New Delhi: Associated with peace and tranquillity, the mention of lakes will undoubtedly stir up beautiful childhood memories- a picnic by the lake or perhaps a fishing trip with your father. But what if I told you that there are lakes on the planet as deep as how tall some of our highest peaks are? Located in different parts of the world, these lakes have unique characteristics, ranging from their dimensions to their time of inception. However, one thing they have in common is that their depth is almost beyond human comprehension, deeper than current technology would allow us to go. Let us learn about the deepest lakes in the world and their attributes.
List of the 7 deepest lakes in the world
Lake Baikal
Lake Tanganyika
Caspian Sea
Lake Viedma
Lake Vostok
O’Higgins/San Martín
Lake Malawi
Lake Baikal
With a depth of 1,642 m, the ‘Galapagos of Russia’ is the deepest lake in the world. Larger than the country of Belgium, this rift lake in Southern Siberia is the world’s seventh-largest lake by surface area and the world’s largest freshwater lake by volume.
Lake Tanganyika
Spread over Tanzania, Congo, Burundi, and Zambia, Lake Tanganyika is the longest lake in the world. This brackish water lake is 1,470 m deep. Home to many animals like hippopotamuses and crocodiles, it also provides subsistence to all who live on its banks, with its fertile land used to grow rice and other crops.
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the world’s largest salt lake and the largest inland body of water, 1,025 m deep. It lies between Europe and Asia and has about a third of the average seawater salinity. Initially considered an ocean because of its salinity and large size, the depth of this massive lake is set to decrease by 9-18 m due to global warming and desertification.
Lake Viedma
Formed from melting glacial ice, this 900 m deep lake is Argentina’s second largest perennial lake. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a popular tourist spot, offering hiking and ice trekking on the Viedma glacier and boating on the river.
Lake Vostok
Sharing the exact dimensions with Lake Viedma, with a depth of 900 m, this lake is located beneath the Vostok research station in Russia. It is the largest of all known subglacial lakes in Antarctica, with its surface area 5000 m below sea level. It has been isolated from direct atmospheric contact by a thick layer of ice for around 15 million years.
O’Higgins/San Martín Lake
Known as O’Higgins in Chile and San Martín in Argentina, this curiously shaped lake is 836 m deep. Formed by glacial activity during the last ice age, it is remote and not easily accessible by nearby towns in Chile and Argentina.
Lake Malawi
Lake Malawi, with its deepest point at 706 m, is located between the African countries of Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. The fourth largest freshwater lake by volume is home to more fish species than any other lake, with around 800 to 1000 fish species swimming in its waters.
Some of the most remarkable natural features on the planet, such as lakes, have much to offer, from ecological balance to economic sources. But what do we know about some of the deepest lakes on the earth? Read on to find out about our deepest lakes and their characteristics. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
