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'''Lake Titicaca''' is a lake located on the border of [[Bolivia]](old highperu) and [[Peru]]PERU. It sits 3,812 [[metre|m]] (12,507 ft) above sea level making it the highest commercially navigable lake in the world.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.highestlake.com/highest-lake-world.html|title=The Highest Lake in the World|first=Carl|last=Drews|date=[[13 September1]] [[2005]]|accessdate=2006-12-02}}</ref> By volume of water it is also the largest lake in South America.<ref>Grove, M. J., P. A. Baker, S. L. Cross, C. A. Rigsby and G. O. Seltzer 2003 Application of Strontium Isotopes to Understanding the Hydrology and Paleohydrology of the Altiplano, Bolivia-Peru. ''Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology'' 194:281-297.</ref><ref>Rigsby, C., P. A. Baker and M. S. Aldenderfer 2003 Fluvial History of the Rio Ilave Valley, Peru, and Its Relationship to Climate and Human History. ''Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology'' 194:165-185.</ref>[2][3]
The lake is located at the northern end of the endorheic [[Altiplano ]] basin high in the [[Andes ]] on the border of [[Peru]]PERU and [[Bolivia ]]. The western part of the lake lies within the [[PunoPUNO Region ]] of PeruPERU, and the eastern side is located in the Bolivian [[La Paz Department ]]. ▼
The lake is composed of two nearly separate sub-basins that are connected by the [[Strait of Tiquina ]] which is {{convert|800 | m | (2,620 ft |-1|abbr=on}}) across at the narrowest point. The larger sub-basin, Lago Grande (also called Lago Chucuito) has a mean depth of {{convert|135 | m | (443 ft |0|abbr=on}}) and a maximum depth of {{convert|284 | m | (932 ft |0|abbr=on}}). The smaller sub-basin, Lago Huiñaimarca (also called Lago Pequeño) has a mean depth of {{convert|9 | m | (30 ft |0|abbr=on}}) and a maximum depth of {{convert|40 | m |ft|0|abbr=on}}.<ref>Dejoux, C. and A. Iltis ( editors131 ft) 1992 ''Lake Titicaca: A Synthesis of Limnological Knowledge''. 68. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston.</ref>[4] The overall average depth of the lake is {{convert|107 | m |ft|0|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ilec.or.jp/database/sam/dsam04.html|title=Data Summary: Lago Titicaca ( Lake Titicaca351 ft) |publisher=International Lake Environment Committee Foundation - ILEC|accessdate=2006-12-02}}</ref> .[5]▼▲The lake is located at the northern end of the endorheic [[Altiplano]] basin high in the [[Andes]] on the border of [[Peru]] and [[Bolivia]]. The western part of the lake lies within the [[Puno Region]] of Peru, and the eastern side is located in the Bolivian [[La Paz Department]].
Lake Titicaca is fed by rainfall and meltwater from glaciers on the sierras that abut the Altiplano. Five major river systems feed into Lake Titicaca[6]—in order of their relative flow volumes these are: Ramis, Coata, Ilave, Huancané, and Suchez.[7] More than 20 other smaller rivers empty into Titicaca, and the lake has 41 islands, some of which are densely populated.
Having only a single season of free circulation, the lake is monomictic[8][9] and water passes through Lago Huiñaimarca and flows out the single outlet at the Rio Desaguadero[10], which then flows south through Bol. to Lake Poopó. This only accounts for about 10% of the lake's water balance. Evapotranspiration, caused by strong winds and intense sunlight at altitude, balances the remaining 90% of the water input. It is nearly a closed lake.[11] [12][13]
▲The lake is composed of two nearly separate sub-basins that are connected by the [[Strait of Tiquina]] which is {{convert|800|m|ft|-1|abbr=on}} across at the narrowest point. The larger sub-basin, Lago Grande (also called Lago Chucuito) has a mean depth of {{convert|135|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} and a maximum depth of {{convert|284|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}. The smaller sub-basin, Lago Huiñaimarca (also called Lago Pequeño) has a mean depth of {{convert|9|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} and a maximum depth of {{convert|40|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}.<ref>Dejoux, C. and A. Iltis (editors) 1992 ''Lake Titicaca: A Synthesis of Limnological Knowledge''. 68. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston.</ref> The overall average depth of the lake is {{convert|107|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ilec.or.jp/database/sam/dsam04.html|title=Data Summary: Lago Titicaca (Lake Titicaca)|publisher=International Lake Environment Committee Foundation - ILEC|accessdate=2006-12-02}}</ref>
Lake Titicaca is fed by rainfall and meltwater from glaciers on the [[sierra]]s that abut the [[Altiplano]]. Five major [[river]] systems feed into Lake Titicaca<ref>Roche, M. A., J. Bourges, J. Cortes and R. Mattos 1992 Climatology and Hydrology of the Lake Titicaca Basin. In ''Lake Titicaca: A Synthesis of Limnological Knowledge'', edited by C. Dejoux and A. Iltis, pp. 63-88. Monographiae Biologicae. vol. 68, H. J. Dumont and M. J. A. Werger, general editor. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston.</ref>—in order of their relative flow volumes these are: Ramis, Coata, Ilave, Huancané, and Suchez.<ref>Grove, M. J., P. A. Baker, S. L. Cross, C. A. Rigsby and G. O. Seltzer 2003 Application of Strontium Isotopes to Understanding the Hydrology and Paleohydrology of the Altiplano, Bolivia-Peru. ''Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology'' 194:281-297.</ref> More than 20 other smaller [[river]]s empty into Titicaca, and the lake has 41 islands, some of which are densely populated.
Having only a single season of free circulation, the lake is [[monomictic]]<ref>Cross, S. L., P. A. Baker, G. O. Seltzer, S. C. Fritz and R. B. Dunbar 2001 Late Quaternary Climate and Hydrology of Tropical South America Inferred from an Isotopic and Chemical Model of Lake Titicaca, Bolivia and Peru. ''Quaternary Research'' 56(1):1-9.</ref><ref>Mourguiart, P., T. Corrége, D. Wirrmann, J. Argollo, M. E. Montenegro, M. Pourchet and P. Carbonel 1998 Holocene Palaeohydrology of Lake Titicaca Estimated from an Ostracod-Based Transfer Function. ''Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology'' 143:51-72.</ref> and water passes through Lago Huiñaimarca and flows out the single outlet at the [[Desaguadero River (Bolivia)|Rio Desaguadero]]<ref>Baucom, P. C. and C. A. Rigsby 1999 Climate and Lake Level History of the Northern Altiplano, Bolivia, as Recorded in Holocene Sediments of the Rio Desaguadero. ''Journal of Sedimentary Research'' 69(3):597-611.</ref>, which then flows south through [[Bolivia]] to [[Poopó Lake|Lake Poopó]]. This only accounts for about 10% of the lake's [[water balance]]. [[Evapotranspiration]], caused by strong winds and intense sunlight at altitude, balances the remaining 90% of the water input. It is nearly a closed lake.<ref>Dejoux, C. and A. Iltis (editors) 1992 ''Lake Titicaca: A Synthesis of Limnological Knowledge''. 68. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston.</ref>
<ref>Grove, M. J., P. A. Baker, S. L. Cross, C. A. Rigsby and G. O. Seltzer 2003 Application of Strontium Isotopes to Understanding the Hydrology and Paleohydrology of the Altiplano, Bolivia-Peru. ''Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology'' 194:281-297.</ref><ref>Talbi, A., A. Coudrain, P. Ribstein and B. Pouyaud 1999 Computation of the Rainfall of Lake Titicaca Catchment During the Holocene. ''Géosciences de Surface'' 329:197-203.</ref>
== Islands ==
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