Salar de Uyuni (salar is salt flat in Spanish) is currently the world’s largest salt flat at 10,582 sq. Km. (4,086 sq mi). Actually, some 30,000-42,000 years ago the area was part of a giant prehistoric lake, Lake Minchin. When it dried, it left behind two modern lakes and two major salt deserts, Salar de Coipasa and the larger Salar de Uyuni.
Located in southest Bolivia, near the crest of the Andes, it is covered by a few meters of salt crust, which has an extraordinary flatness with the average altitude variations within one meter over the entire area of the Salar. The large area, clear skies and exceptional surface flatness make the Salar an ideal object for calibrating the altimeners of Earth observation satellites.
When covered with water, this extraordinary place becomes one of the largest mirrors on Earth.
Fact of Salar de Uyuni
Fact of Salar de Uyuni
Measuring at 10,582 km, Salar de Uyuni is the biggest salt flat in the world.
One of the most popular attraction in Salar de Uyuni is a cementary for trains. It contains all the trains that were used in mining during the 1940s and currently attracts thousands of tourists every year.
At times the salt flat is covered in very clear water, making it the largest natural mirror in the world.
Salar de Uyuni is also referred to as Salar de Tunupa of ‘ salt flat enclosure’ in Spanish.
An estimated 11 billion tons of salt is belived to be within Salar de Uyuni.
NASA uses Salar de Uyuni to figure oyt the positioning of their satellites.
There are 80 species of birds as Salar de Uyuni.
It was belive that Salar de Uyuni was completely flat, but some small undulations discovered on the surface.
1. Mirror Effect?
The uyuni Salt Flats are famous for its mirror effect. If you want to take a tour to experience the beauty of nature then you should go in the Rainy Season. The landscape is filled with a layer of Water reflacting Sky on the ground with unparalleled views.
2. Where is it?
Salar de Uyuni can be found in the department of Potosi in Bolivia’s southwest. You can get there by Plane, by Bus, or driving from La Paz to Uyuni.
3. How was it formed?
It was formed due to the drying of prehistoric lakes in the crest of the Andes, mainly the Lake Minchin, 30,000 to 42,000 years ago.
4. It is really high?
Uyuni is at an elevation of 3700 meters, so some acclimatization to height is recommended in order to avoid the altitude sickness.
5. Uyuni in numbers.
Salar de Uyuni is the largest salt desert as well as the flattest place in the world. It is estimated that the Salar contains 10 billion tons of salt, and it is formed by 11 layers of salt with a thickness of 2 to 10 meters each.
6. Dry Season – Geometric Shapes.
This is the other face of the salt flats. Whereas in the rainy season you see it covered by water, from May to November you will find it dry with only salt on it and this time of the year octagonal shapes are formed in the surface due to drying process and the ventilation of the Salar.
7. There is a lot of Lithium.
Around the 90% of Lithium (most essential mineral for batteries) of the world is condensed in Salar de Uyuni.
8. It is very cold.
Salar de Uyuni is at an altitude of 3.656 meters: it can get very cold, especially at nights with temperatures dropping below ZERO, also beware of the SUN, as it is very easy to get burned at this altitude.
One of the most popular attraction in Salar de Uyuni is a cementary for trains. It contains all the trains that were used in mining during the 1940s and currently attracts thousands of tourists every year.
At times the salt flat is covered in very clear water, making it the largest natural mirror in the world.
Salar de Uyuni is also referred to as Salar de Tunupa of ‘ salt flat enclosure’ in Spanish.
An estimated 11 billion tons of salt is belived to be within Salar de Uyuni.
NASA uses Salar de Uyuni to figure oyt the positioning of their satellites.
There are 80 species of birds as Salar de Uyuni.
It was belive that Salar de Uyuni was completely flat, but some small undulations discovered on the surface.
1. Mirror Effect?
The uyuni Salt Flats are famous for its mirror effect. If you want to take a tour to experience the beauty of nature then you should go in the Rainy Season. The landscape is filled with a layer of Water reflacting Sky on the ground with unparalleled views.
2. Where is it?
Salar de Uyuni can be found in the department of Potosi in Bolivia’s southwest. You can get there by Plane, by Bus, or driving from La Paz to Uyuni.
3. How was it formed?
It was formed due to the drying of prehistoric lakes in the crest of the Andes, mainly the Lake Minchin, 30,000 to 42,000 years ago.
4. It is really high?
Uyuni is at an elevation of 3700 meters, so some acclimatization to height is recommended in order to avoid the altitude sickness.
5. Uyuni in numbers.
Salar de Uyuni is the largest salt desert as well as the flattest place in the world. It is estimated that the Salar contains 10 billion tons of salt, and it is formed by 11 layers of salt with a thickness of 2 to 10 meters each.
6. Dry Season – Geometric Shapes.
This is the other face of the salt flats. Whereas in the rainy season you see it covered by water, from May to November you will find it dry with only salt on it and this time of the year octagonal shapes are formed in the surface due to drying process and the ventilation of the Salar.
7. There is a lot of Lithium.
Around the 90% of Lithium (most essential mineral for batteries) of the world is condensed in Salar de Uyuni.
8. It is very cold.
Salar de Uyuni is at an altitude of 3.656 meters: it can get very cold, especially at nights with temperatures dropping below ZERO, also beware of the SUN, as it is very easy to get burned at this altitude.
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