Canada's Aquatic Wonderland: The Country with the Most Lakes Worldwide

As of 2025-11-12T20:30:48+00:00, Canada continues to reign supreme as the world's lake capital. Stretching across vast forests, tundras, and mountains, this North American giant is home to an estimated 879,800 lakes of 0.1 km² (approx. 24 acres) or larger, far more than any other country. In fact, some recent claims suggest Canada holds over 60% of all lakes above a specified size threshold, more than all other countries combined.

This remarkable natural legacy can be traced back to the last ice age, when vast sheets of ice covered much of what is now Canada. As the glaciers advanced and retreated, they gouged the bedrock, scoured depressions, and left behind basins that filled with melt-water and rainfall, becoming the lakes that dot the Canadian landscape today. The region known as the Canadian Shield, a massive area of ancient, hard rock, is especially pockmarked with such basins and now hosts vast swathes of freshwater.

With large parts of Canada's landscape remaining sparsely populated, many of these lakes remain remote, pristine, and little-disturbed. The land-water mosaic contributes to the sense of a country almost built on water, offering unparalleled opportunities for exploration and water-based adventures. Whether you're paddling across a quiet lake at dawn or watching the northern lights reflected on dark water in winter, Canada's lakes are not just scenery, but experiences to be cherished.