Which of the following has/have shrunk immensely/dried up in the recent past due to human activities?
- Aral Sea
- Black Sea
- Lake Baikal
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2018 Prelims]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 2 only
(d) 1 and 3 only
Answer: (a)
Explanation:
- Located in Central Asia, the Aral Sea was once the world’s fourth-largest salt lake and served as the drainage basin for several countries, including Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Kazakhstan.
- However, since the 1960s, the sea has been shrinking due to the diversion of water for agricultural purposes by the Soviet Union.
- According to NASA, the Aral Sea has lost about 75% of its original size over the past 50 years.
- Additionally, the depth of the sea has dramatically reduced from 68 meters in the 1960s to less than 10 meters today.