This list below includes both freshwater and saltwater lakes. Some important points to note:
# There is a particular argument ongoing as to whether the Caspian Sea is the biggest lake in the World, or the smallest sea.
# The South Aral Sea is the most substantial remaining part of the Aral Sea which was split in 1987. The Aral Sea was formerly the 4th largest lake in the World, with an area of 68,000 km sq, and a water volume of over 1,000 km3 in 1960. A lot of inflow has subsequently been diverted to serve nearby agricultural lands, leaving behind a massive dry salty basin and a ruined fishing industry. The area and water volume in the South Aral Sea continues to diminish year on year, and fluctuates with seasons too. The figure below is just an estimate and could be considerably lower.
# If it were a natural lake, the Bukhtarma Reservoir (5,490 sq km / 1,317 sq miles - Kazakhstan) would be the 7th largest lake in Asia, by total surface area. The Bratsk Reservoir (5,470 sq km / 1,312 sq miles - Russia) would then be at Number 8, if it too was not man-made.
# The only saltwater lakes included on the list below, are the South Aral Sea, Lake Balkhash, the Caspian Sea, Lake Issyk-Kul, Qinghai Lake and Lake Urmia.