Baikal: The Oldest Lake in the World and Its Astonishing Age

Around the world, there are lakes renowned for their biodiversity and mesmerizing beauty. However, one lake stands out for holding multiple records: Lake Baikal, widely known as the “Blue Eye of Siberia.” Located in southern Siberia between the Irkutsk Oblast to the northwest and Buryatia to the southeast near the city of Irkutsk, Baikal is the deepest, largest by freshwater volume, and oldest lake globally, with an age exceeding 25 million years. It holds over one-fifth of the world’s fresh water and more than 90% of Russia’s freshwater resources. Spanning 31,468 sq km, it stretches 654 km in length, 74 km in width, and reaches a maximum depth of 1,680 meters. Since 1996, Lake Baikal has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its waters are blue-green and freeze from November to March, forming a vast ice sheet often cracked by fissures over 25 km long. This breathtaking sight captures plants, trees, and fish within the ice. The Angara River originates here, while it receives water from about 300 rivers, including the Selenga and Upper Angara. Inside the lake, there are 22 islands, with Olkhon being the largest. Mongolians consider Baikal a “sacred sea,” believing evil spirits inhabit its steep and rocky shores. Baikal is one of the richest freshwater ecosystems globally, boasting immense biodiversity, earning it the nickname “Galápagos of Russia.” Over 1,000 plant species and 1,500 animal species exist here, 80% of which are endemic. Notably, the Baikal seal, living exclusively in this lake, is the only freshwater seal species worldwide.