Largest Lakes on Earth by Surface Area

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica

Largest Lakes on Earth by Surface Area

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Key Findings

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Caspian Sea leads in Surface Area (km2) with 371,000.

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Average Surface Area (km2): 91,865 · median: 58,700.

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Gap: Caspian Sea is 11.9× larger than Great Bear Lake.

About This Dataset

Largest Lakes on Earth by Surface Area

The chart displays the largest lakes on Earth by surface area, highlighting the vastness of these bodies of water. The Caspian Sea leads the list with an impressive surface area of 371,000 km², followed by Lake Superior at 82,100 km² and Lake Victoria at 68,870 km². These lakes are not only significant in size but also play crucial roles in their respective ecosystems and local economies.

Analysis

Caspian Sea heads the table on 371,000, ahead of Lake Superior (82,100) and Lake Victoria (68,870) in Surface Area (km2). 339,847 separates the highest figure (371,000) from the lowest (31,153) in Surface Area (km2). Most of that gap is between first and second alone (288,900 of 339,847); the other 7 are separated by just 50,947. Places 3 to 8 are close together, spanning 68,870 to 31,153 Surface Area (km2).

Data Insights Below

Data Insights

Numbers, trends & sources behind this chart

Client

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Data Points

8 categories · 1 year

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Top Value

371,000

Caspian Sea

Surface Area (km2) · All Time

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Metrics

Surface Area (km2)

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Period

All Time

Single year snapshot

Methodology & source

Data source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
Coverage: 8 entities · 8 observations
Measure: Surface Area (km2)
Last updated: 6 September 2026
Compiled by: The ANYSTAT team, from the source above

How the figures are calculated

Values use the measure and unit named on this page. Consult the dataset description and cited source for coverage, definitions and any unit conversions. Displayed values may be rounded for readability.
Entities are ranked highest-first on their value.

Rankings & Full Data

8 records · Surface Area (km2) · ranked by All Time

✓ 8 sourced

#	Category	All Time
🥇	Caspian Sea	371,000
🥈	Lake Superior	82,100
🥉	Lake Victoria	68,870
4	Lake Huron	59,600
5	Lake Michigan	57,800
6	Lake Tanganyika	32,900
7	Lake Baikal	31,500
8	Great Bear Lake	31,153

Data Sources & References

All external sources cited in this dataset

1 https://www.britannica.com/place/Caspian-Sea Visit ↗

2 https://www.britannica.com/place/Lake-Superior Visit ↗

3 https://www.britannica.com/place/Lake-Victoria Visit ↗

4 https://www.britannica.com/place/Lake-Huron Visit ↗

5 https://www.britannica.com/place/Lake-Michigan Visit ↗

6 https://www.britannica.com/place/Lake-Tanganyika Visit ↗

7 https://www.britannica.com/place/Lake-Baikal Visit ↗

8 https://www.britannica.com/place/Great-Bear-Lake Visit ↗

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APA

ANYSTAT. (2026). Largest Lakes on Earth by Surface Area [Data set]. Data: Encyclopaedia Britannica. https://anystat.ai/stats/637/largest-lakes-on-earth-surface-area

MLA

"Largest Lakes on Earth by Surface Area." ANYSTAT, 6 Sep. 2026, https://anystat.ai/stats/637/largest-lakes-on-earth-surface-area.

Link for your website

<a href="https://anystat.ai/stats/637/largest-lakes-on-earth-surface-area">Largest Lakes on Earth by Surface Area</a> (ANYSTAT)

Largest Lakes on Earth by Surface Area