Lake Urmia is located in the northwest of Iran, between West Azerbaijan Province and East Azerbaijan Province. It is a permanent saltwater lake, the largest in Iran and the second largest in the Middle East. Shaped like a seahorse, it is 140 kilometers long at its longest points, 55 kilometers wide, with a water area of 52,000 square kilometers and a depth of about 16 meters. In recent years, due to evaporation and siltation, the lake has been gradually shrinking.

The name of Lake Urmia comes from the city of Urmia on its shore. The lake is fed by 13 mountainous rivers, but due to the decreasing water flow from these rivers and evaporation, the lake is also shrinking. There are 102 rock islands in the lake, serving as transit and habitat areas for various wild migratory birds, including flamingos, pelicans, herons, egrets, storks, Northern shoveler ducks, avocets, stilts, and seagulls. The high salinity of the lake water, about six times that of seawater, makes it unsuitable for fish, except for one type of zooplankton – Artemia, which has economic value. Lake Urmia is designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and most of its area is also designated as a national park by the Iranian government.

Lake Urmia
Reason to visit: Largest saltwater lake in Iran
Continent: Asia
Country: Iran
Provinces: West Azerbaijan and East Azerbaijan Provinces