Where is the largest lake by area?

The Caspian Sea, despite its name, is the largest enclosed inland body of water and the largest lake on Earth, covering about 371,000 square kilometres — larger than Germany. It is bordered by Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran and Azerbaijan, and although its water is brackish rather than fresh, it is technically classified as a lake because it has no natural connection to the ocean. Among freshwater lakes, Lake Superior in North America is the largest by surface area at about 82,000 square kilometres, while Lake Baikal in Russia holds the most water by volume. The Caspian sits about 28 metres below sea level.