The coastline of the Caspian Sea is indented or not. Rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea: list, description, characteristics

Caspian Sea is a unique ecological system. It is the largest lake on planet Earth. Diverse biosphere, beautiful nature and wealth natural resources make it attractive in every aspect.

Caspian Sea: description, photo and video

Many people wonder what is the area of ​​the Caspian Sea. It is quite difficult to answer this question, since this parameter varies depending on seasonality. For example, when the level of the water surface is at around 27 meters, the reservoir covers an area of ​​370 thousand square kilometers. This is almost 45 percent of the volume of freshwater lakes on Earth.

The Caspian also has a non-uniform depth. In the north, maximum depth of the Caspian Sea only about 25 meters, and the average is within 4 meters. The southern region, on the contrary, is very deep - 1025 kilometers. This is the third indicator in the world among lakes, after Tanganyika and. Scientists cannot yet name the exact reasons for such fluctuations in the Caspian Sea. Among the most likely versions is climate change and the earth's crust in the region.

Caspian Sea - Azerbaijan (Baku)

Since the lake is not only an industrial reservoir, but also a recreational one, the water temperature in the Caspian Sea is also of great interest. In winter, the lake experiences significant temperature fluctuations. On the south side, it is kept at around 11 degrees, and in the north it can drop to 0.5 and below. Sometimes glaciation can be observed in this region.

AT summer period, which lasts here from early June to mid-September, the temperature is approximately the same throughout the reservoir. In the upper layers, the average values ​​are kept within 26-27 degrees, and in shallow water the reservoir can heat up to 32. The water is slightly salty, but the saturation depends on the regional factor and may change. The largest concentration is in the west and south, and in the northern part, thanks to freshwater rivers, it is the smallest. The local climate is also changeable.

The lake is located in three climatic zones at once:

• continental;
• moderate;
• subtropical.

Summer in the region is quite hot. The thermometer can reach up to 44 degrees Celsius. In winter, in the south, these figures fluctuate up to +10, and in the north - up to -10. The Caspian Sea on the map has quite even shores, but in fact, its borders are very indented with river mouths, peninsulas and straits. The length of the coast, taking into account the islands, is 7 thousand kilometers. In the north, the coast is low-lying, and marshland caused by channels is common on it. In the east, limestones are common, flowing into semi-deserts.

There are approximately 50 islands on the territory of the lake. The largest of them:

• Seals;
• Boyuk-Zira;
• Chechen;
• Ogurchinsky;
• Ashur-Ada.

Among the numerous bays, Kara-Bogaz-Gol can be noted. Until the end of the century before last, it was a kind of lagoon, but in 1980 the construction of a dam began here, because of this, the amount of water entering the lake decreased. To date, the strait has been restored.

What rivers flow into the Caspian Sea? The lake feeds a large number of rivers, the largest of which are:

• Volga;
• Sulak (Pro);
• Terek;
• Ural (Pro).

Every year they bring hundreds of cubic meters of fresh water into the lake.

The region has been actively developed for many centuries. Today on the Caspian Sea there are major ports linking trade routes. Of the Russian ones, the most important are Astrakhan and Makhachkala. Oil production is also carried out in the Caspian Sea. According to experts, the oil resources of the region are about 10 billion tons. There are also gas reserves here.

Caspian lake is great place for relax. local beaches amaze everyone who comes here. The quality of recreation on the Caspian Sea is in no way inferior. Pleasant climate, comfortable beaches and Fresh air- the Caspian is ready to give all this to tourists. For those who decide to visit the Caspian Sea, the prices for holidays can pleasantly surprise you. For a low cost, you can get high-quality service.

Popular cities include: resorts of the Caspian Sea:

• Makhachkala;
• Kaspiysk;
• Astrakhan;
• Lagan;
• Derbent;
• Dagestan lights.

Derbent is very attractive from a historical point of view. Astrakhan allows you to enjoy outdoor activities and fishing, and Makhachkala attracts with comfortable and equipped beaches. Rest on the Caspian Sea in Russia allows you to restore your health and relax from the bustle of the city. Among foreign resorts, the most popular are Baku (Azerbaijan), Avaza (Turkmenistan) and Aktau.

Caspian Sea on the map

Where is the Caspian Sea located? It is located on the continent of Eurasia. It is interesting that his east coast located in Asia, and the western - in Europe. Conventionally, the sea is divided into several parts:

• Northern Caspian;
• South Caspian;
• Middle Caspian.

Of these, only the North Caspian is a sea shelf. It contains only 1 percent of the total volume of water and ends at Chechen Island, located near the Kizlyar Bay.

Which countries are washed by the Caspian Sea? There are 5 states on the shore of the lake:

• Azerbaijan;
• Iran;
• Turkmenistan;
• Kazakhstan;
• Russia.

The largest coastline runs through the territory of Kazakhstan, in second place, according to this indicator, is Russia. The coast of Azerbaijan has the smallest length, but it is he who owns the most big port- Baku.

There are also other large settlements on the coast of the salt reservoir:

• Anzali (Iran) - 111 thousand people;
• Aktau (Kazakhstan) - 178 thousand people;
• Atyrau (Russia) - 183 thousand people

Astrakhan also belongs to the coastal cities of the Caspian Sea, although the city is located 69 kilometers from the coast. Other Russian cities on the coast include Makhachkala, Derbent and Kaspiysk.

Caspian Sea or lake?

The Caspian Sea is geographical feature, the essence of which is not entirely correlated with its name.

Why is the Caspian Sea considered a lake? Caspian Sea It is an endorheic and closed reservoir. It receives water from rivers and has no connection with oceans and other seas. Although the water here is salty, this figure is much lower than that of other seas. International maritime laws do not apply to the Caspian Sea.

On the other hand, the Caspian is quite large in size, which differs from traditional ideas about lakes. Even Baikal, and even more so, is inferior to it in terms of area. There are no other lakes in the world whose coast belongs to five states at the same time. The bottom structure is also very similar to the ocean type. With a high degree of probability, the waters of the Caspian Sea flowed into the Mediterranean Sea many centuries ago, but due to drying and tectonic processes, they were separated.

The water area of ​​the Caspian Sea is rich in islands, the size of which, even by international standards, is quite large.

Nature of the Caspian Sea

One of the most interesting riddles Caspian - living on the territory of the lake population of seals, which are a small variety of those that live in the cold northern waters. However, their appearance on the coast, at least suggests that these places are beginning to recover ecologically after the negative consequences of oil production.

vegetable and animal world The Caspian Sea is very diverse. The underwater ecosystem boasts a large number of crustaceans, mollusks, gobies, herring and sprat. Many species are endemic, meaning they only live in this region and nowhere else.

Freshwater species also live in the waters of the lake. They were able to adapt to salt water. These are primarily carp and perch fish. At the end of the ice age, arctic fish and invertebrates penetrated here. In the 40s of the last century, the waters of the Caspian Sea were deliberately populated with mullet, nereis and abra, which are the food base for sturgeons.

Fish processing plants operate in the vicinity of the Caspian Sea, as well as purification stations designed to ensure water cycles. Systematic work is also underway to breed many varieties of underwater abodes that have industrial value. The region is of great interest for fishing tourism. Particularly popular this holiday in Astrakhan region on the Caspian Sea.

The flora of the lake is represented by more than 700 plant species. Some of them grow on land, others in water. Phytoplankton of the Caspian Sea consists of both marine and freshwater algae. According to rough estimates, about 440 species of algae live in the reservoir.

Historical facts

The Caspian coast was once home to ancient civilization, which subsequently disappeared. There is an opinion that in the vicinity of Dagestan, the waters hide Itil from human eyes - the capital city of the Khazar Khaganate, which completely disappeared in the 12th century. In Derbent, there is still a wall from an ancient settlement, going to a depth of 300 meters. For what purpose it was built and who built it is a mystery.

One more interesting feature Caspian Sea - Sabail citadel, located under water in the Baku Bay. The building was flooded during an earthquake that happened in 1306. In 1723 the upper part of the high tower became visible above the water surface - this was the result of a decrease in the water level. Today, the fortress is again hidden in the depths of the Caspian Sea, although in sunny weather it can be seen in the water column.

The territory of the Caspian Sea was an "apple of discord" between the adjacent countries. Disputes over the distribution of the possessions and resources of the lake have been going on for 22 years. In 2018, the countries finally came to a common denominator. On August 12, the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea was signed. Prior to this, in the legal field, regulation was carried out on the basis of the Soviet-Iranian agreements that define the Caspian as a closed body of water, and each border state had an independent right to a 10-mile zone. The rest of the lake was divided equally.

How the Caspian Sea was divided? The new agreement assigns 15 miles of territorial waters to each state. Also, the bottom of the Caspian Sea is divided into sectors, as happens with the seas, and the sovereignty of the water column is established on the principle of a lake.

For the current day Caspian Sea is economically important region. Without it, it is impossible to imagine Eurasia, including Russia. Everyone should visit the Caspian Sea, and the protection of the reservoir should be carried out at the state level. Only by joint efforts can this natural pearl be preserved.

The Caspian Sea is called the most big lake on our planet. It is located between Europe and Asia and is called the sea for its size.

Caspian Sea

The water level is below the level of 28m. The water in the Caspian Sea has less salinity in the north in the delta. The highest salinity is observed in the southern regions.

The Caspian Sea covers an area of ​​371 thousand km2, the greatest depth is 1025 meters (South Caspian depression). Coastline estimated from 6500 to 6700 km, and if you take it together with the islands, then more than 7000 km.

The seashore is mostly low-lying and smooth. If you look at the northern part, then there are many islands, water channels, indented by the Volga and the Urals. In these places, the coast is swampy and covered with thickets. From the east, semi-desert and desert terrain with limestone shores approaches the sea. The area of ​​the Kazakh Bay, the Absheron Peninsula and the Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay have winding shores.

Bottom relief

The bottom relief is divided into three main forms. Shelf in the northern part, the average depth here is from 4 to 9 m, the maximum depth is 24 m, which gradually increases and reaches 100 m. The continental slope in the middle part drops to 500 m. The Mangyshlak threshold separates the northern part from the middle part. Here is one of the most deep places Derbent depression (788 m).

2. Heraz, Babol, Sefudrud, Gorgan, Polerud, Chalus, Tejen - https://site/russia/travel/po-dagestanu.html;

4. Atrek - Turkmenistan;

Samur is located on the border between Azerbaijan and Russia, Astarachay is on the border of Azerbaijan and Iran.

The Caspian Sea belongs to five states. From the west and northwest, the length of the coast of 695 km is the territory of Russia. Most of the coastline with a length of 2320 km belongs to Kazakhstan in the east and northeast. Turkmenistan has 1,200 km in the southeast, Iran has 724 km in the south, and Azerbaijan has 955 km of coastline in the southwest.

In addition to the five states that have access to the sea, the Caspian basin also includes Armenia, Turkey, and Georgia. The Volga (Volga-Baltic Way, White Sea-Baltic Canal) connects the sea with the World Ocean. There is a connection with the Azov and Black Seas through the Volga-Don Canal, with the Moscow River (the Moscow Canal).

The main ports are Baku in Azerbaijan; Makhachkala in ; Aktau in Kazakhstan; Olya in Russia; Nowshahr, Bander-Torkemen and Anzeli in Iran.

Most large bays Caspian Sea: Agrakhan, Kizlyar, Kaydak, Kazakh, Dead Kultuk, Mangyshlak, Gasan-kuli, Turkmenbashi, Kazakh, Gyzlar, Enzeli, Astrakhan, Gyzlar.

Until 1980, Kara-Bogaz-Gol was a bay-lagoon, which was connected to the sea by a narrow strait. Now it's salt Lake separated from the sea by a dam. After the construction of the dam, the water began to decrease sharply, and a culvert had to be built. Through it, up to 25 km3 of water enters the lake annually.

Water temperature

The greatest fluctuations in temperature are observed in winter. In shallow water, it reaches 100 in winter. The difference between summer and winter temperatures reaches 240. On the coast in winter, it is always 2 degrees lower than in the open sea. The optimum warming up of the water occurs in July-August, in shallow water the temperature reaches 320. But at this time, north-western winds raise cold layers of water (upwelling). This process begins already in June and reaches intensity in August. The temperature at the surface of the water drops. The temperature difference between the layers disappears by November.

The climate in the northern part of the sea is continental, in the middle part it is temperate, and in the southern part it is subtropical. On the east coast, the temperature is always higher than on the west. Once on the east coast recorded 44 degrees.

The composition of the Caspian waters

About salinity is 0.3%. This is a typical desalinated pool. But the farther south, the higher the salinity. In the southern part of the sea, it already reaches 13%, and in Kara-Bogaz-Gol more than 300%.

Storms are frequent in shallow water areas. They occur due to changes in atmospheric pressure. Waves can reach 4 meters.

The water balance of the sea depends on river flows and precipitation. Among them, the Volga makes up almost 80% of all other rivers.

In recent years, there has been a rapid pollution of water by oil products and phenols. Their level already exceeds the permissible level.

Minerals

Back in the 19th century, the beginning of hydrocarbon production was laid. These are the main natural resources. There are also mineral, balneological biological resources here. Today, in addition to gas and oil production, salts are mined on the shelf marine type(astrakhanite, mirabalite, halite), sand, limestone, clay.

Animal and plant world

The fauna of the Caspian Sea is up to 1800 species. Of these, 415 are vertebrates, 101 species of fish, and there is a world stock of sturgeons. Freshwater fish such as carp, pike perch, and vobla also live here. They catch carp, salmon, pike, bream in the sea. The Caspian Sea is the habitat of one of the mammals - the seal.

From plants, blue-green algae, brown, red can be noted. Zostera and ruppia also grow, they are classified as flowering algae.

The plankton brought into the sea by birds begins to bloom in spring, the sea is literally covered with greenery, and rhizosolation during flowering paints most of the sea territory in yellow-green color. The accumulation of rhizosolenia is so dense that even waves can calm down. In some places near the coast, literally meadows of algae have grown.

On the coast you can see both local and migratory birds. In the south, geese, ducks winter, birds such as pelicans, herons, flamingos arrange nesting.

The Caspian Sea contains almost 90% of the world's sturgeon stocks. But in recent times the environment is deteriorating, you can often meet poachers who hunt sturgeon because of expensive caviar.

Governments are investing a lot of money to improve the situation. They purify sewage, build factories for breeding fish, despite these measures, it is necessary to limit the production of sturgeon.

The Caspian Sea is the largest lake on planet Earth. It is called the sea because of its size and bed, which is folded like an ocean basin. The area is 371,000 square meters, the depth is 1025 m. The list of rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea includes 130 names. The largest of them are: Volga, Terek, Samur, Sulak, Ural and others.

Caspian Sea

It took 10 million years before the Caspian was formed. The reason for its formation is that the Sarmatian Sea, which lost its connection with the World Ocean, was divided into two reservoirs, which were called the Black and Caspian Seas. Between the latter and the World Ocean stretch thousands of kilometers of waterless path. It is located at the junction of two continents - Asia and Europe. Its length in the north-south direction is 1200 km, west-east - 195-435 km. The Caspian Sea is an internal drainless basin of Eurasia.

Near the Caspian Sea, the water level is below the level of the World Ocean, and besides, it is subject to fluctuations. According to scientists, this is due to many factors: anthropogenic, geological, climatic. At present, the average water level reaches 28 m.

The network of rivers and sewage is unevenly distributed along the coast. Few rivers flow into the part of the sea from the north side: Volga, Terek, Ural. From the west - Samur, Sulak, Kura. East Coast characterized by the absence of permanent streams. Differences in space in the flow of water that rivers bring to the Caspian Sea is an important geographical feature of this reservoir.

Volga

This river is one of the largest in Europe. In Russia, it ranks sixth in size. Regarding the catchment area, it is second only to the Siberian rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea, such as the Ob, Lena, Yenisei, Irtysh. For the source, from where the Volga originates, the key is taken near the village of Volgoverkhovye, Tver Region, on the Valdai Upland. Now there is a chapel at the source, which attracts the attention of tourists, for whom it is a pride to step over the very beginning of the mighty Volga.

A small fast stream gradually gains strength and becomes a huge river. Its length is 3690 km. The source is 225 m above sea level. Among the rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea, the largest is the Volga. Her path runs through many regions of our country: Tver, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Volgograd and others. The territories through which it flows are Tatarstan, Chuvashia, Kalmykia and Mari El. The Volga is the location of millionaire cities - Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, Kazan, Volgograd.

Volga Delta

The main riverbed is divided into channels. A certain shape of the mouth is formed. It's called the delta. Its beginning is the place of separation of the Buzan branch from the bed of the Volga river. The delta is located 46 km north of the city of Astrakhan. It includes channels, branches, small rivers. There are several main branches, but only Akhtuba is navigable. Among all the rivers of Europe, the Volga is distinguished by the largest delta, which is a rich fish region in this basin.

It lies 28 m lower than the ocean level. The mouth of the Volga is the location of the southernmost Volga city of Astrakhan, which in the distant past was the capital of the Tatar Khanate. Later, at the beginning of the 18th century (1717), Peter 1 gave the city the status of "the capital of the province of Astrakhan." During his reign, the main attraction of the city, the Assumption Cathedral, was built. Its Kremlin is made of white stone, brought from the capital of the Golden Horde, the city of Saray. The mouth is divided by branches, the largest of which are: Bolda, Bakhtemir, Buzan. Astrakhan is southern city located on 11 islands. Today it is a city of shipbuilders, sailors and fishermen.

Currently, the Volga needs protection. For this purpose, a reserve has been established at the place where the river flows into the sea. The delta of the Volga, the largest river flowing into the Caspian Sea, abounds in unique flora and fauna: sturgeon, lotuses, pelicans, flamingos and others. Immediately after the revolution of 1917, a law was passed on their protection by the state as part of the Astrakhan Reserve.

Sulak River

It is located in Dagestan, flows through its territory. It feeds on the waters of melted snows that flow down from the mountains, as well as tributaries: Small Sulak, Chvakhun-bak, Akh-su. Water also enters Sulak through a canal from the Aksai and Aktash rivers.

The source is formed by the confluence of two rivers that originate in the basins: Didoyskaya and Tushinskaya. The length of the Sulak River is 144 km. Its pool has a fairly large area - 15,200 square meters. It flows through the canyon with the same name as the river, then through the Akhetlinsky gorge and finally comes to the plane. Going around the Agrakhan Bay from the south side, Sulak flows into the sea.

The river provides drinking water for Kaspiysk and Makhachkala, and is home to hydroelectric power stations, the urban-type settlements of Sulak and Dubki, and the small town of Kizilyurt.

Samur

The river got its name not by chance. The name translated from the Caucasian language (one of them) means "middle". Indeed, the border between the states of Russia and Azerbaijan is marked along the waterway along the Samur River.

The sources of the river are glaciers and springs, originating in the spurs of the Caucasus Range from the northeast side, not far from the Guton mountain. The height above sea level is 3200 m. Samur has a length of 213 km. The height in the upper reaches and the mouth differs by three kilometers. The catchment basin has an area of ​​almost five thousand square meters.

The places where the river flows are narrow gorges located between the mountains. high altitude, composed of shale and sandstone, which is why the water here is muddy. The Samur basin has 65 rivers. Their length reaches 10 km or more.

Samur: the valley and its description

The valley of this river in Dagestan is the most densely populated region. Derbent is located near the mouth - ancient city peace. The banks of the Samur River are home to twenty or more species of relict representatives of the flora. Endemic, endangered and rare species listed in the Red Book grow here.

In the river delta, a relict forest is comfortably located, which is the only one in Russia. liana forest is a fairy tale. Huge trees of the rarest and most common species grow here, intertwined with lianas. The river is rich in valuable species of fish: mullet, pike perch, pike, catfish and others.

Terek

The river got its name from the Karachay-Balkar peoples who lived along its banks. They called it "Terk Suu", which means "rushing water" in translation. Ingush and Chechens called it Lomeki - "mountain water".

The beginning of the river is the territory of Georgia, the Zigla-Khokh glacier is a mountain located on a slope Caucasian ridge. It is under glaciers all year round. One of them melts when sliding down. A small stream is formed, which is the source of the Terek. It is located at an altitude of 2713 m above sea level. The length of the river flowing into the Caspian Sea is 600 km. At the confluence with the Caspian, the Terek is divided into many branches, as a result of which a vast delta is formed, its area is 4000 square meters. In some places it is very swampy.

The course in this place has changed several times. The old arms have now been turned into canals. The middle of the last century (1957) was marked by the construction of the Kargaly hydroelectric complex. It is used to supply water to the channels.

How is the Terek replenished?

The river has a mixed supply, but for the upper reaches, water from the melting of glaciers plays an important role, they fill the river. In this regard, 70% of the runoff occurs in spring and summer, that is, at this time the water level in the Terek is the highest, and the lowest - in February. The river freezes if the winters are characterized by a harsh climate, but the freeze-up is unstable.

The river is not distinguished by cleanliness and transparency. The turbidity of the water is large: 400-500 g/m 3 . Every year, the Terek and its tributaries pollute the Caspian Sea, pouring into it from 9 to 26 million tons of various suspensions. This is due to the rocks of which the shores are composed, and they are clayey.

Terek mouth

The Sunzha is the largest tributary flowing into the Terek, the lower reaches of which are measured precisely from this river. By this time, the Terek flows for a long time over the flat terrain, leaving the mountains located behind the Elkhot Gates. The bottom here is composed of sand and pebbles, the current slows down, and in some places stops altogether.

The mouth of the Terek River has an unusual appearance: the channel here is elevated above the valley, in appearance it resembles a canal, which is fenced with a high embankment. The water level rises above the land level. This phenomenon is due to a natural cause. Since the Terek is a stormy river, it brings sand and stones from the Caucasian ridge to in large numbers. Given that the current in the lower reaches is weak, some of them settle here and do not reach the sea. For the inhabitants of the area, sediments are both a threat and a boon. When they are washed away by water, floods of great destructive power occur, this is very bad. But in the absence of floods, the soils become fertile.

Ural River

In ancient times (until the second half of the 18th century), the river was called Yaik. It was renamed into the Russian style by the decree of Catherine II in 1775. Just at this time, the Peasant War was suppressed, the leader of which was Pugachev. The name is still preserved in the Bashkir language, and in Kazakhstan it is official. The Urals are the third longest in Europe, only the Volga and the Danube are larger than this river.

The Ural originates in Russia, on the slope of the Kruglyaya Sopka of the Uraltau Ridge. The source is a spring gushing out of the ground at an altitude of 637 m above sea level. At the beginning of its journey, the river flows in a north-south direction, but after meeting a plateau on the way, it makes a sharp turn and continues to flow in a north-westerly direction. However, beyond Orenburg, its direction again changes to the southwestern, which is considered the main one. Having overcome the winding path, the Ural flows into the Caspian Sea. The length of the river is 2428 km. The mouth is divided into branches and tends to shallow.

The Ural is a river along which the natural water boundary between Europe and Asia passes, with the exception of the upper reaches. This is an internal European river, but its upper reaches to the east of the Ural Range are the territory of Asia.

Importance of the Caspian rivers

The rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea are of great importance. Their waters are used for human and animal consumption, domestic needs, agricultural and industrial needs. Hydroelectric power plants are being built on the rivers, the energy of which is in demand by man for various purposes. River basins are full of fish, algae, shellfish. Even in ancient times, people chose river valleys for future settlements. And now cities and towns are being built on their banks. Rivers ply passenger and transport ships, performing important tasks for the transport of passengers and goods.

The Caspian Sea is located between Asia and Europe. This is the largest salt sea-lake located on the territory of Kazakhstan, Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkmenistan. At present, its level is 28 meters below the level of the World Ocean. The depth of the Caspian Sea is quite large. The area of ​​the reservoir is 371 thousand square kilometers.

History

Approximately five million years ago, the sea divided into small bodies of water, including the Black and Caspian Sea. After these events, they united and separated. About two million years ago, the Caspian Lake was cut off from the oceans. This period is considered the beginning of its formation. Throughout history, the reservoir has changed its contours several times, and the depth of the Caspian Sea has also changed.

Now the Caspian is the largest inland body of water containing about 44% of the lake waters of the planet. Despite the ongoing changes, the depth of the Caspian Sea did not change very much.

Once it was called Khvali and Khazar, and the tribes of horse breeders gave it another name - the Caspian. That was the name of the tribe living on the southwestern shore of the reservoir. In total, during its existence, the lake had more than seventy names, here are some of them:

1. Abeskun.
2. Derbent.
3. Saray.
4. Sihai.
5. Dzhurdzhanskoe.
6. Hyrcanian.

Depth and relief

The relief and features of the hydrological regime divide the sea-lake into the northern, middle and southern parts. Over the entire area of ​​the Caspian Sea, the average depth is 180-200 m, but the relief in different parts different.

The northern part of the reservoir is shallow. Here the depth of the Caspian Sea-lake is approximately 25 meters. In the middle part of the Caspian there are very deep depressions, continental slopes, shelves. Here the average depth is 192 meters, and in the Derbent depression - about 788 meters.

The greatest depth of the Caspian Sea is in the South Caspian depression (1025 meters). Its bottom is flat, and there are several ridges in the northern part of the depression. It is here marked maximum depth Caspian Sea.

Coastline Features

Its length is seven thousand kilometers. The northern part of the coastline is lowland, mountains are on the south and west, and highlands are on the east. The spurs of Elbrus and the Caucasus Mountains approach the shores of the sea.

The Caspian has large bays: Kazakh, Kizlyar, Mangyshlak, Kara-Bogaz-Gol, Krasnovodsk.

If you go on a cruise from north to south, then the length of the route will be 1200 kilometers. In this direction, the reservoir has an elongated shape, and from west to east, the width of the sea is different. It is 195 kilometers at its narrowest point and 435 kilometers at its widest. On average, the width of the reservoir is 315 km.

The sea has several peninsulas: Mangyshlak, Buzachi, Miankale and others. There are also several islands here. The largest are Chygyl, Kyur-Dashi, Gum, Dash, Seal Islands.

Reservoir nutrition

About one hundred and thirty rivers flow into the Caspian. Most of them flow in the north and west. Main river flowing into the sea is the Volga. Approximately ninety percent of the volume of runoff falls on three large rivers: the Volga (80%), the Kura (6%) and the Urals (5%). Five percent - to the Terek, Sulak and Samur, and the remaining four bring small rivers and streams of Iran.

Caspian resources

The reservoir has amazing beauty, a variety of ecosystems and a rich supply of natural resources. When there are frosts in its northern part, magnolias and apricots bloom in the south.

Relic flora and fauna have been preserved in the Caspian Sea, including the largest flock of sturgeons. As the marine flora evolved, it changed more than once, adjusting to salinization and desalination. As a result, there are many freshwater species in these waters, but few marine ones.

After the Volga-Don Canal was built, new types of algae appeared in the reservoir, which used to be found in the Black and Seas of Azov. Now there are 854 animal species in the Caspian Sea, of which 79 are vertebrates, and over 500 plant species. This unique sea-lake provides up to 80% of the world's sturgeon catch and about 95% of black caviar.

Five species of sturgeon are found in the Caspian Sea: stellate sturgeon, spike, sterlet, beluga and sturgeon. Beluga is the largest representative of the species. Its weight can reach a ton, and its length can reach five meters. In addition to sturgeon, herring, salmon, kutuma, vobla, asp and other types of fish are caught in the sea.

Of the mammals in the Caspian Sea, only the local seal is found, which is not found in other water bodies of the world. It is considered the smallest on the planet. Its weight is about a hundred kilograms, and its length is 160 centimeters. The Caspian region is the main migration route for birds between Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Every year approximately 12 million birds fly over the sea during their migration (south in spring and north in autumn). In addition, another 5 million remain in these places for wintering.

The greatest wealth of the Caspian Sea is the huge reserves of oil and gas. Geological exploration in the region has discovered large deposits of these minerals. Their potential puts local reserves in second place in the world after

The territory of Russia is washed by twelve seas belonging to the basins of three oceans. But one of these seas - the Caspian - is often called a lake, which sometimes confuses people who are poorly versed in geography.

Meanwhile, it is really more correct to call the Caspian a lake, not a sea. Why? Let's figure it out.

A bit of geography. Where is the Caspian Sea located?

Occupying an area that exceeds 370,000 square kilometers, the Caspian Sea stretches from north to south, dividing Europe and Asia with its water surface. Its coastline belongs to five different countries: Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Iran. Geographers conditionally divide its water area into three parts: Northern (25% of the area), Middle (36% of the area) and South Caspian (39% of the area), which differ in climate, geological setting and natural features. The coastline is mostly flat, indented by river channels, covered with vegetation, and in the northern part, where the Volga flows into the Caspian, it is also swampy.

The Caspian Sea has about 50 large and small islands, about a dozen bays and six large peninsulas. In addition to the Volga, about 130 rivers flow into it, and nine rivers form fairly wide and branched deltas. The annual drainage of the Volga is about 120 cubic kilometers. Together with other large rivers - the Terek, the Urals, the Emba and the Sulak - this accounts for up to 90% of the total annual runoff to the Caspian.

Why is the Caspian called a lake?

The main feature of any sea is the presence of straits connecting it with the ocean. The Caspian is a closed, or endorheic body of water, which receives river water, but does not connect with any ocean.


Its water contains a very small amount of salt compared to other seas (about 0.05%) and is considered slightly salty. Due to the lack of at least one strait connecting to the ocean, the Caspian is often called the largest lake in the world, since the lake is a completely closed reservoir, which is fed only by river water.

The waters of the Caspian Sea are not subject to international maritime laws, and its water area is divided among all countries that adjoin it, in proportion to the coastline.

Why is the Caspian called the sea?

Despite all of the above, most often in geography, as well as in international and domestic documents, the name “Caspian Sea” is used, and not “Caspian Lake”. First of all, this is due to the size of the reservoir, which is much more typical for the sea than for the lake. Even, which is much smaller in area than the Caspian, locals often referred to as the sea. There are no other lakes in the world whose shores belong to five different countries at the same time.

In addition, attention should be paid to the structure of the bottom, which near the Caspian Sea has a pronounced oceanic type. Once the Caspian Sea, most likely, was connected with the Mediterranean, but tectonic processes and drying up separated it from the World Ocean. More than fifty islands are located in the Caspian Sea, and the area of ​​some of them is quite large, even by international standards they are considered large. All this makes it possible to call the Caspian a sea, not a lake.

origin of name

Why is this sea (or lake) called Caspian? The origin of any name is often associated with ancient history terrain. Different peoples who lived on the shores of the Caspian called it differently. More than seventy names of this reservoir have been preserved in history - it was called the Hyrcanian, Derbent, Sarai Sea, etc.


Iranians and Azerbaijanis still call it the Khazar Sea. It began to be called Caspian by the name of the ancient tribe of nomadic horse breeders who lived in the steppes adjacent to its coast - a large tribe of Caspians. It was they who gave the name to the largest lake on our planet - the Caspian Sea.