Qinghai Lake, China
Qinghai Lake, Kokonor or Tsongon Po is the largest lake in the People’s Republic of China. Located in Qinghai province on an endorheic basin, Qinghai Lake is classified as a saline and alkaline lake. Qinghai Lake has a surface area of 4,317 square km; an average depth of 21m, and a maximum depth of 25.5m as measured in 2008.
The current Chinese name “Qinghai,” the older Mongolian name Kokonor, and the Tibetan name translate to “Green Sea”, “Blue Lake” and “Teal Sea”, respectively. Qinghai Lake is located about 100 kilometres west of the provincial capital of Xining at 3,205 m (10,515 feet) above sea level in a hollow of the Tibetan plateau. Twenty-three rivers and streams empty into Qinghai Lake, most of them seasonal. Five permanent streams provide 80% of total influx.
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