Which lake is the largest lake entirely in Europe?

Lake Ladoga is the largest lake located entirely in Europe. It lies in northwestern Russia, mainly in the Republic of Karelia and Leningrad Oblast, near Saint Petersburg.

The freshwater lake covers roughly 17,900 square kilometres, making it slightly larger than Lake Ontario by surface area. Around 660 islands dot Ladoga, including the Valaam archipelago. Its principal outflow is the Neva River, which carries water westward to the Gulf of Finland.

Lake Onega is the closest common mix-up: it is also in northwestern Russia but is smaller. Europe’s geographic boundary with Asia can create ranking disputes for lakes spanning continents, yet Ladoga is unambiguously the largest lake entirely within Europe. It is also part of the Volga–Baltic Waterway.