Päijänne

Päijänne
Päijänne and Päijätsalo
Coordinates	61°35′N 025°30′E / 61.583°N 25.500°E / 61.583; 25.500Coordinates: 61°35′N 025°30′E / 61.583°N 25.500°E / 61.583; 25.500
Primary outflows	Kymi River
Basin countries	Finland
Max. length	120 km (75 mi)
Surface area	1,070–1,082.89 km2 (413.13–418.11 sq mi)
Average depth	16.2–18 m (53–59 ft)
Max. depth	95.3 m (313 ft)
Water volume	18.1 km3 (4.3 cu mi)
Residence time	2.5 years
Surface elevation	78.3 m (257 ft)
Islands	1886 (Virmailansaari, Salonsaari, Judinsalo, Onkisalo, Paatsalo, Muuratsalo, Haukkasalo, Vuoritsalo, Mustassalo, Edessalo, Taivassalo)
Settlements	Asikkala, Jyväskylä, Korpilahti, Kuhmoinen, Luhanka, Muurame, Padasjoki, Sysmä
References

Lake Päijänne (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈpæi(j)ænːe]) is the second largest lake in Finland (1,080 km² (266,874 acres)). The lake drains into the Gulf of Finland via the Kymi River. The major islands are from north to south Vuoritsalo, Muuratsalo, Onkisalo, Judinsalo, Edessalo, Taivassalo, Haukkasalo, Vehkasalo, Mustassalo, Virmailansaari and Salonsaari. The largest island is Virmailansaari. The word saari means an island. Salo once meant a great island, nowadays it means a great forest area.

The largest city on the shores of Päijänne is Jyväskylä in the North. The city of Lahti is connected to Päijänne through Lake Vesijärvi and Vääksy canal.

An underground aqueduct, Päijänne Water Tunnel, connects the lake to Helsinki, providing the capital area with water. The deepest point in any lake in Finland is located in Päijänne (95.3 m or 313 ft).

Päijänne is a famous boating, canoeing and sailing attraction. The 119 kilometres (74 mi) long lake is connected by canals to Lake Keitele, Lake Vesijärvi and to Lake Ruotsalainen. Length of the open waterway for ships is 380 kilometres (240 mi). Construction of canals connecting Päijänne to the Baltic Sea has been discussed for decades. Nevertheless, the plan is still to be materialized.