Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran was once counted among the largest salt lakes on the planet and the biggest lake in the Middle East. Decades of drought, upstream damming and irrigation have since shrunk it dramatically, turning large sections into salt flats. Its decline is now widely cited as one of the region's major environmental crises, though restoration efforts are ongoing.
Record no. MRB-2026-005844
Formerly one of the world's largest salt lakes
Reference Record – Not Certified
This record is compiled from publicly available sources for reference. It has not been examined or certified by The Book of World Records.