Lake Onega

Northwestern Russia's Republic of Karelia, Leningrad Oblast, and Vologda Oblast all border the lake known as Lake Onega. It is the second-largest lake in Europe after Lake Ladoga and is slightly smaller than Lebanon. It is part of the Baltic Sea basin. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the eastern sides of the lake are home to over 1,200 petroglyphs from the 4th to the 2nd millennia BC. Petrozavodsk, Kondopoga, and Medvezhyegorsk are the three largest cities near the lake.

About 50 rivers feed the lake, and the Svir drains it. The lake has an area of 3,756 square kilometers and a surface area of approximately 13,675 square kilometers. The lake's shore is home to Mt. Lebyazhsky, which is the lake's highest point. The Karelian term "elävä," which means "alive water," is where the lake gets its name.

Russia's northwest includes the Republic of Komi, which shares a border with Finland. The area becomes highly crowded in the summer because Lake Onega is a well-liked vacation spot. The narrow Komi-Karjala is a really interesting region, and there are lovely national parks, lakes, and a lot of nature and woodland all around the lake.

Location: northwestern Russia