When schoolchildren ask a question, which sea is the most salty, many adults, without hesitation, answer: "Red". The answer, unfortunately, is not entirely correct.
The Red Sea is really very salty. Located in tectonic
in the hollow between the Arabian Peninsula and Africa, the reservoir washes the shores of several countries at once: Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and several others. Not a single river flows into it, precipitation falls almost over it (100 mm can be disregarded annually). But the evaporation exceeds 2000 mm per year. This imbalance causes increased salt formation: water in the Red Sea is considered the most saline in the entire oceans. Each liter of water contains 41 milligrams of salt. The water is so salty that the ships that sunk many years ago still lie at the bottom, not succumbing to destruction: salt prevents harmful microorganisms from developing. Science officially confirms: the Red Sea is the saltiest sea in the world.
But, some will object, because the water in the Dead Sea is much more salt. It is known that the amount of salt in each liter of "dead" water from this reservoir ranges from 200 to 275 milligrams per liter of water. It turns out that it is the Dead - the salty sea on the planet. After all, everyone knows: the water in it is so "thick" that it is even impossible to dive. And because of the salinity of the water, bathing is allowed only where there is running fresh water (showers): salt that gets into the eyes can cause burns to the mucous membrane and blindness.
This is also correct.
But … officially the Dead Sea … not the sea at all! This is a large, very salty, incredibly beautiful, with powerful healing power … lake! Its length is less than 70 km, and the width does not exceed 18 kilometers at all.
Only the Jordan River flows into a lake called the Dead Sea. Evaporating gradually, the water recedes further and further from the line of the original shore. If this continues, scientists say that in a few centuries, only salt deposits will remain from this reservoir.
So to summarize. The salty sea on Earth is the Red Sea. This official information is registered in all scientific directories. The Dead Sea, despite the fact that its waters contain much more salt, is not even the most saline lake on the planet. It is ahead of Lake Assal located in Djibouti. Its salinity is 35%, while its “rival” has only 27%.
The most saline sea in the Russian Federation is the Japanese Sea. Salinity in it is distributed unevenly. So, in the Gulf of Peter the Great, it reaches 32%, while in other places it decreases slightly.
There is also the most saline lake in Russia. This is Baskunchak Lake. The salinity of its water is 37% (and in some places - 90%).
In fact, the lake is a large depression at the very top of the salt mountain, which "roots" goes several hundred meters underground. There are also resorts on Baskunchak Lake, but it is known to others: it is the largest place in the world for the extraction of the purest salt.
The lion's part of the surface of the lake is a salt crust on which you can walk. It’s difficult to swim here: “thick” water does not allow you to plunge into it, leaving a noticeable salt mark on the skin. However, it is believed that dosed swimming in the lake is useful in the same way as in the Dead Sea.
