The 50 largest water bodies are ranked by size

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71% of the surface of our planet is covered in water, with 96.5 percent of that being the world ocean. There are 5 oceans, more than 177 million lakes, and 76 rivers that are more than 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) long.

These water bodies gave nourishment, resources, transport, relaxation, and much more since the rise of humankind. It can be genuinely bewildering to imagine all of the beautiful and mysterious life that lives within the planet’s water. Scientists consider that 91 percent of ocean species are undiscovered! The infographic map poster below created by Tower Paddle Boards examines the 50 most significant water bodies, classified by oceans, seas, lakes, and rivers.

The Pacific Ocean is the largest water body on our planet. It covers more than 165 million square kilometers or 64 million square miles.

The Pacific Ocean is so large that all the continents of the planet could fit in it.

The Caspian Sea is the biggest lake on our planet. It covers about 386 thousand square kilometers or 149 thousand square miles. This giant lake expands over nearly 1,200 kilometers or 750 miles from north to south, with an average width of 320 kilometers or 200 miles.

The Nile Basin is the largest drainage basin on Earth. It covers 3.3 million square kilometers (1.3 million square miles) or about 10 percent of the African continent.

If you enjoyed this map you may also be interested in: The largest to smallest landmasses in the world mapped