Lake Maggiore

Lake Maggiore
View of Lake Maggiore towards the Alps and Monte Rosa from above Laveno
LocationLombardy and Piedmont, Italy
Ticino, Switzerland
Coordinates46°05′53″N 08°42′53″E / 46.09806°N 8.71472°E / 46.09806; 8.71472
Primary inflowsTicino, Maggia, Toce, Tresa
Primary outflowsTicino
Catchment area6,599 km2 (2,548 sq mi)
Basin countriesItaly, Switzerland
Max. length64.37 km (40.00 mi)
Max. width10 km (6.2 mi)
Surface area212.5 km2 (82.0 sq mi)
Average depth177.4 m (582 ft)
Max. depth372 m (1,220 ft)
Water volume37.7 km3 (9.0 cu mi)
Residence time4 years
Surface elevation193 m (633 ft)
IslandsBrissago Islands, Borromean Islands
SettlementsArona, Locarno, Luino, Stresa, Verbania
(see list)

Lake Maggiore (UK: /mæˈɔːr, ˌmæiˈɔːr/, US: /mɑːˈɔːr, məˈɔːri/;[1][2][3] Italian: Lago Maggiore Italian pronunciation: [ˈlaːɡo madˈdʒoːre]; Western Lombard: Lagh Maggior; Piedmontese: Lagh Magior; literally 'greater lake') or Verbano (pronounced [verˈbaːno]; Latin: Lacus Verbanus) is a large lake located on the south side of the Alps. It is the second largest lake in Italy and the largest in southern Switzerland. The lake and its shoreline are divided between the Italian regions of Piedmont and Lombardy and the Swiss canton of Ticino. Located halfway between Lake Orta and Lake Lugano, Lake Maggiore extends for about 64 kilometres (40 miles) between Locarno and Arona.

The climate is mild in both summer and winter, producing Mediterranean vegetation, with many gardens growing rare and exotic plants. Well-known gardens include those of the Borromean and Brissago Islands, that of the Villa Taranto in Verbania, and the Alpinia Botanical Garden above Stresa.

Lake Maggiore is drained by the river Ticino, a main tributary of the Po. Its basin also collects the waters of several large lakes, notably Lake Lugano (through the Tresa), Lake Orta (through the Toce) and Lake Varese (through the Bardello).[4]

  1. ^ "Maggiore". Collins English Dictionary. HarperCollins. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  2. ^ "Maggiore, Lake" (US) and "Maggiore, Lake". Lexico UK English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on 2021-04-16.
  3. ^ "Maggiore, Lake". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  4. ^ Swisstopo topographic maps.