<Tr> <Th> Surface elevation </Th> <Td> 341.4 m (1,120 ft) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Frozen </Th> <Td> November to March </Td> </Tr> <P> Lake Balkhash (Kazakh: Балқаш көлі, Kazakh pronunciation: (bɑɫqɑʃ kyʉlɘ); Russian: Озеро Балхаш, Ozero Balhaš) is one of the largest lakes in Asia and 15th largest in the world . It is located in Central Asia in southeastern Kazakhstan and belongs to an endorheic (closed) basin shared by Kazakhstan and China, with a small portion in Kyrgyzstan . The basin drains into the lake via seven rivers, the primary of which is the Ili River, bringing the majority of the riparian inflow; others, such as the Karatal, provide both surface and subsurface flow . The Ili is fed by precipitation, largely vernal snowmelt, from the mountains of China's Xinjiang region . </P> <P> The lake currently covers an area of about 16,400 km (6,300 sq mi). However, like the Aral Sea, it is shrinking as a result of the diversion of water from rivers that feed it . The lake is divided by a strait into two distinct parts . The western part is fresh water, while the eastern half is saline . The eastern part is on average 1.7 times deeper than the western section . The largest city near the lake is also named Balkhash and has about 66,000 inhabitants . Major economic activities in the area include mining, ore processing and fishing . </P>

Where is lake balkhash located on a map