largest inland lakes and seas

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largest inland lakes and seas

Location

sq km

sq mi

1 Shrinking in area due to environmental factors; until the 1980s it was the world's 4th largest

2 Artificial lake created by Akosombo Dam (1966)

3 Lake Maracaibo, in Venezuela, is far larger at 13,260 sq km (5,120 sq mi), but is linked to the Caribbean by a narrow channel and therefore not an ‘inland’ lake

4 Salt lakes that vary in size with rainfall

Europe

Lake Ladoga

Russia

17,700

6800

Lake Onega

Russia

9600

3700

Saimaa system

Finland

8000

3100

Vänern

Sweden

6500

2100

Asia

Caspian Sea [1]

W. Central Asia

371,000

143,000

Aral Sea1 [6]

Kazakstan/Uzbekistan

33,640

13,000

Lake Baikal [9]

Russia

31,500

12,200

Tonlé Sap

Cambodia

20,000

7700

Lake Balkhash

Kazakstan

18,400

7100

Africa

Victoria Nyanza [3]

East Africa

68,000

26,000

Lake Tanganyika [7]

Central Africa

33,000

12,700

Lake Malawi [10]

East Africa

29,600

11,400

Lake Chad

Central Africa

26,000

10,000

Lake Turkana

Ethiopia/Kenya

8500

3300

Lake Volta2

Ghana

8480

3250

North America

Lake Superior [2]

Canada/USA

82,400

31,800

Lake Huron [4]

Canada/USA

59,600

23,010

Lake Michigan [5]

USA

58,000

22,300

Great Bear Lake [8]

Canada

31,800

12,280

Great Slave Lake

Canada

28,400

11,000

Lake Erie

Canada/USA

25,700

9900

Lake Winnipeg

Canada

24,500

9500

Lake Ontario

Canada/USA

19,700

7600

Lake Nicaragua

Nicaragua

8000

3100

South America

Lake Titicaca3

Bolivia/Peru

8300

3200

Lake Poopó

Peru

2800

1100

Australia

Lake Eyre4

Australia

9300

3600

Lake Torrens4

Australia

5800

2200

Lake Gairdner4

Australia

4800

1900