Lake Karakul, Tajikistan

Lake Karakul in northeast Tajikistan is a hypersaline lake with no external drainage, receiving less than 3 cm precipitation per year. It is on the highest part of the fabled Pamir highway at 3900 m. In the local Kyrgyz language, the lake is called "The Black Lake". Recently, Russian scientists have suggested that the lake occupies a 200 million year old meteor impact crater. The image was acquired October 16, 2016, covers an area of 48 by 55 km, and is located at 39 degrees north, 73.4 degrees east. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA23102