Which size of lakes holds the majority of the world's water volume?

Lakes can vary significantly in size, but large lakes typically hold the majority of the world's water volume. This is largely due to their greater surface area and depth compared to smaller lakes, which allows them to store a much larger quantity of water. Large lakes, like the Great Lakes in North America or Lake Baikal in Russia, contain vast amounts of freshwater and contribute significantly to overall hydrological cycles and ecosystems.

Small and medium lakes, while abundant, simply do not accumulate the same volumes of water as large lakes do. Seasonal lakes, which may only exist temporarily or vary greatly in water levels, also lack the stability and volume of larger bodies of water. Hence, when considering total water volume, large lakes are the predominant reservoirs, solidifying their importance in global water distribution and ecology.