Gál

Göl is the Turkish word for lake, an inland body of standing water usually larger than a pond. In Turkish geography, göl refers to natural lakes that collect water in basins through rainfall, runoff, and groundwater. The term is widely used in land names and maps, for example Van Gölü, commonly translated as Lake Van. Cognates appear in other Turkic languages, such as Azerbaijani göl and Kazakh köl.

Lakes are formed by various geological processes: tectonic movements creating basins; glacial action carving basins and melting to form lakes; volcanic activity forming crater lakes; river sedimentation creating oxbow lakes; and in some cases human activities creating reservoirs that are commonly called göl in everyday language. They can be freshwater or saline, natural or artificial.

Notable lakes in Turkey include Lake Van (Van Gölü), the largest by surface area; Tuz Gölü, one of the world’s largest hypersaline lakes; and the freshwater lakes of Eğirdir and Burdur in the inland southwest.

Ecology and use: Lakes support diverse aquatic life and provide habitats for migratory birds; they supply water for agriculture and domestic use, support fishing and tourism, and can be central to regional economies. They face threats from pollution, overuse of water, drought, and eutrophication; conservation and restoration programs are implemented in many regions.