Key Information
Aral Sea
| Type | Endorheic, natural lake, reservoir |
| Length | About 160 miles |
| Width | About 115 miles |
| Area | Was 26,300 sq miles |
| Depth | Maximum 138 ft |
| Volume | 6 cubic miles |
| Elevation | 138 ft |
Learning Point
- The Aral Sea is an inland sea in Asia that has been slowly drying up, to the point where it almost ceases to exist at certain times of year. The change is due to intense use of its water for water hungry crops along with climate change.
Project
- Draw a picture of the Aral Sea, perhaps showing the contrast between what it was and what it is today.
- Overview
- Comparison
Location
| Located in | Central Asia |
Fun Facts
- Cotton plants are one of the greatest reasons for why the sea has slowly been evaporating, with the crops grown in nearby countries more water hungry that other types.
- Is an endorheic lake, meaning that water flows in, but none flows out. Normally it would have had enough flow inwards to prevent it evaporating.
- Formerly the fourth-largest lake in the world with an area of 26,300 sq miles, the Aral Sea began shrinking in the 1960s after the rivers that fed it were diverted by Soviet irrigation projects.
Past Lessons
| 80 | August 28, 2023 | (North America) |