Karakul Crater, Tajikistan

A large mountain crater, Karakul, is situated in Tajikistan. It’s incredibly attractive from a research point of view. The diameter of the crater is about 45 kilometers. The structure was formed about 10 million years ago. The main feature of the crater is its location, 6 000 meters above sea level. So, it can be considered the highest meteorite crater in the world.

It was possible to discover this unique geological formation only thanks to satellite images. That significant event happened a few years ago. Another interesting feature is a lake of about 25 km in diameter filling the crater. The area around the water attracts scientists. Other parts of the structure are completely deserted.

Certain types of plants, including a feather grass and a wormwood, grow along the lake. You can see the land covered with salt everywhere there, as the water is very salty. The lake flows into several rivers that are rich in fish. In general, this region is very dry with critically small amount of precipitation. In the period from November to April, Karakul Lake is frozen, and in summer the water in the salt lake can be warmed up to +12C. Next - Bosumtwi Crater