Lake Karum

Lake Karum
Lake Asale
Lake Karum at sunset
Lake Karum
Location	Afar Region
Coordinates	14°1′N 40°25′E / 14.017°N 40.417°E / 14.017; 40.417
Type	salt lake
Basin countries	Ethiopia
Surface elevation	−120 m (−394 ft)

Lake Karum (also known as Lake Assale or Asale) is a salt lake in the Afar Region of Ethiopia. One of two salt lakes in the northern end of the Danakil Depression (the other one being Lake Afrera), it lies 120 m (394 ft) below sea level.^[1] The volcano Erta Ale rises southeast of this lake.

Werner Munzinger, who traveled through the Afar Depression in 1867, recorded that this lake was fed by four streams: The Didic, the Ala, the Rira Guddy, and the Ragali or Awra, which is the only permanent stream flowing into Lake Karum.^[2]

North of Lake Karum is the former mining-settlement of Dallol. The lake is extremely salty and is surrounded by a salt-pan, which is still mined. The salt is transported by caravan to the rest of the country.

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  Salt flat at Lake Karum
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  Water of Lake Karum, visible through a hole in the salt flat
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  Salt workers at work
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  Processed salt
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  Salt transport by a camel train