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Chott Melrhir

lake, Algeria

Chott Melrhir, lake in northeastern Algeria. The largest lake in the country, it lies almost entirely below sea level, the Chott Melrhir is a marshy, saline lake that fluctuates in area with the seasons; usually, it is more than 80 miles (130 km) wide east–west. The Melrhir occupies the westernmost of a series of depressions extending into the Sahara from the Gulf of Gabès, Tunisia. The lowest point in Algeria, 131 feet (40 m) below sea level, is near the lake’s center.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Andrew Pereira.
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