Sayram_Lake
Sayram Lake
Lake in Xinjiang, China
Sayram Lake (Chinese: 赛里木湖; pinyin: Sàilǐmù hú; Kazakh: Сайрам көлі, romanized: Sairam köli; Mongolian: Сайрам нуур, romanized: Sairam nurr), also known as Santai Haizi (Chinese: 三台海子) or historically the "Clean Sea" (净海), is an endorheic freshwater lake in the northern Tianshan Mountains at Börtala Mongol Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang, China, less than 50 km (31 mi) from the border with Kazakhstan. The name Sayram originally derives from Kazakh, meaning "blessing".
The lake is the largest (458 km2 or 177 sq mi) and also the highest (at 2,070 m or 6,790 ft) alpine lake in Xinjiang, largely filled by glacial meltwater, residual precipitation from the Eurasian westerlies and runoffs from the surrounding mountain chains, as well as some groundwater springing and seepage. It is an AAAA National Scenic Area since 2010.