Lop Nur

Lop Nur
罗布淖尔
Satellite image of the Lop Nur Basin
Lop Nur
Location	Xinjiang, China
Coordinates	40°10′N 90°35′E / 40.167°N 90.583°E / 40.167; 90.583
Type	Salt lake
Native name	罗布泊  (Chinese)
Primary inflows	Tarim River, Shule River
Primary outflows	None (endorheic basin)
Basin countries	China
Max. length	100 km
Max. width	30 km
Surface area	3100 km² (historical)
Average depth	Dry (historically: max 5 m)

Lop Nur (Chinese: 罗布泊; pinyin: Luóbùpō) is a largely dried-up salt lake located in the eastern portion of the Tarim Basin in southeastern Xinjiang, China, between the Taklamakan Desert and Kumtag Desert. The lake historically supported a thriving civilization along the Silk Road, but it has mostly dried up due to damming and diversion of rivers. Today, the area is known for its nuclear testing sites and potash mining.

Lop Nur is located in a basin that historically formed part of the larger Tarim Lake system, fed by the meltwater from the Tianshan, Kunlun, and western Qilian Mountains. The lake's size varied over time but was measured to cover around 3,100 km² in 1928. However, construction of reservoirs upstream drastically reduced water inflow, resulting in its current dried state, with only small seasonal lakes or salt marshes forming occasionally.

Lop Nur has a rich historical significance, being a part of the ancient Silk Road. From around 1800 BC until the 9th century, it supported the Tocharian-speaking culture. The ancient kingdom of Loulan, which became a Chinese client state in 55 BC, was located along its shores. Loulan was later renamed Shanshan, and the area became a vital point on the trade route that connected China with Central Asia.^[1]

Archaeological discoveries, including the Tarim mummies and buried settlements, have been made along the ancient shores of the lake. Notable explorers like Sven Hedin and Aurel Stein studied the area in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, mapping its shifting landscapes.^[2]

In modern times, Lop Nur became a site for Chinese nuclear testing, starting in the 1950s. The surrounding region is now also a site for extensive potash mining since the discovery of resources in the mid-1990s. Some areas around the lake are restricted military zones, and archaeological sites are under cultural protection.^[3]

The desolation and isolation of Lop Nur have made it a subject of intrigue for many, including explorers, historians, and writers. The lake's disappearance and history have been the subject of numerous books and studies, as well as a focal point in discussions about environmental changes in China's deserts.

• Loulan
• Tarim mummies
• Taklamakan Desert
• Nuclear testing at Lop Nur

• Encyclopaedia Britannica – Lop Nur
• BBC Article on Lop Nur^{[permanent dead link]}