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Where in the World is the Pearl of Siberia?
Ozero Baykal, the deepest freshwater lake on Earth
This week, we take our Where in the World series to the largest country in the world. Here, we will explore the depths of our planet’s largest freshwater lake, which is larger than all of the five Great Lakes of the United States combined.
Lake Baikal is also known as The Pearl of Siberia, the Galapagos of Russia, and Ozero Baykal in Russian. Located in the southern portion of Eastern Siberia, in the Republic of Buryatia, it is not only the deepest freshwater lake in the world but also the oldest. It is believed to have been formed during the Mesozoic Era, 20–25 million years ago!
An Unparalleled Natural Wonder
The lake has a maximum depth of 5,315 feet and covers an area of 12,200 square miles. It runs 395 miles in length and averages 30 miles wide. This Russian treasure also contains approximately 22% of the freshwater located on the surface of the Earth and 85% of Russia’s water supply, making it the largest freshwater lake by volume as well.
