Lake Titicaca

Lake Titicaca is a very big lake.

It sits high in the Andes mountains. The lake is in Peru and Bolivia.

Many animals live in the water. You can find many fish there.

Some frogs only live in this lake.

There are 41 islands in the lake. Some people live on these islands.

Many birds also live near the water. You might see a bird on the lake.

It is a very special place to see.

Lake Titicaca is a very large lake.

It sits high in the Andes mountains. The lake is on the border of Peru and Bolivia. It is the largest lake in South America.

Some people call it the highest navigable lake in the world. This means large boats can sail on its water.

The lake has two main parts. They are joined by a narrow path of water. There are 41 islands in the lake. Some of these islands have many people living on them.

More than 530 kinds of water life live here. Many fish and birds live in the lake. Some animals only live in Lake Titicaca.

You might see a Titicaca water frog. You might also see a Titicaca grebe bird.

Today, the water level is dropping. This is due to shorter rainy seasons. The lake also faces pollution from growing cities. People work hard to protect this special place.

Lake Titicaca is a massive body of water high in the Andes mountains.

It sits right on the border between Peru and Bolivia. This lake is the largest in South America by both surface area and volume.

Many people call it the highest navigable lake in the world. This means large ships can still sail on its surface. It is also the 18th largest lake on our entire planet.

The lake is actually made of two main parts. These two areas are called subbasins. They are joined together by a narrow path of water called the Strait of Tiquina.

The bigger part is known as Lago Grande or Lago Chucuito. The smaller part is called Wiñaymarka, which means "little lake."

Five major rivers flow into the lake to keep it full. These include the Ramis, Coata, Ilave, Huancané, and Suchez rivers. Most of the water stays in the lake because it is nearly closed.

People have lived near this water for a very long time. In the 16th century, the lake was sometimes called Chuquivitu. Some think the name Titicaca came from a sacred rock on the Isla del Sol. The Aymara people had different names for the water too. They might have called it titiq’aq’a, which means a lead-colored puma.

This shows how much the local people valued the lake's special spirit.

There are 41 islands scattered throughout the water. Some of these islands have many people living on them. The lake is home to more than 530 different aquatic species. Many of these living things, like the Titicaca water frog, are found nowhere else.

You might also see the flightless Titicaca grebe bird.

About 90% of the fish in the area are endemic, which means they only live here.

Today, the lake faces some very difficult jobs. The water level has been dropping since the year 2000.

This happens because rainy seasons are getting shorter. Melting glaciers also affect how much water flows into the lake. Growing cities also bring the problem of water pollution.

In 2012, a group called the Global Nature Fund named it a "Threatened Lake of the Year."

Lake Titicaca is a massive freshwater lake located in the Andes mountains.

It sits on the border between Peru and Bolivia. The western side lies in the Puno Region of Peru. The eastern side is in the La Paz Department of Bolivia. It is the largest lake in South America by surface area and volume. It is also the 18th largest lake in the world. Many people call it the highest navigable lake on Earth. This means large commercial ships can sail on its surface.

The lake is composed of two distinct subbasins. These two parts are connected by a narrow channel called the Strait of Tiquina. The larger subbasin is known as Lago Grande or Lago Chucuito. It has a mean depth of 106 meters and a maximum depth of 281 meters. The smaller subbasin is called Wiñaymarka, or Lago Pequeño. This smaller area has an average depth of 88 meters and reaches 134 meters at its deepest. The overall average depth for the entire lake is 107 meters.

Water enters the lake through several different systems. Five major rivers provide the most flow. These are the Ramis, Coata, Ilave, Huancané, and Suchez rivers. More than 20 smaller streams also empty into the lake. The lake is nearly a closed system. Only about 10% of the water leaves through the Río Desaguadero. This river flows south through Bolivia to Lake Poopó. The other 90% of water loss comes from evapotranspiration. This is caused by intense sunlight and strong winds at high altitudes.

The history of the lake's name is quite complex. It likely had many names before the Spaniards arrived. The Aymara people may have called it titiq’aq’a. This translates to a lead-colored puma. This name refers to a sacred rock on the Isla del Sol.

In the 16th century, it was known as Chuquivitu. This means lance point. Some researchers believe the name Titicaca comes from thakhsi cala. This was the name of the sacred rock on Isla del Sol. Over time, the name changed into the Titicaca we use today.

Lake Titicaca is a vital home for many unique creatures. It hosts more than 530 aquatic species. About 90% of the fish in the basin are endemic. This means they are found nowhere else on Earth. There are 23 different species of Orestias fish in the lake.

The lake also supports rare animals like the Titicaca water frog.

Other special animals include the flightless Titicaca grebe. The lake is also an Important Bird Area for many species. These include the Chilean flamingo and the Andean gull.

There are 41 islands located within the lake. Some of these islands have large populations of people.

The lake is also home to the Uros people.

The water is slightly brackish. This means it has a small amount of salt. UNESCO reports the salinity is between 5.2 and 5.5 parts per 1000. Large cities like Puno sit near the water.

These settlements are part of the larger Titicaca watershed.

Today, the lake faces several serious environmental challenges. Since the year 2000, the water levels have been receding. Between April and November 2009, the level dropped by 1.2 meters. This was the lowest level since 1949. This drop is caused by shorter rainy seasons and melting glaciers. Water pollution is also a growing problem. Growing cities sometimes lack enough sewage treatment systems. A 2011 United Nations report found high levels of cadmium, arsenic, and lead. Because of these risks, the Global Nature Fund named it a "Threatened Lake of the Year" in 2012.