Orumiyeh, West Azarbaijan, Dec 25, IRNA - Vice-President and Head of the Department of Environment Massoumeh Ebtekar cited Orumiyeh Lake as a global heritage, saying that global efforts are being made to save it.


Ebtekar arrived in West Azarbaijan province on Thursday.

On the problem of pollution in big cities, she said comprehensive studies are underway to prevent air pollution in metropolises.

She added that several projects to revive Orumiyeh Lake will be reviewed.

Orumiyeh Lake is an endorheic salt lake in northwest of the country.

It is between the provinces of East Azerbaijan and West Azerbaijan, and west of the southern portion of the Caspian Sea.

At its full size, it was the largest lake in the Middle East and the sixth largest saltwater lake on earth with a surface area of approximately 5,200 square km, 140 km length, 55 km width, and 16 m depth.

The lake has shrunk to 10% of its former size due to damming of the rivers that flow into it and pumping of groundwater from the area.

By IRNA