青海湖又名“措温布”，即藏语“青色的海”之意。它位于青海省西北部的青海湖盆地内，既是中国最大的内陆湖泊，也是中国最大的咸水湖。由祁连山的大通山、 日月山与青海南山之间的断层陷落形成。2012年7月30日，青海省气象科学研究所最新的遥感监测结果显示，中国国最大内陆咸水湖青海湖面积持续8年增大。

青海湖长105公里，宽63公里，湖面海拔3196米，是中国最大的内陆湖泊和咸水湖，地处青藏高原的东北部，西宁市的西北部。湖的四周被四座巍巍高山所环抱：北面是大通山，东面是日月山，南面是青海南山，西面是橡皮山。这四座大山海拔都在海拔3600～5000米之间。青海湖面积达4456平方公里，环湖周长360多公里，比著名的太湖大一倍还要多。湖面东西长，南北窄，略呈椭圆形。青海湖水平均深约21米多，最大水深为32.8米，蓄水量达1050亿立方米，湖面海拔为3260米。离西宁约200公里。湖区有大小河流近30条。湖东岸有两个子湖，一名尕海，面积48平方公里，系咸水；一名耳海，面积8平方公里，为淡水。

The Qinghai Lake is also called "measures Umboo", namely the Tibetan "green sea". It is located in the northwest of Qinghai province in the Qinghai Lake basin, is China's largest inland lake, but also China's largest salt lake. Formed by the Qilian Mountains between Datong, and Qinghai Nanshan Mountain Fault subsided. In July 30, 2012, Qinghai Meteorological Science Research Institute of the latest remote sensing monitoring results show that China's largest inland saltwater lake Qinghai Lake area continued to increase over the last 8 years. 9:50 in October 20, 2014, the north side of Qinghai Lake sea heart mountain appears dragon water spectacular scene.