As of 2026-10-12, Lake Van tops the list with 607 km3.
- #1 Lake Van — 607 km3
largest lake in Turkey
Lake Van is the largest lake in Turkey. It lies in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey in the provinces of Van and Bitlis, in the Armenian highlands. It is a saline soda lake, receiving water from many small streams that descend from the surrounding mountains. It is one of the world's few endorheic lakes of size greater than 3,000 square kilometres (1,200 sq mi) and has 38% of the country's surface water. A volcanic eruption blocked its original outlet in prehistoric times. It is situated... Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #2 Lake Turkana — 204 km3
alkaline lake on the border of Ethiopia and Kenya
Lake Turkana is a saline lake in the Kenyan Rift Valley, predominantly in northern Kenya; the far northern end crosses into Ethiopia. It is the world's largest permanent desert lake and the world's largest alkaline lake. By volume it is the world's fourth-largest salt lake after the Caspian Sea, Issyk-Kul, and Lake Van, and among all lakes it ranks 22nd. Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #3 Lake Alakol — 59 km3
lake in Kazakhstan
Alakol Lake (Kazakh: Алакөл, Alaköl is a lake located in the Balkhash-Alakol Basin, part of the Abai and Jetisu regions, in east-central Kazakhstan. Its elevation is 347 m above sea level. Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #4 North Aral Sea — 27 km3
extant lake
The North Aral Sea is the portion of the former Aral Sea that is fed by the Syr Darya River. It split from the South Aral Sea in 1987–1988 as water levels dropped due to river diversion for agriculture. Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #5 Lake Milh — 26 km3
lake in Iraq
Lake Razzaza, also known as Lake Milh, is an artificial lake located a few miles west of Karbala, Iraq. The lake is located in a depression into which excess water from Lake Habbaniyah, which comes from the Euphrates River, is diverted through a controlled escape channel or canal. The lake is listed as a wetland of international importance. The lake is rather shallow and the water level changes seasonally. Due to its salt content and changing water level, this largest freshwater lake in Iraq... Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #6 Great Salt Lake — 19 km3
salt lake in Utah, United States
The Great Salt Lake is the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere and the eighth-largest terminal lake in the world. It lies in the northern part of the U.S. state of Utah and has a substantial impact upon the local climate, particularly through lake-effect snow. It is a remnant of Lake Bonneville, a prehistoric body of water that covered much of western Utah. Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #7 Poopó Lake — 4 km3
salt lake in Bolivia
Lake Poopó was a large saline lake in a shallow depression in the Altiplano in Oruro Department, Bolivia, at an altitude of approximately 3,700 m (12,100 ft). Due to the lake's length and width, it made up the eastern half of Oruro, known as a mining region in southwest Bolivia. The permanent part of the lake body covered approximately 1,000 square kilometres (390 sq mi) and it was the second-largest lake in the country. The lake received most of its water from the Desaguadero River, which... Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #8 Mar Chiquita — 2 km3
salt lake in Argentina
Mar Chiquita or Mar de Ansenuza is an endorheic salt lake located in the northeast of the province of Córdoba, in central Argentina. The northeast corner of the lake also extends into southeastern Santiago del Estero Province. It is the largest of the naturally occurring saline lakes in Argentina. The lake is located in parts of five departments in the two provinces. Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #9 Lake Ihotry — 0 km3
lake
Lake Ihotry is the second largest lake of Madagascar. It is a closed saline lake in semi-arid southwestern part of Madagascar in the region of Atsimo-Andrefana. Its area varies seasonally, from 96 km2 to 112 km2. Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #10 Smolino Lake — 0 km3
lake in Russia
source Wikidata