Keitele
Sunset on Keitele
Keitele
Location of Keitele.
Location	Central Finland
Coordinates	62°56′N 26°02′E / 62.933°N 26.033°E / 62.933; 26.033
Lake type	Natural
Catchment area	Kymijoki
Basin countries	Finland
Surface area	498.41 km2 (192.44 sq mi)[1]
Average depth	6.88 m (22.6 ft)
Max. depth	66 m (217 ft)
Water volume	3.4 km3 (2,800,000 acre⋅ft)
Shore length1	1,461 km (908 mi)
Surface elevation	99.5 m (326 ft)[1]
Islands	Hautsalo, Pyhänsalo, Jurvansalo, Patasalo
Settlements	Äänekoski, Sumiainen, Suolahti, Viitasaari
References	[1]
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Keitele is a large lake located in Central Finland. With a area of 493.59 km², it is the 9th largest lake in the country. The lake is divided into three regions, Ylä-, Keski-, and Ala-Keitele, of which Keski-Keitele is the largest. Water in the lake is clear and in excellent condition.^[2] The towns of Äänekoski and Viitasaari are located on the shores of Keitele.

The northernmost part of the lake is called Ylä-Keitele. A big part of Ylä-Keitele belongs to Natura 2000 protection program due to its clear water and natural condition.

A leading figure in modern Finnish painting, Akseli Gallen-Kallela first worked at Lake Keitele, in the summer of 1904. This Lake Keitele landscape is his third and most elaborate depiction of the lake, and he exhibited it in Helsinki that same year. The painting is signed with the Swedish form of the artist's name; in later years he used the Finnish form, as above, by which he is best known today. This painting now hangs in the National Gallery, London.

The lake is mentioned prominently in James Church's 2006 novel A Corpse in the Koryo.

• Media related to Keitele (lake) at Wikimedia Commons
• National Gallery, London