Fact Finder - Geography

Lake Baikal in southern Siberia is a geographical marvel. It is not only the deepest lake in the world (5,387 feet) but also the oldest, estimated at 25 million years. Its most staggering statistic is its volume. Lake Baikal contains approximately 20% of the entire world's unfrozen surface fresh water. To put that in perspective, Baikal contains more water than all five of the North American Great Lakes combined, despite having a smaller surface area than Lake Superior. The water is so clear that in some spots, you can see nearly 130 feet (40 meters) down. It is also home to thousands of species found nowhere else on Earth, including the world’s only freshwater seal.