The largest lake in China, a salt lake high on the Tibetan Plateau.
Surface area
4,317 km²
Maximum depth
about 25 m
Elevation
3,205 m
Continent
Asia
Countries
China
Did you know?
Qinghai Lake sits over 3,200 m up and is a vital breeding ground for huge flocks of migrating birds.
Little-known fact
Its tiny island was long used to breed Tibetan sheep in safety, cut off from predators by the water.
Highlights
- Largest lake in China
- A high salt lake
- A refuge for migrating birds
Life in the Qinghai Lake
The fish and animals, waterbirds and water plants — including some of the rarest — that this water supports.
Waterbirds
Great white pelican
A huge waterbird that fishes in co-ordinated flotillas, herding fish into its enormous pouch.
Water plants & reeds
Common reed
The tall, feathery grass that forms the vast reedbeds fringing rivers and lakes, sheltering countless birds.
Interactive · 3D dive
How deep does a lake go?
A lake is layered from the sunlit, weed-filled shallows down to a cold, dark bed. Tap a zone to dive the submersible through the water column — and meet the life that belongs at each depth.
Tip: hover the column to tilt it · tap a layer to dive
Littoral Zone
The warm, bright band close to shore where sunlight reaches the bottom. Reeds, water lilies and rooted plants grow thickly here, making it the busiest, most crowded part of the whole lake.
Who lives here