Lake Baikal Holds 20% of Earth's Fresh Water

The immense volume of water in Siberia's Lake Baikal is a result of its astonishing depth and ancient origins. Formed in a tectonic rift valley where the Earth's crust is slowly pulling apart, the lake plunges to a depth of over 1,600 meters. This geological activity, which continues to widen the lake by about two centimeters each year, began an estimated 25 to 30 million years ago, making Baikal the most ancient lake on the planet. Its basin is so vast that it holds more fresh water than all of North America's Great Lakes combined.

This long history of isolation has given rise to a unique and diverse ecosystem, earning it the nickname the "Galapagos of Russia." Lake Baikal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to thousands of species of plants and animals, a majority of which are endemic, meaning they are found nowhere else on Earth. Among its most famous residents is the nerpa, the world's only exclusively freshwater seal. The lake's legendary clarity is maintained by tiny endemic crustaceans that filter the water. For the indigenous Buryat people of the region, the lake is a sacred place, deeply woven into their culture and spiritual traditions.