What is the largest freshwater lake in the world as measured by surface area?
1. Lake Superior is, by surface area, the world's largest freshwater lake.
2. The surface area of Lake Superior (31,700 square miles or 82,170 square kilometers) is greater than the combined areas of Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire.
3. Lake Superior contains as much water as all the other Great Lakes combined, even throwing in two extra Lake Eries.
4. Lake Superior contains 10% of all the earth's fresh surface water.
The Caspian Sea has a larger surface area but is a salt water sea.
More Info:
law2.umkc.edu
What are your thoughts on this subject?
58 Comments
Irene Townsend
Great information, I would like just to ask one more thing, PLEASE let everyone know where it is, we're not all from the same country so it would be nice to know what country there are in. Thanks
Chris Braun
Being Minnesotan made it easy. I live on the lake.
Stevie G
The Caspian Sea is the largest lake in the world but it is not freshwater.
Player
Lake Superior is the greatest of the Great Lakes.
cchisholm
I should have known this, seeing as how I live in Michigan and have been up north to its shores many times.! Lake Superior is in Michigan in the USA.
konrad
By area.but not by volume of water. Well made specification.
Conrado De Leon
The Caspian sea, by the way, is a SEA, not a lake like some dolts sustain. It has been proved that it was one with the Mediterranean, until some earth upheaval
came up in the middle, dividing the two..
Ray Knutson
Chris Braun, Lucky you! I have been thinking of buying property on Lake Superior for some time. I live in the metro, but gre up on the Iron Range
roxann holloway
Irene Townsend, it is part of the "great Lakes"
namiphi
It's in United States between the northern area and Canada Irene.
Cheryl McMeekin
Guessed wrong but great info.
Carmine-James Pitaniello
EXCELLENT QUESTION AND EXPLANATION.....I got it wrong, but still ...awesome question....I forgot it's salinity 1.2% from being part of an ocean until millions of years ago.....hats off to you, Ron...
David Mcclure
John Edward Boyle, I believe it says all the OTHER
Lisa
Took a wild guess. I guess this lake is superior in some way!
Cherie Hunt
Diane Lynn Kinsman, being from Michigan also made it easy.
bvspurrell
Maggie Mae, Like Linda said, read the question carefully. They are asking for the largest freshwater lake measured by surface area... hence Lake Superior. Do the math: Lake Superior @ 82,170 km2 compared to Lake Baikal @ 31,494 km2.