Top Largest Dams In The World

Discover the world’s largest dams in 2024, including the top ten dams in the world based on capacity and length. Explore the world’s largest hydroelectric dams, which showcase outstanding engineering achievements. Stay up to date on the world’s biggest dams in 2024 with our succinct information on these enormous constructions.

Three Gorges Dam is the world’s largest dam. The dam is located on the Yangtze River near Sandouping in Yiling District, Yichang. Dams play a vital role in managing a country’s water supplies. Three Gorges Dam can store 39.3 million cubic meters of water.

List of Largest Dams in the world

Largest Dam in the World – Three Gorges Dam

The Three Gorges Dam, located on China’s Yangtze River, is the world’s largest dam. It has a storage capacity of 22,500 MW. Three Gorges Dam is 2,335 metres long and 181 metres high. This dam was built in 2006 to manage floods, generate electricity, and enhance navigation.

Nonetheless, the Three Gorges Dam is an excellent example of engineering. It has been criticized for its environmental and social consequences, which include displacing over a million people and disrupting the river’s ecosystem.

Storage: 22,500 megawatts

Location: Sandouping (Yiling).

Second Largest Dam in the World – Ltaipu Dam

The Itaipu Dam, which is situated on the Paraná River between Brazil and Paraguay, is the second largest dams in the world.

• It’s really tall, standing at 196 meters, and quite long, stretching over 7.7 kilometers. It’s the second-largest dam for making electricity.
• They started building it in 1975 and finished in 1984, so it took 9 years.
• The main job of this dam is to make electricity, and it does a lot—14,000 megawatts. That’s enough to cover about 90% of Paraguay’s electricity needs and 20% of Brazil’s.
• But building the Itaipu Dam had some issues. A lot of people had to move, and there were changes in the environment, losing some plants and animals.
• Despite the challenges, it’s a cool place to visit, with amazing views and impressive engineering.

Third Largest Dam in the World – Xiluodu Dam

The Xiluodu Dam in China is the third-largest dam globally, located on the Jinsha River.

• It’s super tall, standing at 285 meters, and wide, spanning over 700 meters.
• They started building it in 2005 and finished in 2013, so it took 8 years to complete.
• This dam can produce a massive amount of electricity—13,860 megawatts. That’s a big deal for China’s development.
• Three Gorges Dam, building Xiluodu Dam caused some problems. People were worried about how it might affect the environment and force communities to move. Despite the concerns, it’s seen as an amazing engineering achievement and has played a big part in China’s economic growth.

Fourth Largest Dam in the World – Guri Dam

The Guri Dam in Venezuela is the fourth-largest dam globally, situated on the Caroni River.

• It’s really tall, reaching 162 meters, and super long, stretching over 7.4 kilometers. That makes it one of the biggest concrete dams ever made.
• Construction began way back in 1963 and finally wrapped up in 1978, so it took 15 years to finish.
• The main job of the Guri Dam is to make electricity for Venezuela. It can produce a whopping 10,235 megawatts, covering about 73% of the country’s electricity needs.
• Building this dam had its problems, like delays and political troubles. But despite the challenges, it’s a crucial source of power for Venezuela and has played a big role in helping the region grow economically.

Fifth Largest Dam in the World – Tucuruí Dam

Located on the Tocantins River in Brazil, the Tucuruí Dam is the fifth largest dam in the world.

• It’s really long, stretching over 11 kilometers, and stands at 78 meters tall.
• The dam can hold a lot of water—45 billion cubic meters.
• It’s powerful too, making up to 8,370 megawatts of electricity.
• They finished building it in 1984, and its main job is to generate power.

Sixth Largest Dam in the World – Grand Coulee Dam

The Grand Coulee Dam in Washington State, USA, is the sixth-largest dam in the world, found on the Columbia River.

• It’s pretty tall, standing at 168 meters, and quite long, stretching over 1.6 kilometers. It’s one of the biggest concrete dams in North America.
• They started building it in 1933 and finished in 1942, so it took 9 years to complete.
• The main job of the Grand Coulee Dam is to make electricity. It can produce 6,809 megawatts, providing power to more than 2 million people.
• But it’s not just about electricity. This dam also helps with irrigation and controlling floods. And because of its size and the beautiful views, lots of people like to visit it.

Seventh Largest Dam in the World – Longtan Dam

The Longtan Dam in China’s Guangxi Province is the seventh-largest dam globally, situated on the Hongshui River.

• It’s really tall, reaching 904 feet, and quite long, stretching over 3,200 feet.
• They started building it in 2001 and finished in 2009, so it took 8 years to complete.
• The Longtan Dam makes a lot of electricity—6,426 megawatts. It’s an important source of hydroelectric power for
• the southern part of China.
• Besides making power, its big reservoir can hold a massive amount of water—30.3 billion cubic meters. This helps with controlling floods and providing water for irrigation.

Eighth Largest Dam in the World – Sayano-Shushenskaya Dam

The Sayano-Shushenskaya Dam in Russia, on the Yenisei River, is the eighth-largest dam globally.

• It’s really tall, standing at 810 feet, and quite long, stretching over 2,743 feet.
• Construction started in 1968 and finished in 1985, so it took 17 years to complete.
• This dam can produce a lot of electricity—6,400 megawatts. It has ten turbine generators.
• It also has a big reservoir that can hold up to 31 billion cubic meters of water.
• Even though it’s in a far-off area, the Sayano-Shushenskaya Dam helps provide electricity to several industrial cities in Russia.

Ninth Largest Dam in the World – Krasnoyarsk Dam

The Krasnoyarsk Dam is on the Yenisei River and is the ninth-largest dam globally.

• It’s really tall, standing at 560 feet, and quite wide, stretching over 2,562 feet.
• They started building it in 1956 and finished in 1972, so it took 16 years to complete.
• The dam can produce a good amount of electricity-around 6,000 megawatts.

Tenth Largest Dam in the World – Robert-Bourassa Dam

The Robert-Bourassa Dam is in Canada on the La Grande River and is the tenth-largest dam globally.

• It’s pretty long, stretching over 2.3 kilometers, and stands at 162 meters tall.
• The dam can hold a massive amount of water—61.3 billion cubic meters.
• It can make a good amount of electricity too—5,616 megawatts.
• They finished building it in 1981, and its main job is to generate hydroelectric power.

Top  Largest Dams in the World

• Three Gorges Dam, China: The powerhouse of hydroelectric energy.
• Itaipu Dam, Brazil/Paraguay: A marvel of modern engineering.
• Xiluodu Dam, China: Combining power with environmental initiatives.
• Guri Dam, Venezuela: A critical source of renewable energy.
• Tucuruí Dam, Brazil: Pioneering sustainable hydroelectric power.

World’s Largest Dam

• The Three Gorges Dam in China stands as the world’s largest, by both capacity and structure.

Largest Dams in the World 2024

• New entries include the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, Ethiopia, showcasing Africa’s hydroelectric potential.

Biggest Dams in the World 2024

• The list remains dominated by the Three Gorges Dam, with the Itaipu Dam and the Xiluodu Dam following closely.

Top 10 Longest Dams in the World

• Hirakud Dam, India: The longest earthen dam, stretching over 25 kilometers.
• Atatürk Dam, Turkey: A key component of the Southeastern Anatolia Project.

Largest Hydroelectric Dams

• Three Gorges Dam leads in hydroelectric capacity, significantly contributing to China’s energy mix.

World’s Top Dams by Capacity

• Focuses on the sheer volume of water these structures can control and the power they generate.

Major Dams Around the Globe

• Hoover Dam, USA: An iconic symbol of human ingenuity.
• Aswan High Dam, Egypt: Vital for irrigation and electricity in the region.