World's Largest Natural Mirror, Bolivia
The Salar de Uyuni is the world's largest salt flat, and it's considered to be one of the most extreme and remarkable places in South America. Salar de Uyuni is located nearly 3,658 meters above sea level in Bolivia's southwest corner, alongside its border with Chile.
The salt flat blankets an amazing area of 12,000 sq km. It was part of a prehistoric salt lake, Lago Minchín, which once covered most of southwest Bolivia. When it dried up, it left a couple of seasonal puddles and several salt pans, including Salar de Uyuni.
When nearby lakes overflow onto the flats during the rainy season (typically December to April), the flat transforms into a shallow "lake" up to 51 centimeters deep. This thin layer of water turns into the largest mirror on the planet with a stunning reflection of the sky.
Salar de Uyuni isn't just a tourist destination: it also serves as a lucrative extraction site for salt and lithium-the element responsible for powering laptops, smartphones, and electric cars.
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