Largest lakes & reservoirs in by shoreline length
The length of the exterior shoreline around a lake is measured at the lake’s normal elevation. The shoreline length can be considerably shorter or longer when lake water levels are lower or higher than normal. A lake with many coves has a much longer shoreline than a lake of similar surface area that is nearly circular in shape.When known, the shoreline miles that we report in our statistics include only the lake’s exterior shoreline, and exclude the shorelines of islands located within a lake’s boundaries. In lakes with many islands, those islands’ combined shorelines may exceed a lake’s exterior shoreline.
You can find many of the world’s longest-shoreline lakes on LakeLubbers. Note: For some lakes, "Longest Shorelines" data is unknown or does not apply, so this table may display fewer lakes than the total 2151 articles we have published for lakes.
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Below are lakes within Compared by longest shoreline length in miles. This list does not represent all lakes in , only the 2151 lake articles we have published on the LakeLubbers website.
Lake name  |
Shoreline length in miles |
Lake description |
|---|---|---|
| Issyk Kul (Kyrgyzstan) |
428 mi | Also known as Ysyk Kol, Issyk-Kol Little-known Lake Issyk Kul in Kyrgyzstan is poised to become Central Asia’s most famous tourism destination. Popular among citizens of the former USS… |
| Lake Sinclair, GA (Classic South Region, GA, Georgia, Historic Heartland Region, GA, US South Region, USA) |
417 mi | Also known as Sinclair Lake With 15,330 acres of sparkling water against the backdrop of the Oconee National Forest, Lake Sinclair in Georgia is an outdoor enthusiast’s premier d… |
| Bankhead Lake, AL (Alabama, Metropolitan Region, AL, US South Region, USA) |
400 mi | Much more like the river it began as than the lake it is now, Bankhead Lake winds it way through the Metropolitan region of Alabama. With twists and t… |
| Lake Vattern (Gotaland Region, Sweden, Narke Region, Svealand, Sweden, Ostergotland Region, Gotaland, Sweden, Smaland Region, Gotaland, Sweden, Svealand Region, Sweden, Sweden, Vastergotland Region, Gotaland, Sweden) |
399 mi | Also known as Vatternsee Lake Vattern in Sweden’s Southern Region plays a vital part in recreational boating among Swedish holiday-makers. The second-largest lake in Sweden an… |
| Argentino Lake, Argentina (Argentina, Patagonia, Argentina, Santa Cruz, Patagonia) |
398 mi | Also known as Lago Argentino, Lake Argentino Argentino Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Argentina, covers a massive 362,255 acres in the Patagonian province of Santa Cruz, Argentina. The lake… |
| Cherokee Lake, TN (East Tennessee, Tennessee, US South Region, USA) |
393 mi | Also known as Cherokee Reservoir Cherokee Lake: Artists stop at Clinch Mountain Overlook to paint it, and photographers to photograph it, and every year millions of people come from a… |
| Finger Lakes (Finger Lakes Region, NY, New York, US Mid-Atlantic Region, USA) |
384 mi | The Finger Lakes Region of New York is one of the nation’s favorite recreation and vacation destinations. The series of eleven long, narrow lakes are… |
| Cordell Hull Lake, TN (Middle Tennessee, Tennessee, US South Region, USA) |
381 mi | Also known as Cordell Hull Reservoir One of the premier spots for water-based recreation in the Middle Tennessee region is Cordell Hull Lake. Built by the United States Army Corps of Engi… |
| Lake Pielinen, Finland (Finland, Lakeland Region, Finland) |
379 mi | Lake Pielinen, in Finland’s Lakeland District, is a well-known vacation getaway to native Finns. The huge lake is dotted with islands, one of which is… |
| Fort Loudoun Lake, TN (East Tennessee, Tennessee, US South Region, USA) |
379 mi | Also known as Fort Loudoun Reservoir Named for a nearby 18th century British fort, Fort Loudoun Lake draws millions of visitors every year for fishing, boating, and wildlife viewing. Loca… |
| Lake Seminole, FL/GA (Florida, Georgia, Panhandle West Region, FL, Plantation Trace Region, GA, US South Region, USA) |
376 mi | Lake Seminole divides its 37,500 watery acres between Georgia and Florida. The lake is conveniently located about 40 miles northwest of Tallahassee, F… |
| Lake Oconee, GA (Classic South Region, GA, Georgia, Historic Heartland Region, GA, US South Region, USA) |
374 mi | Lake Oconee takes its name from a group of Creek Indians that long ago lived close to Georgia’s Oconee River basin. “Oconee” is purported to mean “gre… |