What is the difference between Lake Baikal and Lake Superior?

Amazingly, a single lake holds as much fresh water as all the Great Lakes combined – Lake Baikal. This rift lake in Siberia has a maximum depth of 5,371ft (1,637m). For comparison, the largest of the Great Lakes (Lake Superior) is only 25% as deep, with a maximum depth of 1,333ft (406m).



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However, when it comes to the amount of space its surface takes up, Lake Baikal isn't even in the top 5. The largest lake in the world by surface area is Lake Superior. The surface of Lake Superior covers 31,700 square miles!

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Baikal's age is estimated at 25–30 million years, making it the most ancient lake in geological history. It is unique among large, high-latitude lakes, as its sediments have not been scoured by overriding continental ice sheets.

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Lake Ladoga, Russian Ladozhskoye Ozero or Ladozhskoe Ozero, largest lake in Europe, located in northwestern Russia about 25 miles (40 km) east of St. Petersburg.

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Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes and ranks as the second largest lake in the world (by surface area). Source: Lake Superior Basin statistics map produced by Michigan Sea Grant/Michigan State University Extension (2000).

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3. Who Owns Lake Superior? Lake Superior is shared by Canada and the United States of America.

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World's Largest Lake (by surface area): So, Lake Michigan-Huron could be considered the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area. It has a total surface area of 45,410 square miles (117,611 square kilometers), which is significantly larger than Lake Superior.

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Lake Baikal is so deep because it is located in an active continental rift zone. The rift zone is widening at a rate of about 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) per year. As the rift grows wider, it also grows deeper through subsidence. So, Lake Baikal could grow wider and deeper in the future.

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Lake Superior's beaches are open and safe for swimming over 90% of the time, and the water is extremely clear, with an average underwater visibility of 8.3 m (27 ft).

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At the deepest measured point, Lake Superior is 1,332 feet, around a quarter-mile straight down. Again, comparing it to the next deepest point in another Great Lake, Lake Michigan comes in second with a depth of 925 feet.

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Lake Vanern is the third largest lake located entirely in Europe after lakes Ladoga and Onega, both located in Russia.

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Lake Annecy, France Located in the Haute-Savoie department, which borders Italy and Switzerland, Lake Annecy is a pristine body of water that's often called the cleanest lake in Europe, thanks to strict environmental regulations set in place in the 1960s.

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Not only is Lake Baikal safe to swim in, but it also boasts some of the purest water in the world. The only drawback is the temperature - even during the warmer months, a dip in the lake is pretty invigorating.

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