Lake Constance facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Constance |
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| Location | Germany, Switzerland, Austria |
| Coordinates | 47°35′N 9°28′E / 47.583°N 9.467°E |
| Type | glacial lake |
| Native name | Bodensee Error {{native name checker}}: parameter value is malformed (help) |
| Part of | Rhine |
| Primary inflows | Alpine Rhine |
| Primary outflows | High Rhine |
| Catchment area | 11,500 km2 (4,400 sq mi) |
| Basin countries | Germany, Switzerland, Austria |
| Max. length | 63 km (39 mi) |
| Max. width | 14 km (8.7 mi) |
| Surface area | 536 km2 (207 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 90 m (300 ft) |
| Max. depth | 251 m (823 ft) |
| Water volume | 48 km3 (12 cu mi; 39,000,000 acre⋅ft) |
| Residence time | 4.3 years |
| Shore length1 | 273 km (170 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 395 m (1,296 ft) |
| Frozen | 1795, 1830, 1880 (partial), 1963 |
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| Sections/sub-basins |
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| Settlements | see list |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Lake Constace or Lake of Constance (German: Bodensee) is a large Lake on the river Rhine. It is on the border between Germany and Switzerland and Austria. It is the third largest lake in Central Europe after Lake Balaton and Lake Geneva. It is made of two smaller lakes (called Obersee and Untersee (Upper and lower lake) respectively). These are joined by a small part of river in Constance. The lake covers about 564 km2 (218 sq mi) of total area.
There are three big islands in the lake. The islands Lindau and Mainau are in the Obersee. Reichenau is in the Untersee. The Obersee is about 63 km (39 mi) long, from Bregenz to Ludwigshafen. It is about 14 km (9 mi) wide at its widest point between Romanshorn and Friedrichshafen. The deepest point is 254 m (833 ft) deep, between Fischbach and Uttwil (just off Constance).
The lake forms the border between Austria, Germany and Switzerland. On much of its length, this border has not been defined. Switzerland thinks the border runs through the middle of the lake. Austria thinks the lake is a condominium of all the countries. A condominium is a space that is governed by all countries taking part in it. Germany has no clear view.
Other legal issues, like navigation and fishing are governed by separate treaties. About 62% of the lake's shoreline belongs to Germany, about 33% to Switzerland, and the remaining 11% to Austria.
In 1963, the whole lake froze. This has not happened since then.
- German towns:
- Konstanz
- Radolfzell
- Meersburg
- Überlingen
- Friedrichshafen
- Lindau
- Swiss towns:
- Austrian towns:
Images for kids
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Location of Lake Constance within the Duchy of Swabia (yellow), 911–1268
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Saints Columbanus and Gallus on Lake Constance, from a 15th-century manuscript
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1540 map of the Lake Constance region
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Complete lake from the Winterstaude
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Lake Constance with the Island of Lindau seen from the Pfänder in 2007
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The mouth of the Alpine Rhine into Lake Constance
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The island of Mainau
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Sandy beach at the Marienschlucht
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Summer storm – view of the Luitpold Barracks in Lindau
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Waves raised by föhn winds on the lake
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Frozen lake surface: skating in the Markelfinger Winkel
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Lake Constance, seen from a vineyard
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Flooding on the shore of Lake Constance, May 2013
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The Mettnau peninsula
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Coot in Hard am Bodensee
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Lake Constance seen from Spot satellite.
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Pilgrimage church of Birnau
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Diving spot "devils table" at Lake Constanze
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"Rund-um" (All-Around) Regatta next to Lindau
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The steamboat, Hohentwiel
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View from the Pfänder hill of Bregenz and the lake (with Lindau in the background)
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Reichenau seen from the German shore
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Lake Constance from Lindau
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Twilight near Arbon
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The Lower Lake (Untersee)
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Dingelsdorf shipping pier
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See also
In Spanish: Lago de Constanza para niños
