What is the maximum depth of Lake Baikal, in metres?

Lake Baikal's maximum depth is 1,642 metres.

That depth makes Baikal the deepest lake on Earth and the deepest freshwater lake by maximum depth. It lies in a long tectonic depression in southern Siberia, where the Earth's crust is slowly pulling apart. The rift basin allows the lake to extend far below the surrounding landscape.

Baikal's depth is not its only record. It contains more liquid freshwater than any other lake, holding about 20 percent of the world's unfrozen surface fresh water. Its great age, estimated at roughly 25 million years, has allowed distinctive species to evolve in isolation.

Measurements may be reported with slightly different rounding, but 1,642 metres is the standard figure used for the maximum depth. Lake Tanganyika is the second-deepest lake, while the Caspian Sea is larger in area but is generally classified as the world's largest inland body of water.