Lop Nur, located between the Taklamakan and Kumtag deserts in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, is a former salt lake but now largely dried-up. The lake measured 3,000 square kilometers in 1942, but dried out since 1970, with only small seasonal lakes forming in local depressions in Taitema. Now it is covered with a salt crust ranging from 30 cm to 1 m in thickness. Known as the "sea of death" for its high salt content, Lop Nur is a paradise for visitors who love adventure.[China.org.cn/Photo by Qi Jun]]