{{Short description|Lake in Akrotiri and Dhekelia}} {{Infobox lake | name = Limassol Salt Lake | image = Cape Akrotiri Cyprus el.png | alt = Map showing the location of Limassol Salt Lake within Cyprus | caption = | image_bathymetry = | caption_bathymetry = | location = | coords = {{coord|34|37|N|32|58|E|region:CY_type:waterbody|display=inline,title}} | lake_type = | inflow = | outflow = | catchment = | basin_countries = []{{Citation needed|reason= Akrotiri is not considered as United Kingdom Territory|date=October 2013}} | length = | width = | area = {{convert|10.65|km2|abbr=on}} | depth = | max-depth = {{convert|1|m|abbr=on}} | volume = | residence_time = | shore = | elevation = sea level | frozen = | islands = | cities = Limassol | pushpin_map = Cyprus | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_alt = Location of Limassol Salt Lake in Cyprus. | pushpin_map_caption = <!-- Below --> | website = | reference = | embedded = {{Designation list | embed = yes | designation1 = Ramsar | designation1_offname = Akrotiri | designation1_date = 20 March 2003 | designation1_number = 1375<ref>{{Cite web|title=Akrotiri|website=Ramsar Sites Information Service|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/1375|accessdate=25 April 2018}}</ref>}} }} '''Limassol Salt Lake''' ({{langx|el|Αλυκή Λεμεσού}}; also known as '''Akrotiri Salt Lake''', {{langx|el|Αλυκή Ακρωτηρίου}}) is the largest inland body of water on the island of Cyprus.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Cohn |first=Lindsay |title=Move over, Greece: Cyprus is the next big under-the-radar vacation destination |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/2019/11/17/why-cyprus-next-big-under-radar-vacation-destination/4193169002/ |access-date=2024-11-29 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref> It is located in Akrotiri and Dhekelia, administered as a Sovereign Base Area; specifically in the Western Sovereign Base Area.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}
It lies due south-west of the sprawling city of Limassol and measures {{convert|10.65|km2|abbr=on}}.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}} According to a BirdLife (Cyprus) booklet, its lowest point is {{convert|2.7|m}} below sea level,<!--this seems to conflict with the infobox--> and at its deepest point the water depth measures about one meter.<ref>''Σημαντικές Περιοχές για τα Πουλιά της Κύπρου (Important areas for the Birds of Cyprus), by Ζώτος Σάββας. Birdlife (Cyprus) booklet publication ''</ref> A study mentions that the maximum depth of the salt lake reaches 2.8 m below mean sea level in the winter.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Polidorou |first1=Miltiadis |last2=Evelpidou |first2=Niki |last3=Tsourou |first3=Theodora |last4=Drinia |first4=Hara |last5=Salomon |first5=Ferréol |last6=Blue |first6=Lucy |date=August 2021 |title=Observations on Palaeogeographical Evolution of Akrotiri Salt Lake, Lemesos, Cyprus |journal=Geosciences |language=en |volume=11 |issue=8 |pages=321 |doi=10.3390/geosciences11080321 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2021Geosc..11..321P |issn=2076-3263}}</ref>{{Clarification needed|date=November 2024|reason=Why would the altitude of the lowest part of the lake floor change by season? Is the mean sea level changing?}} A BirdLife International entry for an area including the lake gives the minimum elevation of that area as 0 m.<ref name=":1" /> Geologists hypothesize the lake was formed over the gradual joining of an offshore islet off the southern coast of Cyprus. <ref>''School of Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton University [http://www.soton.ac.uk/~imw/sabkha.htm] ''</ref>
The lake dries out in the summer.<ref name=":1" />
== Ecology == The lake itself is considered to be one of the eastern Mediterranean region’s most important wetlands.<ref name=":0" /> The shallowness of the lake (more than half of the lake is less than {{convert|30|cm|in}} deep) attracts thousands of wading birds to use it as a stopover during the migration seasons between Africa and Europe.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}} BirdLife International estimates that between 2,000 and 20,000 greater flamingos (''Phoenicopterus roseus'') spend the winter months on the lake.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=BirdLife IBA Factsheet: Akrotiri salt-lake including Bishop's Pool |url=https://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sites/index.html?action=SitHTMDetails.asp&sid=22&m=0 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081206043003/https://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sites/index.html?action=SitHTMDetails.asp&sid=22&m=0 |archive-date=6 December 2008 |website=BirdLife International}}</ref>
== 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.<ref>''Britain got ‘one-time-only’ deal on antennae (Cyprus Mail archive article - Friday, December 3, 2004)'' {{cite web|url=http://www.cyprus-mail.com/news/main.php?id%3D17250%26archive%3D1 |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2007-01-25 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930015125/http://www.cyprus-mail.com/news/main.php?id=17250&archive=1 |archivedate=2007-09-30 }}</ref>
Local and European environmentalists are concerned that the proximity of the listening posts to this ecosystem could have a significant impact on the wildlife.<ref>''EFGP 3rd Congress, Berlin, Germany, 17–19 May 2002 Adopted resolution Cyprus: British military antennas. {{cite web |url=http://www.europeangreens.org/info/resolutions/berlin35.html |title=EFGP : Resolutions |accessdate=2006-10-08 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061012115800/http://www.europeangreens.org/info/resolutions/berlin35.html |archivedate=2006-10-12 }}''</ref><ref>'' Birdlife Cyprus Newsletter [http://lamsdell.worldonline.co.uk/news.htm#Akrotiri%20Radio%20Antennae] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061107170617/http://lamsdell.worldonline.co.uk/news.htm#Akrotiri%20Radio%20Antennae|date=2006-11-07}}''</ref><ref>''Ramsar mission report, Akrotiri Wetland Complex, Cyprus, 17–21 June 2002 {{cite web|url=http://www.ramsar.org/wn/w.n.cyprus_akrotiri1.htm |title=Seminar on Cyprus' Akrotiri salt lake |accessdate=2006-10-08 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060927233247/http://www.ramsar.org/wn/w.n.cyprus_akrotiri1.htm |archivedate=2006-09-27 }}''</ref>
== Gallery == <gallery> File:Limassol Salt Lake 1.JPG File:Limassol Salt Lake 2.JPG File:Limassol Salt Lake 3.JPG File:Limassol Salt Lake 4.JPG File:Limassol Salt Lake 5.JPG File:Limassol Salt Lake 6.JPG File:Limassol Salt Lake 7.JPG File:Limassol Salt Lake 8.JPG File:Limassol Salt Lake 9.JPG File:Limassol Salt Lake 10.JPG File:Limassol Salt Lake 11.JPG File:Limassol Salt Lake 12.JPG File:Limassol Salt Lake 13.JPG </gallery>
==References== {{Reflist|2}} {{commons category|Limassol Salt Lake}}
Category:Geography of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Category:Lakes of Cyprus Category:Ramsar sites in Cyprus Category:Nature reserves in Cyprus Category:Saline lakes of Asia Category:Saline lakes of Europe