Lakes of Ounianga, Chad

The Sahara desert isn't known for its lakes, but the 18 interconnected lakes that have just been given Unesco status cover a total area of 62,808 hectares and have a maximum depth of 27 metres.

The stunning site comprises two groups of lakes 24 miles apart: the saline-based Ounianga Kebir lakes contain only algae and micro-organisms, while the freshwater Ounianga Serir lakes are home to a huge range of fish.