Lakes of Russia: Ladoga

El Ladoga lake is a freshwater lake located in the Republic of Karelia and Leningrad Oblast, in northwestern Russia, near Saint Petersburg. It is the largest lake in Europe, and the 14th largest lake, by area in the world.

The area of ​​the lake is 17.891 km² (excluding the islands). Its length (from north to south) is 219 km, average width is 83 km, average depth is 51 m, a maximum depth of about 230 m (in the north-western part). There are about 660 islands, with a total area of ​​435 km².

Separated from the Baltic Sea by the Karelian Isthmus, which empties into the Gulf of Finland through the Neva River, Lake Ladoga is navigable, being a part of the Volga-Baltic Canal connects the Baltic Sea with the Volga River. The Ladoga Canal bypasses the lake in the southern part, which connects the Neva to the Svir.

The Lake Ladoga basin includes some 50.000 lakes and 3.500 rivers over 10 km. About 85% of water income is due to tributaries, 13% is due to precipitation, and 2% is due to groundwater.

The Ladoga is rich in fish. There are 48 forms (infraspecific species and taxa) of fish have been found in the lake, including cockroaches, gold carp, walleye, European perch, ruff, endemic variety of sniffing, two varieties of Albula Coregonus (vendace), eight varieties of Coregonus lavaretus, a number of salmonids, as well as other, though rarely, endangered European sea sturgeon.

Commercial fishing was once a major industry, but has been affected by overfishing. After the war, between 1945 - 1954, the total annual catches increased to a maximum of 4.900 tons.

Notably, the Nizhnesvirsky Nature Reserve is located along the shore of Lake Ladoga immediately north of the mouth of the Svir River.


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