Aral sea
Large salt lake between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
It once covered some 26,300 sq mi (68,000 sq km) and was the
fourth largest inland body of water in the world, but diversion of the waters
of the Syr Darya and Amu Darya rivers for irrigation has led to an overall
reduction of its surface area by more than half since 1960. Its volume has been
reduced drastically, which has led to an increase in salinity. The soil of the
dried-up lake bed has been found to contain salts and other toxic substances.
Source: Britannica encyclopedia
