Lake Balqash facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lake Balkhash Балқаш Көлі Озеро Балхаш
View from Space, April 1991
Map of the Lake Balkhash drainage basin
Location	Kazakhstan
Coordinates	46°10′N 74°20′E / 46.167°N 74.333°E / 46.167; 74.333
Type	Endorheic, Saline
Primary inflows	Ili, Karatal, Aksu, Lepsy, Byan, Kapal, Koksu rivers
Primary outflows	evaporation
Basin countries	Kazakhstan 85% China 15%
Max. length	605 km (376 mi)
Max. width	East 19 km (12 mi) West 74 km (46 mi)
Surface area	16,400 km2 (6,300 sq mi)
Average depth	5.8 m (19 ft)
Max. depth	26 m (85 ft)
Water volume	106 cu mi (440 km3)
Surface elevation	341.4 m (1,120 ft)
Frozen	November to March

Lake Balkhash (Kazakh: Balqash kóli) is located in Kazakhstan. It is one of the largest lakes in Asia and 15th largest in the world.

It belongs to a Central Asian endorheic basin shared by Kazakhstan, China, and Kyrgyzstan. Water moves from the basin to Balqash via seven rivers. The most important one is the Ili River. Water in the Ili River comes from melted snow from the mountains of China's Xinjiang.

Images for kids

• 

  Satellite image of the Karatal River delta

• 

  Lake Balkhash in the spring, 2008

• 

  Coastal cane

• 

  A view from the lake of the Balkhash Mining and Metallurgy Plant.

• 

  Lake Balkhash, the neighborhood of the city Priozersk

• 

  A pier near Balkhash City

See also

In Spanish: Lago Baljash para niños