Baikal - Postcard set

Baikal /Байкал

     

Lake Baikal. Sagan-Zaba Rock

Lake Baikal. Saranka

Lake Baikal. Burkhan Cape

Lake Baikal. Burkhan Cape

Lake Baikal. Small Belltower Cape

Lake Baikal. The Butterfly

Lake Baikal. The Angara's source

Lake Baikal. Winter


Baikal

Baikal is a unique phenomenon of our planet. There is no other lake of such age, depth, volume, properties of fresh water, and variety of organic life. Baikal is known by its fascinaing nature that cannot leave one indifferent. This marvellous lake is often called 'Pearl of Siberia'.

Baikal is one of the most ancient lakes on the Earth. According to the viewpoint of some scientists Baikal's age is about 25 - 30 million years.

Baikal is situated on the south of Earstern Siberia. Its extent is 636 km, and its width varies from 27 to 80 km in different parts of the lake. The length of the coastal line is 2000 km. It is also the world's deepest lake: 1637 metres to the bottom near the eastern shore of Olkhon Island.

The Baikal coast is cut up by numerous capes. There are some gulfs located within the limits of capes. The biggest gulfs of Baikal are Barguzinsky, Chivyrkuysky and Proval. Baikal takes the eighth place in the world among lakes in area extent (31500 sq.km). Baikal is the largest basin of fresh water on the planet.

Baikal is surrounded by mountains. There are mountain chains of Primorsky and Baikalsky situated along the western and north-west coast of Baikal, and Khamar-Daban, Ulan-burgasy, Barguzin, Verkhne-Angarsk and Delyun-Uransky along south-east and east.

'Pearl of Siberia' keeps many secrets and a lot of mysterious, unexplored and interesting things. Each time people discover something new trying to penetrate into the world of the lake. Baikal is an invaluable gift of nature which needs to be used reasonably and preserved in every way.