Tianchi

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For other uses, see Tianchi (disambiguation).
Tianchi
Tianchi - Bogda Peak in the distance (August 2005)
Bogda Peak in the distance (August 2005)
Location Tian Shan, Xinjiang
Coordinates 43°53′9.7″N, 88°7′56.6″ECoordinates: 43°53′9.7″N, 88°7′56.6″E
Basin countries China
Surface area 4.9 km² (1.9 sq mi)
Max. depth 105 m (340 ft)
Surface elevation 2,000 m (6,600 ft)

Tianchi (Chinese: 天池, pinyin: tiānchí) is a lake in Xinjiang, China, situated at 43°53′9.7″N, 88°7′56.6″E. The name literally means "Heaven Lake" or "Heavenly Lake" (in Mandarin Chinese) and can refer to several lakes in China and Taiwan. This Tianchi lies on the north side of Bogda Peak of Tianshan Mountains, about 40 km east of Fukang County and 110 km east of Urumqi, in China. (Bogda is a Mongolian word, meaning "God".) It is an alpine drift lake shaped in the Quaternary Glacier period.

Formerly known as Yaochi (Jade Lake), it was named Tianchi by Mingliang in 1783, the Qing Dynasty Commander of Urumqi Command.

The lake is 2,000 m above sea level, covering 4.9 km², 105 m deep at the deepest point.

In 2006, it was designated for four years of restoration work at a cost of 800 million yuan (US$100 million). The plan calls for the tourism area around the lake to be increased from the present 158 km² to 548 km².

The lake was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1990.

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