Lake Karum

Lake Karum (also known as Lake Asale)
Location	Afar Region
Coordinates	14°1′N 40°25′E / 14.017°N 40.417°E / 14.017; 40.417Coordinates: 14°1′N 40°25′E / 14.017°N 40.417°E / 14.017; 40.417
Type	salt lake
Basin countries	Ethiopia
Surface elevation	−115 m (−377 ft)

Lake Karum (also known as Lake Assale or Asale) is a 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 at −115 m (−377 ft) below sea level. The volcano Erta Ale rises southwest of this lake.

Werner Munzinger, who travelled 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.^[1]

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 being transported by caravan to the rest of the country.

See also

• Lake Afrera
• Lake Assal (Djibouti)

References