Qinghai Lake
| Qinghai Lake | |
|---|---|
From space (November 1994). North is to the left. | |
| Location | Qinghai |
| Coordinates | 37°00′N 100°08′E / 37.000°N 100.133°E |
| Type | Endorheic salt lake |
| Basin countries | China |
| Surface area | 4,186 km2 (1,616 sq mi) (2004) 4,489 km2 (1,733 sq mi) (2007) 4,543 km2 (1,754 sq mi) (2020) |
| Max. depth | 32.8 m (108 ft) |
| Water volume | 108 km3 (26 cu mi) |
| Surface elevation | 3,260 m (10,700 ft) |
| Islands | Sand Island, Bird Islands |
| Settlements | Haiyan County |
| References | |
Qinghai Lake is the largest lake in China. Located in an endorheic basin in Qinghai Province, to which it gave its name, Qinghai Lake is classified as an alkaline salt lake. The lake has fluctuated in size, shrinking over much of the 20th century but increasing since 2004. It had a surface area of 4,317 km2 (1,667 sq mi), an average depth of 21 m (69 ft), and a maximum depth of 25.5 m (84 ft) in 2008.