![]() In classical antiquity, the lake was known as Lychnitis ( Ancient Greek: Λυχνῖτις). The historical Armenian name of the lake, attested in early medieval texts, is Sea of Gegham ( classical Armenian: ծով Գեղամայ, tsov Geghamay). Russian and European sources of the 19th and early 20th century sometimes referred to the lake as Sevanga or Sevang, which are likely the Russified version of the Armenian phrase sev vank’ ("black monastery") or, possibly, the Armenian phrase սա է վանքը sa ē vank'ə ("this is the monastery"). Per folk etymology, Sevan is either a combination of sev ("black") + Van (i.e., Lake Van) or sev ("black") and vank’ ("monastery"). The word is found on an 8th-century BC cuneiform inscription by the Urartian king Rusa I, found in Odzaberd, on the southern shore of the lake. Scholars believe that Sevan originated from the Urartian word su(i)n(i)a, usually translated as "lake". Before human intervention dramatically changed the lake's ecosystem, the lake was at an altitude of 1,916 m (6,286 ft) above sea level, 95 m (312 ft) deep, covered an area of 1,416 km 2 (547 sq mi) (5% of Armenia's entire area), and had a volume of 58.5 km 3 (14.0 cu mi). Later two tunnels were built to divert water from highland rivers, which halted its decline and its level began rising. Consequently, its water level decreased by around 20 m (66 ft) and its volume reduced by more than 40%. Sevan was heavily exploited for irrigation of the Ararat plain and hydroelectric power generation during the Soviet period. Its sole major island (now a peninsula) is home to a medieval monastery. Sevan has significant economic, cultural, and recreational value. The lake provides some 90% of the fish and 80% of the crayfish catch of Armenia. Only 10% of the incoming water is drained by the Hrazdan River, while the remaining 90% evaporates. The total surface area of its basin is about 5,000 km 2 (1,900 sq mi), which makes up 1⁄ 6 of Armenia's territory. The lake is situated in Gegharkunik Province, at an altitude of 1,900 m (6,234 ft) above sea level. It is one of the largest freshwater high-altitude (alpine) lakes in Eurasia. Lake Sevan ( Armenian: Սևանա լիճ, romanized: Sevana lich) is the largest body of water in both Armenia and the Caucasus region. ![]()
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