With 4,086 square miles of shockingly white salt crust, the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia is the biggest salt flat on Earth. It is also a strange environment. Created from ancient lakes, this natural beauty is now among the most fascinating places in South America. Beyond its spectacular look, this amazing location has secrets and events that still astound scientists and tourists equally. From its part in global lithium production to its metamorphosis into the biggest natural mirror during rainy seasons, these nine amazing facts about the Salar de Uyuni help to explain why visitors from all around the world have fallen in love with this site.
1. The World’s Largest Salt Flat
Until you are there in the Salar de Uyuni’s middle, its great scale is hard to understand. Covering more than 4,086 square miles (10,582 square kilometres), this salt desert boasts more than 10 billion tonnes of salt, of which less than 25,000 tonnes are yearly harvested. When many prehistoric lakes dried up some 30,000 years ago, the salt flat was created and a thick layer of salt stretches to the horizon in every direction. With surface variation of less than one metre throughout its whole breadth, this large white swath is so flat that it is used to calibrate satellite altimeters from space. Considered one of the most amazing geological features seen from orbit, the salt crust—which ranges in thickness from few meters to tens of meters—creates a landscape so precisely level. The development of this salt flat is evidence of the force of geology throughout time as the evaporation of mineral-rich water left behind almost exactly level surface of primarily sodium chloride. Small pyramids of salt dot the landscape during the dry season as local groups have evolved traditional salt-harvesting techniques handed down through the years. For local families, these harvesting methods not only offer a sustainable source of income but also assist to preserve the fragile equilibrium of this special ecosystem. The flat’s surface’s amazing accuracy has made it a necessary instrument for calibrating and testing different Earth observation satellites, therefore advancing our knowledge of world geography and temperature trends.
2. A Natural Mirror Effect
Usually from December to April, the rainy season converts the salt flat into the biggest natural mirror in the world by a meagre coating of water. Usually just a few centimetres, a tiny amount of water covers the salt crust to produce a beautiful mirror of the sky above this amazing phenomena. The result is so strong that it is difficult to tell where the earth ends and the sky starts, producing what photographers term as the “infinity effect.” One of the most photographed natural events in South America, this mirror-like surface brilliantly reflects the clouds, sun, and stars. NASA uses photographs of this natural mirror to calibrate satellites and confirm data from space observations as the reflecting is so flawless. Scientists investigating light behaviour and atmospheric events have been drawn to this natural mirror’s special optical characteristics, which has produced innovative studies in environmental science and climate studies. The mirror effect produces amazing displays of colour between sunrise and sunset, with the hues of the sky exactly reflected on the water’s surface to provide an otherworldly scene that draws photographers and painters from all around the world. In the local ecology, the mirror effect is also quite important since it offers migrating birds necessary resting places and generates temporary microhabitats for different species suited for this particular surroundings. Local tour companies have created specialised photography excursions during these times, therefore boosting the tourism industry of the area and teaching guests about the fragile equilibrium of this natural beauty.