| Lake Ilmen | |
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  Lake Ilmen | |
| Location | Novgorod Oblast |
| Coordinates | 58°16′12″N31°17′18″E / 58.27000°N 31.28833°E /58.27000; 31.28833 |
| Primary inflows | Msta,Lovat,Shelon |
| Primary outflows | Volkhov |
| Catchment area | 67,200 km2 (25,900 sq mi)[1] |
| Basin countries | Russia |
| Max. length | 40 km (25 mi) |
| Max. width | 32 km (20 mi) |
| Surface area | 982 km2 (379 sq mi)[1] |
| Max. depth | 10 m (33 ft) |
| Water volume | 12 km3 (2.9 cu mi) |
| Surface elevation | 18 m (59 ft) |
Lake Ilmen (Russian:И́льмень,IPA:[ˈilʲmʲɪnʲ]) is a large lake inNovgorod Oblast,Russia. A historically important lake, it formed a vital part of the medievaltrade route from the Varangians to the Greeks. The city ofVeliky Novgorod, which is a major trade center of the route, lies six kilometres (3.7 mi) below the lake's sole outflow, via theVolkhov River.
According toMax Vasmer'sEtymological Dictionary, the name of the lake originates fromFinnicIlmajärvi, which means "air lake". Thanks to Novgorodian colonisation, many lakes in Russia have names deriving from Lake Ilmen.[2]Yuri Otkupshchikov has argued that the presence of the name "Ilmen" in Southern Russia cannot be explained by Novgorodian colonisation alone, and proposed a Slavic etymology instead.[3]
The average surface area of the lake is 982 square kilometres (379 mi2) (it may vary between 733 square kilometres (283 mi2) and 2,090 square kilometres (810 mi2) depending on water level). The lake is fed by 52 inflowing rivers, the four main ones being theMsta, thePola, theLovat, and theShelon. It is drained through a single outlet, theVolkhov, intoLake Ladoga, and subsequently via theNeva into theGulf of Finland. The source of the Volkhov is marked by thePeryn Chapel built in the 1220s.
The basin of Lake Ilmen contains vast areas in Novgorod,Pskov, andTver Oblasts of Russia, as well as minor areas in the north ofVitebsk Region inBelarus.
The water level is regulated by theVolkhov hydroelectric plant situated downstream the Volkhov River. Water temperature in July is 19-20 °C. The bathing season is about 90 days.
Lake Ilmen is navigable. Shipping lines areVeliky Novgorod –Staraya Russa andVeliky Novgorod –Shimsk. There is a fishery in the lake.
The lake area was the location of an important battle duringWorld War II, theDemyansk Pocket.
Media related toIlmen Lake at Wikimedia Commons
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