Detailed Data
Lake Balaton
Partner Living Lakes
Association of Civil Organisations of Balaton (lead organisation)
in cooperation with
Lake Balaton Development Coordination Agency (partner organisation)
Partner Lake since
2003
Origin
erosion and minor tectonic movements
Age
7 - 5 thousand years (Holocene Age)
Size
Length, width
75 km, 1.5 - 12 km
Protected area
13 sq. km [km²] Ramsar site (since 1989)
616 sq. km [km²] National Park
Water volume
Maximum depth
10.2 m
Average depth
Sea level
104.8 m
Catchment area
5,181 sq. km [km²], without the surface of the lake
Largest in-flow
Zala River
Out-flows
1 (Sio-canal)
Islands
Salinity
fresh water (450 mg/l)
Precipitation per year
621 mm
Mean air temperature
10.4 °C
Completely frozen over
Ice cover - days
approx. 50 days per year
Location
Hungary
Vegetation of the surrounding area
35 % natural landscape
56.5 % agricultural land
8.4 % others (gardens, vineyards, orchards)
Birds
250 species, of which 27 species are strictly protected (spoon-bill, long-eared owl)
Insects
1,000 species
Fish
Inhabitants in the lake area
404,800 (78 persons per sq. km [km²])
Biggest problem
water level drop due to decreased precipitation and increased evaporation
Industrial exploitation
Tourism activities
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