Lake Urmia is an endorheic salt lake in northwestern Iran. It was once the sixth-largest saltwater lake on Earth with a surface area of 2,000 square miles (5,200 square km), but by 2017 had shrunk to 10% of its original size due to drought and damming of inflow rivers. It has begun to refill since 2019, thanks to increased rain and a restoration program. As water levels ebb and flow, the lake’s color ranges from blue-green to red-orange based on its concentration of salt-loving bacteria and algae, which have reddish pigments.
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37.700000°, 45.366667°
Lake Urmia