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Lakes in India: Details from Largest to Smallest

Sorted by area in descending order (sq km).

 

Vembanad Lake: Location is Kottayam-Alappuzha, Kerala. Type is Brackish (backwater). Area is 2033 sq km. Details: Longest lake, Ramsar site, houseboats.

Chilika Lake: Location is Puri-Khordha-Ganjam, Odisha. Type is Brackish (lagoon). Area is 1165 sq km. Details: Largest coastal lagoon, dolphin habitat.

Pulicat Lake: Location is Nellore, Andhra Pradesh. Type is Brackish. Area is 759 sq km. Details: Shared with Tamil Nadu.

Pangong Tso: Location is Ladakh. Type is Saltwater. Area is 604 sq km. Details: Endorheic, high-altitude.

Shivaji Sagar Lake (Koyna): Location is Satara, Maharashtra. Type is Artificial freshwater. Area is 891 sq km. Details: Reservoir.

Indira Sagar Lake: Location is Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh. Type is Artificial freshwater. Area is 785 sq km. Details: On Narmada.

Sardar Sarovar Reservoir: Location is Navagam, Gujarat. Type is Artificial freshwater. Area is 370 sq km. Details: On Narmada.

Rihand Reservoir: Location is Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh. Type is Artificial freshwater. Area is 466 sq km. Details: On Rihand.

Loktak Lake: Location is Bishnupur, Manipur. Type is Natural freshwater. Area is 287 sq km. Details: Floating islands.

Kolleru Lake: Location is West Godavari, Andhra Pradesh. Type is Natural freshwater. Area is 245 sq km. Details: Ramsar site.

Sambhar Lake: Location is Jaipur, Rajasthan. Type is Saltwater. Area is 230 sq km. Details: Salt production.

Tawa Reservoir: Location is Hoshangabad, Madhya Pradesh. Type is Artificial freshwater. Area is 225 sq km. Details: Irrigation.

Wular Lake: Location is Bandipora, Jammu & Kashmir. Type is Natural freshwater. Area is 189 sq km. Details: Largest freshwater.

Bhojtal (Upper Lake): Location is Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Type is Artificial freshwater. Area is 36 sq km. Details: Ramsar site.

Dal Lake: Location is Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir. Type is Natural freshwater. Area is 22 sq km. Details: Houseboats.

Nainital Lake: Location is Nainital, Uttarakhand. Type is Natural freshwater. Area is 0.48 sq km. Details: Tourism spot.

 

Note: List limited to top 15 major ones; areas vary seasonally, based on max reported.

 

Also Read:

Freshwater and Salt Water lakes in India - Read 

Lakes in India: Details from Largest to Smallest - Read 

Lakes in India: Alphabetical order with Details - Read 

Lakes in India: State wise list with Details - Read