Lake Balaton (Lake Balcsi), located in western Hungary, is the largest inland lake and the most important steppe lake in Central Europe. It is 79 km long and on average 7.8 km wide. The area is about 594 km² (14 km² more than Lake Geneva and 58 km² more than Lake Constance) in 2018.
The Romans called Lake Balaton Pelso. In Hungarian, the lake is colloquially called the “Hungarian Sea”. Its beaches and the spas and thermal springs on the lake attract bathing tourists. The capital Budapest and Lake Balaton are the most important tourism destinations in Hungary. Wine growing and fishing on or in the lake are also of economic importance.
Lake Balaton is located in western Hungary as it is the largest inland lake in Europe and next to Lake Neusiedl in Burgenland also the most important steppe lake in Central Europe with a pronounced fauna and flora.