Lake Constance, called Bodensee in German, lies in a basin of the upper Rhine River Valley at the eastern end of the Swiss Plateau, where the borders of Germany, Switzerland, and Austria meet. The lake, of glacial origin, covers 208 square miles (539 square kilometers). It is about 42 miles (68 kilometers) long and 8 miles (13 kilometers) wide.
Since ancient times, people have lived and traded goods along the lake. Today, many towns and villages line its shores. Their economies are based on agriculture, light industry, and tourism. The major towns include Konstanz and Friedrichshafen, Germany; Rorschach, Switzerland; and Bregenz, Austria.
