Last Updated: December 14, 2023, 13:21 IST
The Lake stretches 49 miles huge and 395 miles lengthy.
According to UNESCO, about 25 million years in the past, it was fashioned by way of fractures and shifting inside Earth’s crust.
Lakes, whether or not nestled amid lush greenery or adorned with cascading waterfalls, typically take centre stage of their respective landscapes. These pure wonders span throughout continents and climates, gracing nationwide parks, scenic canyons, and concrete outskirts. One lake that stands out, not only for its breathtaking magnificence but in addition for its exceptional depth, is Lake Baikal.
Situated in southern Siberia, between the federal topics of Irkutsk Oblast and the Republic of Buryatia, Lake Baikal just isn’t solely the deepest lake globally but in addition one of many largest freshwater lakes. Stretching 49 miles huge and 395 miles lengthy, it boasts a historical past courting again 25 million years, making it one of many Earth’s oldest extant lakes. Often known as the ‘Galapagos of Russia,’ Lake Baikal harbours distinctive biodiversity, including to its attract.
Lake Baikal can also be shrouded in fantasy, with legends of a Loch Ness Monster counterpart often called Lusud Khan, which means Water Dragon Master. Described as a large sturgeon with a particular snout and armoured plating alongside its again, this legendary creature has been depicted in historical carvings.
The colossal measurement of Lake Baikal, in response to UNESCO, traces again 25 million years to geological fractures and shifts throughout the Earth’s crust. While scientists posit that it might have originated as a collection of lakes akin to the Great Lakes within the US, the transformation into the colossal water physique seen in the present day stays a subject of theorisation. Theories embrace sinking earth, erosion, earthquakes, and augmented water from melting glaciers, suggesting a posh interaction of things.
Lake Baikal is an archipelago, connecting 27 islands, with Olkhon being the most important at 280 sq. miles. Home to a inhabitants of 1,500 residents, Olkhon gained energy connectivity through an underwater cable in 2005.
While Lake Baikal claims the title of the world’s deepest lake, Lake Tanganyika in East Africa follows because the second-deepest, with Crater Lake within the US rounding out the highest three.
