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Issyk Kul

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: General Geography

   Lake Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan
   Lake Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan - Issyk Kul from space, September 1992

                    Issyk Kul from space, September 1992

   Coordinates 42°30′N 77°30′E
   Lake type Endorheic
   Mountain lake
   Monomitic
   Primary sources Glaciers
   Ču River
   Primary outflows Evaporation
   Catchment area 15,844 km²
   Basin countries Kyrgyzstan
   Max-length 182 km
   Max-width 60 km
   Surface area 6,236 km²
   Average depth 270 m
   Max-depth 668 m
   Water volume 1,738 km³
   Shore length^1 688 km
   Surface elevation 1,606 m
   Settlements Cholpon-Ata
   ^1 Shore length is an imprecise measure which may not be standardized
   for this article.

   Issyk Kul (also Ysyk Köl, Issyk-kol) is an endorheic lake in the
   northern Tian Shan mountains in eastern Kyrgyzstan. Although it is
   surrounded by snow-capped peaks, it never freezes, hence its name,
   which means "warm lake" in the Kyrgyz language. It has a length of 182
   km, a width of up to 60 km, and covers an area of 6,236 km². This makes
   it the second largest mountain lake in the world behind Lake Titicaca.
   Located at an altitude of 1,606 m, it reaches 668 m in depth. It is fed
   by springs, including many hot springs, and snow melt-off, and it has
   no current outlet. Its southern shore is dominated by the ruggedly
   beautiful Tian Shan mountain range. The lake is slightly saline and its
   level drops by approximately 5 cm per year.
   Issyk Kul beach (2002)
   Enlarge
   Issyk Kul beach (2002)

   During the Soviet era, the lake became a popular vacation resort, with
   numerous sanatoria, boarding houses and vacation homes along its
   northern shore, many concentrated in and around the town of
   Cholpon-Ata. These fell on hard times after the break-up of the USSR,
   but now hotel complexes are being refurbished and simple private
   bed-and-breakfast pensions are being established for a new generation
   of health and leisure visitors.

   The city of Karakol (formerly Przhevalsk, after the Russian explorer
   Przhevalsky who died there) is the administrative seat of Issyk-Kul
   oblast or province. It is located near the eastern tip of the lake and
   is a good base for excursions into the surrounding area. Its small old
   core contains an impressive wooden mosque, built witout metal nails by
   the Uighur people, and a wooden Orthodox church that was used as a
   stable during Soviet times.

   A 14th century Armenian monastery was found on the northeastern shores
   of the lake by retracing the steps of a medieval map used by Venetian
   merchants on the Silk Road.

   Sevan trout, a fish endemic to Lake Sevan in Armenia, was introduced
   into Issyk-Kul in the 1970s. While this fish is an endangered species
   in its "home" lake, it has a much better chance to survive in Lake
   Issyk-Kul where it has ravaged the indigenous species.

The Legend of its Creation

   Issyk Kul at sundown (2002)
   Enlarge
   Issyk Kul at sundown (2002)

   In Islamic legend, the king of the Ossounes had ass's ears. He would
   hide them, and order each of his barbers killed to hide his secret. One
   barber yelled the secret into a well, but he didn't cover the well
   after. The well water rose and flooded the kingdom. The kingdom is
   today under the waters of Issyk-Kul. This is how the lake was formed,
   so legend says. Other legends say that four drowned cities lie at the
   bottom of the lake; in fact, substantial archaeological finds have been
   made in shallow waters of the lake.

Russian Navy test site

   There is a long-established Soviet, now Russian, test site located at
   the lake, where submarine and torpedo technology was evaluated.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Issyk_Kul"
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   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
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