Lake Biwa
freshwater lake in Japan
Lake Biwa (Japanese: 琵琶湖) is the largest lake in Japan that is located in Shiga Prefecture.
| Lake Biwa | |
|---|---|
 Lake Biwa from space | |
  Lake Biwa | |
| Coordinates | 35°20′N 136°10′E / 35.333°N 136.167°E |
| Type | Ancient lake, tectonic, freshwater |
| Primary inflows | 118 rivers |
| Primary outflows | Seta River |
| Catchment area | 3,174 km2 (1,225 sq mi) |
| Basin countries | Japan |
| Max. length | 63.49 km (39.45 mi) |
| Max. width | 22.8 km (14.2 mi) |
| Surface area | 670.3 km2 (258.8 sq mi) |
| Max. depth | 104 m (341 ft) |
| Water volume | 27.5 km3 (6.6 cu mi) |
| Residence time | 5.5 years |
| Shore length1 | 235.2 km (146.1 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 85.6 m (281 ft) |
| Islands | 3 |
| Settlements | Higashiōmi, Hikone, Kusatsu, Maibara, Moriyama, Nagahama, Ōmihachiman, Ōtsu, Takashima, Yasu |
| Official name | Biwa-ko |
| Designated | June 10, 1993 |
| Reference no. | 617 |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
