Lake Sevan

Lake Sevan, Armenia.

The ancient relict Lake Sevan, the “Pearl of Armenia” or “Gegham Sea”, is one of the largest high-mountain freshwater lakes in the world. It lies in the centre of the Armenian Highlands at an altitude of 1,900 m. Its water surface covers 940 km², its maximum depth is 95 m, its length about 70 km and its width 30–50 km. Sevan is fed by 28 rivers, and only one, the Hrazdan, flows out of it. The surrounding area is a protected zone of a national park, and the lake's main inhabitant is the Sevan trout (ishkhan), listed in the Red Book. The lake is surrounded by numerous churches.

The photograph shows the lake, reed beds, cloud-covered mountains and a horse standing in a meadow with yellow flowers. The photographer's name, Vahagn Grigoryan, appears in the lower left corner.