The Caspian Sea is the world’s largest saltwater lake because it is an enclosed body of water with no direct connection to any ocean. Despite its name, it is technically a lake because it is surrounded by land on all sides.
Key Facts about the Caspian Sea:
- Size: It covers approximately 371,000 km² and is about 1,200 km long and 320 km wide at its widest point.
- Depth: The deepest point is around 1,025 meters.
- Salinity: It has an average salinity of about 1.2%, which is less than seawater (3.5%) but still makes it a saltwater lake.
- Location: It is bordered by Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran, and Azerbaijan.
- Major Rivers: The Volga, Ural, and Terek Rivers are its main freshwater sources.
- No Ocean Outlet: Since it has no outlet, water only leaves through evaporation, which concentrates the salt levels.
Why Not the Other Options?
- (B) Vaughan Lake – Not a saltwater lake; it is a freshwater lake in Canada.
- (C) Lake Michigan – A freshwater lake in North America, part of the Great Lakes.
- (D) Lake Baikal – The deepest and oldest freshwater lake in the world, located in Russia.
Since the Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed saltwater body, it is classified as the largest saltwater lake in the world.
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