What is the largest lake in South America by both area and volume?

Lake Titicaca is the largest lake in South America by both surface area and water volume.

The lake lies high in the Andes on the border of Peru and Bolivia. It covers roughly 8,300 square kilometres and is divided into two main basins connected by the narrow Strait of Tiquina. Although often described as freshwater, its water is slightly brackish.

Lake Maracaibo can cause confusion because it has a larger surface area, but it is generally classified as a tidal bay connected to the Caribbean Sea rather than a true lake. Lake Titicaca therefore remains the standard answer when the question asks for South America’s largest lake by area and volume.

Titicaca is also famous as one of the world’s highest navigable lakes. Its islands and shores have long supported Andean communities, including the Uros, who traditionally built floating islands from totora reeds. The lake’s primary water loss is evaporation, with only a smaller outflow through the Desaguadero River.