The main pride of Turkey and its main resort is the greatest and world famous Lake Van. This unique reservoir is very beautiful and with an unusual nature around it arose many years ago and is distinguished by the fact that it is the only soda lake in the world of this magnitude. And in the top “Non-Breathable Salt Lakes of the World” it takes an honorable 4th place.
In addition to the fact that the water in the pond is very salty, it also contains many sodium salts, in particular soda, because of this, the water in the lake resembles a soap solution in its composition and, by the way, perfectly launders things. Of course, people are happy to use the blessings given to them by nature, and quite often come to the lake to rinse, and at the same time to improve the body.
Origin
About two hundred thousand years ago, Nemrut volcano woke up, as a result of which an avalanche stream, which had a length of more than 60 km, blocked the outflow of water from the Vanskoy depression to the Mushskaya, thereby leading to the appearance of a reservoir. Now the lake is located in the deepest part of the basin and is surrounded by high mountain ranges of long extinct volcanoes. Scientists believe that after some time, Lake Van will begin to decrease and, probably, subsequently completely disappear from the face of the earth. This will happen due to the fact that the expanding erosion of the East Taurus is gradually establishing a new flow of water into the Tigris river basin .
Location
The lake is located in the Armenian Highlands - this is the eastern part of modern Turkey. The place where Lake Van is located is raised to a height of 1648 meters. The area of the lake itself is 3574 km². It has a rather unusual shape, somewhat similar to a triangle, and its depth in some places can reach 451 m. This is the most impressive lake in Turkey, with a total water volume of 576 km³.
It has an incredibly huge number of small and very beautiful islands, and the largest and most famous island of Lim lies in the northern part of the reservoir. No soda lakes in the world can compare with it in size. That is why the pit is rightly called the lake-sea.
Features
Four small rivers flow into the lake: Bendimakhi and Zeylan-Deresi on the northern side of the reservoir, and Karashu and Michinger on the eastern side. They feed Lake Van. It is quite remarkable that at the mouths of these rivers the water in the lake is fresh, while the total salinity of the water (taken from the bottom) is 67%, which is 2 times higher than in the sea. The salinity level in different parts of the lake varies greatly in concentration.
Also, from April to June, the pond receives an even larger portion of fresh water, replenished due to thawed snow near the lying mountains and prolonged spring rains. By July, the water level reaches its maximum mark.
Experts argue that the water of Lake Van is much healthier than the Dead Sea precisely because of its unsurpassed chemical composition. Tourists and people living near the pond even treat diseases such as arthritis and rheumatism.
Climate
Due to its high location on the lake, fairly mild weather conditions have been established. In winter it is not as cold here as in other regions of Turkey, and in summer there is no strong heat. Surrounded by a ring of mountain peaks, it is completely protected from strong winds, because Lake Van is always calm, there is no unrest, it is always quiet.
For its part, lake water of such a large volume also significantly softens the climate around it. This makes it possible to grow a huge number of thermophilic fruit trees in this area. Therefore, stunning apple, peach and olive orchards bloom along the shores of the lake, creating a complete sense of magic and some unreality of what is happening.
Due to the high salt concentration, the water in the lake practically does not freeze, except in the area of small areas on the northern side of the reservoir. In summer, the surface temperature rises to +20 ° C, cools in winter. But at a depth of more than 50 meters throughout the year, the water temperature does not change, holding at around +3 ° C.
Wonders
The local water is extremely saturated with carbonate, sulfate and sodium chloride, which makes it absolutely unsuitable for drinking and unsuitable for fish. But, surprisingly, Lake Van boasts a unique fish, the only one that can live in its halls, and you will not find it anywhere except on this lake. This fish is called pearl mullet, and it belongs to the species of cyprinids, although it looks more like a herring in its appearance. The fish feels great both in fresh and in salt water with a salt concentration of up to 23%, but spawns only at the mouths of rivers and streams that flow into the lake, where there is fresh water.
And the Lake Van region around the world is famous for the rarest breed of cat that lives here. Its main difference is that it simply adores swimming and is absolutely not afraid of water. And her eyes are most often of different colors - blue and green. Here is such an unusual cat.
Turkish Lake Van is truly one of the most unusual places in the world that is definitely worth a visit. It is distinguished by its incredible beauty and unique beneficial properties.