The majority of lakes

The majority of lakes on Earth are freshwater, and most lie in the Northern Hemisphere at higher latitudes. Canada, with a deranged drainage system, has an estimated 31,752 lakes larger than 3 square kilometres (1.2 sq mi)[11] and an unknown total number of lakes, but is estimated to be at least 2 million.[12] Finland has 187,888 lakes 500 square metres (5,400 sq ft) or larger, of which 56,000 are large (10,000 square metres (110,000 sq ft) or larger).[13]

Most lakes have at least one natural outflow in the form of a river or stream, which maintain a lake’s average level by allowing the drainage of excess water.[14] Some lakes do not have a natural outflow and lose water solely by evaporation or underground seepage or both. They are termed endorheic lakes.

Many lakes are artificial and are constructed for hydro-electric power generation, aesthetic purposes, recreational purposes, industrial use, agricultural use or domestic water supply.

Evidence of extraterrestrial lakes exists; “definitive evidence for the presence of lakes” was announced by NASA as returned by the Cassini Probe observing the moon Titan, which orbited the planet Saturn.[15]

Globally, lakes are greatly outnumbered by ponds: of an estimated 304 million standing water bodies worldwide, 91% are 1 hectare (2.5 acres) or less in area (see definition of ponds).[16] Small lakes are also much more numerous than large lakes: in terms of area, one-third of the world’s standing water is represented by lakes and ponds of 10 hectares (25 acres) or less.[17] However, large lakes account for much of the area of standing water with 122 large lakes of 1,000 square kilometres (390 sq mi, 100,000 ha, 247,000 acres) or more representing about 29% of the total global area of standing inland water.[17]