Largest salt flats in the entire world

Dec20,2023

Botswana is home to the world’s largest salt pans, comprising 61,776 square miles. The very name of the pans means “vast, lifeless land.” 

Makgadikgadi Pans

The Altiplano of Bolivia hosts the world’s largest continuous salt pan. The entire pan, including Salar de Uyuni and Salar de Coipasa, is over 4,000 square miles wide.

Salar de Uyuni

South Australia’s large salt flat, Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre, is the lowest point in Australia (at 15 meters below sea level), in addition to being one of the largest salt flats in the world.

Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre

Argentina’s natural wonder, the Salinas Grandes, ranks among the largest salt flats in the world.

Salinas Grandes

One of Africa’s largest salt flats — the Etosha Pan — is known widely worldwide as a popular salt flat to visit. It is a World Wildlife Fund Ecoregion, and 2001: A Space Odyssey used the location to shoot part of its movie.

Etosha Pan

While technically a salt desert, Kutch describes the Great and Little Rann salt deserts. It spans an impressive 7,500 square miles between the two deserts.

Rann of Kutch

Like other flats on the list, flamingos frequent Salar de Atacama often; there’s even the Los Flamencos National Reserve within the flats.

Salar de Atacama

Located near the Atacama Desert, the arid plateau of Salta, Argentina, holds Salar de Arizaro. The massive salt flat still has lines running north and south through it

Salar de Arizaro

Badwater Basin is the lowest point in America — at a significant 282 feet below sea level — and the biggest salt flat in America, covering just over 200 square miles.

Badwater Basin