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{{for|a lake in Kyrgyzstan|Ala-Kul}}
{{More footnotes|date=February 2014}}
{{Infobox lake
| name = Alakol Lake<br> Алакөл
| image = Lake Alakol.jpg
| caption = Lake Alakol; north at top right
| image_bathymetry =
| caption_bathymetry =
| location = [[Almaty Province|Almaty]] and [[East Kazakhstan Province]], Kazakhstan
| coords = {{coord|46|10|N|81|35|E|type:waterbody_region:KZ|display=inline,title}}
| type = [[salt lake]]
| inflow =
| outflow =
| catchment =
| basin_countries = Kazakhstan
| length =
| width =
| area = {{convert|2,650|km2|abbr=on}}
| depth =
| max-depth = {{convert|54|m|abbr=on}}
| volume = {{convert|58.6|km3|acre.ft|abbr=on}}
| residence_time =
| shore =
| elevation = {{convert|347|m|abbr=on}}
| islands =
| cities =
}}

'''Alakol Lake''' ({{lang-kz| Алакөл}}, ''Turkic'' "motley lake") is a [[lake]] located in the [[Almaty Province|Almaty]] and [[East Kazakhstan Province|Shyghyz]] provinces, east central [[Kazakhstan]]. Its elevation is {{convert|347|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level.

The lake is the northwest extension of the region known as the [[Dzhungarian Gate]] ([[Alataw Pass]]), a narrow valley connects the southern uplands of Kazakhstan with [[arid]] northwest [[China]]. The [[Dzhungarian Gate]] is a fault-bounded valley (see vertical line on the image along the southwest side of the lake) where the elevation of the valley floor is between 350 and 450 m above [[sea level]] and the peaks of the [[Dzhungarsky Alatau]] range (lower left) reach {{convert|4463|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level. Two well-defined [[alluvial fan]]s are visible where mountain streams cut through the faulted landscape to the southwest of the lake.

The surface area of the lake is {{convert|2650|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}. It is {{convert|54|m|ft|abbr=on}} deep at its maximum depth, with a volume of 58.6 km<sup>3</sup>. A [[swamp]]y lowland (just above the center of the photo) connects the northwest end of Lake Alakol with the [[Lake Kosharkol|Kosharkol]] and
[[Lake Sasykkol|Sasykkol]] (the two lighter-colored lakes in the photo). From the southern tip of Lake Alakol a narrow swampy valley connects it to the freshwater [[Lake Zhalanashkol]] (at the bottom edge of the picture).

Alakol Lake, a [[salt lake (geography)|salt lake]], has a [[drainage basin]] of {{convert|65200|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} and receives water periodically from several streams flowing from the [[Tarbagatai Mountains]]. Among them are the southerly draining [[Urdzhar River]] at the north end of the lake, and the [[Emil River]], on the lake's north-eastern shore. During seasonal floods, surplus water drains from Lake Zhalanashkol to
Lake Alakol along the 10-km long slough called Zhaman-Otkel ({{lang-ru|Жаман-Откель}}).<ref name=birds>[https://web.archive.org/web/20131004212543/http://vseprogolub.net/index.php?id=677&page=1] </ref>

The Alakol State Sanctuary has been created to protect the area for the lake is an important breeding and nesting ground for various wetland birds, notably the very rare [[relict gull]]. Piski Island<ref>[http://land.worldcitydb.com/ostrov_piski]{{dead link|date=January 2014}}</ref> has flocks of [[flamingo]], and 40 species of other birds. [[UNESCO]] designated the [[Alakol Biosphere Reserve]] as part of its [[Man and the Biosphere Programme]] in 2013.<ref name="UNESCO">{{cite web|title=Alakol|website=World Network of Biosphere Reserves Directory|url=http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/environment/ecological-sciences/biosphere-reserves/asia-and-the-pacific/kazakhstan/alakol/|publisher=UNESCO|accessdate=31 May 2016}}</ref>

The largest island in Alakol Lake is Ul'kun-Aral-Tyube. It is located in the center of the lake.<ref>[http://land.worldcitydb.com/ostrov_ulã¢â€â™kun-aral-tyube_3238803.html] {{Dead link|date=January 2014}}</ref>

Agricultural activity in this arid region is limited to areas where adequate [[moisture]] is available, mainly along [[ephemeral river|ephemeral streambeds]] and in the deltas and alluvial fans.

The Bronze Age [[Alakul culture]] is situated in the general region of the lake. In the middle of the 1st century BCE the Lake Alakol marked an eastern end of the [[Kangly|Kangar]] state, shown on Chinese maps of the Western territory.

==See also==
* [[Emin Valley]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.ilec.or.jp/database/asi/dsasi002.html Data summary: Alakol]
*[http://www.nasa.gov National Aeronautics and Space Administration]
*[http://birding.topcities.com/south-east/Lake-Alakol.htm Lake Alakol birds]

{{Lakes of Kazakhstan}}

[[Category:Lakes of Kazakhstan|Alakol]]

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