Hungary contains Lake Balaton, Central Europe’s largest lake.
Lake Balaton covers about 600 square kilometres in western Hungary. It is a shallow freshwater lake and a major domestic tourism destination, often called the “Hungarian Sea” because of its size and importance.
The lake’s northern shore includes the volcanic hills of the Balaton Uplands, while resorts such as Siófok developed along the southern shore. The Tihany Peninsula divides part of the lake and is known for its historic Benedictine abbey.
Lake Balaton is sometimes mistaken for a lake shared by several countries because it is so large. It lies entirely within Hungary, a landlocked country whose waters ultimately drain toward the Danube and the Black Sea.