A well-known crater lake, which bears the same name as the geological feature, is Crater Lake in Oregon, USA. It is located in the caldera of Mount Mazama, hence the name "Crater Lake" is something of a misnomer. It is the deepest lake in the United States with a depth of 594 m (1,949 ft). Crater Lake is fed solely by falling rain and snow, with no inflow or outflow at the surface, and hence is one of the clearest lakes in the world.[1]
Due to their unstable environment, some crater lakes exist only intermittently. Caldera lakes in contrast can be quite large and long-lasting; for instance, Lake Toba (Indonesia) formed after its eruption around 70,000 years ago and has an area of over 1,000 square kilometres.
While many crater lakes are picturesque, they can also be deadly. Gas discharges from Lake Nyos (Cameroon) suffocated 1,800 people in 1986, and crater lakes such as Mount Ruapehu's (New Zealand) often contribute to destructive lahars.
A certain number of bodies of water, although their formation is directly related to volcanic activity, are not usually refered as crater lakes:
More rarely they can also fill craters caused by artificial explosions, such as the radioactive Lake Chagan in Kazakhstan.
Some geomorphological features, when filled with water, can sometimes be confused with crater lakes:
Lake |
Location |
Africa |
Waw an Namus (three small salt lakes in the caldera) |
Lybia |
Deriba Caldera |
Sudan |
Meme River Basin lakes (Lake Barombi Koto, Lake Barombi Mbo, Lake Mboandong and Lake Dissoni/Soden) |
Cameroon |
Lake Bermin |
Cameroon |
Mount Manengouba (lac Mâle and lac Femelle) |
Cameroon |
Adamawa volcanic lakes (Tison, Mbalang) |
Cameroon |
Mambila Mountains, Lake Awing and Lakes Bambili |
Cameroon |
Lake Nyos, Lake Oku, Lake Monoun (Oku Volcanic Field) |
Cameroon |
Enyo Lake (or Haro Dandii, a lake filling a double crater) and Lake Wenchi[4] (Badda Rogghie Mountains) |
Ethiopia |
Lake Ara Shetan |
Ethiopia |
Dallol (various acid ponds) |
Ethiopia |
Zengena Lake |
Ethiopia |
Lake Dembel, Mount Zuqualla |
Ethiopia |
Debre Zeyit crater lakes (Bishoftu, Hora, Bishoftu Guda, Koriftu and seasonal Cheleklaka) |
Ethiopia |
Mount Biao, Bioko Island |
Equatorial Guinea |
Annobón |
Equatorial Guinea |
Lake Assal |
Djibouti |
Kabarole District lakes (Lakes Nyinabulitwa, Nyabikere, Nkuruba, Kifuruka) |
Uganda |
Lake Katwe |
Uganda |
Mount Bisoke |
Rwanda / Congo-Kinshasa |
Crocodile Lake, Flamingo Lake, Tilapia Lake, on Central Island (Lake Turkana) |
Kenya |
Mount Marsabit (at least two lakes) |
Kenya |
Emuruangogolak (several maar lakes) |
Kenya |
Lake Simbi, Mount Homa |
Kenya |
Lake Sonachi (Crater Lake Game Sanctuary) |
Kenya |
Lake Chala |
Kenya / Tanzania |
Southern Highlands crater lakes (Ngozi Lake, Kiungululu Crater, Masoko Crater) |
Tanzania |
Lake Tritriva |
Madagascar |
Nosy Be crater lakes |
Madagascar |
Trou aux Cerfs |
Mauritius |
Ganga Talao lake |
Mauritius |
Dziani Dzaha, Petite-Terre |
Mayotte |
Piton de l'Eau |
Réunion |
Lagoa do Fanal |
Portugal, Madeira |
Laguna de los Ciclos (Charco Verde), El Golfo, Lanzarote |
Spain, Canary Islands |
Queen Mary's Peak (heart-shaped crater lake) |
Tristan da Cunha |
Asia |
Lake Toba |
Indonesia, Sumatra |
Mount Sibayak |
Indonesia, Sumatra |
Lake Maninjau |
Indonesia, Sumatra |
Lake Asam (Suwoh Caldera) |
Indonesia, Sumatra |
Lake Gunung Tujuh |
Indonesia, Sumatra |
Mount Talang (Talang and Dibawah Lakes) |
Indonesia, Sumatra |
Mount Singgalang (Dewi and Kumbang Lakes) |
Indonesia, Sumatra |
Bukit Daun |
Indonesia, Sumatra |
Mount Kerinci |
Indonesia, Sumatra |
Mount Kaba |
Indonesia, Sumatra |
Mount Kunyit |
Indonesia, Sumatra |
Mount Sumbing |
Indonesia, Sumatra |
Sorikmarapi |
Indonesia, Sumatra |
Ijen |
Indonesia, Java |
Kawah Putih, Mount Patuha |
Indonesia, Java |
Mount Lamongan (several maare) |
Indonesia, Java |
Kelut (no crater lake anymore after 2007-2008 slow eruptions with hot lava dome) |
Indonesia, Java |
Lake Ngebel, Gunung Wilis |
Indonesia, Java |
Mount Lawu |
Indonesia, Java |
Talagabodas |
Indonesia, Java |
Semeru (several maar lakes) |
Indonesia, Java |
Danau Batur, Bali |
Indonesia, Lesser Sunda Islands |
Lake Segara Anak (Mount Rinjani), Lombok |
Indonesia, Lesser Sunda Islands |
Tambora (ephemeral lake), Sumbawa |
Indonesia, Lesser Sunda Islands |
Kelimutu (three crater lakes), Flores |
Indonesia, Lesser Sunda Islands |
Mount Sirung, Pantar Island |
Indonesia, Lesser Sunda Islands |
Kawah Masem, Mount Sempu |
Indonesia, Sulawesi |
Mount Mahawu |
Indonesia, Sulawesi |
Lake Tondano |
Indonesia, Sulawesi |
Mount Klabat |
Indonesia, Sulawesi |
Makian |
Indonesia, Maluku Islands |
Mount Ibu (several small crater lakes), Halmahera |
Indonesia, Maluku Islands |
Todoko-Ranu, Halmahera |
Indonesia, Maluku Islands |
Yak Loum |
Cambodia |
White Deer Lake (Baengnokdam), Mulyeongari-Oreum, Muljangori-Oreum |
South Korea, Jeju Island |
Heaven Lake (Chonji/Tianchi), Baekdu Mountain |
North Korea / China |
Longwanqun volcanic lakes |
China |
Akan caldera volcanic lakes (Akan, Mashū, Kussharo) |
Japan, Hokkaidō |
Lake Shikotsu |
Japan, Hokkaidō |
Lake Tōya |
Japan, Hokkaidō |
Lake Kuttara |
Japan, Hokkaidō |
Towada |
Japan, Honshū |
Tazawa |
Japan, Honshū |
Mount Zaō (lake Okama) |
Japan, Honshū |
Mount Kusatsu-Shirane (three lakes) |
Japan, Honshū |
Izu-Tobu (Ippeki lake) |
Japan, Honshū |
Lake Haruna |
Japan, Honshū |
Mount Hakone (Lake Ashi) |
Japan, Honshū |
Naruko (Lake Katanuma) |
Japan, Honshū |
Aizu-Bandai-san (various lakes) |
Japan, Honshū |
Mount Iwate |
Japan, Honshū |
Mount Ontake (five crater lakes) |
Japan, Honshū |
Mount Aso (Naka-dake) |
Japan, Kyūshū |
Oguni-numa Pond |
Japan, Kyūshū |
Lake Ikeda |
Japan, Kyūshū |
Lake Miike |
Japan, Kyūshū |
Lake Unagiike |
Japan, Kyūshū |
Lake Oonaminoike |
Japan, Kyūshū |
Imuta-ike |
Japan, Kyūshū |
Tairoike, Miyake-jima |
Japan, Izu Islands |
Otake, Nakanoshima |
Japan, Ryukyu Islands |
Lake Pinatubo |
Philippines, Luzon |
Taal Lake (caldera-filling) and the crater lake on its island's volcano |
Philippines, Luzon |
Laguna de Bay |
Philippines, Luzon |
Seven Lakes of San Pablo (Bunot, Calibato, Yambo, Pandin, Palakpakin, Muhikap, Sampaloc) |
Philippines, Luzon |
Lake Tikub |
Philippines, Luzon |
Mount Talinis (lakes Balinsasayao, Danao and Kabalin-an, within the Guintabon Caldera) Negros Island |
Philippines, Visayas |
Margaja Valley caldera, Kanlaon Volcano, Negros Island |
Philippines, Visayas |
Lakes Danao and Malagsom, Mahagnao Volcano, Leyte Island |
Philippines, Visayas |
Lake Duminagat, Mount Malindang |
Philippines, Mindanao |
Lake Leonard, Leonard Kniaseff |
Philippines, Mindanao |
Mount Apo |
Philippines, Mindanao |
Lake Maughan, Mount Parker |
Philippines, Mindanao |
Jolo Island, Lakes Seit, Panamao, Timpuak and Sani Crater |
Philippines, Mindanao, Sulu Archipelago |
Lake Khaiyr |
Russia, Yakutia |
Khangar |
Russia, Kamchatka |
Kizimen |
Russia, Kamchatka |
Lake Dalny, Uzon Caldera |
Russia, Kamchatka |
Maly Semyachik |
Russia, Kamchatka |
Bolshoy Semyachik |
Russia, Kamchatka |
Karymsky Lake, Akademia Nauk |
Russia, Kamchatka |
Balshoe and Kraternoe, Ksudach |
Russia, Kamchatka |
Kurile Lake |
Russia, Kamchatka |
Ebeko, Paramushir Island |
Russia, Kurile Islands |
Onekotan Island (Kal'tsevoe Lake in the Tao-Rusyr Caldera and Nemo Lake/Caldera) |
Russia, Kurile Islands |
Ketoy Island |
Russia, Kurile Islands |
Zavaritski Caldera, Simushir Island |
Russia, Kurile Islands |
Rudakov, Urup Island |
Russia, Kurile Islands |
Iturup Island lakes (Medvezhia, Chirip, Grozny Group, Bogatyr Ridge) |
Russia, Kurile Islands |
Sabalan |
Iran |
Nemrut |
Turkey |
Meke Golu (Karapınar Field) |
Turkey |
Karagöl (Lake Tantalus), Mount Yamanlar |
Turkey |
Lake Ram |
Syria |
Bir Ali crater |
Yemen |
Europe |
Eifel volcanic field (where maare were originally described), including Laacher See and Daun maare |
Germany |
Eyjafjallajökull (volcano) |
Iceland |
Kerið |
Iceland |
Askja (Öskjuvatn and Viti lakes) |
Iceland |
Krafla |
Iceland |
Chaîne des Puys (Gour de Tazenat, Lac Pavin, Lac de Servière, Lac Chauvet, Lac du Bouchet) |
France |
Lac d'Issarlès |
France |
Lazio volcanic lakes (Albano, Bolsena, Bracciano, Martignano, Nemi, Vico, Mezzano) |
Italy |
Lake Avernus (close to Phlegraean Fields) |
Italy |
Lago Vecchienna |
Italy |
Lagoa do Caldeirão, Corvo Island |
Portugal, Azores |
Lagoa da Caldeira, Faial Island |
Portugal, Azores |
Lagoas Funda das Lajes, Branca, Comprida, Seca, da Lomba, Rasa, Funda/Negra, Flores Island |
Portugal, Azores |
Caldeira do Enxofre (underground lake filled with cold sulphur water), Graciosa Island |
Portugal, Azores |
Lagoas Seca, da Rosada, Pico Island |
Portugal, Azores |
Lagoa do Pico Pinheiro, São Jorge Island |
Portugal, Azores |
Lagoa das Sete Cidades, do Fogo, das Furnas, Azul, Verde, São Miguel Island |
Portugal, Azores |
Lagoas Negra, do Negro, Terceira Island |
Portugal, Azores |
Lake Sfânta Ana |
Romania |
Mount Samsari (several small lakes in the caldera) |
Georgia |
Lake Akna, Geghama mountains |
Armenia |
Oceania |
Mount Ruapehu |
New Zealand, North Island |
Lake Taupo |
New Zealand, North Island |
Lakes of Rotorua (Rotorua, Tarawera, Rotomahana, Rotokakahi, Tikitapu, Okareka and Okataina) |
New Zealand, North Island |
Lake Pupuke |
New Zealand, North Island |
Frying Pan Lake |
New Zealand, North Island |
Mangere Lagoon |
New Zealand, North Island |
Mount Tongariro (Tama Lakes, Blue Lake and the Emerald Lakes) |
New Zealand, North Island |
Whakaari / White Island (Bay of Plenty), Crater Lake |
New Zealand, off North Island coast |
Tuhua / Mayor Island (Bay of Plenty), Lake Aroarotamahine and Lake Te Paritu |
New Zealand, off North Island coast |
Raoul Island (Blue Lake, Green Lake, Rui Lake) |
New Zealand, Kermadec Islands |
Lake Wisdom, Long Island |
Papua New Guinea, off New Guinea coast |
Mount Balbi lake |
Papua New Guinea, Bougainville |
Billy Mitchell |
Papua New Guinea, Bougainville |
Loloru (crescent-shaped crater lake) |
Papua New Guinea, Bougainville |
Sakar Island |
Papua New Guinea, off New Britain coast |
Mount Gambier maar complex (including Blue Lake) |
Australia, South Australia |
Atherton Tableland (Lake Euramoo, Lake Eacham, Lake Barrine, Mount Hypipamee Crater) |
Australia, Queensland |
Mount Le Brun (two intermittent crater lakes) |
Australia, Queensland |
Leura maar complex (Purrumbete, Bullen Merri, Gnotuk, Keilambete, Elingamite, Wangoom, Red Rock Reserve intermittent lakes) |
Australia, Victoria |
Tower Hill |
Australia, Victoria |
Mount Eccles |
Australia, Victoria |
Green Lake,[5] Kapoho Crater, Kīlauea |
USA, Hawaii |
Kalaupapa crater lake, Molokai |
USA, Hawaii |
Salt Lake (filled in for an urbanization project, except for a pond in a golf course), Honolulu |
USA, Hawaii |
Rano Kau |
Chile, Easter Island |
Rano Raraku |
Chile, Easter Island |
Rano Aroi, Ma′unga Terevaka |
Chile, Easter Island |
Lake Te Roto, Tikopia |
Solomon Islands |
Lake Lanoto'o, Upolu |
Samoa |
Vai Lahi and Vai Si'i, Niuafo'ou |
Tonga |
Tofua |
Tonga |
Late (ephemeral lake) |
Tonga |
Home Reef (newly formed island, crater lakes observed in 2006) |
Tonga |
Lakes Lalolao, Lano, Lanutavake, Lanutuli, Lanumaha and Alofivai (intermittent), Wallis Island |
Wallis and Futuna |
Lake Letas, Gaua Island |
Vanuatu |
Lombenben Volcano (lakes Vui, Manaro Ngoru, Manaro Lakua), Aoba Island |
Vanuatu |
North America |
Kasatochi volcano, Kasatochi Island |
USA, Alaska, Aleutian Islands |
Mount Okmok, Umnak Island |
USA, Alaska, Aleutian Islands |
Mount Kanaga, Kanaga Island |
USA, Alaska, Aleutian Islands |
Fenner Lake, Semisopochnoi Island |
USA, Alaska, Aleutian Islands |
Fisher Caldera (several lakes), Unimak Island |
USA, Alaska, Aleutian Islands |
Mount Katmai |
USA, Alaska |
Ukinrek Maars |
USA, Alaska |
Mount Kaguyak |
USA, Alaska |
Mount Martin (intermittent acidic lake) |
USA, Alaska |
Mount Douglas |
USA, Alaska |
Devil Mountain Lakes |
USA, Alaska |
Surprise Lake, Mount Aniakchak |
USA, Alaska |
Mount Emmons |
USA, Alaska |
Mount Spurr |
USA, Alaska |
Mount Chiginagak |
USA, Alaska |
Wells Gray-Clearwater volcanic field (several crater lakes) |
Canada, British Columbia |
Sturgeon Lake Caldera |
Canada, Ontario |
Medicine Lake Volcano |
USA, California |
Mono–Inyo Craters |
USA, California |
Clear Lake |
USA, California |
Shastina (three small crater lakes) |
USA, California |
Zuni Salt Lake (maar) |
USA, New Mexico |
Crater Lake |
USA, Oregon |
Blue Lake Crater |
USA, Oregon |
Malheur Maar, Diamond Craters |
USA, Oregon |
Newberry Volcano (twin crater lakes: Paulina Lake and East Lake) |
USA, Oregon |
Teardrop Pool South Sister |
USA, Oregon |
Mount Rainier |
USA, Oregon |
Yellowstone Lake |
USA, Wyoming |
Battle Ground Lake |
USA, Washington |
Soda Lakes |
USA, Nevada |
Lago Los Espinos |
Mexico, Michoacán |
La Alberca lake (also known as La Joya or Lago del Sangre) |
Mexico, Guanajuato |
Nevado de Toluca (several lakes) |
Mexico, State of Mexico |
Laguna de Aljojuca |
Mexico, Puebla |
Oriental Basin axalpazcos (maar lakes) |
Mexico, Puebla / Tlaxcala / Veracruz |
Sangangüey |
Mexico, Nayarit |
Santa María del Oro |
Mexico, Nayarit |
El Chichón |
Mexico, Chiapas |
Central America & Caribbean |
Lago de Amatitlán |
Guatemala |
Lake Ipala |
Guatemala |
Lago de Atitlán |
Guatemala |
Laguna de Ayarza |
Guatemala |
Laguna de Calderas (Pacaya) |
Guatemala |
Laguna Chicabal |
Guatemala |
Tecuamburro |
Guatemala |
Lago de Coatepeque (Coatepeque Lake) |
El Salvador |
Laguna Verde (Apaneca) |
El Salvador |
Lago De Ilopango (Ilopango Lake) |
El Salvador |
Tecapa volcano (Laguna de Alegría) |
El Salvador |
Chanmico maar (at the foot of the San Salvador volcano) |
El Salvador |
Santa Ana Volcano crater lake |
El Salvador |
Cosigüina |
Nicaragua |
Laguna Asososca, Las Pilas |
Nicaragua |
Chiltepe peninsula (Apoyeque and Xiloá lagoons) |
Nicaragua |
Managua lagoons (Tiscapa, Asososca, Nejapa) |
Nicaragua |
Masaya lake |
Nicaragua |
Apoyo Lagoon |
Nicaragua |
Zapatera Laguna (Zapatera Island, on Lake Nicaragua) |
Nicaragua |
Maderas (Ometepe Island, on Lake Nicaragua) |
Nicaragua |
Lake Diego de la Haya, Irazú volcano |
Costa Rica |
Rincón de la Vieja |
Costa Rica |
Poás volcano (Laguna Caliente and Laguna Botos) |
Costa Rica |
Cerro Chato |
Costa Rica |
Barva |
Costa Rica |
Mount Liamuiga crater lake, Saint Kitts |
Saint Kitts and Nevis |
La Grande Soufrière (la Citerne) |
Guadeloupe |
Boiling Lake (Morne Trois Pitons National Park) |
Dominica |
Soufrière |
Saint Vincent |
Grand Etang Lake |
Grenada |
Lac Antoine, Mount Saint Catherine |
Grenada |
South America |
Lagunas Verdes, Chiles Volcano |
Ecuador |
Mojanda lakes (Caricocha, Yanacocha and Huarmicocha) |
Ecuador |
Laguna Collanes, El Altar |
Ecuador |
Cuicocha |
Ecuador |
Quilotoa |
Ecuador |
Black Lakes of Jumbura |
Ecuador |
La Cumbre, Fernandina Island (ephemeral lake) |
Ecuador - Galapagos Islands |
Tagus Cove, Isabela Island |
Ecuador - Galapagos Islands |
Lake Arcturus, Genovesa Island |
Ecuador - Galapagos Islands |
Laguna El Juncos, San Cristóbal Island |
Ecuador - Galapagos Islands |
Santiago Island (small salt crater lake) |
Ecuador - Galapagos Islands |
Laguna del Maule |
Chile |
Nevado Ojos del Salado (likely the highest lake in the world) |
Chile |
Licancabur Lake |
Chile |
Chaitén (crater lakes might have disappeared with the 2008-09 eruption) |
Chile |
Aguas Calientes |
Chile |
Acamarachi |
Chile |
Copahue |
Chile / Argentina |
Planchón-Peteroa |
Chile / Argentina |
Laguna Potrok Aike (Pali-Aike Volcanic Field) |
Argentina |
Aracar |
Argentina |
Laguna Diamante, Cerro Galán |
Argentina |
Antarctica & Subantarctic Islands |
Deception Island maare |
off Antarctic Peninsula coast |
Mount Larson crater lake, Thule Island |
South Sandwich Islands |
Bassin du Cratère (connected to sea since 1780, now an 'almost crater lake'), Saint-Paul |
Saint-Paul and Amsterdam Islands |
Lac Perdu, Île de la Possession |
Crozet Islands |