What is the largest inland body of water on Earth?

What is the largest inland body of water on Earth? The Caspian Sea. Despite its name, the Caspian is an enclosed body of water with no natural outlet to the world’s oceans, and it is the largest inland body of water by surface area.

The Caspian lies between Europe and Asia and has shores in five countries: Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran, and Azerbaijan. It is usually described as the world’s largest lake as well as a sea. Its water is saline, though salinity varies greatly: the northern part receives substantial river inflow and is less salty than the southern basin.

The “sea” label reflects its enormous size, historical naming, and marine-like character, not an open connection to an ocean. The Caspian is also an ancient remnant of larger prehistoric water systems. Its level changes with river inflow, evaporation, climate, and human water use, making its shoreline and area change over time.