Bolivia
Salar de Uyuni
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Welcome to Bolivia! Salar de Uyuni is the world's largest salt flat — a huge white plain made almost entirely of salt, so flat and shiny that after rain it turns into the biggest mirror on Earth.
Why is it special?
It is the largest salt flat on the planet, covering over 4,000 square miles.
When a thin layer of rainwater covers the salt, it perfectly reflects the sky, making the ground and clouds look like one giant mirror.
How does it live?
Long ago, this area was part of a giant prehistoric lake that slowly dried up, leaving behind thick layers of salt.
Today it holds about 10 billion tons of salt, and local families still harvest some of it by hand.
Amazing facts
It is so flat that the difference in height across the whole salt flat is less than 3 feet!
Underneath the salt lies one of the world's largest reserves of lithium, a metal used in batteries.
Quick facts
- It is so flat that the difference in height across the whole salt flat is less than 3 feet!
- Underneath the salt lies one of the world's largest reserves of lithium, a metal used in batteries.
- In the middle sits Incahuasi Island, covered in giant cacti that can grow over 30 feet tall.
- Pink flamingos visit the edges of the salt flat to feed on tiny shrimp in the shallow water.