Issyk-Kul
A deep, warm lake in the heart of the Tian Shan.
Where the lake is
The pulsing dot marks the lake's position (Kyrgyzstan).
among the 18 lakes in this section
Its mountain setting and modest outline can suggest a shallow lake with little water.
Issyk-Kul holds more than six times as much water as Lake Winnipeg despite having about one quarter of its surface area. Its mean depth is more than 23 times greater.
About the lake
Issyk-Kul lies at 1,607 m in the Tian Shan mountains. Despite the cold mountain setting, its main surface usually stays ice free, which explains a name meaning 'warm lake'. It is brackish and endorheic, with no river flowing out.
Although its 6,236 km² surface is moderate, the lake is exceptionally deep. It reaches 668 m and averages 278 m. That gives it a volume of 1,738 km³ and places it among the world's largest lakes by volume.
Issyk-Kul: Questions
Its great depth stores a large amount of heat, while mild salinity lowers the freezing point. The main surface therefore usually stays ice free, although shallow bays can freeze.
Its maximum depth is 668 m and its mean depth 278 m. It is one of the world's deepest lakes and the second deepest endorheic lake after the Caspian Sea.
About 1,738 km³ across 6,236 km². The large volume follows from a mean depth of 278 m.