Van, Lake

Van, Lake
Salt lake, eastern Anatolia.

The largest lake in Turkey, it covers an area of 1,434 sq mi (3,713 sq km) and is more than 74 mi (119 km) across at its widest point. Its greatest depth exceeds 330 ft (100 m). It is fed by precipitation and meltwater as well as by several small tributaries. It has no apparent outlet, and its brackish waters are unsuitable for either drinking or irrigation.

* * *

Turkish  Van Gölü,  

      lake, largest body of water in Turkey and the second largest in the Middle East. The lake is located in the region of eastern Anatolia near the border of Iran. It covers an area of 1,434 square miles (3,713 square km) and is more than 74 miles (119 km) across at its widest point. Known to the ancient Greek geographers as Thospitis Lacus, or Arsissa Lacus, its modern Turkish name, Van Gölü, is derived from Van, or Chauon, the name of the capital of the Urartian kingdom that flourished on the lake's eastern shore between the 10th and 8th centuries BC. Roughly triangular in shape, the lake lies in an enclosed basin; its brackish waters are unsuitable for either drinking or irrigation. The salt water allows for no animal life save the darekh (related to the European bleak, a small soft-finned river fish of the carp family), a freshwater fish that has adapted to a saline environment.

      Lake Van occupies the lowest part of a vast basin bordered by high mountains to the south, by plateaus and mountains to the east, and by a complex of volcanic cones to the west. At some time during the Pleistocene Epoch (10,000, to about 2,000,000 years ago), a lava flow from the Nemrut volcano extended for nearly 37 miles (60 km) across the southwestern end of the basin, blocking westward drainage to the Murat River and thereby transforming the depression into a lake basin without outlet.

      Lake Van is divided into two sections; the main body of water is separated from its much shallower northern extension by a narrow passage. Its shores are generally steep and lined with cliffs; the southern shore is extremely sinuous and eroded. The waters are dotted with islands, including Gadir, the largest, in the north; Çarpanak in the east; and Aktamar and Atrek in the south. The main body of the lake to the south is much deeper than its northern section, with the greatest depths exceeding 330 feet (100 m).

      Lake Van's catchment area exceeds 5,790 square miles (15,000 square km); it forms the largest interior basin of Turkey except for that of the central Anatolian region. The lake is fed by rainfall and meltwater as well as by several tributaries, notably the Bendimahi and Zilan rivers, which flow in from the north, and the Karasu and Micinger rivers, which enter the lake from the east. Lake Van experiences a seasonal variation of its water level of about 20 inches (50 cm) per year. It is lowest during the winter months and begins to rise after the spring thaw. With the arrival of additional water from the melted snows of the surrounding mountains, the lake rises to its highest level in July.

      The lake has three distinct temperature zones in summer, consisting of an upper layer of warm water, a lower region of cold water, and an intermediate transitional layer. During the winter the surface cools quickly; occasionally the shallow northern sector freezes over. Freezing of the entire lake is retarded by its high salinity. The most abundant salts in the lake are sodium carbonate and sodium sulfate.

      A regular passenger boat service plies the lake between the coastal towns; there is a small shipyard at Tuğ on the southwestern shore.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Van,Lake — Van (văn, vän), Lake A salt lake of eastern Turkey. It is the largest lake in the country. * * * …   Universalium

  • Van, Lake — [van; vän] a large saltwater lake in the mountains of eastern Turkey …   Useful english dictionary

  • Nam Van Lake — Coordinates: 22°11′07″N 113°32′31″E / 22.18534°N 113.54198°E / 22.18534; 113.54198 Nam Van Lake (Portuguese …   Wikipedia

  • Turk Van Lake — (* 15. Juni 1918 in Boston als Vanig Rupen Hovsepian; † 1. September 2002 in Staten Island) war ein US amerikanischer Jazzgitarrist, Komponist, Arrangeur, Autor und Musikpädagoge. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Leben und Wirken 2 Weblinks …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Sai Van Lake — (Portuguese: Lago Sai Van; zh tsp|t=西灣湖|s=西湾湖|p=xīwānhú) is one of two man made lakes in the Macau Peninsula. It is located at the southern tip of the peninsula.The lake was once a bay and closed off by infill. Sai Van means West Bay Sai Van Lake …   Wikipedia

  • Van — /van/; for 1, 2 also Turk. /vahn/, n. 1. Lake, a salt lake in E Turkey. 1454 sq. mi. (3766 sq. km). 2. a town on this lake. 88,597. 3. a male given name. * * * I City (pop., 1997: 226,965), eastern Turkey, on the eastern shore of Lake Van. The… …   Universalium

  • Van — [van] Lake salt lake in E Turkey: c. 1,450 sq mi (3,755 sq km) …   English World dictionary

  • Lake Van — Infobox lake lake name = Lake Van image lake = Van golu.jpg caption lake = From space, September 1996 (top of image is roughly northwest) image bathymetry = caption bathymetry = location = coords = coord|38|38|N|42|49|E|region:TR… …   Wikipedia

  • van — van1 /van/, n. 1. the foremost or front division of an army, a fleet, or any group leading an advance or in position to lead an advance. 2. those who are in the forefront of a movement or the like. 3. the forefront in any movement, course of… …   Universalium

  • lake — lake1 /layk/, n. 1. a body of fresh or salt water of considerable size, surrounded by land. 2. any similar body or pool of other liquid, as oil. 3. (go) jump in the lake, (used as an exclamation of dismissal or impatience.) [bef. 1000; ME lak(e) …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”