Introduction
Nature has bestowed many beautiful and large lakes on this planet, two of the most famous being Lake Baikal in Russia and Lake Superior in North America. Both of them have their own significance, as they are incredibly large and deep. While it is true that both lakes are large, the difference between them is not just size but also depth and history too. While it is difficult to decide which lake should be labelled as the biggest, most experts agree that it is Lake Baikal that reigns supreme when it comes to size.
History & Significance
Lake Baikal is a lake that is truly unique in terms of its gigantic size, as well as its ancient history. Located in the region of Siberia, Lake Baikal holds major historical and cultural significance for the Russian people as it is the deepest lake in the world, having a maximum depth of over 1,700m. It is also said to have been formed millions of years ago and is known to be the oldest and clearest lake in the world. It is also the most voluminous of all the freshwater bodies in the world, holding approximately 20% of the world’s fresh water and forming part of the Great Siberian River system. Lake Baikal is known to be a permanent resting place for millions of flora and fauna species and is thus celebrated for its ecological and biological diversity.
Lake Superior, on the other hand, flows in between Canada and the United States of America and has an area of 82,414 square kilometres. It is believed to have been formed only around 10,000 years ago, making it much younger than Lake Baikal. Despite being one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world, Lake Superior is much less diverse biologically and ecologically since it has formed recently. Its estimated maximum depth is 400m, clearly indicating how much deeper Lake Baikal is.
Comparison & Difference
When the two lakes are compared, Lake Baikal proves to be significantly larger, deeper and older than Lake Superior. It is said to hold around 1/5th of the total freshwater in the world, while Lake Superior is said to hold 1/10th of the total. Moreover, Lake Superior was formed 10,000 years ago and it is said to have reached its present size only 7,000 years ago. In comparison, it is believed that Lake Baikal could have been formed as early as 25 million years ago and has reached its current size only 2 million years ago.
The most obvious difference between the two lakes is of course the size and the depth, as Lake Baikal is far larger and much deeper than Lake Superior. It is estimated that Lake Baikal has a maximum depth of 1741m, while the maximum depth of Lake Superior is estimated to be 400m. Moreover, when talking about the sizes, Lake Baikal has an area of 31,500 square kilometres, while Lake Superior has an area of 82,414 square kilometres – proving that Lake Baikal is much larger than Lake Superior.
Geography & Climate
Geographically, Lake Baikal is located in the region of Siberia, in the Russian Federation, while Lake Superior is located in Canada and the USA. While both of them are part of the Great Lakes region, the climates of both the lakes differ significantly due to their geographical locations. Even though Lake Baikal has cold winters and mild summers, it is well known for being the clearest lake in the world. In comparison, Lake Superior is much colder and is subject to extreme storms and subzero temperatures.
Environmental Impact & Preservation
Given the enormous size of these lakes, it is not surprising that they support a huge variety of flora and fauna species. As mentioned earlier, Lake Baikal is home to around two thousand species of flora and fauna, while Lake Superior supports fewer species in comparison. Unfortunately, both the lakes are faced with deteriorating environmental conditions. Industries and other human activities have led to a significant decrease in the purity of water in both the lakes. However, certain initiatives are being taken to preserve and protect the lakes from further destruction.
Famous Tragedies Of Lakes
Apart from a comparison of size and depth, it is also essential to look at the controversies and tragedies that have surrounded the two lakes. Lake Baikal has seen a number of tragic accidents over the years, including the sinking of the steamship steamer, the Belyanka, on 32nd July 1916, which resulted in the loss of hundreds of lives. Similarly, on 8th November 1975, Lake Superior was witness to the tragedy of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, which claimed the lives of all 29 members on board the vessel.
Industries Around The Lakes
There are many industries that are built around the two lakes in order to benefit from their resources. Lake Baikal is known for its vast reserves of copper and gold, while Lake Superior is known for its rich deposits of iron ore. Further, many factories and industries have been set up close to both the lakes in order to take advantage of the natural resources they contain.
Tourism & Recreation
Apart from being an important source of natural resources and commercial activity, both the lakes, particularly Lake Baikal, have attracted millions of tourists and visitors each year due to the beauty of the surrounding areas and their unique flora and fauna species. People from all over the world can be found flocking to both the lakes for fun, recreational activities like boating, fishing, skiing, nature walking and even relaxing spas.
Conclusion
Without a doubt, both Lake Baikal and Lake Superior are two large and incredibly famous lakes with a lot of similarities and differences. While Lake Superior is the largest lake by surface area, it is the depth and age of Lake Baikal that makes it stand out among the rest. Moreover, their geographical locations and climates have also offered them a unique source of fauna and flora species. Both the lakes have witnessed tragedies and have also played an important role in the industries of their respective countries. Last, but not least, both the lakes also allow recreational activities, thus making them an attractive tourist destination.
