The World’s Most Saline Lake Revealed

The World’s Most Saline Lake Revealed (Image: canva)

The Dead Sea is not the saltiest lake in the world, as many people may tend to believe, but Gaet'ale Pond in Ethiopia. This tiny lake is neon-green, and it is found in the Danakil depression, which is among the hottest and lowest points in the world. It has an amazing salt content of more than 43 per cent, thus becoming the saltiest body of water ever known to scientists in the entire world. Its harsh environment gives it a distinct and alien look which embraces geologists and even travellers.

Gaet'ale Pond was created following an earthquake that resumed the previous hot spring, which still supplies this Pond with hot water that is rich in minerals and highly saline. The high concentration of salt in the lake does not allow any aquatic animals to survive. It is also very salty and therefore crystallises quickly along the coastline, creating surreal white layers of salt that are conspicuous in the brilliant green water. This magnificent scenery became the topic of scientific studies and photography, providing information about the way in which extreme environments grow and survive on the planet.

Its Dead Sea is not actually the saltiest, with an approximate salinity of 34 per salinity, and Lake Assal in Djibouti measures approximately 34.8 per cent. These are yet much weaker than Gaetale Pond. This kind of comparison aids the scientists in researching the impact of salinity on the ecosystems, mineral formation and even the human settlements around those areas. The Danakil region in itself is volcanic, has colourful salt flats, boiling springs, and is one of the most inhospitable and interesting spots on the planet.

In addition to its scientific significance, the lake is also a glimpse of the interaction of the geology of the Earth and climate. It has a very high rate of evaporation when subjected to extreme heat, leaving concentrated salts and minerals behind. Scientists also tend to contrast the situations in these places with those on Mars, making the Danakil Depression a possible analogue site for studying alien conditions.

To the traveller, Gaet Pond is more of a sightseeing place than a recreational facility. The heat is so intense, the distance is so far, and the gases emitted in the region are dangerous, so it is dangerous to be there without professional assistance. But the foreignness of its beauty and the scientific usefulness continue to attract a crowd of curiosity seekers and geologists worldwide.