Lake Çıldır (ჩრდილი, ჩრდილის ტბა, Črdilis tba, meaning "lake of shadows",, Tsovak Hyusiso, meaning "small sea of the north", , Paghkatsi lich, meaning "cold lake"), is a large freshwater lake in the provinces of Ardahan and Kars in northeastern Turkey. It is located close to the borders with Georgia and Armenia. Lake Çıldır is located at an elevation of approximately 1959 m and is surrounded by a mountainous region. It has an area of 123 km2 and a maximum depth of about 42 m. Water from the lake is used for irrigation. The lake freezes over in the winter. The area around the lake is primarily used for livestock farming, with little vegetation present and absence of agriculture due to harsh conditions.

History

Its south shore may have been the location of the Etiuni, a tribal confederation frequently mentioned in the records of Urartu. The lake has an island near the shores of the village of Akçakale, where archaeological remains are preserved. Currently, Lake Çıldır connects to Arpaçay via an overflow channel that was opened on the basalts in the south. The Çıldır basin in the north of Lake Çıldır is connected to the Kura River by Kocaçay, one of the branches of the Kura.

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