The rugged coastline of the Caspian Sea. Caspian Sea ~ Seas and Oceans

The Caspian Sea is rightfully the most big lake on the entire planet and this sea-lake is located at the junction of two significant parts of the world: Asia and Europe.

There are still disagreements about the name of the Caspian Sea: is it a sea or a lake. And it is called the sea due to the large size of the reservoir.

Origin of the sea

The Caspian Sea is of oceanic origin. It was formed approximately 10 million years ago as a result of the division of the Sarmatian Sea.

According to one legend, the Caspian reservoir received its modern name in honor of the Caspian tribes living on the southwestern shores. Over all this time, the Caspian Sea has changed its name approximately 70 times.

Currents

The waters of the Caspian Sea can be divided into the following three parts:

• southern (39% of the area)
• medium (36% of total area)
• northern part (25% of the area).

The currents of a reservoir are formed as a result of the following influences: the general influence of the wind regime, differences in density in individual areas and the flow of inflowing rivers.

U west coast The middle part of the Caspian Sea is dominated by southern and southeastern currents. Depending on the direction of the winds, the middle and southern parts of the Caspian Sea are characterized by currents in the northern, northwestern, southern and southeastern directions. In the eastern part of the Caspian Sea, eastern currents predominate.

The following currents also play an important role in the circulation of Caspian waters:

• seiche;
• gradient;
• inertial.

What rivers flow into the Caspian Sea

The bulk of river waters enter the Caspian Sea through the Volga River. In addition to the Volga, the following rivers flow into this reservoir:

• Samur, flowing on the border of Azerbaijan and Russia;
• Astarachay, flowing on the border of Iran and Azerbaijan;
• Kura, located in Azerbaijan;
• Heraz, Sefudrud, Tejen, Polerud, Chalus, Babol and Gorgan flowing in Iran;
• Sulak, Kuma, located in the territory Russian Federation;
• Emba and Ural, flowing in Kazakhstan;
• Atrek, located in Turkmenistan.

Sulak river photo

Where does the Caspian Sea flow into?

The Caspian reservoir has no connection with the ocean, since it is a closed reservoir. The Caspian Sea has dozens of bays. The largest of them can be distinguished: Komsomolets, Gyzlar, Kara-Bogaz-Gol, Mangyshlaksky, Kazakhsky, Krasnovodsky and others. Also in the waters of the Caspian Sea there are about 50 islands of different sizes, with a total area of ​​more than 350 km2. Some of the islands are united into archipelagos.

Relief

The following forms can be distinguished in the relief of the Caspian Sea bottom: in the south of the reservoir there are deep-sea depressions; a continental slope starting just below the shelf boundary and descending in the southern part of the Caspian to 750m, and in the middle part of the Caspian - up to 600m. shelf, the length of which is from depth to coastline is 100 m and is covered with shell sands, and in deep water - with silty sediments.

Derbent photo

Coastline northern region The sea is low, quite indented, and flat in some areas. The western shore of the reservoir is rugged and mountainous. In the east, the shores are distinguished by hills. The southern coastline is mostly mountainous. The Caspian Sea is located in a zone of increased seismicity. Also, mud volcanoes often erupt here, most of which are located in the southern part of the reservoir.

Cities

The following states have access to the waters of the Caspian Sea:

• Russia. The largest city is Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan. Also in Dagestan are the cities of Kaspiysk and Izberbash. In addition to the above cities in the Russian Federation on the Caspian Sea, it is necessary to note Derbent, the most southern city Russia located on the western coast of the Caspian Sea, Olya in the Astrakhan region.
• Azerbaijan: The port city of Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, is located in the southern part of the Absheron Peninsula. One more big city is Sugmait, located in the northern part of the peninsula. Also worth noting are the resorts of Nabran and Lankaran. The latter is located near the southern border of Azerbaijan.
• Turkmenistan with the port city of Turkmenbashi.
• Iran: Bandar-Torkemen, Anzali, Noushehr.

Makhachkala photo

Flora and fauna

All fauna The waters of the Caspian Sea can be divided conditionally into the following groups:

• The first group consists of descendants of ancient organisms: representatives of herrings (bellied, Volga, Kessler and Brazhnikovskaya herring); representatives of the Caspian gobies (golovach, puglovka, Berg, Baer, ​​Knipovich and bubyr); sprat; a large number of crustaceans; some types of shellfish.
• The second group includes representatives of fauna that entered the sea from the north during the post-glacial era of desalination of the reservoir: seal; fish species: perch, carp, nelma, whitefish and brown trout; some representatives of crustaceans: sea cockroaches, mysid crustaceans and others.
• The third group includes species that entered the Caspian Sea from Mediterranean Sea: the following types of fish: singil, flounder and needle fish; representatives of mollusks; representatives of crustaceans: shrimps, amphipods, crabs.
• The fourth group includes representatives freshwater fish that entered the Caspian Sea from freshwater rivers: stellate sturgeon, beluga, sturgeon, Caspian fisherman, red-lipped asp, barbel, pike perch, catfish.

sturgeon photo

The waters of the Caspian Sea are the main and main habitat of sturgeon representatives on the entire planet. Almost 80% of all sturgeon in the world live in the sea. Sharks and various predatory fish that pose any danger to humans do not live in this reservoir.

The flora of the Caspian Sea is represented by more than 700 species of lower plants (phytoplankton), as well as 5 species of higher ones (spiral and marine ruppy, comb pondweed, zoster, sea naiad). Here you can find various waterfowl. Some of them fly here for the winter from the north (waders, loons, gulls, geese, swans, ducks, geese), some fly from the south for nesting (eagles).

Characteristic

Let's get acquainted with the main characteristics of the Caspian Sea:

• The length from north to south was approximately 1200 km;
• The width of the basin from west to east is approximately 200-435 km;
• Total area Caspian Sea—approximately 390,000 km2;
• The volume of sea waters is 78,000 km3.
• The maximum sea depth is about 1025m.
• Water salinity averages up to 13.2%.

Sea level is located below the level of the World Ocean. The North of the Caspian Sea is characterized by a continental climate. The middle Caspian has a temperate climate. The southern part of the sea is characterized by a subtropical climate. in winter average temperature in the north it varies from 8 to 10 degrees below zero, and in the south from 8 to 10 degrees above zero. In summer, the average temperature in the north is 24-25 degrees above zero, and in the south 26-27 degrees Celsius.

Caspian Sea. birds photo

• To this day, scientists are debating: what status should the Caspian sea or lake be given? After all, this reservoir is closed and drainless. At the same time, this body of water prevails in size over some other seas.
• The bottom at the deepest point is separated from the water surface of the Caspian Sea by a distance more than a kilometer. The water level in the Caspian Sea is unstable and tends to decrease.
• This reservoir had approximately 70 names, which were given to it by different tribes and peoples living on its banks.
• There is a scientific theory that claims that the Caspian and Black Sea, were united into one sea in ancient times.
• The Volga River provides the Caspian Sea with most of the river water.
• Since the Caspian Sea is the main sturgeon habitat on the planet, most of the world's black caviar is produced here.
• The waters of the Caspian reservoir are constantly renewed every 250 years. The name of the reservoir, according to legend, comes from the name of the tribe that lived on its banks.
• The area of ​​the Caspian Sea is larger than the area of ​​Japan and slightly less than the area of ​​Germany.
• If this body of water is considered a lake, it will take third place in depth in the world, after Baikal and Tanganyika. The Caspian is also the largest lake on the planet.
• The Caspian Sea is very rich in natural resources. Oil, gas, limestone, salts, clay, stones and sand are mined here.
• The Caspian Sea has recently faced the following environmental problems: Marine pollution. Oil is the main pollutant of the sea, suppressing the development of phytoplankton and phytobenthos. In addition to oil, phenols and heavy metals enter the Caspian Sea. All this leads to a decrease in oxygen production, resulting in death. large number fish and other organisms. Pollution also leads to illness of living organisms in the sea. Poaching is one of the main reasons for the sharp decline in sturgeon catches. Changes in natural biogeochemical cycles. Construction on the Volga deprives fish of natural habitats.
• The Caspian Sea is a very important object in the field of shipping and economics. This body of water is absolutely closed and isolated from the world ocean. This is the distinctive uniqueness of the Caspian Sea.

There are still disputes about the status of the Caspian Sea. The fact is that, despite its generally accepted name, it is still the largest endorheic lake in the world. It was called the sea because of the features of the structure of the bottom. It is formed by oceanic crust. In addition, the water in the Caspian Sea is salty. As at sea, there are often storms and strong winds that raise high waves.

Geography

The Caspian Sea is located at the junction of Asia and Europe. In its shape, it resembles one of the letters of the Latin alphabet - S. From south to north, the sea stretches for 1200 km, and from east to west - from 195 to 435 km.

The territory of the Caspian Sea is heterogeneous in its physical and geographical conditions. In this regard, it is conditionally divided into 3 parts. These include the Northern and Middle, as well as the Southern Caspian.

Coastal countries

Which countries is washed by the Caspian Sea? There are only five of them:

1. Russia, located in the northwest and west. The length of the coastline of this state along the Caspian Sea is 695 km. Kalmykia, Dagestan and the Astrakhan region, which are part of Russia, are located here.
2. Kazakhstan. It is a country on the shores of the Caspian Sea, located in the east and northeast. The length of its coastline is 2320 km.
3. Turkmenistan. The map of the Caspian states indicates that this country is located in the southeast of the water basin. The length of the line along the coast is 1200 km.
4. Azerbaijan. This state, stretching 955 km along the Caspian Sea, washes its shores in the southwest.
5. Iran. A map of the Caspian states indicates that this country is located on the southern shores of an endorheic lake. Moreover, the length of its sea borders is 724 km.

Is the Caspian Sea?

The dispute over what to call this unique body of water has not yet been resolved. And it is important to answer this question. The fact is that all countries on the Caspian Sea have this region own interests. However, the governments of five states have not been able to resolve the question of how to divide this huge body of water for a long time. The most important controversy revolved around the name. Is the Caspian Sea a sea or a lake? Moreover, the answer to this question is of no more interest to geographers. First of all, politicians need it. This is due to the application of international law.

Caspian states such as Kazakhstan and Russia believe that their borders in this region are washed by the sea. In this regard, representatives of the two indicated countries insist on the application of the UN Convention adopted in 1982. It concerns the law of the sea. The provisions of this document state that coastal states are allocated a twelve-mile water zone along it. In addition, the country is granted the right to economic maritime territory. It is located two hundred miles away. The coastal state also has rights to However, even the widest part of the Caspian Sea is narrower than the distance specified in the international document. In this case, the middle line principle can be applied. At the same time, the Caspian states, which have the greatest length of coastal borders, will receive a large maritime territory.

Iran has a different opinion on this matter. Its representatives believe that the Caspian Sea should be divided fairly. In this case, all countries will get twenty percent of the maritime territory. The position of official Tehran can be understood. With this solution to the issue, the state will manage a larger zone than when dividing the sea along the middle line.

However, the Caspian Sea changes its water level significantly from year to year. This does not allow us to determine its median line and divide the territory between states. Countries such as Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Russia have signed an agreement among themselves defining the bottom zones in which the parties will exercise their economic rights. Thus, a certain legal truce has been achieved in the northern territories of the sea. Southern countries The Caspian Sea has not yet come to a common decision. However, they do not recognize the agreements reached by their northern neighbors.

Is the Caspian a lake?

Adherents of this point of view proceed from the fact that the reservoir, located at the junction of Asia and Europe, is closed. In this case, it is impossible to apply a document on the norms of international maritime law to it. Proponents of this theory are convinced that they are right, citing the fact that the Caspian Sea does not have a natural connection with the waters of the World Ocean. But here another difficulty arises. If the lake is the Caspian Sea, the boundaries of states according to what international standards should be determined in its water spaces? Unfortunately, such documents have not yet been developed. The fact is that the issues of the international lake have not been discussed anywhere by anyone.

Is the Caspian Sea a unique body of water?

In addition to those listed above, there is another, third point of view on the ownership of this amazing body of water. Its supporters are of the opinion that the Caspian Sea should be recognized as an international water basin, belonging equally to all countries bordering it. In their opinion, the resources of the region are subject to joint exploitation by countries bordering the reservoir.

Solving security problems

The Caspian states are doing everything possible to eliminate all existing disagreements. And in this matter, positive developments can be noted. One of the steps towards solving problems related to the Caspian region was the agreement signed on November 18, 2010 between all five countries. It concerns issues of security cooperation. In this document, the countries agreed on joint activities to eliminate terrorism, drug trafficking, smuggling, poaching, money laundering, etc. in the region.

Environmental protection

Particular attention is paid to solving environmental issues. The territory in which the Caspian states and Eurasia are located is a region under the threat of industrial pollution. Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan dump waste from energy exploration and production into the waters of the Caspian Sea. Moreover, it is in these countries that there are a large number of abandoned oil wells that are not exploited due to their unprofitability, but nevertheless continue to have an adverse impact on the environmental situation. As for Iran, it is dumping sea ​​waters waste agriculture and drains. Russia threatens the ecology of the region with industrial pollution. This is due to the economic activity that took place in the Volga region.

Countries on the Caspian Sea have made some progress in addressing environmental problems. Thus, since August 12, 2007, the Frame Convection has been in force in the region, with the goal of protecting the Caspian Sea. This document develops provisions on the protection of biological resources and regulation of anthropogenic factors affecting the aquatic environment. According to this convection, the parties must interact when carrying out measures to improve the environmental situation in the Caspian Sea.

In 2011 and 2012, all five countries signed other documents significant for the protection of the marine environment. Among them:

• Protocol on cooperation, response and regional preparedness in the event of oil pollution incidents.
• Protocol concerning the protection of the region against pollution from land-based sources.

Development of gas pipeline construction

Today, another problem remains unresolved in the Caspian region. It concerns the laying of this idea. This idea is an important strategic task of the West and the United States, which continue to look for alternative energy sources to Russian ones. That is why, when resolving this issue, the parties do not turn to countries such as Kazakhstan, Iran and, of course, the Russian Federation. Brussels and Washington supported the statement made in Baku on November 18, 2010 at the summit of the heads of Caspian countries. He expressed the official position of Ashgabat regarding the laying of the pipeline. Turkmen authorities believe that the project should be implemented. At the same time, only those states on whose bottom territories it will be located must give their consent to the construction of the pipeline. And this is Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. Iran and Russia opposed this position and the project itself. At the same time, they were guided by the issues of protecting the Caspian ecosystem. To date, the construction of the pipeline is not underway due to disagreement between the project participants.

Holding the first summit

Countries on the Caspian Sea are constantly looking for ways to solve the problems that have arisen in this Eurasian region. For this purpose, special meetings of their representatives are organized. Thus, the first summit of the heads of the Caspian states took place in April 2002. Its venue was Ashgabat. However, the results of this meeting did not live up to expectations. The summit was considered unsuccessful due to Iran's demands to divide the sea area into 5 equal parts. Other countries categorically opposed this. Their representatives defended their own point of view that the size of national waters should correspond to the length of the state’s coastline.

The unsuccessful holding of the summit was also provoked by a dispute between Ashgabat and Baku over the ownership of three oil fields located in the center of the Caspian Sea. As a result, the heads of five states did not develop a consensus on any of all the issues raised. However, an agreement was reached to hold a second summit. It was supposed to take place in 2003 in Baku.

Second Caspian Summit

Despite the existing agreements, the planned meeting was postponed every year. The heads of the Caspian states gathered for the second summit only on October 16, 2007. It was held in Tehran. At the meeting, current issues related to determining the legal status of the unique body of water that is the Caspian Sea were discussed. The borders of states within the division of the water area were previously agreed upon during the development of the draft of the new convention. Problems of security, ecology, economics and cooperation of coastal countries were also raised. In addition, the results of the work that the states carried out after the first summit were summed up. In Tehran, representatives of the five states also outlined ways for further cooperation in the region.

Meeting at the third summit

Once again, the heads of the Caspian countries met in Baku on November 18, 2010. The result of this summit was the signing of an agreement to expand cooperation regarding security issues. During the meeting, it was pointed out that which countries are washed by the Caspian Sea, only those should ensure the fight against terrorism, transnational crime, weapons proliferation, etc.

Fourth summit

Once again, the Caspian states raised their problems in Astrakhan on September 29, 2014. At this meeting, the presidents of the five countries signed another statement.

In it, the parties recorded the exclusive right of the coastal countries to station armed forces in the Caspian Sea. But even at this meeting the status of the Caspian Sea was not finally regulated.

The Caspian Sea is the world's largest endorheic body of water, 28.5 m below the level of the World Ocean. The Caspian Sea stretches from north to south for almost 1200 km, the average width is 320 km, the length of the coastline is about 7 thousand km. As a result of a decrease in level, the area of ​​the Caspian Sea decreased from 422 thousand km2 (1929) to 371 thousand km2 (1957). The volume of water is about 76 thousand km3, the average depth is 180 m. The coefficient of coastal indentation is 3.36. The largest bays: Kizlyarsky, Komsomolets, Kara-Bogaz-Gol, Krasnovodsky, Mangyshlaksky.

There are about 50 islands with a total area of ​​350 km2. The most significant of them are: Kulaly, Tyuleniy, Chechen, Zhiloi. More than 130 rivers flow into the Caspian Sea. The Volga, Ural, Emba, Terek rivers (the total annual flow is 88% of the total river flow into the sea) flow into the northern part of the sea. On its western coast, the Sulak, Samur, Kura and other smaller rivers account for 7% of the total flow. The remaining 5% of the flow comes from the rivers of the Iranian coast.

Bottom relief of the Caspian Sea

Based on the nature of the underwater relief and the peculiarities of the hydrological regime in the Caspian Sea, the Northern, Middle and Southern Caspian Seas are distinguished. The Northern Caspian (about 80 thousand km2) is a shallow, slightly undulating accumulative plain with prevailing depths of 4-8 capes. A ridge of banks and islands - the Mangyshlak threshold - separates the Northern and Middle Caspian Seas. Within the Middle Caspian (138 thousand km2) there is a shelf, a continental slope and the Derbent depression (maximum depth 788 m). The Absheron threshold - a chain of banks and islands with depths between them of 170 m - limits the Middle Caspian Sea from the south. The Southern Caspian (1/3 of the sea area) is distinguished by a very narrow shelf off the western and southern coasts and a much more extensive shelf off the eastern coast. In the depression of the South Caspian Sea, the greatest depth of the sea is measured at 1025 m. The bottom of the depression is a flat abyssal plain.

Climate in the Caspian Sea

The main oaric centers that determine the atmospheric circulation over the Caspian Sea are: in winter - the spur of the Asian high, and in summer - the crest of the Azores high and the trough of the South Asian depression. Characteristic features of the climate are the predominance of anticyclonic weather conditions, dry winds, and sudden changes in air temperature.

In the northern and middle parts of the Caspian Sea, from October to April, winds from the eastern quarter predominate, and from May to September, winds from the northwestern directions prevail. In the southern part of the Caspian Sea, the monsoon wind pattern is clearly pronounced.

Average long-term air temperature warm months(July-August) over the entire sea 24-26° C. The absolute maximum (up to 44° C) is noted on east coast. On average, 200 mm of precipitation falls over the sea per year, with 90-100 mm on the arid eastern coast and 1700 mm in the subtropical southwestern part of the coast. Evaporation in most of the water area is about 1000 mm/year, and in the eastern part of the South Caspian Sea and in the area of ​​the Absheron Peninsula up to 1400 mm/year.

Hydrological regime

Currents in the Caspian Sea are formed as a result of the combined influence of wind conditions, river flows and differences in density in individual areas. In the northern part of the Caspian Sea, the waters of the Volga River flow are divided into two branches. The smaller of them runs along the northern shore to the east, merges with the waters of the Ural River runoff and forms a closed circulation. The main part of the Volga runoff flows along the western shore to the south. Somewhat north of the Absheron Peninsula, part of the waters of this current separates and, crossing the sea, goes to its eastern shores and joins the waters moving north. Thus, a circulation of waters moving counterclockwise is formed in the Middle Caspian. The bulk of the waters spreading to the south. along the western coast, enters the South Caspian and, reaching south coast, turns east, and then goes north along the eastern banks.
The current speed is on average about 10-15 cm/s. The frequent recurrence of moderate and strong winds causes a large number of days with significant waves.

The maximum wave height (11 m) is observed in the area of ​​the Absheron threshold. The water temperature of the surface layer of the sea in August is about 24-26 ° C in the Northern and Middle Caspian, up to 29 ° C in the Southern Caspian, 32 ° C in the Krasnovodsk Bay and over 35 ° C in the Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay. In July–August, upwelling and associated temperature drops to 8–10° C are observed off the eastern coasts.

Ice formation in the northern part of the Caspian Sea begins in December, the ice remains for 2-3 months. In cold winters, drifting ice is carried south to the Absheron Peninsula.
Isolation from the World Ocean, the influx of river waters and the deposition of salts as a result of intense evaporation in the Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay determine the unique salt composition of the water of the Caspian Sea - a reduced content of chlorides and an increased concentration of carbonates in comparison with the waters of the World Ocean. The Caspian Sea is a brackish water basin, the salinity of which is three times less than normal ocean water.

The average salinity of the waters in the northwestern part of the Caspian Sea is 1–2 ppm, in the area of ​​the northern border of the Middle Caspian Sea it is 12.7–12.8 ppm and in the Southern Caspian Sea it is 13 ppm; the maximum salinity (13.3 ppm) is observed on the eastern shores. In the Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay, the salinity is 300 ppm. Seasonal changes in the salinity of the waters of the Middle and Southern Caspian Sea are 0.17 and 0.21 ppm, respectively. In the Northern and Southern Caspian Sea, due to a reduction in inflow and salinization during ice formation, salinity increases in winter. In the Southern Caspian at this time, salinity decreases due to decreased evaporation. In summer, an increase in river flow causes a decrease in the salinity of waters in the Northern and Middle Caspian, and increasing evaporation leads to an increase in the salinity of water in the Southern Caspian. Changes in salinity from surface to bottom are small. Therefore, seasonal fluctuations in temperature and salinity of water, causing an increase in density, determine the winter vertical circulation of water, which in the Northern Caspian extends to the bottom, and in the Middle Caspian - to a depth of 300 m. In the Southern Caspian, mixing of deep waters (up to 700 m) is associated with the overflow of cooling in winter, the waters of the Middle Caspian Sea through the Absheron threshold and the sliding of cooled waters of high salinity from the eastern shallow waters. Studies have shown that due to the increase in water salinity over the past 25 years, the depth of mixing has increased significantly, the oxygen content has correspondingly increased, and hydrogen sulfide contamination of deep waters has disappeared.

Tidal fluctuations in the level of the Caspian Sea do not exceed 3 cm. Short-term non-periodic fluctuations caused by surge phenomena can cause an increase in the level to 2-2.2 m and a decrease to 2 m. Seiches are observed with a period from 10 minutes to 12 hours and an amplitude about 0.7 m. The range of seasonal level fluctuations is about 30 cm. A characteristic feature of the hydrological regime of the Caspian Sea is sharp interannual fluctuations in the average annual level. The average level from zero of the Baku water gauge for a century (1830-1930) was 326 cm. The highest level (363 cm) was observed in 1896. From 327 cm (1929) the level dropped to 109 cm (1954), i.e. by 218 cm. In the last decade, the level of the Caspian Sea has stabilized at low levels with interannual fluctuations of the order of ±20 cm. Fluctuations in the level of the Caspian Sea are associated with climate changes over the entire basin of this sea.

A system of measures is being developed to prevent a further drop in sea level. There is a water transfer project northern rivers Vychegda and Pechora into the Volga River basin, which will increase the flow by approximately 32 km3. A project was developed (1972) for flow regulation Caspian waters to the Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay.

The Caspian Sea is remarkable in that it west bank belongs to Europe, and the eastern one is located in Asia. This is a huge body of salt water. It is called a sea, but, in fact, it is a lake, since it has no connection with the World Ocean. Therefore it can be considered the most large lake in the world.

The area of ​​the water giant is 371 thousand square meters. km. As for the depth, the northern part of the sea is quite shallow, and the southern part is deep. The average depth is 208 meters, but it does not give any idea of ​​​​the thickness of the water mass. The entire reservoir is divided into three parts. These are the Northern, Middle and Southern Caspian. The northern one is a sea shelf. It accounts for only 1% of the total volume of water. This part ends behind the Kizlyar Bay near the island of Chechen. The average depth in these places is 5-6 meters.

In the Middle Caspian, the seabed noticeably decreases, and the average depth reaches 190 meters. The maximum is 788 meters. This part of the sea contains 33% of the total volume of water. And the South Caspian is considered the deepest. It absorbs 66% of the total water mass. The maximum depth is noted in the South Caspian depression. She is equal 1025 meters and is considered the official maximum depth of the sea today. The Middle and Southern Caspian Seas are approximately equal in area and occupy a total of 75% of the area of ​​the entire reservoir.

The maximum length is 1030 km, and the corresponding width is 435 km. The minimum width is 195 km. The average figure corresponds to 317 km. That is, the reservoir has an impressive size and is rightfully called a sea. The length of the coastline together with the islands reaches almost 7 thousand km. As for the water level, it is 28 meters below the level of the World Ocean.

The most interesting thing is that the level of the Caspian Sea is subject to cyclicity. The water rises and falls. Water level measurements have been carried out since 1837. According to experts, over the last thousand years the level has fluctuated within 15 meters. This is a very large number. And they associate it with geological and anthropogenic (human impact on environment) processes. However, it has been noted that since the beginning of the 21st century, the level of the huge reservoir has been steadily rising.

The Caspian Sea is surrounded by 5 countries. These are Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran and Azerbaijan. Moreover, Kazakhstan has the longest coastline. Russia is in 2nd place. But the length of the coastline of Azerbaijan reaches only 800 km, but in this place there is the most major port in the Caspian Sea. This is, of course, Baku. The city is home to 2 million people, and the population of the entire Absheron Peninsula is 2.5 million people.

"Oil Rocks" - a city in the sea
These are 200 platforms with a total length of 350 kilometers

Notable is the oil workers' village, which is called " Oil Rocks". It is located 42 km east of Absheron in the sea and is a creation of human hands. All residential and industrial buildings are built on metal overpasses. People service drilling rigs that pump oil from the bowels of the earth. Naturally, there are no permanent residents in this village.

In addition to Baku, there are other large cities along the shores of the salty reservoir. At the southern tip is the Iranian city of Anzali with a population of 111 thousand people. This is the largest Iranian port on the Caspian Sea. Kazakhstan owns the city of Aktau with a population of 178 thousand people. And in the northern part, directly on the Ural River, is the city of Atyrau. It is inhabited by 183 thousand people.

The Russian city of Astrakhan also has the status of a seaside city, although it is 60 km from the coast and is located in the Volga River delta. This is a regional center with a population of more than 500 thousand people. Directly on the seashore there are such Russian cities like Makhachkala, Kaspiysk, Derbent. The latter refers to ancient cities peace. People have been living in this place for more than 5 thousand years.

Many rivers flow into the Caspian Sea. There are about 130 of them. The largest of them are the Volga, Terek, Ural, Kura, Atrek, Emba, Sulak. It is rivers, not precipitation, that feed the huge reservoir. They give him up to 95% of water per year. The basin of the reservoir is 3.626 million square meters. km. These are all rivers with their tributaries flowing into the Caspian Sea. The territory is huge, it includes Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay.

It would be more correct to call this bay a lagoon. It means a shallow body of water separated from the sea by a sandbar or reefs. There is such a spit in the Caspian Sea. And the strait through which water flows from the sea is 200 km wide. True, people, with their restless and ill-considered activities, almost destroyed Kara-Bogaz-Gol. They fenced off the lagoon with a dam, and its level dropped sharply. But after 12 years the mistake was corrected and the strait was restored.

The Caspian Sea has always been shipping is developed. In the Middle Ages, merchants brought exotic spices and snow leopard skins from Persia to Rus' by sea. Nowadays, the reservoir connects the cities located on its banks. Ferry crossings are practiced. There is a water connection with the Black and Baltic Seas through rivers and canals.

Caspian Sea on the map

The body of water is also important from the point of view fisheries, because in it large quantities The sturgeon lives and produces caviar. But today the number of sturgeon has decreased significantly. Environmentalists propose to ban the fishing of this valuable fish until the population recovers. But this issue has not yet been resolved. The number of tuna, bream, and pike perch also decreased. Here you need to take into account the fact that poaching is highly developed at sea. The reason for this is the difficult economic situation of the region.

And, of course, I need to say a few words about oil. The extraction of “black gold” at sea began in 1873. The areas adjacent to Baku have become a real gold mine. There were more than 2 thousand wells here, and oil production and refining was carried out on an industrial scale. At the beginning of the 20th century it was the center of the international oil industry. In 1920, Azerbaijan was captured by the Bolsheviks. Oil wells and factories were requisitioned. The entire oil industry came under the control of the USSR. In 1941, Azerbaijan supplied 72% of all oil produced in the socialist state.

In 1994, the “Contract of the Century” was signed. He marked the beginning of the international development of the Baku oil fields. The main Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline allows Azerbaijani oil to flow directly to the Mediterranean port of Ceyhan. It was put into operation in 2006. Today, oil reserves are estimated at 12 trillion. US dollars.

Thus, it is clear that the Caspian Sea is one of the most important economic regions of the world. The political situation in the Caspian region is quite complicated. For a long time there have been debates about maritime borders between Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Iran. There were many inconsistencies and disagreements, which negatively affected the development of the region.

This came to an end on August 12, 2018. On this day, the states of the “Caspian Five” signed the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea. This document delimited the bottom and subsoil, and each of the five countries (Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan) received its share in the Caspian basin. Rules for navigation, fishing, scientific research, and pipeline laying were also approved. The boundaries of territorial waters received state status.

Yuri Syromyatnikov

Many geographical names, can mislead people who are not keen on geography. Could it be that an object marked on all maps as a sea is actually a lake? Let's figure it out.

The history of the appearance of the Caspian Sea?

14,000,000 years ago, the Sarmatian Sea existed on the planet. It included modern, Black, Caspian and Sea of ​​Azov. About 6,000,000 years ago, due to the rise of the Caucasus Mountains and the decrease in water levels in the Mediterranean Sea, it divided, forming four different seas.

The Caspian is inhabited by many representatives of the fauna of Azov, which once again confirms that these reservoirs were once one whole. This is one of the reasons why the Caspian Sea is considered a lake.

The name of the sea comes from the ancient tribes of the Caspian Sea. They inhabited its shores in the first millennia BC and were engaged in horse breeding. But over the many hundreds of years of its existence, this sea has had many names. It was called Derbentsky, Saraisky, Girkansky, Sigai, Kukkuz. Even in our time, for residents of Iran and Azerbaijan, this lake is called Khazar.

Geographical location

Two parts of the world - Europe and Asia - are washed by the waters of the Caspian Sea. The coastline covers the following countries:

• Turkmenistan
• Russia
• Azerbaijan
• Kazakhstan

The length from north to south is about one thousand two hundred kilometers, the width from west to east is about three hundred kilometers. The average depth is about two hundred meters, the greatest depth is about a thousand kilometers. The total area of ​​the reservoir is more than 370,000 square kilometers and is divided into three climatic and geographical zones:

1. Northern
2. Average
3. Southern Caspian

The water area includes six large peninsulas and about fifty islands. Their total area is four hundred square kilometers. The largest islands are Dzhambaisky, Ogurchinsky, Chechen, Tyuleniy, Konevsky, Zyudev and the Absheron Islands. About one hundred and thirty rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, including the Volga, Ural, Atrek, Sefirud, Terek, Kura and many others.

Sea or lake?

The official name used in documentation and cartography is the Caspian Sea. But is this true?

In order to have the right to be called a sea, any body of water must be connected to the world's oceans. In the case of the Caspian Sea, this is not reality. The Caspian Sea is separated by almost 500 km of land from the nearest sea, the Black Sea. This is a completely enclosed body of water. The main differences between the seas:

• The seas can be fed by waterways - rivers.
• The external seas are directly connected to the ocean, that is, they have access to it.
• Inland seas are connected to other seas or oceans by straits.

The Caspian received the right to be called a sea primarily because of its impressive size, which is more typical of seas rather than lakes. In area it surpasses even Azov. Also no small role was played by the fact that not a single lake washes the shores of five states at once.

It is worth noting that the structure of the Caspian Sea bottom is of the oceanic type. This happened due to the fact that it was once part of the ancient World Ocean.

Compared to other seas, the percentage of salt saturation in it is very weak and does not exceed 0.05%. The Caspian Sea is fed only by rivers flowing into it, like all lakes on the globe.

Like many seas, the Caspian is famous for its powerful storms. The height of the waves can reach eleven meters. Storms can occur at any time of the year, but they are most dangerous in autumn and winter.

In fact, the Caspian Sea is the largest lake in the world. Its waters are not subject to international maritime laws. The territory of waters is divided between countries on the basis of laws adopted for lakes, and not for seas.

The Caspian Sea has rich mineral resources such as oil and gas. Its waters are inhabited by more than one hundred and twenty species of fish. Among them are the most valuable sturgeons, such as stellate sturgeon, sturgeon, sterlet, beluga, and thorn. 90% of the world's sturgeon catch comes from the Caspian Sea.

Interesting features:

• Scientists around the world have not yet come to a clear conclusion as to why the Caspian Sea is considered a lake. Some experts even propose to consider it a “lake-sea” or an “inland” sea, like the Dead Sea in Israel;
• The deepest point of the Caspian Sea is more than one kilometer;
• Historically, it is known that the total water level in the reservoir has changed more than once. The exact reasons for this are still not understood;
• It is the only body of water separating Asia and Europe;
• The largest water artery feeding the lake is the Volga River. It is this that carries the bulk of the water;
• Thousands of years ago the Caspian Sea was part of the Black Sea;
• In terms of the number of fish species, the Caspian Sea is inferior to some rivers;
• The Caspian Sea is the main supplier of the most expensive delicacy - black caviar;
• The water in the lake is completely renewed every two hundred and fifty years;
• Japanese territory less area Caspian Sea.

Ecological situation

Intervention into the ecology of the Caspian Sea regularly occurs due to the extraction of oil and natural resources. There are also interventions in the fauna of the reservoir, cases of poaching and illegal fishing of valuable fish species are frequent.

The water level in the Caspian Sea is falling every year. This is due to global warming, due to the influence of which the water temperature on the surface of the reservoir increased by one degree and the sea began to actively evaporate.

It is estimated that water levels have fallen by seven centimeters since 1996. By 2015, the level of the fall was about one and a half meters, and the water continues to fall.

If this continues, in a century the shallowest part of the lake may simply disappear. This will be the part that washes the borders of Russia and Kazakhstan. If global warming intensifies, the process may accelerate and this will happen much earlier.

It is known that long before global warming began, the water level in the Caspian Sea underwent changes. The water kept rising and then falling. Scientists still cannot say exactly why this happened.