Balkhash is a freshwater – salty lake on the border of three provinces: Almaty. Karaganda and Dzhambyl. Its size is the third in Kazakhstan after the Caspian and Aral seas. The lake’s area varies from 17 up to 22 thousand sq.km and the length is 600kms. Ili, Karatal, Lepsy and Aksu are the largest rivers flowing into Balkhash. The southern coast of Lake Balkhash is dotted with thousands of small lakes that give the local ladscape a unique appearance.
