Namtso or Lake Nam (officially: Namco; ; ; ; “Heavenly Lake” in European literature: Tengri Nor, ) is a mountain lake on the border between Damxung County of Lhasa prefecture-level city and Baingoin County of Nagqu Prefecture in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, approximately NNW of Lhasa.
Geography
Namtso (Namco) is a lake that first formed during the
Paleogene age, as a result of Himalayan tectonic plate movements. The lake lies at an elevation of , and has a surface area of .
This salt lake is the largest
lake in the Tibet Autonomous Region. However, it is not the largest lake on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. That title belongs to
Qinghai Lake (more than twice the size of Namtso); which lies more than to the north-east in
Qinghai.
Namtso has five uninhabited islands of reasonable size, in addition to one or two rocky outcrops. The islands have been used for spiritual retreat by pilgrims who walk over the lake's frozen surface at the end of winter, carrying their food with them. They spend the summer there, unable to return to shore again until the water freezes the following winter. This practice is no longer permitted by Chinese authorities.
The largest of the islands is in the northwest corner of the lake, and is about long and wide, rising to just over in the middle. At its closest point it is about from the shore.
Climate
The weather at Namtso is subject to abrupt, sudden change and snowstorms are very common across the Nyainqêntanglha range.
Namtso has an alpine climate (Köppen ETH) characterised by frigid, extremely dry winters and cool, rainy summers.
Other Features
Namtso is renowned as one of the most beautiful places in the Nyainqêntanglha mountain range. Its cave
have for centuries been the destination of Tibetan
. A surfaced road across
Laken Pass at 5186 m was completed to the lake in 2005, enabling easy access from
Lhasa and the development of tourism at the lake. Settlements in the area include
Dobjoi,
Donggar and Cha'gyungoinba. The
Tashi Dor monastery is located at the southeastern corner of the lake.
Around the area's natural elements, historical and anthropological background, a 2010 romantic drama 香格里拉 Shangri-La, starring China's popular actor Hu Ge, was broadcast at CCTV1 and received positive reviews.
Gallery
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File:Nomads near Namtso.jpg | Pastoral camping near Namtso
File:Quaternary age namsto lake summer time.jpg | Namtso at summer time
Namtso 2006.jpg | Namtso Lake with the Nyenchen Tanglha mountains in the background.
File:Namtso as seen from space.png | Namtso from space
File:NamTso scene.jpg
File:Namtso from Lakenla.png | Namtso seen from the Lakenla
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Asteroid
Asteroid 248388 Namtso, discovered by Italian astronomer
Vincenzo Casulli in 2005, was named after the lake.
The official was published by the Minor Planet Center on 5 October 2017 ().
See also
External links
