The Aral Sea is a land lock sea located in Central Asia that is losing its volume by diversions of its river sources for irrigation. Located between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, the Ural Sea was once the fourth largest lake, but has since lost that title.
Decline of a Giant
The sea has been losing water for the last 50 years and has lost 80% of its original volume already. What was originally a 62,000 square kilometer lake, it is now just over 6000 square kilometers, splitting into three smaller lakes. Nearly 90% of the rivers that run into the Aral Sea have been used for irrigation, slowing down the remaining flow that reaches the sea. It has also been heavily polluted for decades, causing the salt level in the water to decrease dramatically. The current lake does support fish, but they are not suitable for consumption due to the high levels of salt. The levels of salt in the water are nearly three time that of ocean salt water.
References
Fast Facts
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Territory is 1.7 mln. sq.kmGrida: Aral Sea History
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One of the most ancient centres of world civilizationGrida: Aral Sea History
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Largest inland body of salty reservoirs in the worldGrida: Aral Sea History
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Located in Uzbekistan and KazakstanUCSD: Aral Sea History
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Has been drying up for 50 years
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Heavily polluted
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Soviet Union considered the sea to be natures error
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Surface area has shrunk by 90% and has turned saline
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Vozrozhdeniya Island was a site for production, testing and later dumping of pathogenic weapons
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More than five million years old
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Steps being taken to save the sea
