Qinghai Lake, China's largest salt lake, has shrunk 10 sq km over the last 12 months due to rising temperatures and declining rainfall, according to recent monitoring reports.

The stretch of water was listed among the nation's natural heritage sites this year because of its scenic landscape and abundant resources.

Located in the southern part of the Qaidam Basin, it shrunk from 4,298.63 sq km in November 2005 to its current size of 4,288.56 sq km. It shrunk 362 sq km between 1959 and 2004, the water level has dropped three meters and the volume of water has decreased by 360 million cubic meters.

The lake actually increased by 34.51 sq km in 2005 due to thawing glaciers and abundant rainfall. But the overall trend is one of decline which is something experts believe can’t be reversed as evaporation continues to increase.

The average precipitation in the lake's major tributary areas dropped by 25 percent last autumn.

(Xinhua News Agency December 6, 2006)