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Largest Lakes in Finland

Lake Saimaa is the largest of the 12 lakes recorded for Finland, at 11,134 km², ahead of Pijnne at 4,189 km². The full list follows.

How this list is built: Ranked by mapped surface area. A lake on a border is listed under each country it lies in, with the area of the whole lake. It covers the lakes indexed in YearMaps, drawn from open geospatial data, and is not an exhaustive national register.

Lakes Listed
12
Top Ranked
11,134 km²
Lake Saimaa
Second
4,189 km²
Pijnne
Profiled Below
6
Photo, encyclopedia text and figures
Largest Lakes in Finland
#NameSurface Area
1Lake Saimaa11,134 km²
2Pijnne4,189 km²
3Inarijrvi1,608 km²
4Oulujarvi1,210 km²
5Pielinen1,153 km²
6Pyhjrvi1,054 km²
7Lokan Tekojarvi538 km²
8Rikkavesi355 km²
9Porttipahta Reservoir328 km²
10Koitere272 km²
11Kemijarvi246 km²
12Pyhjrvi162 km²

The Lakes of Finland in Detail

The 6 lakes above that have an encyclopedia article, in the same order, each with its photograph, figures and the places around it.

Lake Saimaa
Image via Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on the file page).

Lake Saimaa

Lake · 11,134 km²

Lake Saimaa is a lake in Finland, with a mapped surface area of about 11,134 km².

Saimaa ( SY-mah, Finnish: [ˈsɑi̯mɑː]; Swedish: Saimen) is a lake located in the Finnish Lakeland area in southeastern Finland. With a surface area of approximately 4,279 square kilometres (1,652 sq mi), it is the largest lake in Finland, and the fourth-largest natural freshwater lake in Europe.

The name Saimaa likely comes from a non-Uralic, non-Indo European substrate language. Alternatively, it has been proposed that the name may be connected to the Sami word sápmi.

Adapted from Wikipedia: Saimaa (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Surface area
11,134 km²
Area rank
#18 of 756 indexed
Type
Lake
Country
Finland
Coordinates
61.3691°, 28.0413°

Among the 756 water bodies with a mapped extent in YearMaps, Lake Saimaa ranks #18 by surface area, after Georgian Bay (13,897 km²) and ahead of Lake Maracaibo (10,367 km²). Areas are computed from the mapped outline and are approximate.

Settlements on the shore:
Lappeenranta (34 km), Mikkeli (54 km), Svetogorsk (56 km)
Watercourses:
Vuoksi (River), Neva (River)
Other water nearby:
Rikkavesi (355 km²), Lake Ladoga (17,744 km²)

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More about Lake Saimaa

History

The lake was formed by glacial melting at the end of the Ice Age. Major towns on the lakeshore include Lappeenranta, Imatra, Savonlinna, Mikkeli, Varkaus, and Joensuu. About 6,000 years ago, ancient Lake Saimaa, estimated to cover nearly 9,000 km2 (3,500 sq mi) at the time, was abruptly discharged through a new outlet. The event created thousands of square kilometres of new residual wetlands. Following this event, the region saw a population maximum in the decades following only to later return to an ecological development towards old boreal conifer forests which saw a decline in population.

Tourism

The extreme heat waves that have plagued Europe for several years have given rise to the "coolcation" travel trend; in this context, publications such as National Geographic and El Mundo have highlighted Lake Saimaa as one of the most appealing destinations for travelers seeking to cool off.

The areas around Saimaa lake are a very popular location for summer cabins as well as lake cruises.

Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Saimaa (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Lake Saimaa: Key Facts

Key facts about Lake Saimaa
Surface area4,400 km²
Maximum depth82 m
Volume36 km³
Surface elevation75.7 m
InflowsPielisjoki
OutflowsVuoksa
Drainage systemVuoksi basin

Facts from Wikidata Q192770 (CC0).

Oulujarvi
Image via Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on the file page).

Oulujarvi

Reservoir · 1,210 km²

Oulujarvi is an artificial reservoir in Finland, with a mapped surface area of about 1,210 km². It exists because of a dam rather than natural drainage, and was filled in 1950 behind Jylhama.

Oulujärvi (Finnish: [ˈou̯luˌjærʋi]) or Lake Oulu or Ule (Swedish: Ule träsk), is a large lake in the Kainuu region of Finland. It is also historically known as Lake Cajania from a former name of Kainuu. With an area of 928 square kilometres (358 sq mi) it is the fifth largest lake in the country. The lake is drained by the Oulu River, which flows northwestward from the lake into the Gulf of Bothnia. Its nickname is the "Kainuu Sea", and it is bordered by the three municipalities of Vaala, Paltamo, and Kajaani. About 40 percent of the lake is in Vaala.

Adapted from Wikipedia: Oulujärvi (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Surface area
1,210 km²
Area rank
#166 of 756 indexed
Type
Reservoir
Country
Finland
Impounded
1950
Dam
Jylhama
Coordinates
64.2929°, 27.1214°

Among the 756 water bodies with a mapped extent in YearMaps, Oulujarvi ranks #166 by surface area, after Cheboksary Reservoir (1,214 km²) and ahead of Lesser Slave Lake (1,189 km²). Areas are computed from the mapped outline and are approximate.

Settlements on the shore:
Oulu (111 km), Kuopio (158 km), Kemi (200 km)
Watercourses:
Oulu (River), Kemijoki (River)
Other water nearby:
Pielinen (1,153 km²), Rikkavesi (355 km²)

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Oulujarvi: Key Facts

Key facts about Oulujarvi
Surface area887 km²
Maximum depth38 m
Volume6.7 km³
Surface elevation123 m
InflowsKajaani River, Kiehimänjoki, Aittojoki, Vuolijoki
OutflowsOulujoki
Drainage systemOulujoki Basin

Facts from Wikidata Q580019 (CC0).

Pielinen
Image via Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on the file page).

Pielinen

Lake · 1,153 km²

Pielinen is a lake in Finland, with a mapped surface area of about 1,153 km².

Pielinen (Swedish: Pielisjärvi) is the fourth largest lake of Finland, with a drainage basin area of 12,823 km2 (4,951 mi2) equally distributed between eastern Finland and Russia. The creation of the lake and its outlet is attributed to a post-glacial isostatic rebound, which resulted in uplift of the land. As is common in Finnish lakes, the lake's color is dark, due to the high proportion of bogs present in the catchment of the drainage basin that drains humic substances.

Pielinen Lake is in the northernmost part of Finnish Karelia in the region of North Karelia. It is adjacent to Koli National Park, known for its scenery in summer, and winter skiing; and is near the whitewater rafting centres at Ruunaa Hiking Center, Lieksa and Nurmes.

Adapted from Wikipedia: Pielinen (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Surface area
1,153 km²
Area rank
#171 of 756 indexed
Type
Lake
Country
Finland
Coordinates
63.2645°, 29.4896°

Among the 756 water bodies with a mapped extent in YearMaps, Pielinen ranks #171 by surface area, after Gods Lake (1,154 km²) and ahead of Danau Toba (1,149 km²). Areas are computed from the mapped outline and are approximate.

Settlements on the shore:
Joensuu (75 km), Kuopio (99 km), Savonlinna (159 km)
Watercourses:
Oulu (River), Kem (River)
Other water nearby:
Rikkavesi (355 km²), Koitere (272 km²)

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More about Pielinen

Geography

The lake is located at an elevation of 93.7 m (307 ft) in the North Karelia region in eastern Finland. It has a water spread area of 894.21 km2 (345.26 mi2) and a shore length of 1,700 km (1,100 mi), and is bound within geographical coordinates of 62°54–63°33N and 29°07–30°14E. The maximum length is 120 kilometres (75 mi) and the width varies from 1 to 40 km (0.62 to 24.85 mi). The lake's drainage area of 12,823 km2 (4,951 mi2) is equally distributed between Finland and Russia. The maximum depth of water in the lake is 60 m (200 ft) with a reported mean depth of 9.9 m (32 ft).

Climate

The climatic data has been recorded at the two major towns in the lake basin, namely the Lieksa and Juuka during the period between 1931 and 1960. At Lieksa, the average annual rainfall was 583 mm (23.0 in) with mean minimum and maximum temperatures recorded as −7.1 °C (19.2 °F) (December) and 16.4 °C (61.5 °F) (July). During the same period, the average rainfall at Juuka was 544 mm (21.4 in) and the minimum and maximum temperatures recorded were −7.1 °C (19.2 °F) (December) and 16.1 °C (61.0 °F) (July) respectively. The lake freezes, on average, during the period from 21 November to 14 May, according to records from the years 1960 to 1980.

Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Pielinen (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Pielinen: Key Facts

Key facts about Pielinen
Surface area894 km²
Maximum depth48 m
Volume9 km³
Surface elevation93.7 m
InflowsLieksanjoki, Juuanjoki
OutflowsPielisjoki
Drainage systemVuoksi basin

Facts from Wikidata Q845891 (CC0).

Rikkavesi
Image via Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on the file page).

Rikkavesi

Reservoir · 355 km²

Rikkavesi is an artificial reservoir in Finland, with a mapped surface area of about 355 km². It exists because of a dam rather than natural drainage, and was filled in 1957 behind Puntarikoski.

Rikkavesi is a medium-sized lake in eastern Finland. At approximately 63 square kilometres (24 sq mi), it is the 66th largest lake in Finland. Rikkavesi is situated in the municipalities of Kaavi, Outokumpu and Tuusniemi.

Rikkavesi is 101 metres (331 ft) above the sea level. Kaavinjärvi and Rikkavesi are connected by the Kaavinkoski Canal. Ohtaansalmi strait flows from Rikkavesi to Juojärvi. There is a marked shipping route from Saimaa to Rikkavesi.

Lake Rikkavesi was formed by glacial melting at the end of the Ice Age. The average depth is almost 11 metres (36 ft) and the maximum depth is almost 67 metres (219 ft).

There are many islands in Rikkavesi. The biggest island is Viitasaari, which is 95 hectares (0,4 sq mi). The total length of shoreline is 267 kilometres (166 mi).

Adapted from Wikipedia: Rikkavesi (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Surface area
355 km²
Area rank
#374 of 756 indexed
Type
Reservoir
Country
Finland
Impounded
1957
Dam
Puntarikoski
Coordinates
62.7931°, 29.7094°

Among the 756 water bodies with a mapped extent in YearMaps, Rikkavesi ranks #374 by surface area, after Nagarjuna Sagar Dam (356 km²) and ahead of Ivankovo Reservoir (355 km²). Areas are computed from the mapped outline and are approximate.

Settlements on the shore:
Joensuu (22 km), Kuopio (103 km), Savonlinna (111 km)
Watercourses:
Vuoksi (River), Oulu (River)
Other water nearby:
Koitere (272 km²), Pielinen (1,153 km²)

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More about Rikkavesi

Rikkavesi: Key Facts

Key facts about Rikkavesi
Surface area63.4 km²
Surface elevation101 m
OutflowsOhtaansalmi
Drainage systemVuoksi basin

Facts from Wikidata Q7334058 (CC0).

Porttipahta Reservoir
Image via Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on the file page).

Porttipahta Reservoir

Reservoir · 328 km²

Porttipahta Reservoir is an artificial reservoir in Finland, with a mapped surface area of about 328 km². It exists because of a dam rather than natural drainage, and was filled in 1970 behind Porttipahdan/Tekorjarvi Lake.

Porttipahta Reservoir (Finnish: Porttipahdan tekojärvi) is a large lake in the Kemijoki main catchment area. It is located in the region of Lapland in Finland.

Adapted from Wikipedia: Porttipahta Reservoir (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Surface area
328 km²
Area rank
#390 of 756 indexed
Type
Reservoir
Country
Finland
Impounded
1970
Dam
Porttipahdan/Tekorjarvi Lake
Coordinates
68.0752°, 26.7280°

Among the 756 water bodies with a mapped extent in YearMaps, Porttipahta Reservoir ranks #390 by surface area, after Lake Dbo (328 km²) and ahead of Lake Clark (327 km²). Areas are computed from the mapped outline and are approximate.

Settlements on the shore:
Rovaniemi (180 km), Monchegorsk (255 km), Kandalaksha (261 km)
Watercourses:
Lotta (River), Kemijoki (River)
Other water nearby:
Lake Kovdozero (1,400 km²), Lake Imandra (1,019 km²)

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Porttipahta Reservoir: Key Facts

Key facts about Porttipahta Reservoir
Surface area149 km²
Surface elevation244 m
InflowsTankajoki, Kitinen
OutflowsKitinen
Drainage systemKemijoki basin

Facts from Wikidata Q2105296 (CC0).

Koitere

Reservoir · 272 km²

Koitere is an artificial reservoir in Finland, with a mapped surface area of about 272 km². It exists because of a dam rather than natural drainage, and was filled in 1958 behind Kaltimo.

Koitere is a rather large lake in Ilomantsi, North Karelia, Finland. The lake, which sports 451 islands and many beaches, is located in the middle of wilderness. The river Koitajoki, which is a tributary of the river Pielisjoki in North Karelia, flows from the lake.

Koitere Lacus, one of the apparent methane lakes on Saturn's moon Titan is named after this lake. That lake is located 79.4N and 36.14°W on Titan's globe and is presumed to be composed of liquid methane and ethane.

Adapted from Wikipedia: Koitere (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Surface area
272 km²
Area rank
#434 of 756 indexed
Type
Reservoir
Country
Finland
Impounded
1958
Dam
Kaltimo
Coordinates
62.9183°, 30.7238°

Among the 756 water bodies with a mapped extent in YearMaps, Koitere ranks #434 by surface area, after Foxen (273 km²) and ahead of Siri Kit Dam (270 km²). Areas are computed from the mapped outline and are approximate.

Settlements on the shore:
Joensuu (60 km), Savonlinna (151 km), Kuopio (153 km)
Watercourses:
Vuoksi (River), Kem (River)
Other water nearby:
Rikkavesi (355 km²), Pielinen (1,153 km²)

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More about Koitere

Koitere: Key Facts

Key facts about Koitere
Surface area164 km²
Maximum depth49 m
Volume1.1 km³
Surface elevation143 m
OutflowsKoitajoki
Drainage systemVuoksi basin

Facts from Wikidata Q1345130 (CC0).

More on Finland

Quick Answers

What is the largest lake in Finland?
Lake Saimaa, at 11,134 km². Pijnne is second at 4,189 km². Rankings cover the lakes indexed in YearMaps.
How many lakes are there in Finland?
YearMaps lists 12 lakes for Finland. This is the number mapped in the atlas, not an official national count.