Lake Dukan in Iraq is a man-made lake created when the oldest damn in the country, Dukan Dam was built in 1959. Â
Constructed on the Little Zab River, the dam’s purpose was to control flooding, provide water for irrigation, and generate hydroelectric power. Â
The resulting lake is the largest in Iraqi Kurdistan, covering 25,000 hectares (97 square miles). Â
The lake has become a popular tourist destination and the surrounding land supports 65 villages and six towns, with the area mostly engaged in agriculture and grazing.
The main body of Lake Dukan takes on a triangular shape that evokes an image of a Christmas tree. This image of Lake Dukan was captured from space by astronaut Alex Gerst on December 3, 2018.
More
- O Christmas Tree! from Space, Earth Observatory, NASA
