Caspian Sea on the political map of the world. Which is correct: Caspian Sea or lake? Coastline Features

Looking through ancient maps, I constantly paid attention to how cartographers of that time depicted the Caspian Sea. On early maps it has an oval shape, slightly elongated in latitude, in contrast to its modern look, where the waters of the Caspian Sea stretch from north to south.

Photos are clickable:


Caspian Sea on the map in modern form

And the size of the Caspian Sea is completely different. The pool area is larger than the modern one.
Let's look at some ancient maps and see for ourselves.


Here the Caspian Sea already has slightly different outlines, but it is still far from modern

All these maps show that the Caspian Sea has a system of deep rivers flowing into it along its entire perimeter. Now, the main river flowing into the Caspian Sea is the Volga. With so many rivers in the past, this must be a densely populated, fertile region. The ancient cartographers could not have made such a mistake in the geometric shapes of the reservoir and in the number of rivers flowing into it.
I note that not a single map has an image, not even a hint, of Lake Baikal (this will be useful to us later).
Not on the maps Aral Sea– it is absorbed by the Caspian, it is one basin.
It is known that the Aral Sea is rapidly drying up, simply catastrophically quickly. About 25 years ago, the USSR even had projects to save this sea by diverting Siberian rivers. The coastline of the Aral Sea literally disappeared before our eyes over the years.

Official reason Such a catastrophic decrease in the water level in the Aral Lake-Sea is a huge withdrawal of water from the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers for irrigation of cotton fields.
More details

Yes, this process takes place. But not that much. It seems to me that we have witnessed climate change that began long before excessive economic activity people in this region. Many deserts in this region, steppes are the bottom of the ancient Caspian Sea. But not all. Below I will try to explain why.

In the meantime, I'll add information from official science, confirming changes in the shape and area of ​​the Caspian basin:

The Russian scientist - academician P. S. Pallas, having visited the low-lying flat shores of the Northern Caspian Sea, wrote that the Caspian steppes are still in such a state as if they had recently emerged from under the water. This thought comes by itself if you look at these leveled vast spaces, at this sandy-clay soil mixed with sea shells, and at countless salt marshes. What kind of sea could flood these steppes if not the adjacent Caspian Sea?

Pallas also found traces of a higher sea level on small hills scattered across the Caspian lowland like islands in the sea. He discovered ledges, or terraces, on the slopes of these hills. They could only be produced by sea waves acting for a long time.

Soviet scientists found that on the shores of the Caspian Sea, especially on the eastern ones (Mangyshlak and others), three coastal terraces are found at an altitude of 26, 16 and 11 m above the modern level of the Caspian Sea. They belong to the last stage of the Khvalynsk Sea, that is, to the period 10 - 20 thousand years ago. On the other hand, there is reliable information about underwater terraces at depths of 4, 8, 12 and 16 - 20 m below the modern level.

At a depth of 16 - 20 m, there is a sharp bend in the transverse profile of the underwater slope or, in other words, a flooded terrace. The period of such low level sea ​​dates back to the post-Khvalyn time. Later, during the New Caspian period, which began 3 - 3.5 thousand years ago, the level of the Caspian Sea generally increased, reaching a maximum in 1805.

It turns out that in relatively recent geological times the level of the Caspian Sea experienced significant fluctuations with an amplitude reaching approximately 40 meters.

A large number of coastal ledges - terraces could have formed only during transgressions (the advance of the sea onto the land) and regressions (the retreat of the sea). During transgression, the sea level remained at a certain height for a long time, and the sea surf had time to process the shores, creating beaches and coastal ramparts.

Those. scientists do not deny that even in a very recent era by geological standards, the Caspian Sea was different.

Let’s read what some figures of the past wrote about the Caspian Sea:

The first information about the Caspian Sea and its shores was found in the writings of ancient Greek and Roman scientists. However, this information, which they received from merchants, war participants, and seafarers, was not accurate and often contradicted each other. For example, Strabo believed that the Syr Darya flows simultaneously in two branches into the Caspian Sea and the Aral Sea. In the general geography of Claudius Ptolemy, which was a reference book for travelers until the 17th century, the Aral Sea is not mentioned at all.

The ancient maps of ancient geographers have also reached us. Distances between geographical points were then determined by the speed and time of movement of caravans and ships, and the direction of the journey - by the stars.

Herodotus (who lived around 484-425 BC) was the first to define the Caspian Sea as a sea isolated from the ocean with a width-to-length ratio of 1:6, which is very close to reality. Aristotle (384-322 BC) confirmed the conclusion of Herodotus. However, many of their contemporaries considered the Caspian Sea to be the northern bay of the ocean, which, according to their ideas, surrounded the entire then-known earth.

Ptolemy (90-168 AD), like Herodotus, considered the Caspian Sea closed, but depicted it incorrectly, in a shape approaching a circle.

Later, in 900-1200. AD Arab scientists, following Ptolemy, imagined the Caspian Sea as closed and round. You can go around the Caspian (Khazar) Sea, returning to the place from where you set off, and not encounter any obstacles except the rivers flowing into the sea, Istakhari wrote. The same was confirmed in 1280 by Marco Polo, the famous Venetian traveler who visited China. As we will see below, an incorrect idea about the shape of the Caspian Sea persisted in the Western scientific world until the beginning of the 18th century, until it was refuted by Russian hydrographers.
Source: http://stepnoy-sledopyt.narod.ru/geologia/kmore/geol.htm (B.A. Shlyamin. Caspian Sea. 1954. Geographgiz. 128 p.)

From all this, we can conclude that climatic conditions in this region were different, this indirectly proves this map of Africa:

The climate was different not only in Central Asia, but also in great desert planets - Sahara. See a huge river crossing modern desert Africa from east to west and emptying into the Atlantic. In addition, a huge number of rivers flow into the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic - this indicates abundant rainfall in this region, and at least savannah vegetation. The Arabian Peninsula, too, is full of rivers and vegetation.
And this is the climate of the not so distant past, the past when people were making maps in full force.

What could have happened that changed Central Asia, northern Africa beyond recognition. Where did so much sand come from in the Karakum Desert and Sahara?

I will put forward a version based on these cards, which at first glance may not be clear:

It can be seen that the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea are connected into one basin and a huge water area flows into them from the northeast and in the center - a huge river flowing from somewhere in the north. There is a message from Persian Gulf.

Scientists also confirm these data:

It turned out that for a very long time, measured in millions of years, the Mediterranean, Black, Azov and Caspian seas constituted a huge sea basin connected to the World Ocean. This pool repeatedly changed its outline, area, depth, was split into separate parts and restored again.

The stages of development of this basin in historical sequence received various, purely conventional, names: the Miocene basin, or the sea that existed in the Miocene time, several million years ago, the Sarmatian, Meotic, Pontic, Akchagyl, Apsheron and the Khvalyn sea, which is closest to our time.

The Caspian Sea is simultaneously considered both an endorheic lake and a full-fledged sea. The reasons for this confusion are brackish waters and a hydrological regime similar to the sea.

The Caspian Sea is located on the border of Asia and Europe. Its area is about 370 thousand km 2, its maximum depth is just over one kilometer. The Caspian Sea is conventionally divided into three almost equal parts: Southern (39% of the area), Middle (36%) and Northern (25%).

The sea washes simultaneously the Russian, Kazakh, Azerbaijani, Turkmen and Iranian shores.

Shore of the Caspian Sea(Caspian Sea) has a length of approximately 7 thousand kilometers, if you count it together with the islands. In the north, the low seashore is covered with swamps and thickets, and has multiple water channels. The eastern and western coasts of the Caspian Sea have a winding shape; in some places the shores are covered with limestone.

There are many islands in the Caspian Sea: Dash-Zira, Kur Dashi, Dzhambaisky, Boyuk-Zira, Gum, Chigil, Here-Zira, Zenbil, Ogurchinsky, Tyuleniy, Ashur-Ada, etc. Peninsulas: Mangyshlak, Tyub-Karagan, Absheron and Miankale. Their total area equals approximately 400 km 2.

Flows into the Caspian Sea more than a hundred different rivers, the most significant are the Ural, Terek, Volga, Atrek, Emba, Samur. Almost all of them provide 85–95% of their annual flow to the sea.

The largest bays of the Caspian Sea: Kaydak, Agrakhansky, Kazakh, Dead Kultuk, Turkmenbashi, Mangyshlaksky, Gyzlar, Girkan, Kaydak.

Climate of the Caspian Sea

The Caspian Sea is located in three climatic zones: subtropical climate in the south, continental in the north and temperate in the middle. in winter average temperature varies from -10 to +10 degrees, in summer the air warms up to about +25 degrees. During the year, precipitation ranges from 110 mm in the east to 1500 mm in the west.

The average wind speed is 3–7 m/s, but in autumn and winter it often increases to 35 m/s. The most windy areas are the coastal areas of Makhachkala, Derbent and the Absheron Peninsula.

Water temperature in the Caspian Sea ranges from zero to +10 degrees in winter, and from 23 to 28 degrees in the summer months. In some coastal shallow waters the water can warm up to 35-40 degrees.

Only susceptible to freezing Northern part seas, but in especially cold winters they are added to coastal zones Middle part. Ice cover appears in November and disappears only in March.

Problems of the Caspian region

Water pollution is one of the main environmental problems Caspian Sea. Oil production, various harmful substances from flowing rivers, waste from nearby cities - all this negatively affects the condition of sea water. Additional troubles are created by poachers, whose actions reduce the number of fish of certain species found in the Caspian Sea.

Rising sea levels are also causing serious financial harm to all Caspian countries.

According to conservative estimates, restoring destroyed buildings and taking comprehensive measures to protect the coast from flooding costs tens of millions of dollars.

Cities and resorts on the Caspian Sea

The largest city and port washed by the waters of the Caspian Sea is Baku. Among the others settlements Azerbaijan, located in close proximity to the sea, are Sumgait and Lankaran. On the eastern shores is the city of Turkmenbashi, and about ten kilometers from it by the sea is the large Turkmen resort of Avaza.

On the Russian side, on the seashore there are the following cities: Makhachkala, Izberbash, Derbent, Lagan and Kaspiysk. Astrakhan is often called a port city, although it is located approximately 65 kilometers from the northern shores of the Caspian Sea.

Astrakhan

There are no beach holidays in this region: along the sea coast there are only continuous reed thickets. However, tourists go to Astrakhan not for idle lying on the beach, but for fishing and various types of active rest: diving, catamaran riding, jet skiing, etc. In July and August, excursion ships ply along the Caspian Sea.

Dagestan

For a classic seaside holiday, it’s better to go to Makhachkala, Kaspiysk or Izberbash - that’s where not only good sandy beaches, but also decent recreation centers. The range of entertainment on the seashore on the Dagestan side is quite wide: swimming, healing mud springs, windsurfing, kiting, rock climbing and paragliding.

The only disadvantage of this direction is the underdeveloped infrastructure.

In addition, among some Russian tourists There is an opinion that Dagestan is far from the most peaceful territory that is part of the North Caucasus Federal District.

Kazakhstan

A much calmer environment can be found in the Kazakh resorts of Kuryk, Atyrau and Aktau. The last one is the most popular tourist city Kazakhstan: there are many good entertainment venues and well-maintained beaches. In summer, the temperature here is very high, reaching up to +40 degrees during the daytime, and dropping only to +30 at night.

Disadvantages of Kazakhstan tourist country- the same poor infrastructure and rudimentary transport connection between regions.

Azerbaijan

The most the best places Baku, Nabran, Lankaran and other Azerbaijani resorts are considered for holidays on the Caspian coast. Fortunately, everything is fine with the infrastructure in this country: for example, several modern comfortable hotels with swimming pools and beaches have been built in the Absheron Peninsula area.

However, in order to enjoy a holiday on the Caspian Sea in Azerbaijan, you need to spend a lot of money. In addition, you can only get to Baku quickly enough by plane - trains rarely run, and the journey from Russia itself takes two to three days.

Tourists should not forget that Dagestan and Azerbaijan are Islamic countries, so all “non-believers” need to adapt their usual behavior to local customs.

If you follow simple rules of stay, nothing will spoil your vacation on the Caspian Sea.

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, average width 320 km, length coastline 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 most great depth sea ​​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 northwestern directions prevail. In the southern part of the Caspian Sea, the monsoon wind pattern is clearly pronounced.

The average long-term air temperature of the warm months (July-August) over the entire sea is 24-26° C. The absolute maximum (up to 44° C) was 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 one goes along 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 west coast, enters the Southern Caspian and, having reached south coast, turns east and then along eastern shores goes north.
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, the 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 most high 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 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 project to transfer the waters of the northern Vychegda and Pechora rivers to the Volga River basin, which will increase the flow by approximately 32 km3. A project was developed (1972) to regulate the flow of Caspian waters into the Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay.

I was resting somehow in the camp. It's no secret that almost every day competitions are held there to entertain children and youth. So here it is. Was we have quiz. Question: “Which lake is the largest?” One guy of about fifteen was the first to raise his hand and answer: “Baikal.” The strangest thing was that his answer was counted as correct! How so? Isn't the Caspian Sea the most big lake? Now I'll explain to you.

How to distinguish a sea from a lake

I'll list several signs by which a body of water is defined as a sea.

1. Rivers can flow into the sea.

2. The outer sea has direct access to the ocean.

3. If the sea is internal, then it is connected by straits with other seas or directly with the ocean.


Does the Caspian Sea fit sea parameters?

Need to check, does the Caspian Sea have signs of a sea. into it really rivers flow in, but they flow into many bodies of water: seas, lakes, oceans, and other rivers. The Caspian Sea is surrounded from all sides by land. Is this really inland sea? Then it must connect with Black or Seas of Azov somehow strait. Strait Same No. Exactly due to the lack of access to the World Ocean, the Caspian Sea is considered a lake.

“But why was it called the sea then, if it is a lake?”- you ask. Answer very simple: because of his large size and salinity. Indeed, The Caspian Sea is several times larger than the Azov Sea and almost equal in size to the Baltic Sea.

Great! The problem with the quiz has been resolved. Judge to hell!!!

Well then, I told, that the Caspian Sea In fact - lake. Now I want to you provide small selection interesting facts about this lake.


1. The Caspian Sea is below sea level (-28 m), which once again proves that this is a lake.

2. BC near the lake area lived nomadic Caspian tribes,in honor of which he was nicknamed Caspian.

3. This the deepest enclosed body of water on the planet.

4. Many people think that the name of the group “Caspian Cargo” is related to the Caspian Sea. In some ways they are right ( No). In fact the expression “Caspian cargo” can mean any illegal cargo.

5.Caspian Sea Fine suitable for tourism. During the USSR, a large number of sanatoriums were built here. Today same here you can see many hotels, water parks and beaches.

Caspian Sea

The Caspian Sea is one of the most amazing closed bodies of water on Earth.


Over the centuries, the sea has changed more than 70 names. The modern one came from the Caspians - tribes inhabiting the central and southeastern part of Transcaucasia 2 thousand years BC.
Geography of the Caspian Sea

The Caspian Sea is located at the junction of Europe and Asia and geographical location is divided into the Southern, Northern and Middle Caspian.
The middle and northern part of the sea belongs to Russia, the southern to Iran, the eastern to Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, and the southwestern to Azerbaijan.

For many years, the Caspian states have been dividing the Caspian waters among themselves, and quite sharply at that.

Caspian sea map

Lake or sea?


In fact, the Caspian Sea is the world's largest lake, but has a number of marine signs.
These include: a large body of water, strong storms with high waves, high and low tides.

But the Caspian Sea does not have a natural connection with the World Ocean, which makes it impossible to call it a sea.
At the same time, thanks to the Volga and artificially created channels, such a connection appeared.

The salinity of the Caspian Sea is 3 times lower than the usual sea salinity, which does not allow the reservoir to be classified as a sea.

There were times when the Caspian Sea was truly part of the World Ocean.
Several tens of thousands of years ago the Caspian Sea was connected to the Sea of ​​Azov, and through it to the Black and Mediterranean.
As a result of long-term processes occurring in the earth's crust, Caucasus Mountains, which isolated the reservoir.
The connection between the Caspian and Black Seas was carried out for a long time through the strait (Kuma-Manych depression) and gradually ceased.

Physical quantities

Area, volume, depth


The area, volume and depth of the Caspian Sea are not constant and directly depend on the water level.
On average, the area of ​​the reservoir is 371,000 km², the volume is 78,648 km³ (44% of all world lake water reserves).

The depth of the Caspian Sea in comparison with lakes Baikal and Tanganyika


The average depth of the Caspian Sea is 208 m; the northern part of the sea is considered the shallowest. The maximum depth is 1025 m, noted in the South Caspian depression.
In terms of depth, the Caspian Sea is second only to Baikal and Tanganyika.

The length of the lake from north to south is about 1200 km, from west to east on average 315 km. The length of the coastline is 6600 km, with islands - about 7 thousand km.

Shores


Mostly, the coast of the Caspian Sea is low and smooth.
In the northern part- strongly indented by the river channels of the Urals and Volga. The swampy shores here are located very low.
Eastern Shores adjacent to semi-desert zones and deserts, covered with limestone deposits.
The most winding shores are in the west in the area of ​​the Absheron Peninsula, and in the east in the area of ​​the Kazakh Bay and Kara-Bogaz-Gol.

Sea water temperature

Temperature of the Caspian Sea in different time of the year


Average water temperature in winter in the Caspian Sea it ranges from 0 °C in the northern part to +10 °C in the southern part.
In Iranian waters, the temperature does not drop below +13 °C.
With the onset of cold weather, the shallow northern part of the lake is covered with ice, which lasts for 2-3 months. The thickness of the ice cover is 25-60 cm, and at especially low temperatures it can reach 130 cm. Late autumn and in winter, drifting ice floes can be observed in the north.

Average temperature in summer The surface water temperature in the sea is + 24 °C.
In most parts the sea warms up to +25 °C…+30 °C.
Warm water and beautiful sandy, occasionally shell and pebble beaches create excellent conditions for a complete beach holiday.
In the eastern part of the Caspian Sea, near the city of Begdash, it remains abnormally low water temperature.

Nature of the Caspian Sea

Islands, peninsulas, bays, rivers


The Caspian Sea includes about 50 large and medium-sized islands, with a total area of ​​350 km².
The largest of them are: Ashur-Ada, Garasu, Gum, Dash and Boyuk-Zira. The largest peninsulas are: Agrakhansky, Absheronsky, Buzachi, Mangyshlak, Miankale and Tyub-Karagan.

Tyuleniy Island in the Caspian Sea, part of the Dagestan Nature Reserve


To the largest bays of the Caspian Sea include: Agrakhansky, Kazakh, Kizlyarsky, Dead Kultuk and Mangyshlaksky.
In the east is salt Lake Kara-Bogaz-Gol, formerly a lagoon connected to the sea by a strait.
In 1980, a dam was built on it, through which water from the Caspian goes to Kara-Bogaz-Gol, where it then evaporates.

130 rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, located mainly in its northern part. The largest of them are: Volga, Terek, Sulak, Samur and Ural.
The average annual drainage of the Volga is 220 km³. 9 rivers have delta-shaped mouths.

Flora and fauna


The Caspian Sea is home to about 450 species of phytoplankton, including algae, aquatic and flowering plants. Of the 400 species of invertebrates, worms, crustaceans and molluscs predominate. There are a lot of small shrimp in the sea, which are the object of fishing.

More than 120 species of fish live in the Caspian Sea and delta. Fishing objects include sprat (“Kilkin fleet”), catfish, pike, bream, pike perch, kutum, mullet, roach, rudd, herring, white fish, pike perch, goby, grass carp, burbot, asp and pike perch. Stocks of sturgeon and salmon are currently depleted, however, the sea is the largest supplier of black caviar in the world.

Fishing in the Caspian Sea is allowed all year round, with the exception of the period from late April to late June. There are many along the coast fishing bases with all conviniences. Fishing in the Caspian Sea is a great pleasure. In any part of it, including in large cities, the catch is unusually rich.


The lake is famous for its wide variety of waterfowl. Geese, ducks, loons, gulls, waders, eagles, geese, swans and many others fly to the Caspian Sea during the migration or nesting period.
The largest number of birds - over 600 thousand individuals - is observed at the mouths of the Volga and Ural, in the Turkmenbashi and Kyzylagach bays. Comes here during hunting season great amount fishermen not only from Russia, but also from countries near and far abroad.

Caspian seal


The Caspian Sea is home to the only mammal. This is the Caspian seal or seal. Until recently, seals swam close to the beaches, everyone could admire the amazing animal with round black eyes, and the seals behaved very friendly.
Now the seal is on the verge of extinction.

Cities on the Caspian Sea


The largest city on the Caspian Sea coast is Baku.
The population of one of the most beautiful cities in the world is over 2.5 million people. Baku is located on the picturesque Absheron Peninsula and is surrounded on three sides by the waters of the warm and oil-rich Caspian Sea.
Less big cities: the capital of Dagestan is Makhachkala, the Kazakh Aktau, the Turkmen Turkmenbashi and the Iranian Bender-Anzeli.

Baku Bay, Baku - a city on the Caspian Sea

Interesting Facts


Scientists are still arguing about whether to call a body of water a sea or a lake.
The level of the Caspian Sea is gradually decreasing.
The Volga delivers most of the water to the Caspian Sea.
90% of black caviar is mined in the Caspian Sea. Among them, the most expensive is the albino beluga caviar “Almas” ($2 thousand per 100 g).

In developing oil fields Companies from 21 countries take part in the Caspian Sea. According to Russian estimates, hydrocarbon reserves in the sea amount to 12 billion tons.

American scientists claim that a fifth of the world's hydrocarbon reserves are concentrated in the depths of the Caspian Sea. This is more than the combined reserves of oil-producing countries such as Kuwait and Iraq.

 

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