Lake Alakol
| Alakol Lake | |
|---|---|
| Алакөл | |
Alakol lakeshore panorama. | |
| Location | Abai and Jetisu regions, Kazakhstan |
| Coordinates | 46°10′N 81°35′E / 46.167°N 81.583°E |
| Type | salt lake |
| Basin countries | Kazakhstan |
| Surface area | 2,650 km2 (1,020 sq mi) |
| Max. depth | 54 m (177 ft) |
| Water volume | 58.6 km3 (47,500,000 acre⋅ft) |
| Surface elevation | 347 m (1,138 ft) |
Alakol Lake (Kazakh: Алакөл, Alaköl, from Turkic "motley lake") is a lake located in the Balkhash-Alakol Basin, part of the Abai and Jetisu regions, in east-central Kazakhstan. Its elevation is 347 m (1,138 ft) above sea level.
The lake is the northwest extension of the region known as the Dzhungarian Gate (Alataw Pass), a narrow valley that connects the southern uplands of Kazakhstan with arid northwest China. The Dzhungarian Gate is a fault-bounded valley (see vertical line on the image along the southwest side of the lake) where the elevation of the valley floor is between 350 and 450 m above sea level and the peaks of the Dzhungarsky Alatau range (lower left) reach 4,463 m (14,642 ft) above sea level. Two well-defined alluvial fans are visible where mountain streams cut through the faulted landscape to the southwest of the lake.
Its waters are reputed to have medicinal properties since the time of the Silk Road. In 2021, Lake Alakol was selected as one of the top 10 tourist destinations in Kazakhstan.