The Lake Tuz Special Environmental Protection Area

The Lake Tuz (Lake Salt) is the second largest lake in Türkiye after Lake Van. It is mainly fed by underground water. Being a tectonic originated site, the area is located in a closed large basin called Konya basin. The area is poor in inflowing rivers due to its location in the least rain fall receiving part of the country.

In summer, dry period dominates which results in the formation of a salt layer about 30 cm by means of excessive evaporation in the lake. It is one of the most salty lakes of the world.

The Lake Tuz basin, which hosts an enormous variety of bird species, has approximately 6,000 bird nesting areas. In addition, it has been determined that 279 plant and bacterial species lived in the region. Salt Lake Special Environmental Protection Area, one of the important natural areas in the world, has been registered in the UNESCO World Heritage Temporary List due to these features.

The surface of the edges of the lake looks like an empty planet in which many visitors can perceive some oasis on the horizon. Over there a white layer covering the steppe plants mimics some sculpture shapes of the fine arts in nature.