The Aral Sea

The Aral Sea was once one of the four largest lakes in the world. It is located in Central Asia between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Sadly, the Aral Sea has shrunk to a tiny fraction of its former size. It is one of the worst environmental disasters in history.

What Happened

In the 1960s, the Soviet government diverted the rivers that fed the Aral Sea to water cotton fields. Without its rivers, the sea began to dry up. By 2010, most of the water was gone. Old fishing boats now sit on dry, sandy ground far from any water.

Trying to Fix It

Kazakhstan built a dam to save the northern part of the Aral Sea. This smaller section has started to fill with water again. Fish have returned and nearby towns are starting to recover. But the southern part of the old Aral Sea is mostly gone and may never come back.

Fun Facts

• The Aral Sea lost about 90 percent of its water in just 50 years.
• The Aral Sea used to be the fourth largest lake in the world.
• Dust storms from the dried-up sea bed carry salt and chemicals to nearby towns.

Did You Know?

Old ships and boats that once sailed on the Aral Sea now sit rusting in the middle of a desert!