SPACEPHOTOS

Lake Issyk-Kul’, located in northeastern Kyrgystan, is a brackish lake surrounded by many of the lesser mountain ranges that comprise the formidable Tien Shan Range. Issyk-Kul’, whose surface is approximately 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) above sea level, is an extremely deep lake, measuring 2303 feet (700 meters) at its deepest point. It is approximately 115 miles (195 kilometers) long and 38 miles (60 kilometers) at its maximum width. Cultivated field patterns can be seen around the periphery of the lake, with the most concentrated areas on the delta that has formed along the eastern end of the lake. The snowcapped mountain ranges to the north and south have peaks that vary in elevation from 13 000 to more than 18 000 feet (3960 to 5490 meters) above sea level. Practically all of the water needed for agriculture is obtained from the runoff from glaciers and snowmelt.