Lake Baikal is the deepest lake in the world with a maximum depth of about 1,642 meters (5,387 feet). Some sources mention a slightly varying maximum depth up to around 1,700 meters (5,600 feet), but 1,642 meters is the widely accepted figure. The lake's bottom lies 1,186.5 meters below sea level, and it is located in a rift valley, making it also the deepest continental rift on Earth.