| Limassol Salt Lake | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Limassol Salt Lake | |
| Coordinates | 34°37′N 32°58′E / 34.617°N 32.967°E / 34.617; 32.967 |
| Basin countries | |
| Surface area | 10.65 km (4.11 sq mi) |
| Max. depth | 1 m (3 ft 3 in) |
| Surface elevation | sea level |
| Settlements | Limassol |
| Ramsar Wetland | |
| Official name | Akrotiri |
| Designated | 20 March 2003 |
| Reference no. | 1375 |
Limassol Salt Lake (Greek: Αλυκή Λεμεσού; also known as Akrotiri Salt Lake, Greek: Αλυκή Ακρωτηρίου) is the largest inland body of water on the island of Cyprus. It is located in Akrotiri and Dhekelia, administered as a Sovereign Base Area; specifically in the Western Sovereign Base Area.
It lies due south-west of the sprawling city of Limassol and measures 10.65 km (4.11 sq mi). According to a BirdLife (Cyprus) booklet, its lowest point is 2.7 metres (8 ft 10 in) below sea level, and at its deepest point the water depth measures about one meter. A study mentions that the maximum depth of the salt lake reaches 2.8 m below mean sea level in the winter. A BirdLife International entry for an area including the lake gives the minimum elevation of that area as 0 m. Geologists hypothesize the lake was formed over the gradual joining of an offshore islet off the southern coast of Cyprus.
The lake dries out in the summer.
Ecology
The lake itself is considered to be one of the eastern Mediterranean region’s most important wetlands. The shallowness of the lake (more than half of the lake is less than 30 centimetres (12 in) deep) attracts thousands of wading birds to use it as a stopover during the migration seasons between Africa and Europe. BirdLife International estimates that between 2,000 and 20,000 greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus roseus) spend the winter months on the lake.
British antennas
In 2003 the British Ministry of Defence caused some controversy by constructing two gigantic antennas as part of its radio listening post network in the Middle East.
Local and European environmentalists are concerned that the proximity of the listening posts to this ecosystem could have a significant impact on the wildlife.
Gallery
References
- "Akrotiri". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
- ^ Cohn, Lindsay. "Move over, Greece: Cyprus is the next big under-the-radar vacation destination". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-11-29.
- Σημαντικές Περιοχές για τα Πουλιά της Κύπρου (Important areas for the Birds of Cyprus), by Ζώτος Σάββας. Birdlife (Cyprus) booklet publication
- Polidorou, Miltiadis; Evelpidou, Niki; Tsourou, Theodora; Drinia, Hara; Salomon, Ferréol; Blue, Lucy (August 2021). "Observations on Palaeogeographical Evolution of Akrotiri Salt Lake, Lemesos, Cyprus". Geosciences. 11 (8): 321. Bibcode:2021Geosc..11..321P. doi:10.3390/geosciences11080321. ISSN 2076-3263.
- ^ "BirdLife IBA Factsheet: Akrotiri salt-lake including Bishop's Pool". BirdLife International. Archived from the original on 6 December 2008.
- School of Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton University
- Britain got ‘one-time-only’ deal on antennae (Cyprus Mail archive article - Friday, December 3, 2004) "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2007-01-25.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - EFGP 3rd Congress, Berlin, Germany, 17–19 May 2002 Adopted resolution Cyprus: British military antennas. "EFGP : Resolutions". Archived from the original on 2006-10-12. Retrieved 2006-10-08.
- Birdlife Cyprus Newsletter Archived 2006-11-07 at the Wayback Machine
- Ramsar mission report, Akrotiri Wetland Complex, Cyprus, 17–21 June 2002 "Seminar on Cyprus' Akrotiri salt lake". Archived from the original on 2006-09-27. Retrieved 2006-10-08.