China has lots of lakes. There are more than 2,800 natural lakes, each having a surface area of over 1 square km, and over 130 lakes, each covering more than 100 square km. There are also a large number of artificial lakes (reservoirs). With different salt content, the lakes are classified as saltwater and freshwater lakes. Large lakes are mainly distributed in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The Poyang Lake in the south of the Yangtze River is the largest freshwater lake in China while the Qinghai Lake on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the largest saltwater lake.

Qinghai Lake:A saltwater lake, it is located in Qinghai Province. Lying 3,196 meters above sea level, it covers 4,583 square km, with a depth of 32.8 meters.

Poyang Lake:A freshwater lake, it is located in Jiangxi Province and covers 3,583 square km, with an elevation of 21 meters and a depth of 16 meters.

Dongting Lake:A freshwater lake, it is located in Hunan Province and covers 2,820 square km, with an elevation of 34.5 meters and a depth of 30.8 meters.

Taihu Lake:A freshwater lake, it is located in Jiangsu Province and covers 2,425 square km, with an elevation of 3.14 meters and a depth of 3.33 meters.

Hulun Nur:A freshwater lake, it is located in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and covers 2,315 square km, with an elevation of 539 meters and a depth of 8 meters.

Hongze Lake:A freshwater lake, it is located in Jiangsu Province and covers 1,960 square km, with an elevation of 12.25 meters and a depth of 4.75 meters.

Namco Lake:A saltwater lake, it is located in the Tibet Autonomous Region and covers 1,920 square km, with an elevation of 4,718 meters.

Weishan Lake:A freshwater lake, it is located in Shandong Province and covers 664 square km, with an elevation of 33 meters.