Lake Neusiedl

Lake Neusiedl (German: Neusiedler See, pronounced [ˈnɔɪ̯ˌziːdlɐ ze] ), or Fertő (Hungarian: Fertő (tó); Croatian: Nežidersko jezero, Niuzaljsko jezero; Slovene: Nežidersko jezero; Slovak: Neziderské jazero; Czech: Neziderské jezero), is the largest endorheic lake in Central Europe, straddling the Austrian–Hungarian border. The lake covers 315 km2 (122 sq mi), of which 240 km2 (93 sq mi) is on the Austrian side and 75 km2 (29 sq mi) on the Hungarian side. The lake's drainage basin has an area of about 1,120 km2 (430 sq mi). From north to south, the lake is about 36 km (22 mi) long, and it is between 6 km (3+1⁄2 mi) and 12 km (7+1⁄2 mi) wide from east to west. On average, the lake's surface is 115.45 m (378.8 ft) above the Adriatic Sea and the lake is no more than 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) deep. The landscape surrounding the lake has been occupied since about 6000 BC, and the towns and villages around the lake have been significant trading centers and meeting points for different cultures for centuries. Because of its cultural importance and the rural architecture of the villages around it, Lake Neusiedl and the surrounding area was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2001.