Sistan Basin

Map of the Sistan/Helmand River drainage basin
Satellite image of southern Afghanistan and Iran in dust storm

The Sistan Basin is an inland endorheic basin encompassing large parts of southwestern Afghanistan and minor parts of southeastern Iran. It is one of the driest regions in the world and an area subject to prolonged droughts. Its watershed is a system of rivers flowing from the highlands of Afghanistan into freshwater lakes and marshes and then to its ultimate destination: Afghanistan's saline Godzareh Depression, part of the extensive Sistan terminal basin. The Helmand River drains the basin's largest watershed, fed mainly by snowmelt from the mountains of Hindu Kush, but other rivers contribute also.[1][2]

A basalt hill, known as Mount Khajeh, rises beside the lakes and marshes of the basin.

  1. ^ "History of Environmental Change in the Sistan Basin 1976 - 2005" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-08-07. Retrieved 2007-07-20.
  2. ^ "Restoration, Protection and Sustainable Use of the Sistan Basin". Retrieved 2007-07-20.

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