Lake Tai

Where is Lake Tai?

Countries on its shores: China.

Middle of the lake: 31.23° N, 120.13° E

The story behind it

Lake Tai lies in the province of Jiangsu in eastern China; its southern shore borders the province of Zhejiang. It covers about 2 250 km², but on average it is only about 2 m deep. It is the third-largest freshwater lake in China. There are about 90 islands in the lake, from tiny rocks to islands several square kilometres big. Big cities such as Wuxi, Suzhou, Changzhou and Huzhou lie around the lake, and it gives water to about 30 million people. Fishing has long been important here. The lake is famous for its Taihu stones: limestone rocks full of holes and strange shapes, which people put in traditional Chinese gardens. Nearby, in Yixing, clay teapots are made. In 2007 the water was badly polluted and turned green with algae. Beside the lake stands the Star of Lake Tai, a 115 m high Ferris wheel.

Find it on the globe

Lake Tai is there as a small blue dot with its name, right on the water. From far away the planet is only a blue ball; detail arrives as you zoom in, and this one appears once you are close enough. Open it on the globe.

It sits at its real coordinates, not near them — the same numbers listed in the facts above. Switch off the layer for this kind of place and it disappears again; the buttons for that are down the right-hand edge.