Lake Baikal - The Deepest Lake on Earth

Lake Baikal is one of the most famous landmarks and tourist attractions of Siberia, a large area in the north eastern part of Russia. Baikal is actually situated in the southern part of Siberia, near the province of Irkutsk. Its water volume is approximately equal to the total volume of the Great Lakes of North America, or to about 20% of the total freshwater on the earth. It is also known as one of the most ancient in geological history, and there are few lakes in the world to compete with this lake in biotic diversity.
In 1996 Lake Baikal in Siberia was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in recognition of the area’s exceptionally diverse flora and fauna and its value to scientific research. Over twenty-five million years old and with a depth of 1,642 meters, Lake Baikal is the oldest and deepest lake on Earth. Due to its special geological character, the lake contains twenty percent of the world’s total unfrozen freshwater reserves. The numerous endemic species in the lake contribute significantly to Siberian and Russian biodiversity.

Lake Baikal is considered one of the clearest lakes in the world, according to CNN Traveler. During the summer, when the lake is full of melted ice from the Siberian mountains, it is sometimes possible to see more than 130 feet (39 m) down. The stunning clarity is the result of the melted ice's purity, plankton that eat floating debris and a lack of mineral salts in the lake.


Baikal is known as a unique and truly amazing eco-system, with a huge variety of plants, birds, animals, and other living things their can be observed in their natural habitat there. The lake is a really popular destination among the true nature lovers. The world-famous Baikal seal, the only mammal living on the lake, is found throughout the whole area of the lake to this day.

Baikal’s climate is much milder than that of the surrounding territory. Winter air temperatures average −6 °F (−21 °C), and August temperatures average 52 °F (11 °C). The lake surface freezes in January and thaws in May or June. The water temperature at the surface in August is between 50 and 54 °F (10 and 12 °C) and reaches 68 °F (20 °C) in the offshore shallows. Waves can be as high as 15 feet (4.6 metres). The water is very clear; from the surface one can see to 130 feet (40 metres). Its salinity is low, and it contains few minerals.

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