A dazzling white expanse of 10,000 km², the vast Salar de Uyuni (Uyuni Salt Flat) is one of the most spectacular landscapes in both the Americas and the world. Located in Bolivia, its immense size makes it the largest continuous salt flat on the planet. Rich in salt and lithium brine, it is not only a popular tourist destination visited by people from all over the globe but also a vital contributor to the country’s economy and raw material supply.
Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt flat in the world
Situated in the southwest of Bolivia, in a small town that shares its name, Uyuni, this salt flat lies within the Potosí department, a region dominated by mining activities. At 3,656 meters above sea level, it is the highest salt flat in the world and part of the Bolivian Altiplano, which facilitates access by land.
This place is not just an endless field of salt — with a salt crust ranging from 2 to 10 meters thick — but also contains extensive lithium-rich brine fields beneath the salt layer, making it abundant in lithium, boron, potassium, and magnesium. These resources have positioned Bolivia as the country with the largest lithium reserves worldwide.
Each year, more than 25,000 tons of salt are extracted from these fields. While some of this salt is exported, the majority is used domestically. It is estimated that the salar holds about 10 billion tons of salt, making the annual extraction relatively modest.
In addition, the area features the Plaza of Flags, a salt monument dedicated to the Dakar Rally, islands covered in cacti, and natural air expulsions that create bubbles in the small lagoons. Giant statues, hotels, and restaurants constructed from blocks of salt also stand here, and visitors can walk across the terrain to explore its incredible scenery — though caution is advised, as its vastness makes it easy to get lost.
The Uyuni Salt Flat can be admired year-round. During the rainy season, from December to April, it transforms into a massive mirror of water where reality and reflection become indistinguishable. In the dry season, from May to November, visitors can see the vast white fields of solid salt.
Many tourists come specifically to witness this mirror effect. It is important to note that for this phenomenon to occur, the water must be completely still, with no wind, as even slight breezes create ripples that distort the mirror-like surface, ruining the magical visual.
This remarkable landscape exists due to the disappearance of two ancient lakes — Lake Minchin and Lake Tauca — whose evaporation left behind the salt formations we now know as the world’s largest salt flat, a true natural wonder.
It is often believed that salt dissolves upon contact with water, but this is not the case here. The salt crust acts almost like an impermeable layer, allowing water to remain on top while the salt stays beneath. When the water evaporates, the mirror effect disappears, and the area returns to its solid salt fields.
The Uyuni Salt Flat is so flat, vast, and its skies so clear that NASA uses it as a calibration site for the sensors on its satellites.