What is the deepest body of water not an ocean?
What is the deepest body of water not an ocean? Other lakes are so big that they are called seas. The Caspian Sea, in Europe and Asia, is the world's largest lake, with an area of more than 370,000 square kilometers (143,000 square miles). Lakes also vary greatly in depth. The world's deepest lake is Lake Baikal, in Russia.
Why is Lake Baikal so deep?
Lake Baikal is so deep because it is located in an active continental rift zone. The rift zone is widening at a rate of about 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) per year. As the rift grows wider, it also grows deeper through subsidence. So, Lake Baikal could grow wider and deeper in the future.
Can you drink water from Lake Baikal?
Baikal is one of the few lakes on the planet in which, according to the standards, it is allowed to take water for drinking from open reservoirs. Water is extracted from special layers of the lake, which were on the surface of the lake hundreds of years ago, from a depth of 400m.
Can you swim in Lake Baikal?
Not only is Lake Baikal safe to swim in, but it also boasts some of the purest water in the world. The only drawback is the temperature - even during the warmer months, a dip in the lake is pretty invigorating.
What animals live in Lake Baikal?
Unique Wildlife Among these interesting creatures are the Baikal omul fish, Baikal oil fish and most notably, the Baikal seal or nerpa as they are called in Russian. This is one of the only seal species to live entirely in fresh water.