| Tengiz | |
|---|---|
| Теңіз көлі | |
 2008 | |
  Tengiz | |
| Location | Kazakhstan |
| Coordinates | 50°26′23″N68°54′0″E / 50.43972°N 68.90000°E /50.43972; 68.90000 |
| Type | Salt lake |
| Primary inflows | Nura,Kulanotpes |
| Basin countries | Kazakhstan |
| Surface area | 1,382 km2 (534 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) |
| Max. depth | 6.7 m (22 ft) |
| Shore length1 | 470 km (290 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 305 m (1,001 ft) |
| Islands | Tengizi Islands |
| Official name | Kourgaldzhin and Tengiz Lakes |
| Designated | 11 October 1976 |
| Reference no. | 107[1] |
| 1 Shore length isnot a well-defined measure. | |
Tengiz Lake (Kazakh:Теңіз көлі,Teñız kölı;Russian:Тенгиз[2]) is asaline lake inKorgalzhyn District,Akmola Region,Kazakhstan.[3]
On 16 October 1976, theSovietspacecraftSoyuz 23 unintentionally splashed down into the northern part of the lake, which was frozen, crashing through the ice. The crew was saved thanks to a very difficult but successful rescue operation.[4]
Tengiz is a shallow lake, subject to seasonal variations in water level. Its eastern shore is deeply indented and includes theTengizi Islands.[5] The lake is located in anintermontane basin of theKazakh Uplands and is the largest of the area.[6]
TheNura andKulanotpes are the main rivers flowing into the lake. LakeKorgalzhyn is located in the eastern part,Kiyakty to the southeast,Kozhakol to the north, andKypshak andKerey to the southwest of lake Tengiz.[7]
The lake Tengiz area is an important wetland site forbirds. It is a part of aRamsar wetland site of international importance, the Tengiz-Korgalzhyn Lake System, where 318 species of birds have been recorded, 22 of which are endangered.[8] Neighboring lakeKorgalzhyn is the most northerly nesting site for theGreater flamingo; in the years 2006-2011 around 45,000 members of that species were noted. In 2015, however, the number dropped to less than 15,000. The lake is part of theKorgalzhyn Nature Reserve, for which it was nominated in 2008 together with theNaurzum Nature Reserve as the first naturalUNESCOWorld Heritage Site in Kazakhstan (Saryarka — Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan).
Media related toLake Tengiz at Wikimedia Commons | ThisKazakhstan location article is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |
