Lake Nasser
| Lake Nasser | |
|---|---|
View from Abu Simbel | |
Map showing the location of the lake | |
| Coordinates | 22°30′N 31°52′E / 22.50°N 31.86°E |
| Lake type | Reservoir |
| Primary inflows | |
| Primary outflows | |
| Basin countries | Egypt, Sudan |
| Max. length | 550 km (340 mi) |
| Max. width | 35 km (22 mi) |
| Surface area | 5,250 km2 (2,030 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 25.2 m (83 ft) |
| Max. depth | 130 m (430 ft) |
| Water volume | 132 km3 (32 cu mi) |
| Shore length1 | 7,844 km (25,735,000 ft) |
| Surface elevation | 183 m (600 ft) |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Lake Nasser (Arabic: بحيرة ناصر Boħeiret Nāṣer, Egyptian Arabic: [boˈħeiɾet ˈnɑːseɾ]) is a large reservoir in southern Egypt and northern Sudan. It was created by the construction of the Aswan High Dam and is one of the largest man-made lakes in the world. Before its creation, the project faced opposition from Sudan as it would encroach on land in the northern part of the country, where many Nubian people lived who would have to be resettled. In the end Sudan's land near the area of Lake Nasser was mostly flooded by the lake. The lake has become an important economic resource in Egypt, improving agriculture and touting robust fishing and tourism industries.
Strictly speaking, "Lake Nasser" refers only to the much larger portion of the lake that is in Egyptian territory (83% of the total), with the Sudanese preferring to call their smaller body of water Lake Nubia (Egyptian Arabic: بحيرة النوبية Boħēret Nubeya, [boˈħeːɾet nʊˈbejjæ]).