4. Lake Van
Area: 1,450 mi²
Basin countries: Turkey
Lake Van is located near its namesake the provinces of Van and Bitlis. It is the largest lake in the country with a surface area of over 1,450 mi² or 3,755 km². It is the only saline soda lake that made it into the list of largest saltwater lakes in the world. If you are wondering what a soda lake is – it’s basically a body of landlocked water that is on the strong alkaline side of neutrality. In other words, the pH value is above 7, typically somewhere between 9 to 12.
Pixabay / Public Domain
