[1] It lies to the south and east of what remains of the Eastern Basin Aral Sea in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

The severely reduced inflow caused the water level in the Aral Sea to drop.

The water level of the South Aral Sea then began to drop again, this time more severely.

[citation needed] In August 2021, British polar athlete Rosie Stancer led the first expedition on foot across the Aralkum desert.

Aral dust has been found in the fields of Belarus, the forests of Norway, and in the glaciers of Greenland.