Lake Assal

Lake Assal

Lake Assal is a crater lake in the mid-west of Djibouti. It lies at the western end of the Gulf of Tadjoura, about 120 km west of Djibouti city, at the top of the Great Rift Valley. Lake Assal is a saline lake lying 155 meters below sea level within the Afar Triangle, the lowest point on land in Africa, and the world's third lowest point after the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. The lake has no outflow, and because of high evaporation, its salt content is ten times that of the sea, making it the fourth saltiest lake in the world after Garabogazköl, Lake Retba and the Gaet'ale Pond. The lake is now a protected area. As the extraction of salt from the lake has been uncontrolled, it is important to manage the extraction to avoid negative impacts on the lake's natural environment. UNESCO has been asked by the Djibouti government to designate the Lake Assal area and the Ardoukoba volcano as World Heritage Sites. In the lake area, vegetation is scattered, consisting of low, thorny shrubs or bushes on the right bank. Water in the lake is abundant in minerals, but the only sign of life is the abundance of common bacteria. Land animals such as antelopes, camels, birds, lizards and insects can be found in the area. But the lake area is not home to any aquatic wildlife. However, near the hot springs of the Assal Lake, a few small fish species have been recorded, that are said to resemble Cyprinodon variegatus, a species common in the salt waters of the Caribbean and South America.