South Dongting Lake
| South Dongting Lake | |
|---|---|
| The Pearl of the Yangtze River | |
| 南洞庭湖 (Chinese) | |
South Dongting Lake South Dongting Lake | |
| Location | Yueyang, Xiangyin County, Hunan |
| Coordinates | 28°49′19″N 112°40′44″E / 28.822°N 112.679°E |
| Type | Lake |
| River sources | Haozhu River |
| Basin countries | China |
| Designation | Protected |
| Surface area | 168,000 hectares (1,680 km2) |
| Average depth | 6.39 metres (21.0 ft) |
| Max. depth | 30.8 metres (101 ft) |
| Surface elevation | 33 metres (108 ft) |
| Official name | Nan Dongting Wetland and Waterfowl Nature Reserve |
| Designated | 11 January 2002 |
| Reference no. | 1151 |
| Location | |
Interactive map of South Dongting Lake | |
South Dongting Lake (Chinese: 南洞庭湖), also known as The Pearl of the Yangtze River, is a large freshwater lake located in the north of the province of Hunan, China, in the Dongting Lake region. The South Dongting Lake occupies approximately one-eighth of the total combined area of all wetlands in the world. The lake is internationally regarded as an important wetland and has been designated as a protected Ramsar site since 2002.