Karakul, also known as Qarokul, is an endorheic lake located within a 52 km (32 mi) impact crater in the Pamir Mountains of Tajikistan, specifically within the Tajik National Park. Karakul means “black lake” in Kyrgyz, replacing the older Tajik name Siob. The lake has a diameter of 25 km (16 mi) and sits at an elevation of 3,960 m (12,990 ft) above sea level.
The circular depression at the center of the Karakul impact crater is one of its most notable features. It is believed to represent an impact crater with a rim diameter of roughly 52 km (32 mi). This impact structure was initially identified in 1987 through examinations using space photography. Although estimates differ, the impact’s age is thought to be between 25 and 23 million years old. The Earth Impact Database lists it as having happened less than 5 million years ago, despite the fact that other sources date it as late as the Pliocene epoch (5.3 to 2.6 million years ago).
The lake is divided into two basins by an island off the north side and a peninsula from the south shore. The smaller eastern basin is between 13 and 19 meters (43 and 62 ft) deep, while the larger western basin is 221 to 230 meters (725 to 755 ft) deep. The lake’s water is salty, and it lacks a drainage outlet.
Karakul is located within a national park, and despite the protected status, much of the surrounding area is used for pasture.BirdLife International has designated the lake and its surroundings as an Important Bird Area (IBA) because they are home to notable populations of several bird species, such as common mergansers, ruddy shelducks, and bar-headed geese. The Triplophysa lacusnigri is the only species of fish found in the lake.
From 2014 to 2017, Karakul, at an elevation above Lake Titicaca, played host to the Roof of the World Regatta, which at the time surpassed the Alpine Bank Dillon Open, a sailing competition conducted on the Dillon Reservoir in Colorado, USA, as the highest sailing competition in the world. Scientists, bird watchers, and adventure travelers find Karakul to be an intriguing location due to its distinctive geological and ecological features.
