Pihlajavesi (Saimaa)
Lake in the country of Finland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pihlajavesi is a lake in Finland. The area of the lake is 712.59 square kilometres (275.13 sq mi) making it the sixth largest lake in the country. Pihlajavesi is the second-largest basin in the complex Saimaa lake system. Pihlajavesi lacks large open lake areas but has more islands than any other lake in Finland.
| Pihlajavesi | |
|---|---|
Mitinhiekka, Pihlajavesi | |
  Pihlajavesi Location within Finland | |
| Coordinates | 61°43′N 028°53′E |
| Basin countries | Finland |
Surface area | 712.59 km2 (275.13 sq mi)[1] |
Average depth | 11.3 m (37 ft) |
| Max. depth | 72 m (236 ft) |
Water volume | 18.08 km3 (14.66×106 acre⋅ft) |
Shore length1 | 3,200 km (2,000 mi) |
Surface elevation | 75.7 m (248 ft)[1] |
| Settlements | Punkaharju, Savonlinna, Sulkava |
| References | [1] |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Pihlajavesi and the castle Olavinlinna on an island of it are regarded as a national landscape of Finland.[2]
Part of the lake belongs to a namesake 45-km² nature reserve (created 2014) and Natura 2000 area (1998). There is a population of Saimaa seals in the lake. The area has infrastructure for visiting boaters.[2] The purpose of the area is to protect the archipelago nature – including shores, woods and outcrop hills – and the Saimaa seal habitat, to maintain the traditional landscape, and to further outdoor life, teaching and research.[3]
