The highest navigable lake in the world is Lake Titicaca. It is located in the Andes Mountains on the border between Peru and Bolivia, at an elevation of approximately 3,812 meters (12,507 feet) above sea level
. Lake Titicaca is notable for being the highest lake that supports commercial navigation by large vessels, distinguishing it from smaller, higher-altitude lakes that are not navigable
. Key details about Lake Titicaca include:
- Surface area of about 8,372 square kilometers (3,232 square miles), making it the largest lake in South America by volume and surface area
- Length of about 190 kilometers (118 miles) and width up to 80 kilometers (50 miles)
- It straddles the border with Peru to the west and Bolivia to the east
- It supports commercial vessels and traditional boats, including the historic SS Ollanta and the train barge Manco Capac
- The lake is culturally significant and home to indigenous communities, including the Uros people who live on floating reed islands
While there are lakes at higher elevations, such as the crater lake on Ojos del Salado at over 6,000 meters, these are much smaller and not navigable by commercial vessels, so Lake Titicaca holds the title for the highest navigable lake in the world
. In summary, Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake globally by virtue of its elevation and ability to support commercial navigation, situated at 3,812 m (12,507 ft) on the Peru-Bolivia border in the Andes Mountains
