Lake Elton
| Lake Elton Эльтон | |
|---|---|
 Lake Elton, as seen from space. | |
| Location | Volgograd Oblast |
| Coordinates | 49°8′0″N 46°40′0″E / 49.13333°N 46.66667°ECoordinates: 49°8′0″N 46°40′0″E / 49.13333°N 46.66667°E |
| Type | salt lake |
| Basin countries | Russia |
| Surface area | 150 km² |
| Max. depth | 0.6 m |
Lake Elton (Russian: Эльтон) is a salt lake in Volgograd Oblast, Russia, near the border with Kazakhstan. It has an area of 150 km² and is from 0.3 to 0.6 m deep.
Transportation
A bus ride can be taken from Volgograd (6 hours mostly because of long stops in rural towns) and also by train from Saratov and Astrakhan (also 6 hours) can lead travelers to the area.
History
Salt was excavated from Elton since the times of Ivan the Terrible through the end of the 19th century.[1] Before 1865 the government was the excavate and in 1865-1882 the lake was heavily used by private businesses.
There is a spa resort near the lake since 1910 and a sanatorium since 1945. Rapa (salty water) from Elton is believed to help curing diseases of different cause, for example gynecological problems.
References
- ↑ "Lake Elton". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 2013-10-18.