake Baikal is the deepest lake in the world with the depth of 5,369 feet and holds the maximum volume of water as well. Apart from being the deepest lake, Lake Baikal also supports over 1,700 species of flora and fauna. The lake is surrounded by dense forests and steep mountains. Lake Baikal is believed to be 25-30 million years old, making it one of the oldest lakes in the world as well.

Lake Tanganyika
Lake Tanganyika is the deepest fresh water lake in Africa and the second in the world and was accidentally discovered by two British explorers Richard Burton and John Speke in 1858. Tanganyika is divided between Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Zambia and holds the maximum depth of 4.823 feet. 

Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is actually a large inland lake, a fact that not many people are aware of. It dates back to 5.5 million years ago and is the result of continental drift. The Caspian Sea is the remains of the Tethys Ocean and is the third deepest lake in the world with the depth of 3,363 feet. The lake lies between the southern part of the Russian federation and northern Iran. The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed water body on the surface of the earth and is a rich source of natural resources like oil and gas.

Lake Vostok
Lake Vostok is one among the sub-glacial lakes on earth that was discovered in 1996 by the British and Russian scientists. The lake has the maximum depth of 2,950 feet and lies around 13,000 feet below the surface of the Central Antarctic ice sheet making it the deepest among the 10 sub-glacial lakes. The lake with the average water temperature of -3 degree Celsius is still in its liquid form below the sheath of ice because of the high pressure from the weight of the ice.

O’Higgins/San Martin Lake
The San Martin Lake is located in Patagonia between the Aysen region and the Santa Cruz province. This lake is the deepest in Latin America and the fifth deepest in the world with a maximum depth of 2,742 feet. The lake is named after the South American heroes Jose de San Martin of Argentina and Bernardo O’Higgins of Chile who fought together for the liberation of Chile.

Lake Malawi
Lake Malawi also known as Lake Nyasa lies to the southern most part in the East African Valley system between Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. Lake Malawi is the second deepest lake in Africa with the depth of 2,316 feet and is home to the maximum number of fish species than any other lake in the world can boast of. 

Lake Issyk Kul
Lake Issyk Kul is located in the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, on the Northern Tian Shan Mountains. Issyk Kul is a saline water lake and is said to have had an ancient settlement near it some 2, 500 years ago. The lake has an average water depth of 1,000 feet with the deepest point going down to 2,192 feet.

Other Deep Lakes In The World
  • Great Slave
  • Crater Lake
  • Lake Matano
  • General Carrera
  • Hornindalsvatnet
  • Quesnel
  • Toba
  • Sarez
  • Tahoe
  • Argentino
  • Kivu
  • Mjøsa
  • Lake Chelan

How to Cite

More from iloveindia.com