Lakes at true size, beside the countries they match
Natural Earth outlines 1,339 lakes and reservoirs. Each one listed has been measured on the ellipsoid and checked against its published area, and 104 passed. Below they are drawn at true scale and matched to the country nearest each in size.
This page is about size, not about borders or names. A lake or a sea has no legal boundary of its own, so the outlines are cartographic ones, and every area is shown beside the published figure it was checked against.
The largest, at one scale
Caspian Sea379,000 km²Lake Superior82,300 km²Lake Victoria67,000 km²Lake Huron59,900 km²Lake Michigan57,500 km²Lake Tanganyika32,800 km²Lake Baikal31,500 km²Great Bear Lake30,900 km²Lake Malawi28,800 km²Great Slave Lake26,100 km²Lake Erie25,700 km²Lake Winnipeg24,800 km²
500 km, the same scale for every outline
Every outline is drawn at the same scale; select one to open its page.
At a glance
- The Caspian Sea, the largest of the 104 lakes on sizeversus, is 4.61× the size of Lake Superior, the next, and 2,371× the size of the Sea of Galilee, the smallest.
- The ten largest cover 796,000 km² together, about the same size as Mozambique.
- 8 of the 104 are larger than Belgium (30,700 km²).
- 2 of the 104 are larger than Ireland (69,400 km²).
- 1 of the 104 is larger than Austria (84,000 km²).
- The Caspian Sea alone is larger than 150 of the 212 countries on sizeversus, and than 47 of the 51 US states and districts.
- Lake Baikal is the deepest lake on sizeversus, at 1,642 m (Wikidata); the Caspian Sea holds the most water, 78,700 km³.
- The five Great Lakes together hold 22,678 km³; Lake Baikal alone holds 23,615 km³, more than all five.
- Counted as one, the Great Lakes cover 245,000 km², about the same size as the United Kingdom.
- 14 of the 104 are reservoirs, lakes made by dams; the largest, Lake Volta, covers 7,960 km².
- 31 of the 104 are flagged because their outline is more than 5% from the published area; the other 73 are within 5%.
The Caspian, a lake or a sea?
Whether the Caspian is called a sea or a lake depends on the definition used. Its name says sea and Natural Earth draws it with its marine areas, so Size Versus lists it with the seas, and also shows where it would stand among the lakes.
Open the Caspian Sea. Its place in the ranking below is marked.
Every lake matched to a country
Largest first. The match is the country closest in area from Natural Earth’s country list (contested places and dependencies are never used), and the second is the closest US state or Chinese province, or else the closest lake, when one is within a factor of 3. Reservoirs are marked. A flag means the outline is more than 5% from the published area.
- Caspian Sea379,000 km² · listed as a seaSize ofNorway0.99× · 382,000 km²US stateMontana1.00× · 379,000 km²
- Lake Superior82,300 km²Size ofAustria0.98× · 84,000 km²ProvinceChongqing1.00× · 82,400 km²
- Lake Victoria67,000 km²Size ofIreland0.97× · 69,400 km²US stateWest Virginia1.07× · 62,700 km²
- Lake Huron59,900 km²Size ofTogo1.05× · 56,900 km²US stateWest Virginia0.96× · 62,700 km²
- Lake Michigan57,500 km²Size ofTogo1.01× · 56,900 km²US stateWest Virginia0.92× · 62,700 km²
- Lake Tanganyika32,800 km²Size ofGuinea-Bissau1.00× · 32,800 km²ProvinceHainan0.97× · 33,800 km²
- Lake Baikal31,500 km²Size ofBelgium1.03× · 30,700 km²ProvinceHainan0.93× · 33,800 km²
- Great Bear Lake30,900 km²Size ofBelgium1.01× · 30,700 km²ProvinceHainan0.91× · 33,800 km²
- Lake Malawi28,800 km²Size ofAlbania1.02× · 28,300 km²US stateMaryland1.13× · 25,500 km²
- Great Slave Lake26,100 km²Size ofEquatorial Guinea0.98× · 26,700 km²US stateMaryland1.02× · 25,500 km²
- Lake Erie25,700 km²Size ofNorth Macedonia1.01× · 25,400 km²US stateMaryland1.01× · 25,500 km²
- Lake Winnipeg24,800 km²Size ofRwanda0.98× · 25,300 km²US stateVermont1.01× · 24,600 km²
- Lake Ontario19,500 km² · flaggedSize ofFiji1.03× · 18,900 km²US stateNew Jersey0.99× · 19,700 km²
- Lake Ladoga17,700 km²Size ofKuwait1.01× · 17,500 km²US stateHawaii1.05× · 16,800 km²
- Lake Balkhash17,600 km²Size ofKuwait1.01× · 17,500 km²US stateHawaii1.04× · 16,800 km²
- Lake Maracaibo12,200 km² · flaggedSize ofVanuatu0.99× · 12,300 km²US stateConnecticut0.96× · 12,700 km²
- Lake Onega9,950 km²Size ofLebanon0.99× · 10,000 km²ProvinceTianjin87% · 11,500 km²
- Lake Titicaca8,110 km²Size ofLebanon81% · 10,000 km²ProvinceShanghai1.20× · 6,750 km²
- Lake Athabasca8,090 km²Size ofLebanon81% · 10,000 km²ProvinceShanghai1.20× · 6,750 km²
- Lake Volta7,960 km² · reservoir · flaggedSize ofLebanon80% · 10,000 km²ProvinceShanghai1.18× · 6,750 km²
- Lake Nicaragua7,820 km² · flaggedSize ofLebanon78% · 10,000 km²ProvinceShanghai1.16× · 6,750 km²
- Smallwood Reservoir7,030 km² · reservoir · flaggedSize ofBrunei1.23× · 5,720 km²ProvinceShanghai1.04× · 6,750 km²
- Reindeer Lake6,720 km²Size ofBrunei1.18× · 5,720 km²ProvinceShanghai1.00× · 6,750 km²
- Issyk-Kul6,260 km²Size ofBrunei1.10× · 5,720 km²ProvinceShanghai0.93× · 6,750 km²
- Vänern5,750 km²Size ofBrunei1.01× · 5,720 km²US stateDelaware1.11× · 5,170 km²
- Nettilling Lake5,450 km² · flaggedSize ofCyprus1.01× · 5,400 km²US stateDelaware1.05× · 5,170 km²
- Lake Albert5,380 km²Size ofCyprus1.00× · 5,400 km²US stateDelaware1.04× · 5,170 km²
- Lake Winnipegosis5,360 km²Size ofCyprus0.99× · 5,400 km²US stateDelaware1.04× · 5,170 km²
- Lake Torrens5,150 km² · flaggedSize ofTrinidad and Tobago1.01× · 5,120 km²US stateDelaware1.00× · 5,170 km²
- Lake Mweru5,040 km² · flaggedSize ofTrinidad and Tobago0.98× · 5,120 km²US stateDelaware0.97× · 5,170 km²
- Lake Manitoba4,840 km²Size ofTrinidad and Tobago0.94× · 5,120 km²US stateDelaware0.94× · 5,170 km²
- Rybinsk Reservoir4,740 km² · reservoirSize ofTrinidad and Tobago0.92× · 5,120 km²US stateDelaware0.92× · 5,170 km²
- Lake Taymyr4,660 km²Size ofTrinidad and Tobago0.91× · 5,120 km²US stateDelaware0.90× · 5,170 km²
- Lake Nipigon4,540 km² · flaggedSize ofTrinidad and Tobago89% · 5,120 km²US stateDelaware88% · 5,170 km²
- Qinghai Lake4,460 km²Size ofCape Verde1.14× · 3,930 km²US stateDelaware86% · 5,170 km²
- Lake of the Woods4,380 km²Size ofCape Verde1.12× · 3,930 km²US stateDelaware85% · 5,170 km²
- Lake Gairdner4,240 km²Size ofCape Verde1.08× · 3,930 km²US stateDelaware82% · 5,170 km²
- Great Salt Lake4,120 km² · flaggedSize ofCape Verde1.05× · 3,930 km²US stateDelaware80% · 5,170 km²
- Lake Khanka4,050 km²Size ofCape Verde1.03× · 3,930 km²US stateDelaware78% · 5,170 km²
- Dubawnt Lake3,850 km²Size ofCape Verde0.98× · 3,930 km²US stateDelaware75% · 5,170 km²
- Lagoa Mirim3,840 km²Size ofCape Verde0.98× · 3,930 km²US stateDelaware74% · 5,170 km²
- Sarygamysh Lake3,820 km²Size ofCape Verde0.97× · 3,930 km²US stateRhode Island1.35× · 2,830 km²
- Lake Van3,510 km² · flaggedSize ofCape Verde89% · 3,930 km²US stateRhode Island1.24× · 2,830 km²
- North Aral Sea3,420 km²Size ofCape Verde87% · 3,930 km²US stateRhode Island1.21× · 2,830 km²
- Uvs Lake3,310 km²Size ofCape Verde84% · 3,930 km²US stateRhode Island1.17× · 2,830 km²
- Amadjuak Lake3,130 km²Size ofSamoa1.13× · 2,780 km²US stateRhode Island1.11× · 2,830 km²
- Lake Alakol2,840 km² · flaggedSize ofSamoa1.02× · 2,780 km²US stateRhode Island1.00× · 2,830 km²
- Khövsgöl Lake2,770 km²Size ofSamoa1.00× · 2,780 km²US stateRhode Island0.98× · 2,830 km²
- Iliamna Lake2,690 km²Size ofLuxembourg1.03× · 2,610 km²US stateRhode Island0.95× · 2,830 km²
- Lake Frome2,580 km²Size ofLuxembourg0.99× · 2,610 km²US stateRhode Island0.91× · 2,830 km²
- Tonle Sap2,540 km² · flaggedSize ofLuxembourg0.97× · 2,610 km²US stateRhode Island90% · 2,830 km²
- Wollaston Lake2,420 km² · flaggedSize ofLuxembourg0.93× · 2,610 km²US stateRhode Island85% · 2,830 km²
- Hulun Lake2,360 km²Size ofLuxembourg0.90× · 2,610 km²US stateRhode Island83% · 2,830 km²
- Réservoir La Grande 32,240 km² · reservoir · flaggedSize ofMauritius1.12× · 2,000 km²US stateRhode Island79% · 2,830 km²
- Lake Edward2,210 km²Size ofMauritius1.10× · 2,000 km²US stateRhode Island78% · 2,830 km²
- Manicouagan Reservoir2,120 km² · reservoir · flaggedSize ofMauritius1.06× · 2,000 km²US stateRhode Island75% · 2,830 km²
- Lake Barlee2,100 km² · flaggedSize ofMauritius1.05× · 2,000 km²US stateRhode Island74% · 2,830 km²
- Kakhovka Reservoir2,050 km² · reservoirSize ofMauritius1.03× · 2,000 km²US stateRhode Island72% · 2,830 km²
- Kama Reservoir2,040 km² · reservoir · flaggedSize ofMauritius1.02× · 2,000 km²US stateRhode Island72% · 2,830 km²
- Lake Chany2,040 km²Size ofMauritius1.02× · 2,000 km²US stateRhode Island72% · 2,830 km²
- Vättern1,960 km²Size ofMauritius0.98× · 2,000 km²US stateRhode Island69% · 2,830 km²
- Lake General Carrera/Buenos Aires1,900 km²Size ofMauritius0.95× · 2,000 km²US stateRhode Island67% · 2,830 km²
- Namtso1,880 km²Size ofMauritius0.94× · 2,000 km²US stateRhode Island66% · 2,830 km²
- Baker Lake1,820 km²Size ofComoros1.09× · 1,670 km²US stateRhode Island64% · 2,830 km²
- Lac La Martre1,740 km²Size ofComoros1.04× · 1,670 km²US stateRhode Island61% · 2,830 km²
- Lake Kyoga1,730 km²Size ofComoros1.03× · 1,670 km²US stateRhode Island61% · 2,830 km²
- Williston Lake1,660 km² · reservoir · flaggedSize ofComoros0.99× · 1,670 km²US stateRhode Island59% · 2,830 km²
- Siling Lake1,580 km²Size ofComoros0.94× · 1,670 km²US stateRhode Island56% · 2,830 km²
- Khar-Us Lake1,550 km²Size ofComoros0.93× · 1,670 km²US stateRhode Island55% · 2,830 km²
- Lac Seul1,520 km² · reservoir · flaggedSize ofComoros0.91× · 1,670 km²US stateRhode Island54% · 2,830 km²
- Lake Claire1,480 km²Size ofComoros88% · 1,670 km²US stateRhode Island52% · 2,830 km²
- Argentino Lake1,450 km²Size ofComoros87% · 1,670 km²US stateRhode Island51% · 2,830 km²
- Lac la Ronge1,450 km²Size ofComoros86% · 1,670 km²US stateRhode Island51% · 2,830 km²
- Lake Milh1,430 km² · flaggedSize ofComoros85% · 1,670 km²US stateRhode Island50% · 2,830 km²
- Lake Sevan1,380 km² · flaggedSize ofComoros82% · 1,670 km²US stateRhode Island49% · 2,830 km²
- Khyargas Nuur1,350 km²Size ofComoros81% · 1,670 km²US stateRhode Island48% · 2,830 km²
- Vygozero1,350 km² · flaggedSize ofComoros81% · 1,670 km²US stateRhode Island48% · 2,830 km²
- Wiyâshâkimî Lake1,350 km² · flaggedSize ofComoros81% · 1,670 km²US stateRhode Island48% · 2,830 km²
- Lac Bienville1,310 km²Size ofSão Tomé and Príncipe1.26× · 1,040 km²US stateRhode Island46% · 2,830 km²
- Lake Champlain1,250 km²Size ofSão Tomé and Príncipe1.20× · 1,040 km²US stateRhode Island44% · 2,830 km²
- Kainji Lake1,230 km² · reservoir · flaggedSize ofSão Tomé and Príncipe1.19× · 1,040 km²US stateRhode Island44% · 2,830 km²
- Lesser Slave Lake1,200 km²Size ofSão Tomé and Príncipe1.15× · 1,040 km²US stateRhode Island42% · 2,830 km²
- Lake Saint Clair1,150 km²Size ofSão Tomé and Príncipe1.11× · 1,040 km²US stateRhode Island41% · 2,830 km²
- Lake Toba1,140 km²Size ofSão Tomé and Príncipe1.10× · 1,040 km²US stateRhode Island40% · 2,830 km²
- Island Lake1,130 km² · flaggedSize ofSão Tomé and Príncipe1.09× · 1,040 km²US stateRhode Island40% · 2,830 km²
- Red Lake1,120 km²Size ofSão Tomé and Príncipe1.08× · 1,040 km²US stateRhode Island39% · 2,830 km²
- Votkinsk Reservoir1,120 km² · reservoirSize ofSão Tomé and Príncipe1.08× · 1,040 km²US stateRhode Island39% · 2,830 km²
- Gods Lake1,110 km²Size ofSão Tomé and Príncipe1.07× · 1,040 km²US stateRhode Island39% · 2,830 km²
- Beloye Lake1,100 km²Size ofSão Tomé and Príncipe1.06× · 1,040 km²US stateRhode Island39% · 2,830 km²
- Novosibirsk Reservoir1,090 km² · reservoirSize ofSão Tomé and Príncipe1.05× · 1,040 km²US stateRhode Island38% · 2,830 km²
- Viedma Lake1,080 km²Size ofSão Tomé and Príncipe1.04× · 1,040 km²US stateRhode Island38% · 2,830 km²
- Lake Eyasi1,070 km²Size ofSão Tomé and Príncipe1.03× · 1,040 km²US stateRhode Island38% · 2,830 km²
- Lake Amadeus1,070 km²Size ofSão Tomé and Príncipe1.03× · 1,040 km²US stateRhode Island38% · 2,830 km²
- Lake St. John1,050 km² · reservoirSize ofSão Tomé and Príncipe1.01× · 1,040 km²US stateRhode Island37% · 2,830 km²
- O'Higgins/San Martín Lake1,050 km²Size ofSão Tomé and Príncipe1.01× · 1,040 km²US stateRhode Island37% · 2,830 km²
- Topozero1,040 km² · flaggedSize ofSão Tomé and Príncipe1.00× · 1,040 km²US stateRhode Island37% · 2,830 km²
- Lake Chapala1,030 km² · flaggedSize ofHong Kong0.99× · 1,040 km²US stateRhode Island36% · 2,830 km²
- Lake Abitibi1,020 km² · reservoir · flaggedSize ofHong Kong0.99× · 1,040 km²US stateRhode Island36% · 2,830 km²
- Bosten Lake1,000 km²Size ofHong Kong0.97× · 1,040 km²US stateRhode Island35% · 2,830 km²
- Hottah Lake932 km²Size ofHong Kong90% · 1,040 km²–
- Lake Nipissing910 km²Size ofHong Kong88% · 1,040 km²–
- Lake Balaton545 km² · flaggedSize ofHong Kong53% · 1,040 km²–
- Lake Geneva534 km² · flaggedSize ofHong Kong52% · 1,040 km²–
- Sea of Galilee160 km²Size ofNo country within a factor of 2–
The closest matches in size
Left out, and why
379 outlines were measured and not kept: either the outline differs from the published area by more than 10%, or Wikidata has no published area to check it against. The largest, with the reason:
| Name | Outline, km² | Published, km² | Difference | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saimaa | 9,370 | 4,400 | +112.8% | outline differs |
| Sobradinho Reservoir | 8,710 | 4,220 | +106.5% | outline differs |
| Lake Eyre North | 8,130 | – | – | no published area |
| Lake Turkana | 7,710 | 6,410 | +20.4% | outline differs |
| Kuybyshev Reservoir | 5,780 | 6,450 | -10.3% | outline differs |
| Lake Kariba | 4,710 | 5,400 | -12.8% | outline differs |
| Vilyuy Reservoir | 4,380 | – | – | no published area |
| Urmia Lake | 4,320 | 5,200 | -16.8% | outline differs |
Sources and method
- Outlines
- Natural Earth, 1:10m Lakes + Reservoirs, public domain. Lakes and reservoirs, marine areas and island outlines are three Natural Earth files; countries for the matches come from Natural Earth's Admin 0 file.
- What was checked
- Every outline was measured on the WGS84 ellipsoid and compared with the area Wikidata (CC0) publishes for it, fetched 2026-11-11. Within 2% it agrees, within 5% it is near, within 10% it is kept and flagged; beyond that, or with no published area, it is left out.
- Pieces
- Where Natural Earth draws a sea or a lake system in several outlines, the pieces are named in
config/waters.jsonand counted together only if their sum agrees with the published area of the whole. An outline that lies mostly inside a larger lake (Georgian Bay in Lake Huron) is counted once, in the larger one. - Boundary
- A lake or a sea has no legal boundary. The outlines are cartographic, and the pages say so.
- Data built
- 2026-11-11