Global Lakes and Wetlands Database: Large Lake Polygons (Level 1)

The Global Lakes and Wetlands Database was developed through a partnership among WWF, the Center for Environmental Systems Research, and University of Kassel, Germany. It draws upon the best available maps, data and information to display lakes and wetlands on a global scale (1:1 to 1:3 million resolution). The application of GIS functionality enables the generation of a database which focuses in three coordinated levels on (1) large lakes and reservoirs, (2) smaller water bodies, and (3) wetlands.

Level 1 (GLWD-1) comprises the 3,067 largest lakes (area ≥ 50 km2) and 654 largest reservoirs (storage capacity ≥ 0.5 km3) worldwide, and includes extensive attribute data.

The data is available for free download (for non-commercial scientific, conservation and educational purposes).