The second largest saline lake in the world (after the Caspian sea), the lake stands at 182 kms in length and up to 60 kms in width with a total area of 6,236 sq. kms. It’s located at 1,600 meters altitude and has a max depth of 670 meters. This also makes it the 2nd largest mountain lake in the world. By volume it is the 10th largest. The lake has 118 rivers and streams flowing into it with no outlet. It is also fed by springs, hot springs and snow melt off.
The lake is located in the beautiful Tian Shan mountain ranges and was a stop-over on the silk route. It was once used as a test site for submarine and torpedo technology by the erstwhile soviets. A lot of history is permeated in and around the lake right from the caves of the stone age man.
The lake is located in Kyrgyzstan, and can be viewed as a day trip from Bishkek. It is a popular tourist spot and has numerous boarding houses and vacation homes on its north shore. Although surrounded by snow capped mountains, the lake never freezes and thus the name hot lake (Issyk Kul).
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