Lake Chapala | |
---|---|
Location | Jalisco / Michoacán, Mexico |
Coordinates | 20°15′N 103°00′W / 20.250°N 103.000°WCoordinates: 20°15′N 103°00′W / 20.250°N 103.000°W |
Primary inflows | Río Lerma, Río Zula, Río Huaracha, Río Duero |
Primary outflows | Río Santiago |
Basin countries | Mexico |
Max. length | 80 km (50 mi) |
Max. width | 18 km (11 mi) |
Surface area | 1,100 km2 (420 sq mi) |
Average depth | 4.5 m (15 ft) |
Max. depth | 10.5 m (34 ft) |
Water volume | 8.1 km3 (1.9 cu mi) |
Surface elevation | 1,524 m (5,000 ft) |
Islands | 3 |
Official name | Lago de Chapala |
Designated | February 2, 2009 |
Lake Chapala (Spanish: Lago de Chapala tʃa'pala ) is Mexico's largest freshwater lake. It lies in the municipalities of Chapala, Jocotepec, Poncitlán, and Jamay, in Jalisco, and in Venustiano Carranza and Cojumatlán de Régules, in Michoacán.
It is located at 20°20′N 103°00′W / 20.333°N 103.000°W, 45 km southeast of Guadalajara, Jalisco, and is situated on the border between the states of Jalisco and Michoacán, at 1,524 metres (5000 feet) above sea level. Its approximate dimensions are 80 km (50 mi) from east to west and averages 12.5 km (7.8 miles) from north to south, and covers an approximate area of 1,100 km2 (420 sq mi).