Lake Urmia

Lake Urmia is a large salt lake.

It sits in a land called Iran. The water is very salty. This salt helps tiny creatures live there.

Many birds fly to the lake for food. Some birds are pink flamingos.

The lake has become very small. This happened because there was not enough rain.

People are working hard to help the water come back. It is a special place to protect.

Lake Urmia is a large salt lake in Iran.

It sits in a region called Azerbaijan. It is near the border of Armenia. At one time, it was the largest lake in the Middle East. It was also the sixth-largest saltwater lake on Earth.

The water is very salty. The salt level is four times higher than in the ocean. This salt makes it hard for fish to live. However, tiny creatures called Artemia live in the water. These small creatures are food for many birds. Pink flamingos often fly to the lake to eat.

For a long time, the lake has been shrinking. This happened because of dry weather and drought. People also used too much water from rivers and the ground. In 2008, a big bridge was built across the lake.

This bridge connects the north and south sides. Experts worry the lake might dry up. By September 2025, NASA images showed the lake had almost entirely dried up. Many people are working to find ways to save it.

Lake Urmia is a famous salt lake located in the Azerbaijan region of Iran.

It sits near the border of Armenia and south of the Caspian Sea. At its largest, it was the biggest lake in the Middle East. It was also the sixth-largest saltwater lake on our planet.

The water is extremely salty. In fact, the salt level is about four times higher than in the ocean. This high salt level means that fish cannot live there anymore. Instead, the lake is home to tiny creatures called Artemia.

These small living things are a vital food source for migratory birds like pink flamingos.

Many things have caused the lake to shrink over the years. A long period of dry weather and drought has been a major reason. People also built dams on the rivers that flow into the lake. Pumping too much groundwater from the area also took water away. In 2008, a large bridge and causeway were finished across the lake.

This construction divided the lake into northern and southern sections. Experts worry this change makes it harder for the water to move naturally. This can lead to the lake turning into a salt marsh.

People have lived near this water for thousands of years. Archaeologists have found ancient sites like Yanik Tepe on the eastern shore. Some of these places have been settled since as far back as 6000 BC. In the 9th century BCE, Assyrian records mentioned the area. Over the last 500 years, many different groups have called this area home. These include Azerbaijanis, Kurds, Persians, Assyrians, and Armenians. The name Urmia might even mean "City of Water" in ancient languages.

There are many important facts about the lake's size and biology. The lake once had about 102 islands. It is now a protected national park and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Scientists have found hundreds of different living things there. This includes 226 species of birds and 24 species of mammals.

In 2014, many plans were made to help save the water. Some projects used millions of dollars to improve irrigation for farmers. Other groups worked to plant special greenery to stop salt from blowing in the wind.

Today, the lake faces a very serious situation. Even though there were times when the water levels went up, the trend changed again. Recent years have seen more drought and management problems. NASA satellite images show a very sad change. By September 2025, the images showed the lake had almost entirely dried up.

People have even held protests to ask the government for help. They want to protect this special place for the future.

Lake Urmia is an endorheic salt lake located in the Azerbaijan region of Iran.

An endorheic lake is a body of water that does not flow into an ocean. Instead, it is part of a closed drainage basin. This lake sits near the Armenian border and south of the Caspian Sea. At its greatest extent, it was the largest lake in the Middle East. It was also once the sixth-largest saltwater lake on Earth. The lake was once very large, with a length of 255 kilometers and a width of 48 kilometers. It also had a maximum depth of 120 meters.

The chemistry of the water is very unique and intense. The main cations, or positively charged ions, include sodium, potassium, calcium, lithium, and magnesium. The main anions, or negatively charged ions, are chloride, sulfate, and bicarbonate. The concentration of sodium and chloride is roughly four times higher than natural seawater. This high salinity has reached more than 300 g/L in recent years. Because the water is so salty, the lake no longer sustains any fish species. However, it remains a vital habitat for Artemia urmiana. These are small crustaceans that serve as a food source for migratory birds.

The ecology of the lake is quite diverse despite the salt. Scientists have recorded 62 species of bacteria and 42 species of microfungi. There are 20 species of phytoplankton and 311 species of plants. The lake supports 226 species of birds, including large populations of flamingos. It also hosts 27 species of amphibians and reptiles and 24 species of mammals.

Because of this biodiversity, the area is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The Iranian Department of Environment also protects it as a national park.

Many factors have caused the lake to shrink rapidly. Persistent general drought in Iran has reduced the water supply. Humans have also built dams on the rivers that flow into the lake. Pumping groundwater from the surrounding area has further lowered the water levels. In 2008, the Urmia Lake Bridge and causeway were completed.

This construction disconnected the northern and southern halves of the lake. This change altered the hydrodynamic and ecological characteristics of the region. Experts warned that this could turn the lake into a salt marsh.

The history of the region stretches back thousands of years. Archaeologists have excavated prehistoric sites like Yanik Tepe on the east shore. This area has been settled as far back as 6000 BC. Other important sites include Dalma Tepe, Teppe Hasanlu, and Geoy Tepe. In the 9th century BCE, Assyrian records mentioned the area. The name "Urmia" may have several different origins. Some suggest it comes from the Neo-Aramaic words for "city" and "water." Others link it to Indo-Iranian words meaning "wavy" or "undulating."

Efforts to save the lake have involved many different groups. In 2014, Iran approved a 14 trillion rial recovery program. This program aimed to improve water management and reduce agricultural water use. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations also joined the effort. They worked on an integrated programme for sustainable water resources management. One project involved growing plants like Nitraria and Tamarix. These plants are grown to slow down the wind. This helps stop salt particles from blowing across the land.

Despite these efforts, the lake has faced extreme changes. By late 2017, the lake had shrunk to only 10% of its former size. The water volume was only 1/60 of what it was in 1998. While there was a brief period of filling in 2019, the trend reversed again. A combination of drought and administrative mismanagement caused water levels to drop once more.

Satellite imagery from NASA shows a very serious situation. By September 2025, the images indicated the lake had almost entirely dried up. This loss has caused environmental protests from people in Iran and abroad.