Where is Baikal located and its area of ​​kilometers square. Geography of Lake Baikal. Where are the deepest places of Baikal

Baikal is one of the most famous lakes in the world. There are legends about him. It delights and surprises travelers and tourists. In size it is a huge sea. The water surface area is over 31 thousand km², and the length of the coastline is 2100 km. Therefore, it is one of the seven largest lakes on the planet. It’s not just the size of the water surface that is striking. The landscapes are also very beautiful. The lake in the shape of an elongated crescent is surrounded by rocks, forested mountains, and cliffs. There are bays of extraordinary beauty with sandy beaches. The numerous islands on the lake are impressive, especially the largest Olkhon.

What is Lake Baikal famous for? This is a miracle lake. It does not age and is distinguished by its horizontal as well as impressive vertical dimensions. The composition of the water, the richness and uniqueness of the flora and fauna are amazing. You won't see this anywhere else. The lake is home to about 2,600 species and subspecies of animals and about 600 species of plants. Of these, over half of the animals are endemic, that is, they cannot live in other waters and will die. This also applies to most aquatic plants. Baikal is included in the World Natural Heritage List.

Forever young lake

The lake is 25-35 million years old. So many ordinary lakes do not exist. They survive no more than 15 thousand years, and then they fill with silt and die. Baikal does not age. It is even hypothesized that the lake is a nascent ocean. It expands by 2 cm per year. Therefore, Baikal is unique as a lake.

The lake is located in a large depression with a relief bottom. It passes through the earth's crust and is buried in the mantle. Baikal is the deepest lake in the world. Its depth is 1642 m. In this parameter, it is ahead of two other lakes of outstanding size, including the Caspian Sea. This basin contains huge volumes of fresh water. This represents almost 20% of the world's freshwater reserves.

Wonderful water

Dozens of rivers and streams flow into Baikal, but only one flows out - the Angara. The main feature of Baikal water is its purity and transparency. The amazing beauty of the stones and the natural world is visible through the huge thickness of water. This is due to the fact that it contains few suspended substances. A clean source of water is not rivers. The water is purified by some living organisms in the lake itself. Water is like distilled water. It contains a lot of oxygen.

On a note! The lake is cold. Even in summer, the water is cool and warms up to about +9 °C, in the lower layers - +4 °C. However, in some bays it is quite comfortable to swim, since the water temperature can reach 23 °C.

In spring, the clear water surface of the lake is especially good. It appears blue, and the transparency is the highest - up to 40 m. This is due to the fact that the inhabitants of the lake in cold water have not yet reproduced enough. By summer, the water will warm up a little, and a lot of living organisms will develop. The water will turn green, and visibility in the water column will decrease by 3-4 times.

Baikal in winter

Lake Baikal is the largest freshwater body of water in the world by volume. In its depths, more than 23,000 km³ of clean water is stored for future generations, which is 4/5 of the Russian reserves of the most important liquid on the planet and 1/5 of the global total. Its dimensions are amazing: the length from southwest to northeast is more than 700 km, the width is 25-80 km. Baikal is a unique holiday destination. There are many legends and songs about the reservoir. Hundreds of thousands of travelers from Russia and dozens of other countries around the world want to come to him.

Where is Lake Baikal located?

It is located in the center of Asia, in the southern part of Eastern Siberia. The border between the Irkutsk region and the Republic of Buryatia runs along the water surface of the lake. The coordinates are as follows: 53°13′00″ N. w. 107°45′00″ E. The distance from the southern shore of the reservoir to the border with Mongolia is 114 km, to the boundary with China – 693 km. The city located nearby is Irkutsk (69 km from the reservoir).

Flora and fauna

The nature of Baikal pleasantly surprises travelers. The water reservoir is home to more than 2,600 species of animals and birds. More than 50% of them can be found only on this lake. On the banks of the reservoir there are:

• the Bears;
• hares;
• wolves;
• wolverines;
• foxes;
• stoats;
• tarbagans;
• red deer;
• proteins;
• moose;
• wild boars

Of the sea animals, only seals or seals, as the Buryats call them, adorn the natural necklace. The reservoir abounds in fish. Swimming in the depths of the lake:

• omuli (salmon fish);
• grayling;
• roach;
• sturgeon;
• burbot;
• taimen;
• lenki;
• perch;
• sorogs;
• ide and pike;
• Golomyanka

The last representatives of the fauna are unique in that they have special swimming feathers stretching the entire length of their body. The tissues of their loin consist of one third of fat. Almost all of the fish described above can be caught from Baikal if you have special equipment (rods, nets, etc.) and desire.

The fauna of the lake itself and its coast is also unique. Pines, spruces, cedars, firs, birches, larches, balsam poplars and alders grow near the reservoir. Common shrubs include bird cherry, currant and Siberian wild rosemary, which every spring delights people with its beautiful pink-purple color and intoxicating aroma.

At any depth in the lake you can find freshwater sponges - animals that consist only of individual tissues and cell layers.

Lake Baikal has a large volume not due to its huge area. According to this indicator, the natural reservoir ranks only 7th in the world. The preservation of water is ensured by the enormous depths of the lake basin. Baikal is the deepest lake on planet Earth. In one place the bottom is 1642 meters away from the water surface. The average depth is 730 meters. To completely fill the reservoir, it would be necessary to force all the world's rivers to release their flow within 200 days.

According to official data, more than 300 rivers flow into Lake Baikal. But most of them are very small. The width of the flowing rivers does not exceed 50 meters. There are only 3 large streams that carry their waters to the lake. Only one river flows out of the lake - the Angara.

There are 36 islands scattered across the water surface. The area of ​​the largest piece of land, Olkhon, is 730 km². On its banks there are 2 fishing villages: Yalga and Khuzhir.

The Circum-Baikal Railway runs along the southern coast - a complex engineering structure, during the construction of which several dozen tunnels, viaducts and bridges were erected.

The main problem of the lake is the difficulty of protecting flora and fauna from poachers. Due to the large territory of the reservoir and adjacent lands, the presence of many small bays and bays on the coast, it is very difficult to track down lawbreakers even with modern technical means of searching for watercraft and people.

Holidays in 2019 on Lake Baikal

Several dozen resort towns and villages are scattered along the shores. The largest of them are:

• Listyanka- a village located at the source of the Angara. It houses the only museum dedicated to the lake. Also in the village and its surroundings, tourists will enjoy the St. Nicholas Church, built in the 19th century, and the Taltsy architectural and ethnographic complex, where you can learn birch bark weaving and clay modeling.
  
• - a small town on the southwest coast. It is famous in Russia due to the presence of a station built of marble - the starting point of the Circum-Baikal Railway and a mineralogical museum.
  
• Goryachinsk– the oldest resort of the lake. It was founded at the end of the 18th century by order of Catherine II. Its springs are perfect for healing, and its picturesque sandy bay is perfect for taking great photographs. Pictures of this resort can be found in guidebooks published in the 19th century.
  
• Big Cats- a village located several kilometers from Listvyanka. It boasts the aquarium of the Institute of Biology and old vertical mines where gold was mined more than 100 years ago.
  
• - a unique place, the only corner of the Mediterranean climate in Siberia. It is perfect for summer holidays for “savages” in tents, with fires and guitars.
  

Buses or commuter trains run regularly to these health resorts. Other points can only be reached by car or minibuses. The distance of the resort from major transport hubs also dictates the price level. Thus, the highest cost of accommodation in guest houses and recreation centers is observed in Slyudyanka, the lowest in settlements on the northeastern coast of the lake.

What to do on and near the pond?

Drink mineral water. Some of the resorts of Lake Baikal (Goryachinsk, Khakusy, Dzelinda) are balneological. People with diseases of the musculoskeletal system, nervous, genitourinary, and cardiovascular systems can take healing baths and drink mineral water in these places.

Take excursions. The routes of several hundred excursions have been laid along the shores of Lake Baikal. Conventionally, all walks conducted by guides from the Irkutsk region and the Republic of Buryatia can be divided into:

• ethnographic;
• local history;
• historical;
• natural history.

Most of the excursions are conducted by residents of the shore of the reservoir. They are happy to show travelers places where they can take great photos.

Go hiking. Hiking trails of all difficulty levels are offered along hiking trails through forests and mountains located near Lake Baikal. They last from 2 to 30 days. Such tests provide an opportunity to see with your own eyes all the beauty of nature, get a lot of pleasant impressions and acquire some skills necessary for survival (learn to make fires, cook food in the open air, cross rivers).

Have a nice time on cruises. Several thousand cruises take place on the surface of the lake every year. Some of them have the goal of showing tourists the most beautiful places in the reservoir and attractions that are located on the shores of Lake Baikal, and some are entirely dedicated to fishing. The routes of cruises of the first type are designed so that travelers can explore the waters and bays, and visit the most famous museums located near the reservoir. The price of the second type of tour includes the rental of fishing equipment and the services of experienced huntsmen who know where to find the most valuable and delicious Baikal fish.

Swim and sunbathe. The beaches of Baikal are places that are great for swimming and getting an even tan. Most of the cozy corners of the coast are covered with fine-grained sand. In the summer, when the water near the beaches warms up to +17-19 °C, everyone has the opportunity to swim and feel the purity and power of this great lake with their own bodies.

Learn extreme sports. Baikal is one of the favorite places of Russian extreme sports enthusiasts. In summer, amateurs train on the water surface of the lake:

• surfing;
• windsurfing;
• kiting;
• diving;
• snorkeling.

Every year in March, competitions are held on the ice of the reservoir in:

• karting;
• motocross;
• quadcross;
• speedway;
• enduro.

At this time, parachuting competitions are taking place in the skies above Lake Baikal.

Baikal is one of the wonders of Russia. The depth of Lake Baikal is a record. The next African lake, Tanganyika, has a depth of 200 meters less. The reservoir is popular among tourists and researchers. Until now, the secrets of Lake Baikal have not been fully revealed and excite scientists.

Where is

Located almost in the center of Eurasia, in Western Siberia, on the border of the Irkutsk region and the Buryat Republic, Baikal has the shape of a huge crescent. In area it is equal to the Netherlands, Belgium or Denmark. Surrounded by mountains and hills, the reservoir occupies a huge pit. A very interesting question is how deep Lake Baikal is. We'll talk about this later, but now we'll describe the coastline. In the eastern part it is relatively flat, the mountains are tens of kilometers away. The western shore of the lake is mountainous.

The area where Lake Baikal is located is seismically active. Earthquakes of small magnitude occur regularly; there are also strong ones, the echoes of which are felt even in Irkutsk. Thus, in the second half of the 19th century, an earthquake with a magnitude of 10 occurred. As a result, an area of ​​land of 200 square meters was flooded. km, where 1300 people lived. Strong tremors were noted in 1959 (9 points), in 2008 (9 points) and 2010 (6 points).

History of the lake and its name

For a long time it was believed that the age of Baikal is 25-30 million years. But recent studies of the topography of the lake bottom with its mud volcanoes have shown that it is up to 150 thousand years old. In this regard, Baikal is also unique, because the average age of lakes of similar origin is 10-15 thousand years.

The rift basin in which Baikal is located is similar in structure to the Dead Sea basin. Its depth is the depth of Lake Baikal. Scientists have different opinions on the formation of the basin.

There are 3 versions:

1. The depression is the result of a transform fault.
2. The depression arose as a result of the action of a hot mantle flow located under the lake.
3. The depression was formed as a result of minor collisions of Hindustan and the Eurasian plate.

It is obvious that as a result of seismic activity, the topography of the bottom of Lake Baikal is changing and is still subsiding.

The origin of the name of the lake is unclear, but all four points of view reflect the greatness of the reservoir and indirectly indicate the depth of Baikal: Japanese - “great water”, Turkic - “rich lake”, Mongolian - “rich fire” and Chinese - “northern sea” . In our country, the modern name began to be used in the 17th century, it was borrowed from the Buryats (Beighel): in the Russian language the word was assimilated and the usual pronunciation was established - Baikal.

Landscape and climate features

The record depth of Lake Baikal and the vast area of ​​the watershed determine the local climate. Mild winters, but fairly cool summers, long autumns and long springs - these are the climatic characteristics of the areas adjacent to the lake. Also, the weather of Baikal is influenced by local specific winds, such as Barguzin or Kultuk. Due to the current winds, Baikal is considered one of the most restless lakes in the world.

Another remarkable property of the climate is mirages, which appear up to 7 times a year and last for 5-6 hours. They arise due to the difference in air temperature on the surface of the water and the space above it. Mirages occur due to the refraction of rays. Landscape objects can be visually raised above the surface of the water so that the horizon is visible. Another type of mirages is when natural objects that are thousands of kilometers distant optically come closer.

Waters of Baikal: features and currents

Since ancient times, the water of the lake has fascinated local residents: they idolized it and used it for treatment. It is saturated with oxygen, close in composition to distilled water, and due to the action of microorganisms it is practically devoid of minerals. The volume of Baikal water makes up 90% of Russia's fresh water reserves and 20% of the world's. For comparison, there is more water in our great lake than in the 5 largest American lakes combined.

The transparency of Baikal water is surprising: visibility reaches 40 meters. True, this figure can drop to 10 meters during the flowering period of plants. Depending on the time of year and the activity of plants and microorganisms, Baikal water changes its color from bright blue in cold weather to green in summer and autumn.

Baikal is saturated with 336 rivers and streams that constantly flow into it. Turka, Snezhnaya, Upper Angara, Sarma are the largest of them. The Angara is the only river flowing from Lake Baikal.

Depth indicators

What is the depth of Lake Baikal? It is determined by the origin and parameters of the depression in which the lake is located. The last depth studies were carried out in 1983, they were confirmed in 2002. The lake is mesmerizing: with an average of 730 meters, the maximum depth of Baikal is 1630 meters. There are two more lakes on Earth that have a depth of more than 1000 meters: Tanganyika and the Caspian Sea. Moreover, in the latter the water is salty, not fresh. Even the average depth of Baikal is amazing - few lakes on Earth can boast a value of 730 meters.

There are currents on the surface of Lake Baikal, encircling its shores and the largest islands. In certain places (the western coast of the Small Sea) the current is quite strong, so even in calm weather the ships drift. The decrease in the intensity of water movement is influenced by the depth of Lake Baikal in a given place and the distance from the coastline.

Flora and fauna

Baikal is unique for its flora and fauna: two thirds of animal representatives live exclusively here. Oxygenated water provides a favorable environment for species to reproduce. Scientists have discovered only 70% of the fauna of Lake Baikal. The basis of the lake's food chain is made up of epishura crustaceans; in addition, they perform an important function of purifying water - passing it through themselves. The Baikal fauna includes 56 species of fish. Among them, a unique species is the golomyanka. The fish is interesting because it does not lay eggs, but gives birth to live fry. The golomyanka consists of 43% fat; in search of food, it migrates from great depths to shallow ones.

The seal is the only mammal that lives on Lake Baikal.

Among the flora, sponges can be noted, which grow at great depths and are the oldest inhabitants of Lake Baikal.

The uniqueness of the lake is recognized throughout the world. Not only the depth of Lake Baikal is taken into account, but also its unique ecosystem. The climate and geographical features of the lake attract tourists and scientists from all over the world.

On the world map, the Baikal “comma” is right in the center of Eurasia. Either it “smiles” at a person’s curiosity, or it means a secret, an understatement. That’s right – the special aura of these places opens up immediately and never lets go. Asia and the East are intertwined here, European civilization has intervened, but there are still more untrodden places here than inhabited ones.

Geographical location and history of the origin of the lake

When asked where Lake Baikal is located, the most common answer is - in Siberia. The lake of tectonic origin lies in a rift cavity - like, for example, the Dead Sea. On the map of Russia, a fresh body of water separates the Irkutsk region and Buryatia. The length from the north to the southwest is almost 640 km, relatively narrow in width - from 25 to 80 km.

Satellite images show the thickness of the water – the maximum depth is 1637 meters: on the map of the planet’s hemispheres, there are only 6 lakes deeper than one and a half kilometers, and Baikal takes precedence.

Curious! There are many versions of the origin of the name of the lake, the advantages are in expressions that are consonant with the current pronunciation:
Beihai (Chinese) – northern sea;
Baikol (Turkic) – rich lake;
Baigal-dalai (Mongolian) – rich flame.

Road to the lake

Airports and railway stations are located in Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude. The regularity of flights and express trains is high, prices are suitable for any budget thanks to the active development of the tourism cluster. Depending on the city in which the journey begins - the coast is from 70 to 140 km, regular buses run around the clock.

Features and mysteries of Baikal

Basin

Geologists cannot determine the exact age of the reservoir. Amazing location: Baikal lies as if in a stone vessel, and this makes diagnostics difficult - there is no bottom soil for archaeologists and biologists. So 30 million years or “only” 150 thousand? No answer.

Dark rings

For many years now, the lake surface has been spontaneously covered with huge rings several kilometers in diameter. Observers notice this every spring on the satellite map. Researchers from the Russian Academy of Sciences have put forward a hypothesis that this is how bottom water with gases rises. But ufologists insist on the extraterrestrial origin of this geometry.

Deep space

An unexpected location was chosen for a new super-powerful telescope at the end of the 20th century: Baikal, the bottom pillow. It turned out that it is easier for astrophysicists to pick up signals from space through water. The mystery gave rise to belief in the existence of a deep port for aliens - after winter, traces of “active” flights emerge in the famous “rings”.

Baikal Stonehenge

Bizarre man-made structures are located in a remote area of ​​the Baikal-Lena Nature Reserve. On Cape Rytom, someone in ancient times built a stone fence 333 meters long. Inside there are pyramids made of flat slabs. Eyewitnesses admit: there are no burials there, but the energy is incredible. However, it is almost impossible for neophytes to get here.

Underwater riddles

In the great depths of Lake Baikal, they are looking for secrets and treasures, scrupulously calculating coordinates: Baikal is historically associated with the Supreme Ruler Kolchak and the missing tons of gold reserves. Suddenly hidden at the bottom?.. The great director J. Cameron equipped an entire expedition to the bottom of Lake Baikal. What discoveries he made remained a secret.

Living water

Environmentalists praise the life-giving composition of the lake cocktail. Despite active industrial intervention, the purity of the lake is unique: mineralized, saturated with oxygen. Even under a meter of ice, the bottom stones are clearly visible. The recipes are known - crustaceans and sponges can do it. Using these properties in cities is a challenge.

Flora and fauna of Lake Baikal

Flora of Baikal

No other region has such a unique combination of natural and climatic zones. Along the entire perimeter of the Siberian Sea there is a wonderful variety of vegetation - from arctic to subtropical species. Hundreds of rare shrubs and conifers grow here, rhododendrons and edelweiss bloom. The favorites are:

Relic forest– living “fossils” have been preserved on Olkhon since Paleolithic times.

Oaks and hornbeams– the groves on the southeastern coast are like an oasis in the center of Siberia.

Blue spruce– an unusual decorative shade is created by the waxy “cover” of the needles; the region of origin of the species is unknown.

Fauna of Baikal

The water area and shores of Lake Baikal are famous for their biodiversity. Scientists are surprised - what a rich region: more than 1,500 species - ancient deep ciliates, a host of insects, fish, birds. The coastal zones, abundant in food, are favored by predators and herbivores: bears, wolverines, and deer. The fresh sea also has its own legendary inhabitants:

– the fur-bearing animal lives in cedar trees along the entire eastern coast along the Barguzinsky ridge. Omnivorous, due to the value of fur it was on the verge of extinction, until on the physical map the habitat became the first nature reserve in Russia - already with a 100-year history.

– Baikal seal, protected by the state. There are many versions of how a marine mammal found its way deep into the continent into a fresh lake. Some are sure that from the Arctic along the Yenisei and Angara, others believe in more exotic versions. Good-natured longhorned beetles weighing up to 170 kg stoically endure hordes of tourists.

– a fish from the whitefish family, considered a signature delicacy, weighing from 0.5 kg to 5 kg. Commercial mining is underway.

Curious! The crustaceans Epishura baikalensis, copepods of cleaners, have been working for millions of years: they have successfully coped with biopollutants. But modern chemical runoff threatens this population and the lake’s ecosystem.

Sights of Baikal

Lake Baikal on the world map is an object of attraction in itself. Pagan myths are still alive here - and every cape, bay, and rock is covered with them. The legends of the Golden Horde are revered, the Old Believer villages of the first Russian settlers and ancient Buddhist datsans stand as a source of wisdom. Hundreds of natural and historical monuments. First of all, you should look at:

Circum-Baikal Railway– built as part of the Trans-Siberian Railway; now 89 km along the coast, through tunnels and stone galleries with amazing views.

Shaman-rock on Cape Khuzhir - the ridge of the sacred mountain crashes into the water: rituals have been performed here for thousands of years, and as a sign of continuity there are 13 ritual serges, visible from afar.

Cave Dream– we didn’t exactly count how many kilometers in length – but it is the deepest, with golden stalactites, it impresses with a fabulous view and a special musicality of sounds.

Olkhon- an island in the middle of the water, with a spruce forest of prehistoric times and the stunning beauty of the panoramas.

Taltsy– ethno-village-museum of life of the indigenous population of the Baikal region: authentic and impressive.

Lake Baikal is located in Russia. It truly is a wonder of the world. In terms of area (31.5 thousand km2), it ranks seventh among other lakes on the globe. The length of Lake Baikal is 636 km, the maximum width is 79 km, the minimum is 25 km. The total length of the coastline reaches 1995 km.

In terms of depth, Baikal has no equal among all the freshwater lakes in the world. The greatest depth of Tanganyika is 1435 m, Issyk-Kul is 702 m, and Baikal is 1637 m. This deepest point is located off the coast of the largest of the Baikal islands, which is called Olkhon. The average depth of Lake Baikal is 1620 m. This figure is 396 m greater than that of the second deepest Lake Tanganyika (1223 m).

According to scientists, the average lifespan of lakes is from 25 to 30 thousand years. Gradually they are filled with mud, algae grow more and more densely in them, an increasing layer of sediment raises the bottom closer to the surface, and, in the end, the shallow lake is overgrown with water-loving grasses and turns into a swamp. However, contrary to all laws, Lake Baikal is in no hurry to age. Scientists, having calculated the annual amount of precipitation that falls here, predict a long life for Baikal.

Its depression was formed as a result of earthquakes about 25 million years ago. The second oldest lake, Tanganyika, which is located in Africa, is only 2 million years old.

View of Lake Baikal

The first researcher who left the “Drawing of Baikal and the falling rivers in Baikal”, as well as information about fish and fur-bearing animals of the coastal taiga, was the explorer Kurbat Ivanov. In 1643, he, at the head of a group of Cossacks and industrial people, reached the western shores of the lake and explored Olkhon Island.

At the end of July 1662, returning from exile to Dauria, Archpriest Avvakum swam across Lake Baikal, who wrote: “When we landed on the shore, a windy storm arose, and on the shore we were unable to find a place from the waves. Near it there are high mountains, stone cliffs and so high that I walked more than twenty thousand miles and never saw anything like them. There are a lot of birds, geese, swans - they swim like snow on the sea. The fish in it are sturgeon and taimen, sterlet, omul, whitefish and many other genera. The water is fresh, and the seals and hares are unusually large.”

In the 18th century, long-term expeditions were engaged in exploration of Siberia and Kamchatka. At the same time, scientists became interested in Baikal. The omul, golomyanka, seal and other species of animals were described. Over time, instrumental surveys of the area were carried out on Lake Baikal, and several hydrometeorological stations were organized. Scientists began to conduct regular observations of water levels, magnetic surveys and gravity measurements. In 1918, a permanent research base-station was created on the lake, which was later transformed into the Limnological Institute. The main research center on Lake Baikal is currently the Baikal Ecological Museum.

Baikal has the cleanest air, there is never sweltering heat, although there are more sunny days a year than at the Black Sea resorts. The lake is also famous for its beautiful, unique water, the volume of which in Baikal is 25 thousand km3, i.e. almost the same as in all five Great Lakes of Canada. This amount corresponds to approximately 20% of all surface fresh water in the world.

Baikal water is the highest quality in the world; You can drink it without any fear without boiling it. It is clean, tasty and transparent. Local restaurants even serve it as a signature dish.

Since the crystalline rocks of the bottom and shores are poorly soluble, the water of streams and rivers flowing into Baikal is not saturated with salts. In addition, organic remains quickly dissolve in Baikal water, so it is very rare to find animal skeletons in the lake. Thus, the main properties of Baikal water can be briefly described as follows: it contains very few dissolved and suspended minerals, negligible organic impurities and a lot of oxygen.

It is no coincidence that Baikal water is called living. From the surface to the very bottom, the lake contains a wide variety of life forms. In other deep lakes around the world, the lower layers are dead because they are poisoned by hydrogen sulfide and other gases. In Baikal, on the contrary, the entire water column is permeated with oxygen. The water is constantly mixed by horizontal sea currents running around the lake-sea and around each of its three basins, as well as by vertical ascending and descending currents.

Modern scientists have discovered that, despite the enormous pressure that is created on the Baikal bottom, thermal springs flow there.

Moreover, a small transparent fish, more than half consisting of fat, the golomyanka, calmly sinks to the bottom of the lake. This is the only representative of viviparous fish among those that live in the Siberian regions, as well as in the middle zone. It is known that all deep-deep fish have special bladders that save them from strong water pressure. Surprisingly, the golomyanka does not have such a bubble.

Baikal has the ability not only to store, but also to reproduce water. The lake throws debris of oars, boats, and logs onto the shore.

The cleanliness and health of Baikal are protected by its inhabitants themselves. The lake is inhabited by the epishura crustacean. Although it itself is small in size, no more than 2 mm in length, its share in the total mass of zooplankton is 96%. Billions of such crustaceans, continuously passing water through themselves, cleanse it of dirt. Golomyanka also plays a major role in maintaining the cleanliness of the lake. It is the most numerous in the lake. Its total weight is about 150 thousand tons, i.e. 67% of the total number of Baikal fish. Golomyankas never gather in schools and do not hide in algae. At any time of the day, they move throughout the lake: from the surface to the very bottom. During its endless movement, the fish seems to mix the lake water, due to which the latter is continuously saturated with oxygen. Golomyanka never forms spawning schools, which makes its industrial catching impossible. Therefore, the number of this fish in the lake always remains at a constant level. The fish is also interesting because it has an absolutely transparent body that melts in the sun like ice. Previously, the Buryats melted fat from golomyanka, which they used in everyday life and as a healing agent.

Anyone who comes to the shore of the lake is struck by its extraordinary transparency. With the naked eye you can see everything that happens at a depth of 30–40 m. Modern instruments show that the water is clean even at a depth of 100 meters.

Siberians call Baikal water a love spell. She is mesmerizing, seems unreal, fabulous. Sailing on a boat along the shore, you just want to reach out with your hand to the gem you like, but when you put your hand in the water, you suddenly realize that this is an optical illusion, and the stone lies at the very bottom of the lake.

Even more amazing are the color metamorphoses that occur on the surface of the water. Thanks to its transparency, it reflects the slightest changes in weather, solstice, rolling clouds, and haze coming from the taiga. Seasonal changes also affect its color: snow, delicate greens of summer and colorful autumn. The color scheme varies from white-blue, silver-gray to piercing blue or slate black with white splashes of waves. Artists say that neither with a brush nor with a pencil do they have time to capture Baikal as it is.

From time immemorial, Baikal was called the “sacred sea”. For the first time, the Buryat name “Baigal” appeared in the chronicle “Altan Tobchi” by Mergen Gegen, which dates back to 1765, in the part dedicated to the genealogy of Genghis Khan. There are many legends, traditions and fairy tales about Baikal. Thus, Buryat myths say that Burbot and Swan swam in the Baikal waters, the Eagle soared over the sacred sea, and on its shores the bull Bukha-noyon roared and the Wolf quenched his thirst. All these animals are considered the ancient ancestors of the Buryats.

It is interesting that there is one of each of the main geographical elements on Lake Baikal: one large island - Olkhon, one archipelago - the Ushkany Islands, one large peninsula - Svyatoy Nos, one large bay - Chivyrkuisky, one strait - the Small Sea, one large tributary - the river Selenga, which carries as much water to Baikal as all the other rivers flowing into the lake, and there are more than three hundred of them. There is also only one river flowing out of Baikal - the Angara, which ultimately flows into the Yenisei.

According to the Buryat legend, gray Baikal had many river sons: Barguzin, Anga, Sarma and others, and only one daughter, the beloved Angara. When the time came to marry her off, suitors hurried to the Baikal domain. The fast Irkut galloped up on horseback, and the calm, handsome Alyat arrived. But none of them pleased the young maiden. One night, Angara ran away from her father’s domain to the mighty warrior Yenisei. Having learned about this, Baikal became angry and, tearing out a coastal rock, threw it after the fugitive to block her path. But Angara bypassed the barrier and met the groom.

Perhaps the westernmost point of the lake is Shamansky Cape - one of the monuments of Baikal nature. It can easily be taken as the symbolic beginning of Lake Baikal.

There are a lot of picturesque bays and capes on Baikal. One of the most beautiful and cozy corners of the 2000-kilometer Baikal coast is Peschanaya Bay. It is located on the western shore of the lake, relatively close to the source of the Angara. Against the background of blue water, the soft outlines of steep banks and rocky capes look very impressive. No wonder A.P. Chekhov compared the coast of Lake Baikal with the Crimean Yalta. Peschanaya Bay is protected from the powerful northern wind - the verkhovik, or hangar - by Cape Bolshoi Kolokolny.

Not far from Peschanaya there is Babushka Bay. In sunny and warm weather, many tourists relax here. In autumn, already at the beginning of October, when the lake looks especially wonderful and unique, Babushka is deserted.

Rocky islands of Baikal

To the north of Babushka Bay there is Cape Arka, or Gate II. Olkhon Island is no less attractive, although it has a harsh appearance. It is a high mountainous island, more than 70 km long and 12 km wide. The highest point of the island is Mount Zhima, which has an altitude of about 1300 m above sea level. It is separated from the western shore of the lake by the Olkhon Gate Strait and the Small Sea. Olkhon is surrounded by many calm and small bays that are convenient for fishing.

The name of the island comes from the Buryat word “olkhan”, which translated into Russian means “dry”. This refers to one of the winds blowing on Lake Baikal. The winds on the lake are special. Suddenly bursting out of narrow mountain gorges, they can bring a lot of trouble. Each wind is usually called by the name of the river from whose valley it blows: Barguzin, Kurtuk, Verkhovka, Losk, Sarma, Shelonik, Khiuz, Siver, etc.

The most insidious of them are considered to be the barguzin, glorified in the ancient Buryat song, and the ferocious sarma, which in the autumn and winter seasons rages in the Small Sea, opposite the Olkhon Gate. That is why this small strait poses a considerable danger to shipping.

Erupting from the mountains from the valley of the Sarma River into the narrow space of the Small Sea, the wind reaches hurricane force, forming tornadoes and waves up to 4 m high. At the same time, the howling of the wind and the splashing of the waves become so strong that they drown out the sound of the shot.

Baikal winds blow sand from under the trees onto the coast, exposing their roots. So-called stilt trees appear, mostly pine trees growing along the edge of the beach. Trees are digging their roots deeper and deeper, trying to withstand the pressure of autumn storms. As a result, plants appear near the shore, fancifully bent by the wind, which rise 1.5–2 m above the beach on gnarled “support” legs.

Olkhon is the main sacred place of the lake-sea, where shamans of many clans perform tailagan. It is believed that it is on Olkhon that a shaman can enter into mysterious relationships with the natural forces of Lake Baikal. Through the ritual of sprinkling with milk and vodka and prayers-spells, you can beg for good weather, good luck in hunting and fishing. Tailagans take place on the island near sacred places. One of them is Cape Burkhan, or Shaman, which with its stone ridges extends far into the Baikal waters. Folk legends say that the ruler of the island and surrounding areas lives in his cave.

Mount Zhima is considered the same sacred place among the Buryats. They say that somewhere at the foot of this mountain an immortal bear is chained. It was through Olkhon that the Buryats migrated across the ice of the lake and thus settled the lands on both sides of Lake Baikal. In the epic about Geser, Baikal is referred to as “Dalai”, i.e. “boundless”, “great”, “almighty”.

For a long time, the Buryats have worshiped the water element, which, in their opinion, came down from heaven. Each river and lake had its own owners - the kings of the waters, the Usan Khans. They were represented in the form of elders who, together with their servants, live at the bottom of reservoirs. The main one was Usan-Lopson and his wife Usan-Daban. Some kings of the waters patronized fishing and even fishing gear.

In total, there are about 30 indigenous rocky islands on Baikal, of which 15 are located in the Small Sea. Each island is a true natural wonder. There are also many picturesque peninsulas on the lake. Not only their nature is unique, but also their names: Holy Nose, Kurbulik, Ayaya, Chivyrkui, Ongokon, Shaggy Kyltygei, Katun, Shargodagan, Kultuk, Tsagan-Morin, Davshe. The smallest island of the Small Sea is called Madote.

On the eastern coast of the lake, the most interesting corner is the Svyatoy Nos Peninsula, known for its mysterious singing sands. Such sands are found only in a few corners of the globe. On the peninsula they form an entire beach 7–10 m wide. The sand here is fine-grained, perfectly sorted, and grayish-yellow in color.

Sandy beaches of Baikal

The dry sand at the top of the beach makes a loud squeaking sound, like the squeaking of new leather shoes. If you rake sand with your feet while walking, the creaking intensifies and gradually turns into a jerky howl. The same sound appears when raking sand with a hand or a stick. If you press it vertically or hit it with something from top to bottom, then instead of a creak you will hear only a faint crunch, as when stirring dry starch. In all likelihood, the “singing” of sand occurs at certain sizes, shapes, humidity, roughness and other properties of sand grains. The mystery of the appearance of “singing sands” has not been fully revealed by science.

Lake Baikal not only offers travelers a view of magnificent views of nature, but also gives shelter to a huge number (more than 2,600 species) of animals and plants. The lake is home to almost all types of flora and fauna of the globe. Among them, 50 species of fish, about 600 species of plants, 300 species of birds and over 1200 species of animals, and a truly incredible number - 960 species of animals and 400 species of plants - are endemic.

In terms of the number and variety of unique species, Baikal surpasses all exotic places on earth, such as the Galapagos, New Zealand and the island of Madagascar. However, if relict species, the oldest animals and plants that had long since become extinct in other places, survived there, then local, relatively young species of flora and fauna arose in Baikal, appearing here over the past tens of millions of years. The lake is home to over 50 species of fish, including some very common ones, such as pike and perch. But almost half are species of sculpin and other fish that are not found anywhere else. Two exclusively Baikal, unique species belonging to the genus comephorus (Golomyankae), are completely transparent and live at a depth of 503 m in complete darkness.

Most fish species live in the shallow coastal part of the lake. Only five species live at depth: omul (a relative of salmon), Baikal gobies, yellowwing, longwing and two species of comephorus golomyanka. These five species make up three-quarters of the total fish in the lake.

Baikal is also often called a living museum because it is home to an unusual group of organisms: amphipods, worms, mollusks, sponges, and goby fish.

Among the commercial fish in the lake are grayling, whitefish, sturgeon and, of course, omul. The main food for many species of fish are amphipods, which inhabit the entire thickness of the water: some of them live in the water, others burrow into bottom sediments.

The most famous and very mysterious animal living on Lake Baikal is, of course, the Baikal seal - a pinniped mammal belonging to the family of true seals. The seal reaches a length of 1.8 m and a weight of about 70 kg. The main objects of her hunt are bulls and golomyanka. Occasionally she manages to catch an omul if the fish is weakened for some reason. This endemic species has flourished on the lake since time immemorial and currently numbers 70 thousand individuals. There are especially many seals near the Ushkany Islands. The legend says that the ancestors of the Baikal seal came to Baikal from the Arctic Ocean along an underground river. Scientists also suggest that the ancestors of the seal sailed from the Arctic Ocean, but not along an underground river, but along the Yenisei and Angara, which were dammed by ice during the Ice Age. In addition, it has been irrefutably proven that both the Baikal seal and the modern ringed seal descended from a common ancestor.

The Barguzinsky Nature Reserve is located on the northeastern coast of Lake Baikal. The flora and fauna of the reserve, its mountains, taiga, lakes and rivers are rich and unique, but the most valuable animal that lives here is the Barguzin sable.

The surrounding area of ​​Lake Baikal has been declared a protected area. The Pribaikalsky National Park is located here. In addition to Barguzinsky, there is another reserve - Baikalsky.

In conclusion, it is worth mentioning the assumption of scientists who carefully studied the territory in the area of ​​Lake Baikal. Some geophysicists have suggested that Baikal is turning into an ocean. In the area of ​​the lake, magnetic anomalies were discovered, similar to those that are characteristic of the region of the mid-Atlantic fault (from the axis of this fault, the continents of Africa and South America are moving apart in both directions).

Scientists have found that tensile forces also operate in the Baikal basin, causing its shores to diverge in opposite directions. Some researchers even cite data they obtained indirectly, claiming that the rate of such divergence reaches 2 cm per year. However, direct evidence of such information has not yet been found, although it was they that served as the basis for putting forward the hypothesis about the transformation of Baikal into an ocean. On the other hand, if we assume that the rate of expansion of Baikal is really such, then in 50–60 million years the width of the lake-sea will be about 1000 km, and this already looks like an ocean. However, any scientific hypothesis requires rigorous evidence.