Where is the largest lake?

   The Caspian Sea, a saltwater lake covering 143,243 square miles, is considered the largest inland body of water in the world. Its water laps the shores of five coun­tries (Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Russia, and Iran). Its numerous tributaries include the Volga River (75 percent of its water comes from this river) from the north, the Gorgan River from the east, and the Kura River from the west.
   The fishing industry has suffered since the demise of the Soviet Union in 1991. Poachers desperate to feed their families have ignored Soviet-imposed quotas. Industrial pollution and raw sewage threaten to ruin the water, but locals have high hopes for the region's economy: oil reserves are estimated at 200 billion barrels, more than in Iran and Iraq combined. Natural gas reserves could make this one of the top ten gas-producing areas in the world.