Lakes play a very vital role in the Earth’s ecosystem. These water bodies are usually those that are separated from seas or oceans. Lakes are usually bodies that are somewhat smaller in both depth as well as wideness as compared to oceans and seas. There are many countries that have the most natural lakes. From getting to know about the country with the most lakes in the whole world to knowing how many countries in the world has the most number of lakes, we have covered everything you need to know in this article.
Make sure to read till the end of this article to get an in-depth knowledge of lakes and countries with the most natural lakes!
What is a lake?
A lake is a body of water that takes up a certain circumference of an area. Lakes are not as large as oceans or seas. Similarly, to this day, there has not been a specific and most efficient way to distinguish between water bodies like lakes, ponds, rivers, swamps, and other such water bodies that are not associated with the ocean. Also, nonoceanic water bodies are often smaller than oceanic water bodies. Lakes are bigger in size than ponds, though. Land bodies usually surround lakes. It is not difficult to find fresh water in lakes. On the other hand, some lakes in different places might also include water that is generally salty when tasted. Not every lake contains water that is drinkable or safe.
The name of “Lake” has been changed several times over the years. While there had been almost no inhabitants near many oceanic bodies, it has always been evident through the history of lakes that people have always lived surrounding lakes. Hence, it is not quite difficult to find lakes, even in places with most residents. Lakes are natural bodies, and almost every country in the world has lakes.
Which country has the most lakes?
While it is known that many countries in the world have lakes, it is still a matter of question as to which country has the most lakes in the whole world. To this, the answer is Canada. Researchers from McGill University in Canada conducted a study on lakes in the year 2016. It was concluded that the most lakes in the whole world was found in Canada itself. There were many other countries that were considered in this study with regard to which country has the most lakes.
However, Finland has the name “The Land of a Thousand Lakes,” but was not considered for this study as it does not cover 100,000 square meters or 0.1 square kilometers, and all the lakes that were compiled in this study had an area coverage of above at least 100,000 square meters.
Below, we have listed all the countries that have been listed among the top 10 countries with the most natural lakes in the world;
10. Australia (11,400)
Despite being mostly deserted and having several volcanoes in the country, Australia has, without much surprising factor made it to the number 10 in this list. Though Australia is known for its blue lagoons and man-made lakes, there are several natural lakes in this country that aren’t talked about as much as they should be. Salt lakes are also very common in Australia. These lakes are located in the central flat desert regions. The lakes cover over 100,000 square meters.
One of the most famous lakes in Australia has to be Lake Eyre. This lake is one-third larger than the biggest lake in Europe. Lake Eyre covers 9,500 sq km (3,668 sq mi) and is the most prominent natural lake in Australia. The South Australian lake is also famous as Kati Thanda.
According to Hydrobiologia, “Given that 70% of Australia is arid, it is not surprising that >80% of lakes and wetlands by area are saline and occupy in excess of 100,000 km”.
9. Kazakhstan (12,400)
From being the 9th largest country in the world, Kazakhstan is also the 9th country with the most natural lakes in the world. The land of Kazakhstan has several river basins from the mountains, along with many lakes in the lowlands of Kazakh. While there are 48,262 lakes in this country, only 12,400 can actually be considered natural lakes. The Northeastern portion of the Caspian Sea, as well as the Lake Balkash, are some of the most prominent lakes in Kazakhstan.
About 296 lakes are in an area of more than 10 square km, whereas 21 lakes are larger than 100 square km.
8. Argentina (13,600)
Argentina is not only famous for the Andes mountain range in the upper lands but also for the wide and fertile lowlands with lakes. It has a total of 13,600 natural lakes. The country has big as well as small lakes. The lakes are also a result of the glaciated ice during the Ice Age. The Ice Age managed to create many finger-shaped lakes in Argentina, which adds up to the number of lakes there. Lake Gomez is one such example of a small lake that has been prominent in Argentina and famous throughout the world. It is situated in the Pampas region.
7. Norway (20,000)
Just like Argentina, Norway is a country that has many lakes that are the result of the last Ice Age. Since these lakes were formed during the glacial processes several years ago, these are some of the most natural lakes in Norway. However, there are many other lakes that are far from natural and completely man-made as well.
Lake Tyrifjorden is one of the largest lakes in Norway at 967 feet (295 m) of depth. This lake is 25 miles (40 km) from Oslo, which is also Norway’s capital.
6. Brazil (20,900)
Brazil has many lakes, which are both natural and man-made. It is almost hard to find any of the countries with only natural lakes as people have made reservoirs on their own for many reasons in countries with many lakes. The Brazilian lakes are all located in the Amazon area. Lagoa dos Patos is the largest lake in Brazil, which is 180 miles long and has a width of 64 km. A large sandbar separates this lake from the Atlantic Ocean.
5. Sweden (22,600)
Sweden is the 5th country in the world with the most number of lakes. Most of the lakes in Sweden are a result of the melted glaciers from the mountains from the Ice Age itself. These lakes are still prominent in Sweden and occupy a great land area. One of the most important lakes in Sweden is Lake Vänern, 90 miles (145 km) in length and up to 330 feet (100 m) in depth. Around 395 lakes exceed 4 square miles despite this country being extremely small in size.
4. China (23,800)
There are many freshwater and saltwater lakes in China, which makes it the 4th country with the most natural lakes in the world. China is home to mountains as well as freshwater reservoirs, among which lakes are also the most common. Lakes in China are dispersed in different areas as a result of glaciers as well as heavy rainfall in the country. This country’s most popular lake has to be Qinghai Lake, which is also the largest lake here. There is no outflow channel for Qinghai Lake. Poyang Lake, on the other hand, is the largest lake in China with fresh water.
3. USA (102,500)
The United States of America gets the 3rd position as the Country with most natural lakes in the world. These lakes are distributed in many regions throughout the country. America’s northern part and the Rocky Mountains’ northern valleys have the most amount of lakes. These lakes are mostly far or a fair distance from the deserted parts of the country.
While not having the entire part of the Great Lake, America still holds some part of it. The Great Lakes make up around 21% of the freshwater in the world. Likewise, there are also many manmade lakes in the USA.
2. Russia (201,200)
Russia is the world’s largest country. Similarly, when it comes to having the most lakes in the world, Russia takes the 2nd position. The country has a surface area of 17.1 million square kilometers (6.6 million square miles), and around 201,200 lakes cover most of the parts of this country. The high altitude of Russia has to be the reason why the country was covered with snow during the last of the Ice Age, especially in the northern and western areas. However, the ice melted into water bodies, which turned into lakes, which are the present-day lakes in the country.
Russia’s largest lake is Lake Baikal. Though many lakes in Russia have been built due to glacial processes, Baikal Lake is different as it was formed due to the activities of tectonic plates. Two tectonic plates form a Rift valley of water due to their separation. Lake Baikal is 5,387 feet (1,642 m) deep, which is 50% of Lake Michigan’s surface area. Lake Michigan is one of the 5 greatest lakes in the world.
1. Canada (879,800)
Canada is the country with the most numbers of lakes in the world. The number of lakes in this country is more than the total of all the countries in the world. Canada is also the country with the most natural lakes in the world. To make things easier to understand for you, this country possesses 62% of the total amount of lakes in the whole world. Russia, which is in second place, only has a quarter of what Canada has in the name of lakes. 9% of Canada is filled with lakes. And the most prominent among the lakes in Canada is the Great Bear Lake which is 50% of the surface area of Lake Michigan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has the most lakes in the world?
Canada has the most lakes in the world.
What country has 7000 lakes?
Switzerland has 7000 lakes.
Which country has a million lakes?
Canada has 2 million lakes of all sizes.
What country has 185000 lakes?
Finland has 185000 lakes.
Which is the richest country in water?
Brazil is the richest country in water.
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