Russia contains some of the world's most significant bodies of water, providing crucial transport, energy, and ecological resources.
* **Lakes:** **Lake Baikal** in Siberia is the crown jewel; it is the deepest and oldest freshwater lake in the world, holding roughly 20% of the earth's unfrozen surface fresh water. In the northwest, Lake Ladoga and Lake Onega are Europe's largest lakes. * **Rivers:** The **Volga River** is the longest in Europe and the historic lifeblood of western Russia. In Siberia, massive river systems like the **Ob, Yenisei, and Lena** flow north into the Arctic Ocean, while the **Amur River** forms part of the border with China. * **Coastlines:** Russia has the world's longest continuous coastline, touching the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the east, and inland seas (Baltic, Black, and Caspian) to the west and south.
