Lake Baikal’s beauty is exceptional, and so is the beauty of the area surrounding it. Scientists are still debating the lake’s origin. Some are trying to prove that it emerged as a result of tectonic processes of orogenesis, while others consider it as having been formed as a result of the earth’s crust gradually subsiding.
The Baikal area is a veritable treasure trove of mineral resources. There are hot springs in the vicinity of Lake Baikal, the water of which is of excellent quality. The lake acts as a powerful generator and biofilter producing this water.
Lake Baikal is the most voluminous freshwater lake in the world, containing roughly 20 % of the world’s unfrozen surface fresh water. It is also among the clearest of all lakes, and thought to be the world’s oldest lake at 25 million years!
