Did you know that Canada has the most lakes in the world? The country has so many lakes that 60% of the world's lakes are in Canada. Finland, on the other hand, is renowned for being the Land of 1,000 Lakes. This Nordic country has approximately 188,000 lakes, covering about 10% of its land area. Lakes are big bodies of water. They can be still or flowing. Land always surrounds them, and they remain disconnected from the ocean. Globally, Canada has the largest number of lakes, around 879,800 lakes in the world. But when it comes to Asia, do you know which country has the most lakes? Let's discover.
Which Country Has The Most Lakes In Asia?
Russia has the most lakes in Asia. The country has over 201,200 lakes, with Lake Baikal being the most famous freshwater lake in Russia. Lake Baikal, the "Pearl of Siberia", is one of the oldest and deepest freshwater lakes on Earth. It's about 25 million years old and reaches a depth of 1,642 meters. It holds roughly 20% of the world's unfrozen surface fresh water.
Russia is also home to Lake Ladoga, the largest lake in Russia and in all of Europe. This lake near St. Petersburg covers a total area of 17,700 km². The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed inland body of water on Earth. Don't let its name mislead you! Often called the largest lake in the world, it borders Russia and covers about 371,000 km².
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Top 10 Countries With the Most Lakes In The World
Here's the list of the 10 countries with the most lakes in the world:
| Country | Number of Lakes |
| Canada | 879,800 |
| Russia | 201,200 |
| Finland | 188,000 |
| Denmark | 120,000 |
| United States | 102,500 |
| United Kingdom | 42,000 |
| China | 23,800 |
| Sweden | 22,600 |
| Brazil | 20,900 |
| Norway | 20,000 |
| Argentina | 13,600 |
| Kazakhstan | 12,400 |
| Peru | 12,000 |
| Australia | 11,400 |
| Belarus | 11,000 |
| Switzerland | 7,000 |
| Japan | 4,000 |
| Colombia | 3,250 |
| Germany | 2,000 |
| Indonesia | 521 |
| India | 241 |
| Uganda | 165 |
| Mexico | 95 |
| Total | 1,698,472 |
List Of The Major Lakes In Asia
Here's a list of some of the largest lakes in Asia. These lakes are significant, either fully or partially, in Asian countries:
| Region | Lake Name | Country / Location | Cool Fact |
| The largest lake in the world | Caspian Sea | Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran (borders Europe/Asia) | The largest lake/inland sea in the world. |
| Deepest and Oldest Lake in the World | Lake Baikal | Russia (Siberia) | The deepest and oldest freshwater lake on Earth. |
| The largest lake in Asia | Lake Balkhash | Kazakhstan | A strange lake that is half fresh water and half salty water! |
| East Asia | Qinghai Lake | China | A massive, high-altitude salt lake sitting up in the mountains. |
| Poyang & Dongting Lakes | China | Giant freshwater lakes that shrink and grow with the seasons. | |
| Lake Biwa | Japan | Japan's biggest lake and one of the oldest in the world. | |
| Southeast Asia | Tonlé Sap | Cambodia | A unique lake that grows 4 times bigger when its river changes direction! |
| Lake Toba | Indonesia | The largest lake in the world formed inside a volcanic crater. | |
| South Asia | Wular Lake | India | One of Asia's largest freshwater lakes is fed by a river. |
| Chilika Lake | India | A huge coastal lagoon where migratory birds and dolphins live. | |
| West & Central Asia | Issyk-Kul | Kyrgyzstan | A high mountain lake that never freezes, even when surrounded by snow! |
| Lake Van | Turkey | A highly alkaline "soda lake" is the largest lake in Turkey. | |
| Lake Urmia | Iran | A salt lake that has unfortunately been shrinking due to evaporation. |