Qinghai Lake

Qinghai Lake, anciently known as 'West Sea', is also hailed as 'Fairy Sea', 'Freshwater Sea' or 'Beihuqiang Sea'. It is one of the highest lakes in the world, with a lake surface altitude of 3196 meters. It is located in the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the northwestern part of Xining City, Qinghai Province, and the southern part of Gangcha County, about 136 kilometers away from Xining City, between 99°36′E and 100°16′E, and 36°32′N and 37°15′N. The overall contour of the Qinghai Lake basin is elliptical, tilting from northwest to southeast, forming a closed inland basin. In addition, Qinghai Lake has a plateau continental climate and is a slightly saline lake with a high degree of mineralization. Its water replenishment sources are mainly river water, followed by spring water from the lake bottom and precipitation.