Charhan Salt Lake is located in the southern part of Qian­dam Basin, at an altitude of 8,759 feet, in a 2,239-square-mile area. Due to the blazing heat there, the lake is partly covered by a 10- to 13-foot-thick salt layer. The layer's carrying capacity is so huge that highways, railroads, and even factories are built on it. There are several salt atolls in Charhan Salt Lake, forming small lagoons in the lake. The famous Salt Bridge, about 37 miles north of the downtown area, is 20 feet long, spanning the entire lake. Built completely of salt, the bridge is straight, flat, and smooth.