Which Great Lake has the largest surface area of any freshwater lake in the world?

Lake Superior has the largest surface area of any freshwater lake in the world.

Lake Superior is the northernmost and largest by surface area of North America’s five Great Lakes. It borders Ontario in Canada and Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan in the United States. Its surface covers about 82,100 square kilometres, making it larger than several countries, including Austria.

Although Superior has the greatest surface area, it is not the world’s largest lake by every measurement. The Caspian Sea is larger overall but is generally classified as a lake despite its saline water. Lake Superior also holds more water than any other Great Lake, but Lake Baikal contains a greater total volume of freshwater. The lake drains through the St. Marys River into Lake Huron, and its waters eventually reach the Atlantic Ocean through the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence system.