Aksu (Lake Balkhash)
| Aksu | |
|---|---|
Map of the Lake Balkhash drainage basin | |
| Location | |
| Country | Kazakhstan |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Dzungarian Alatau Mountains |
| Mouth | |
• location | Lake Balkhash |
• coordinates | 46°19′24″N 78°12′36″E / 46.32342°N 78.21004°E |
| Length | 316 km (196 mi) |
| Basin size | 5,040 km2 (1,950 sq mi) |
The Aksu (Kazakh: Ақсу, Aqsu; Russian: Аксу) is a river of the Balkhash-Alakol Basin, Kazakhstan. It originates in the Dzungarian Alatau Mountains near the border with China and flows into Lake Balkhash. In Turkic languages, the name 'ak+su' literally means "clean/white water". The Aksu is one of the main rivers of the historic region of Zhetysu. It is 316 kilometres (196 mi) long, and has a drainage basin of 5,040 square kilometres (1,950 sq mi).