Lake Balaton

Lake Balaton, largest lake of central Europe, located in central Hungary about 50 miles (80 km) southwest of Budapest. It has an area of 231 square miles (598 square km) and extends for 48 miles (77 km) along the southern foothills of the Bakony Mountains of Hungary. At it widest point, Lake Balaton measures about 9 miles (14 km) across. Its maximum depth is 37 feet (11 metres). The Zala River provides the largest inflow of water. Water outflow is through the sluice gates of Siófok, toward the eastern end of the lake, and the entire contents of the lake are replenished about every two years.

The bed of the Balaton is relatively young; it was formed less than 1,000,000 years ago. Originally, there were five small lakes that extended in a north-south chain, but these coalesced when erosion broke down the dividing ridges. Traces of these former lakes can still be seen in the configuration of Lake Balaton today, and the Tihany Peninsula—which projects from the northern shore, narrowing the lake to a width of 1 mile (1.6 km)—is the remnant of one of the dividing ridges.

The climate of the region is rather continental, with warm and sunny weather prevailing from May to October. In winter the lake is covered with a sheet of ice about 8 inches (20 cm) thick. As the prevailing winds are from the northwest, the southeastern shore of the lake is subject to erosion of its banks by wave action. Oscillations in the levels of the water surface known as seiches, the product of local variations of atmospheric pressure aided by currents in the water, increase the erosive effect. In the Tihany Narrows, the water currents flow with a speed of up to 5 feet (1.5 metres) per second.

The chemical composition of the lake differs greatly from that of most central European lakes. The predominant anions, or negatively charged chemical components, are carbonate and sulphate, while the corresponding cations, or positive components, are magnesium, calcium, and sodium. Their interaction has given the lake its sulfo-carbonate character.

The regions around the lake are inhabited by a rich and interesting variety of plant and animal life. There is a wildlife reserve in the Tihany Peninsula, and another one in the extensive reedbeds near Keszthely, where rare water birds nest. The southern border of the lake is very fertile, and the volcanic soils to the northwest form the basis of a noted wine-growing region.

Agriculture nevertheless declined in significance as a result of the development of the tourist industry in the second half of the 20th century. A number of watering places sprang up, notable among which were Siófok, on the southern shore, and Balatonfüred, on the northern shore. The town of Balatonfüred was also traditionally known for its medicinal springs. The oldest and best-known settlement is Tihany, noted for its museum and biological station.