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Lake Peipsi

Lake Peipsi
Peipsi-Pihkva järv
Псковско-Чудское озеро
Lake Peipsi Landsat2000.jpeg
Landsat satellite photo
Location Estonia, Russia
Coordinates 58°41′N 27°29′E / 58.683°N 27.483°E / 58.683; 27.483Coordinates: 58°41′N 27°29′E / 58.683°N 27.483°E / 58.683; 27.483
Primary inflows Emajõgi, Velikaya
Primary outflows Narva
Catchment area 47,800 km2 (18,500 sq mi)
Basin countries Estonia, Russia, Latvia
Surface area 3,555 km2 (1,373 sq mi)
Average depth 7.1 m (23 ft)
Max. depth 15.3 m (50 ft)
Water volume 25 km3 (6.0 cu mi)
Shore length1 520 km (320 mi)
Surface elevation 30 m (98 ft)
Islands Piirissaar, Kolpino, Kamenka
Settlements Mustvee, Kallaste
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Lake Peipus (Estonian: Peipsi-Pihkva järv; Russian: Псковско-Чудское озеро (Pskovsko-Chudskoe ozero), German: Peipussee) is the biggest transboundary lake in Europe on the border between Estonia (part of European Union) and Russia.

The lake is the fifth largest in Europe after Lake Ladoga and Lake Onega in Russia north of St. Petersburg, Lake Vänern in Sweden, and Lake Saimaa in Finland.

Lake Peipus is a remnant of a body of water which existed in this area during an Ice Age. It covers 3,555 km2, and has an average depth of 7.1 m, the deepest point being 15 m. The lake has several islands and consists of 3 parts:

The lake is used for fishing and recreation, but suffered from some environmental degradation from Soviet era agriculture. Some 30 rivers and streams discharge into Lake Peipus. The largest rivers are the Emajõgi and the Velikaya River. The lake is drained by the Narva River.

In 1242, the lake was the site of the Battle on the Ice (Estonian: Jäälahing) between the Teutonic Knights and Novgorodians under Alexander Nevsky.


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