August 27 marks the first-ever World Lake Day, a designation made by the United Nations in December 2024.
Lakes – whether natural or artificial – store over 90 percent of the world’s surface freshwater and play an irreplaceable role in sustaining biodiversity, regulating climate, controlling floods and capturing carbon.
Yet they are increasingly under threat from overuse, pollution and the effects of climate change. As mirrors of nature and sources of life for both aquatic and land ecosystems, lakes are vital for human water security, maintaining ecological balance and providing spiritual meaning and artistic inspiration that nurture our cultural heritage.
Join us in appreciating the breathtaking beauty of iconic lakes in China and beyond.
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-08-27/World-Lake-Day-Reflecting-Earth-s-fragility-and-majesty-1GbnWY3OszS/img/fa364f66477448169569352cdb05bd27/fa364f66477448169569352cdb05bd27.jpeg'Qinghai Lake, China’s largest saltwater lake, Qinghai Province, northwest China.
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-08-27/World-Lake-Day-Reflecting-Earth-s-fragility-and-majesty-1GbnWY3OszS/img/fa364f66477448169569352cdb05bd27/fa364f66477448169569352cdb05bd27.jpeg'Qinghai Lake, China’s largest saltwater lake, Qinghai Province, northwest China.
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-08-27/World-Lake-Day-Reflecting-Earth-s-fragility-and-majesty-1GbnWY3OszS/img/fa364f66477448169569352cdb05bd27/fa364f66477448169569352cdb05bd27.jpeg'Qinghai Lake, China’s largest saltwater lake, Qinghai Province, northwest China.
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-08-27/World-Lake-Day-Reflecting-Earth-s-fragility-and-majesty-1GbnWY3OszS/img/fa364f66477448169569352cdb05bd27/fa364f66477448169569352cdb05bd27.jpeg'Qinghai Lake, China’s largest saltwater lake, Qinghai Province, northwest China.
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-08-27/World-Lake-Day-Reflecting-Earth-s-fragility-and-majesty-1GbnWY3OszS/img/8168a7bb68b944d7bf2d6ecfe090e6f6/8168a7bb68b944d7bf2d6ecfe090e6f6.jpeg'A glimpse of the Caspian Sea, the world’s largest saltwater lake, Kazakhstan.
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-08-27/World-Lake-Day-Reflecting-Earth-s-fragility-and-majesty-1GbnWY3OszS/img/8168a7bb68b944d7bf2d6ecfe090e6f6/8168a7bb68b944d7bf2d6ecfe090e6f6.jpeg'A glimpse of the Caspian Sea, the world’s largest saltwater lake, Kazakhstan.
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-08-27/World-Lake-Day-Reflecting-Earth-s-fragility-and-majesty-1GbnWY3OszS/img/8168a7bb68b944d7bf2d6ecfe090e6f6/8168a7bb68b944d7bf2d6ecfe090e6f6.jpeg'A glimpse of the Caspian Sea, the world’s largest saltwater lake, Kazakhstan.
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-08-27/World-Lake-Day-Reflecting-Earth-s-fragility-and-majesty-1GbnWY3OszS/img/8168a7bb68b944d7bf2d6ecfe090e6f6/8168a7bb68b944d7bf2d6ecfe090e6f6.jpeg'A glimpse of the Caspian Sea, the world’s largest saltwater lake, Kazakhstan.
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-08-27/World-Lake-Day-Reflecting-Earth-s-fragility-and-majesty-1GbnWY3OszS/img/8168a7bb68b944d7bf2d6ecfe090e6f6/8168a7bb68b944d7bf2d6ecfe090e6f6.jpeg'A glimpse of the Caspian Sea, the world’s largest saltwater lake, Kazakhstan.
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-08-27/World-Lake-Day-Reflecting-Earth-s-fragility-and-majesty-1GbnWY3OszS/img/8168a7bb68b944d7bf2d6ecfe090e6f6/8168a7bb68b944d7bf2d6ecfe090e6f6.jpeg'A glimpse of the Caspian Sea, the world’s largest saltwater lake, Kazakhstan.
(All photos via VCG)
(Cover: Tianchi, or Heaven Lake, a volcanic crater lake lying on the border between China and Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.)
