Lake Constance

Lake Constance (also Lake of Constance) is a lake on the Rhine between Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. In German and Alemannic the lake is called Bodensee. In French, the lake's name is Lac de Constance, and in Italian it is Lago di Costanza. It lies approximately at co-ordinates {{coor dm|47|39|N|9|19|E}}.

Related Topics:
Lake - Rhine - Germany - Switzerland - Austria - German - Alemannic - French - Italian

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Lake Constance was first mentioned by the Hispanic geographer Pomponius Mela about 43 BCE. He noted that the Rhine flows through two lakes, and gave them the Latin names Lacus Venetus (today Obersee) and Lacus Acronius (today Untersee). Pliny the Elder used the name Lacus Brigantinus, after the Roman city of Brigantium (today Bregenz). The lake is also known as the Swabian Sea.

Related Topics:
Hispanic - Pomponius Mela - 43 BCE - Latin - Pliny the Elder - Bregenz

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The freshwater lake sits at 395 m above sea level and is central Europe's third largest, after Lake Balaton and Lake Geneva. It is 67 km (41 mi) long, and at its widest point, nearly 13 km (8 mi). It covers approximately 539 km² (208 mi²) of total areahttp://library.mcmaster.ca/maps/fc1999.htm. The greatest depth is 252 m in the middle of the eastern part (Obersee). Its volume is approximately 55 km³. The lake has four parts: Obersee (main, 476 km²), Überlinger See (north, 61 km²), Untersee (west, 63 km²), and the Zeller See and Gnadensee (northwest). The regulated Rhine flows into the lake in the southeast, through the Obersee, the city of Konstanz and the Untersee and flows out near Stein am Rhein. Lake Constance provides fresh water to many cities in south Germany.

Related Topics:
Freshwater - Sea level - Europe - Lake Balaton - Lake Geneva - Km² - Mi² - 55 km³ - Rhine - Konstanz - Stein am Rhein - Germany

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Lake Constance was formed by the Rhine Glacier during the ice age. The Rhine, the Bregenzer Ache, and the Dornbirner Ache carry sediments from the Alps to the lake, thus gradually decreasing the depth of the lake in the southeast.

Related Topics:
Rhine Glacier - Ice age - Bregenzer Ache - Dornbirner Ache - Alps

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Car ferries link Romanshorn, Switzerland to Friedrichshafen, and Konstanz to Meersburg.

Related Topics:
Ferries - Romanshorn - Friedrichshafen - Konstanz - Meersburg

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