Quizzes
Quick Facts
- Also spelled:
- Võrts-järv or Virtsjärv
- Russian:
- Ozero Vyrts-yarv
Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.
Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Võrtsjärv
Võrtsjärv, south-central Estonia.
Võrtsjärv
lake, Estonia
Also known as: Lake Võrts, Ozero Vyrts-Yarv, Võrts-Järv, Virtsjärv(Show More)
Võrtsjärv, lake (järv) in south-central Estonia, with an area of about 110 square miles (280 square km). Võrtsjärv forms part of the 124-mile (200-km) course of the Ema River (German: Embach), which enters the lake from the south and drains it toward the north and east into Lake Peipus on the Estonia-Russia border. The Võrtsjärv is navigable, as is the lower course of the Ema. The lake and river together divide the hilly Haanja region of southeastern Estonia from the flat remainder of the republic. The lake and its swampy, level basin are believed to be remnants of a much larger, ice-dammed prehistoric lake whose original drainage was toward the west. A Zoological and Botanical Institute was established on the lake in 1961.
This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.
Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors.
By clicking “Sign Up”, you consent to the Britannica
Privacy Policy
and
Terms of Use.