Lake Retba (Lac Rose), Senegal: One of Earth's Saltiest Water Bodies

Yes. Lake Retba (Lac Rose), ~30 km northeast of Dakar, Senegal, is among the saltiest water bodies on Earth.

Salinity Extremes

• Salinity: Up to 40% (400 g/L) — ~11× saltier than seawater (3.5%).
• Dead Sea: ~34% (340 g/L) — Lac Rose can be saltier.
• Don Juan Pond (Antarctica): ~44% — highest known.
• Garabogazköl (Turkmenistan): ~35%.

Why So Salty?

• High evaporation (arid climate, intense sun, wind).
• No outlet (endorheic basin).
• Seawater seepage from nearby Atlantic (3 km) via underground channels + rare rainfall.
• Shallow (~3 m max depth) → rapid concentration.

The Pink Color

Caused by halophilic (salt-loving) microalgae Dunaliella salina producing beta-carotene (red/orange pigment) as UV protection. Color intensity varies with salinity, light, temperature—most vivid in dry season (Nov–Jun).

Human Use

• Salt harvesting: 38,000+ tons/yr manually collected by workers (sheathing skin in shea butter against corrosion).
• Tourism: Floating (effortless buoyancy), pink photo ops, spa mud.
• Threats: Climate change (rainfall shifts), industrial pollution, over-harvesting.

Lac Rose is a natural solar evaporator pushing chemical limits—surreal, valuable, and fragile.