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Top 10 Countries with the Most Lakes

Canada holds nearly two-thirds of the world's lakes, with 879,800 — more than the rest of the top nine countries combined — followed by Russia and the United States.

Updated September 1, 2026 10 ranked 3 sources

Quick answer: 1. Canada, 2. Russia, 3. United States, 4. China, 5. Sweden, 6. Brazil, 7. Norway, 8. Argentina, 9. Kazakhstan, 10. Australia.

Lakes are among the most important freshwater resources on Earth, and they are distributed very unevenly across the planet. A 2016 study published in Nature Communications by geographers from McGill University provided the first comprehensive global inventory of lakes, using satellite imagery and hydrological modeling. The study found that there are 1.42 million lakes worldwide with a surface area of at least 0.1 square kilometers (10 hectares). Of those, Canada alone contains 62% — a staggering concentration driven by the glacial history of the Canadian Shield, where the retreat of Ice Age glaciers carved out countless depressions that filled with water. This list ranks the top ten countries by the number of lakes meeting the 0.1 km² threshold, based on the McGill study.

Lakes (≥0.1 km²)

Lakes (≥0.1 km²)
Canada
879800 lakes
Russia
201200 lakes
United States
102500 lakes
China
23800 lakes
Sweden
22600 lakes
Brazil
20900 lakes
Norway
20000 lakes
Argentina
13600 lakes
Kazakhstan
12400 lakes
Australia
11400 lakes

The ranking

1

Canada

Canada has an extraordinary 879,800 lakes meeting the 0.1 km² threshold — more than 62% of all such lakes on Earth. The vast majority of these lie in the Canadian Shield, a region scraped clean by glaciers during the last Ice Age. The largest lake entirely within Canada is Great Bear Lake, and the country shares Lake Superior, Lake Huron, and Lake Erie with the United States.

Region: North AmericaShare of world total: 62%Largest lake: Great Bear Lake (31,153 km²)Famous for: Thousands of remote wilderness lakes
2

Russia

Russia has 201,200 lakes, many of them in Siberia and the northern regions shaped by glacial activity. The country is home to Lake Baikal, the world's deepest (1,642 m) and oldest (25 million years) lake, which holds 20% of the planet's unfrozen surface freshwater. Russia's northwestern regions, especially Karelia and the Kola Peninsula, have the highest lake density.

Region: Europe / AsiaShare of world total: 14%Largest lake: Lake Baikal (31,722 km²)Famous for: Deepest and oldest lake in the world
3

United States

The United States has 102,500 lakes, with the vast majority concentrated in Alaska, which has more lakes than the rest of the country combined. Minnesota, the 'Land of 10,000 Lakes,' has the most named lakes in the lower 48 states. The Great Lakes — Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario — hold 21% of the world's surface freshwater.

Region: North AmericaShare of world total: 7%Largest lake: Lake Superior (82,100 km², shared)Famous for: The Great Lakes system
4

China

China has 23,800 lakes, spread across the Tibetan Plateau, the Yangtze floodplain, and the arid northwest. The Tibetan Plateau alone contains more than 1,000 lakes larger than 1 km², many of them salt lakes. Qinghai Lake, the largest in China, covers 4,583 km² and is a critical stopover for migratory birds on the Central Asian flyway.

Region: AsiaShare of world total: 1.7%Largest lake: Qinghai Lake (4,583 km²)Famous for: High-altitude lakes on the Tibetan Plateau
5

Sweden

Sweden has 22,600 lakes, many of them in the forested northern regions. Lake Vänern, the largest in Sweden and the third-largest in Europe, covers 5,545 km². Sweden's lakes are a defining feature of the landscape, and the country's name is derived from an Old Norse word for 'sea' or 'lake.'

Region: EuropeShare of world total: 1.6%Largest lake: Vänern (5,545 km²)Famous for: Thousands of forest lakes
6

Brazil

Brazil has 20,900 lakes, concentrated in the Amazon River basin and the Pantanal, the world's largest tropical wetland. The floodplain lakes of the Amazon are seasonal and change shape dramatically with the rise and fall of river levels. The Pantanal alone contains thousands of smaller lakes, ponds, and lagoons.

Region: South AmericaShare of world total: 1.5%Largest lake: Lagoa dos Patos (10,140 km², lagoon)Famous for: Amazon floodplain lakes
7

Norway

Norway has 20,000 lakes, carved by glacial activity along the Scandinavian mountain range. The deeper lakes occupy U-shaped fjord valleys, while countless smaller lakes dot the high plateaus and forests. Lake Mjøsa, the largest in Norway, is one of the deepest lakes in Europe at 468 m.

Region: EuropeShare of world total: 1.4%Largest lake: Mjøsa (368 km²)Famous for: Deep glacial fjord lakes
8

Argentina

Argentina has 13,600 lakes, concentrated in the Patagonian Andes and the Lake District shared with Chile. The lakes in this region are deep, glacier-fed, and set against dramatic mountain backdrops. Lake Buenos Aires / General Carrera, shared with Chile, is the largest lake in Argentina by area.

Region: South AmericaShare of world total: 1.0%Largest lake: Lake Buenos Aires (1,850 km², shared)Famous for: Patagonian glacial lake district
9

Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan has 12,400 lakes, most of them in the northern and central parts of the country. The Caspian Sea, the world's largest inland body of water, borders Kazakhstan's western coast. Lake Balkhash, the largest lake entirely within Kazakhstan, is unusual because half of it is freshwater and the other half is saline.

Region: Central AsiaShare of world total: 0.9%Largest lake: Lake Balkhash (16,400 km²)Famous for: Unique freshwater-saline lake
10

Australia

Australia has 11,400 lakes, but many of them are ephemeral salt lakes that fill only during infrequent rainfall events. Lake Eyre, the largest lake in Australia, is a salt pan that fills completely only a few times per century. The vast majority of Australia's permanent lakes are in Tasmania, which has a wet, temperate climate.

Region: OceaniaShare of world total: 0.8%Largest lake: Lake Eyre (9,500 km², ephemeral)Famous for: Ephemeral salt lakes of the Outback

Full comparison

# Name RegionShare of world totalLargest lakeFamous for
1 Canada North America62%Great Bear Lake (31,153 km²)Thousands of remote wilderness lakes
2 Russia Europe / Asia14%Lake Baikal (31,722 km²)Deepest and oldest lake in the world
3 United States North America7%Lake Superior (82,100 km², shared)The Great Lakes system
4 China Asia1.7%Qinghai Lake (4,583 km²)High-altitude lakes on the Tibetan Plateau
5 Sweden Europe1.6%Vänern (5,545 km²)Thousands of forest lakes
6 Brazil South America1.5%Lagoa dos Patos (10,140 km², lagoon)Amazon floodplain lakes
7 Norway Europe1.4%Mjøsa (368 km²)Deep glacial fjord lakes
8 Argentina South America1.0%Lake Buenos Aires (1,850 km², shared)Patagonian glacial lake district
9 Kazakhstan Central Asia0.9%Lake Balkhash (16,400 km²)Unique freshwater-saline lake
10 Australia Oceania0.8%Lake Eyre (9,500 km², ephemeral)Ephemeral salt lakes of the Outback

How we ranked this

Countries are ranked by the number of lakes within their territory that have a surface area of at least 0.1 km² (10 hectares). The data comes from the 2016 McGill University study published in Nature Communications, which used satellite imagery and hydrological modeling to create a comprehensive global lake inventory. Results are cross-referenced with WorldAtlas and World Population Review compilations. Only natural lakes are included; man-made reservoirs and farm ponds are excluded. Rank 1 is the country with the most lakes.

FAQ

Why does Canada have so many lakes?

During the last Ice Age, massive glaciers scraped across the Canadian Shield, gouging out depressions in the bedrock. When the glaciers retreated roughly 10,000 years ago, these depressions filled with meltwater, creating the millions of lakes visible across Canada today.

How many lakes are there in the world?

The 2016 McGill University study identified 1.42 million lakes worldwide with a surface area of at least 0.1 km². Including smaller lakes and ponds, the total number of natural water bodies is estimated to be over 100 million.

What is the minimum size to be counted as a lake?

This list uses the 0.1 km² (10 hectares) threshold, which is the standard used by the McGill study and most scientific surveys. Smaller water bodies are classified as ponds rather than lakes.

Are man-made reservoirs included in these counts?

No. The McGill study counted only natural lakes. Man-made reservoirs, farm ponds, and other artificial water bodies are excluded. However, some naturally occurring lakes have been dammed to increase their size, and these are generally still counted as lakes.

Sources

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