The Caspian Sea is the largest closed lake on Earth, located at the junction of Europe and Asia, called a sea due to the fact that its bed is composed of oceanic-type crust. The Caspian Sea is an endorheic lake, and the water in it is salty, from 0.05 ‰ near the mouth of the Volga to 11-13 ‰ in the southeast. The water level is subject to fluctuations, according to 2009 data it was 27.16 m below sea level. The Caspian Sea is located at the junction of two parts Eurasian continent- Europe and Asia. The length of the Caspian Sea from north to south is approximately 1200 kilometers, from west to east - from 195 to 435 kilometers, on average 310-320 kilometers. The Caspian Sea is conventionally divided according to physical and geographical conditions into 3 parts - the Northern Caspian, the Middle Caspian and the Southern Caspian. The conditional border between the Northern and Middle Caspian runs along the line of the island. Chechen - Cape Tyub-Karagansky, between the Middle and Southern Caspian Sea - along the line of the island. Residential - Cape Gan-Gulu. The area of ​​the Northern, Middle and Southern Caspian Sea is 25, 36, 39 percent, respectively.

Length coastline The Caspian Sea is estimated at approximately 6500-6700 kilometers, with islands - up to 7000 kilometers. The shores of the Caspian Sea in most of its territory are low-lying and smooth. In the northern part, the coastline is indented by water channels and islands of the Volga and Ural deltas, the banks are low and swampy, and the water surface in many places is covered with thickets. The east coast is dominated by limestone shores adjacent to semi-deserts and deserts. The most winding shores are on the western coast in the area of ​​the Absheron Peninsula and on the eastern coast in the area of ​​the Kazakh Gulf and Kara-Bogaz-Gol. The territory adjacent to the Caspian Sea is called the Caspian region.

Bottom relief The relief of the northern part of the Caspian Sea is a shallow undulating plain with banks and accumulative islands, the average depth of the Northern Caspian Sea is 4-8 meters, the maximum does not exceed 25 meters. The Mangyshlak threshold separates the Northern Caspian from the Middle Caspian. The Middle Caspian is quite deep, the water depth in the Derbent depression reaches 788 meters. The Absheron threshold separates the Middle and Southern Caspian Seas. The Southern Caspian is considered deep-sea; the water depth in the South Caspian depression reaches 1025 meters from the surface of the Caspian Sea. Shell sands are widespread on the Caspian shelf, deep-sea areas are covered with silty sediments, and in some areas there is an outcrop of bedrock. Temperature Water temperature is subject to significant latitudinal changes, most clearly expressed in winter, when the temperature varies from 0-0.5 °C at the ice edge in the north of the sea to 10-11 °C in the south, that is, the water temperature difference is about 10 °C . For shallow water areas with depths less than 25 m, the annual amplitude can reach 25-26 °C. On average, the water temperature off the west coast is 1-2 °C higher than that on the east, and in the open sea the water temperature is 2-4 °C higher than off the coasts.

Animal and plant life The fauna of the Caspian Sea is represented by 1809 species, of which 415 are vertebrates. 101 species of fish are registered in the Caspian Sea, where most of the world's sturgeon stocks are concentrated, as well as freshwater fish such as roach, carp, and pike perch. The Caspian Sea is the habitat of fish such as carp, mullet, sprat, kutum, bream, salmon, perch, and pike. The Caspian Sea is also home to a marine mammal - the Caspian seal. The flora of the Caspian Sea and its coast is represented by 728 species. The predominant plants in the Caspian Sea are algae - blue-green, diatoms, red, brown, characeae and others, and flowering plants - zoster and ruppia. In origin, the flora is predominantly of Neogene age, but some plants were brought into the Caspian Sea by humans deliberately or on the bottoms of ships.

Minerals Many oil and gas fields are being developed in the Caspian Sea. Proven oil resources in the Caspian Sea are about 10 billion tons, total oil and gas condensate resources are estimated at 18-20 billion tons. Oil production in the Caspian Sea began in 1820, when the first oil well was drilled on the Absheron shelf. In the second half of the 19th century, oil production began on an industrial scale on the Absheron Peninsula, and then in other territories. In addition to oil and gas production, salt, limestone, stone, sand, and clay are also mined on the coast of the Caspian Sea and the Caspian shelf.

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 of the legends modern name The Caspian reservoir was named 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.

Along the western coast of the middle part of the Caspian Sea, southern and southeastern currents predominate. For the middle and southern parts of the Caspian Sea, depending on the direction of the winds, currents of the northern, northwestern, southern and southeast 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

Main part river waters They 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 total area 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 from the depth to the 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 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 southern border Azerbaijan.
• Turkmenistan with the port city of Turkmenbashi.
• Iran: Bandar-Torkemen, Anzali, Noushehr.

Makhachkala photo

Flora and fauna

All animal world 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 of freshwater fish that entered the Caspian Sea from fresh 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 sea rumpia, 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;
• The total area of ​​the Caspian Sea is approximately 390,000 km2;
• Volume sea ​​waters- 78000 km3.
• Maximum deep sea- 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 of 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. Also the Caspian Sea is the most large 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: Sea pollution. Oil is the main sea pollutant, 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 the death of a large number of 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.

The Caspian Sea is a pearl of unique beauty and originality. This is a unique, the only enclosed body of water in the world with a fragile and invaluable ecosystem. Its uniqueness attracts world attention. The Caspian Sea is considered the largest inland body of water in the world, located at the junction of Asia and Europe. Poets, philosophers, historians, and geographers devoted a lot of their work to this amazing natural creation. Among them: Homer, Herodotus, Aristotle. The biological environment of the Caspian Sea is also unique. But first things first. We invite you to find out about the depth, level, location of this reservoir, which countries are washed by the Caspian Sea. Well, let's go...

Historical information

Many people are interested in where the Caspian Sea is located and the history of its origin. But few people know that it is of oceanic origin. Thirteen million years ago this place was the bottom of the ocean. As a result of natural disasters, the Alps arose and disconnected the Sarmatian Sea from the Mediterranean. 5 million years passed, and the Sarmatian Sea was divided into smaller bodies of water, which included the Black and Caspian Seas. The connection and division of waters continued for a long time. And so 2 million years ago the Caspian Sea was completely cut off from the World Ocean. This was the beginning of its formation. History confirms that during the period of its formation, the depth and area of ​​the Caspian Sea changed repeatedly.

Today the Caspian Sea is classified as the largest closed lake. Because of its enormous size, it is commonly called the sea. And also because it formed on the oceanic crust.

Today the Caspian makes up 44% of the planet's lake waters. Throughout its formation, different tribes and peoples gave the lake about 70 names. The Greeks called it Hyrcanian (Djurdzhanian) lake from the name of the city of Gorgan and the province of Hyrcania. The ancient Russians called it the Khvalyn Sea, from the name that lived in the coastal region of the Khvalis people. Arabs, Persians, Azerbaijanis, Turks, Crimean Tatars They called it the Khazar Sea. Once upon a time, in the delta of the Kura River, which flows into the reservoir, there was an island and a city, after which it was called the Abeskun Sea. Later this city was flooded. There was also the name Saraiskoye Lake. In honor of the city of Derbant (Dagestan), it was called the Derbent Sea. There was also the name Sihai et al.

Geographical location

Many people want to know where the Caspian Sea is located on the map. This place is located at the junction of Europe and Asia. The physical and geographical conditions of the sea make it possible to divide it into three parts:

1. The share of the Northern Caspian occupies 25% of the reservoir.
2. The Middle Caspian zone has 36%.
3. The component of the southern part of the lake is 39%.

The Northern and Middle Caspian Sea separates the island of Chechen from Cape Tyub-Karagan. The Middle and Southern Caspian Sea shares Chilov Island with Cape Gan-Gulu.

The territory adjacent to the lake is called the Caspian region. The size of the Caspian Sea is amazing. The coastline stretches approximately 6,500 - 6,700 kilometers. The banks have a low and smooth structure. The northern part of the coastline is cut by water channels and islands of the Ural and Volga deltas. The banks are mostly low and swampy, covered with thickets. East Coast has a limestone structure. In the west the banks are very winding.

Relief and depth, area of ​​the Caspian Sea

These figures fluctuate constantly. As a result, they affect sea levels. The Caspian Sea thus changes the area and volume of water. If its level is 26.75 km, then its area is 371,000 km 2. What is the maximum and average depth of the Caspian Sea? In terms of maximum depth, it is second only to Baikal and Tanganyika. The maximum depth in the South Caspian depression is 1,025 m. The average depth of the Caspian Sea is helped to calculate by a bathygraphic curve, which indicates a depth of 208 m. In the north, the reservoir is shallower - 25 m. The Middle Caspian has many deep depressions, continental slopes, and shelves. Here the average depth reaches 192 m. The Derbent depression has a depth of 788 m.

The length of the lake from north to south is 1,200 km, and the width of the Caspian Sea from west to east is up to 435 km. The relief of the northern part of the lake is flat, with accumulative islands and banks. The southern part of the Caspian shelf is rich in shell sands and deep-sea areas with silty sediments. Sometimes there are bedrocks exposed here.

Peninsulas, islands and bays of the Caspian Sea

There are a number of large peninsulas located in the area of ​​the Caspian Sea. On the west coast, near Azerbaijan, is the Absheron Peninsula. It is here that the cities of Baku and Sumgait are located. On east side(territory of Kazakhstan) is the Mangyshlak Peninsula. The city of Aktau was built here. It is also worth noting the following large peninsulas: Miankale, Tyub-Karagan, Buzachi, Agrakhan Peninsula.

The total area of ​​the large and medium-sized islands of the Caspian Sea is 350 km 2 . There are about 50 such islands. The largest and most famous are: Ashur-Ada, Garasu, Chechen, Chigil, Gum, Dash-Zira, Ogurchinsky, etc.

Such a huge body of water cannot exist without bays. The Agrakhan, Kizlyar, Mangyshlak, and Kazakh bays are famous. It is also worth remembering Kaydak Bay, Kenderli, Turkmen, Astrakhan, Hasan-Kuli, Anzeli.

A special bay-lagoon of the Caspian Sea is considered salt Lake Kara-Bogaz-Gol. In 1980, a dam was built that separates this strait from the Caspian Sea. Every year 8-10 km 3 of water flows from the Caspian Sea to Kara-Bogaz-Gol.

Which countries is washed by the Caspian Sea?

The Intergovernmental Economic Conference of the Caspian States established that five coastal countries wash the Caspian Sea. Which ones exactly? In the north, northeast and east it borders with Kazakhstan. The coastline is 2,320 km. Who does the Caspian Sea border on in the south? This is Iran with a coastline of 724 km. In the southeast is Turkmenistan with a coastline of about 1,200 km. The north-west and west of the Caspian Sea is occupied by Russia with a length of 695 km. Azerbaijan stretches for 955 km in the southwest. This is a kind of “Caspian Five”.

Coastline and nearby cities

Many cities, ports and resorts are located on the Caspian Sea. In Russia, the largest objects are considered to be: Kaspiysk, Makhachkala, Izberbash, Lagan, Dagestan Lights, Derbent. Astrakhan is the largest port city of the Caspian Sea, located in the Volga delta (60 km from north coast).

In Azerbaijan, Baku is considered the largest port city. Its location is in the southern part of the Absheron Peninsula. The city is home to 2.5 million people. Sumgayit is located a little to the north. Lankaran is located near the southern border of Azerbaijan. In the southeast of the Absheron Peninsula there is an oil workers’ settlement - Neftyanye Kamni.

In Turkmenistan, on the northern shore of the Krasnovodsk Bay, the city of Turkmenbashi is located. Large resort this country is Avaza.

In Kazakhstan, the port city of Aktau was built near the Caspian Sea. To the north, in the delta of the Ural River is Atyrau. In Iran, on the southern coast of the reservoir, Bandar Anzeli is located.

Rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea

130 large and small rivers flow into the Caspian Sea. Nine of them have a deltoid opening. Among the largest rivers we highlight the Volga, Ural, Terek, Samur, Sulak, Emba, Kura, Atrek. Most large river, flowing into the reservoir, is considered to be the Volga. On average, 215-224 km 3 of water flows out of it per year. All of the above rivers replenish the annual water supply of the Caspian Sea by 88-90%.

Currents, flora and fauna of the Caspian Sea

For those who are interested in where the Caspian Sea flows, the answer is already clear - it is a closed body of water. The water circulates in it thanks to winds and drains. Most of the water flows into the Northern Caspian, so northern currents circulate there. These intense currents transport water to the western coast of the Absheron Peninsula. There the current changes into two branches - one moves parallel to the western shore, the other - to the eastern.

The fauna of the Caspian basin is represented by 1810 animal species. 415 of them are representatives of vertebrates. About 100 species of fish swim in the Caspian Sea, and a large number of sturgeon live here. Freshwater fish are also found here, including pike perch, carp, and roach. There are also a lot of carp, mullet, sprat, kutum, bream, salmon, perch, and pike in the sea. It is worth remembering another inhabitant - the Caspian seal.

The flora of the Caspian Sea and coastal zone includes 730 species. It is important to note that the reservoir is overgrown with blue-green, diatoms, red, brown, and chara algae. The most common flowering algae are ruppia and zoster. The age of the Caspian flora dates back to the Neogene period. Many plants entered the Caspian Sea with the help of ships or conscious human actions.

Research works

Between 285 and 282 BC. Greek king Seleuko I ordered the geographer Patroclus the Macedonian to explore Caspian lake. Later this work was continued by order of Peter the Great. For this purpose, an expedition was specially organized, led by A. Bekovich-Cherkassky. Later, research was continued by the expedition of Karl von Werden. The following scientists also studied the Caspian Sea: F.I. Simonov, I.V. Tokmachev, M.I. Voinovich.

IN late XIX instrumental coastal survey was carried out by I.F. Kolodkin, later - N.A. Ivashentseva. During the same period, N.M. studied the hydrology and hydrobiology of the Caspian Sea for 50 years. Knipovich. The year 1897 was marked by the founding of the Astrakhan Research Station. At the beginning of the Soviet era, the Caspian was studied by I.M. Gubkin and other geologists. They aimed their work at searching for oil, studying the aquatic environment, and changes in the level of the Caspian Sea.

Economic sphere, shipping, fishing

Many gas and oil deposits have been found in the Caspian Sea. Scientists have proven that there are about 10 billion tons of oil resources here, and together with gas condensate - 20 billion tons. Since 1820, oil production began on the Absheron shelf, near Baku. Then oil production began on an industrial scale in other areas. Oil production from the bottom of the Caspian Sea began in 1949, at Neftyanye Kamni. Mikhail Kaverochkin was involved in drilling the long-awaited oil well. In addition to oil and gas, salt, limestone, stone, sand, and clay are mined in the Caspian Sea.

Shipping is also given a lot of attention here. Ferry crossings operate constantly. The most famous directions: Baku - Aktau, Makhachkala - Aktau, Baku - Turkmenbashi. The Caspian Lake is connected to the Sea of ​​Azov through the Don, Volga and Volga-Don Canal.

Local residents catch sturgeon, bream, carp, pike perch, and sprat in the waters of the sea. People here are engaged in seal fishing and caviar production. Unfortunately, in this reservoir you can also encounter illegal sturgeon fishing and caviar extraction. Popular are the flounder and mullet caught here, different types shrimp. Sturgeon fish here feed on the Nereis worm, which was specially brought to the Caspian Sea. The “Five” countries of the Caspian Sea, washed by its waters, specially organize fish breeding and spawning farms.

In the northern shallow waters, sturgeon are most abundant, especially near Russia. It is worth listing the sterlet, beluga, sturgeon, thorn, and stellate sturgeon that live there. Many people like to catch carp species: bream, roach, asp. Many catfish, grass carp, and silver carp live here. There are more small inhabitants in the Caspian Sea than large ones. In the south of the lake, herring winter and spawn. Fishing in the Caspian Sea is allowed all year round, except April - May. It is allowed to use fishing rods, spinning rods, donks and other devices.

The Astrakhan region is the region chosen most for fishing in Russia. Fishing for some sturgeon is temporarily prohibited here, but you can catch pike, catfish, and pike perch. In spring, sabrefish and rudd often bite here. In Kalmykia, industrial fishing is carried out in Lagan. Large specimens of carp are found here. Often fishermen have to spend the night right in their boats. The water in these areas is very clear, so spearfishing is used.

Holidays on the Caspian Sea

Sandy beaches, mineral waters, healing mud of the Caspian coast are a good help for treatment and relaxation. The tourism industry and resorts here are not as developed as on the Black Sea, but there are many people who want to relax. It is at a fairly popular level in Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Iran and Russian Dagestan. Azerbaijan has developed a resort area near Baku. They just relax here, mostly. local residents, foreign tourists lack a sufficient level of service and good advertising.

The Russian coast is mainly located in Dagestan. Potential tourists are afraid to come here. But the beauty of the Caspian Sea is simply mesmerizing! It is here that you can admire the waves with gray scallops, the bitter salinity of the dark water, and small shells on the shore. Holidays on the Caspian Sea are often considered exotic. After all, it's more of a lake...

The increased salinity of water in the Caspian Sea increases its medicinal properties. The water in the reservoir warms up early, so you can safely come here as early as May. In September you can have a great time, because the water stays at +21°C.

What are the conditions for holidays in Dagestan near the sea? Here the coast is covered with yellow velvety sea sand. The water of the Caspian Sea warms up faster than in the Black Sea, because the former is much shallower. The swimming season here begins in mid-May. The beauty of the Caspian coast is enhanced picturesque mountains, which is not far from Derbent. Here you can admire the oldest marine fossils, which were raised to a thousand-meter height by gas formation. After this, many caves were formed here, about which there are various legends. Many local residents come to these places to worship higher powers.

During the Soviet period, Dagestan was a holiday destination for tourists from different parts of the USSR. Holidays here are cheaper than on the Black Sea coast, the sea is warmer and the sandy shore is more pleasant.

Caspian coast in Dagestan has many kilometers of beaches: Makhachkala, Samur, Manas, Kayakent. On their territory there are recreation centers (150 units), boarding houses, sanatoriums, and children's camps. You can book rooms not only in state hotels and boarding houses, but also in large and small private hotels. Take off Single Room here it costs from 500 to 1,000 rubles, double - 700-1,500 rubles, luxury apartments - 1,500-2,000 rubles.

If you get tired of swimming in the sea, then in Dagestan you can go to the snow-capped peaks. Rafting enthusiasts can go to fast mountain rivers. The guides offer interesting excursions to historical places.

Not far from the Caspian coast, it is worth seeing the capital of Dagestan - Makhachkala. This beautiful and well-equipped city has a highly developed infrastructure. Makhachkala residents are trying to attract as many people as possible to their city. more tourists and are building a resort area " Cote d'Azur" This development occupies 300 hectares of area.

The South Dagestan coast with its center in Derbent is the most attractive place for tourism. This area has a temperate continental climate, being located in the subtropics. The territory is rich in citrus fruits, figs, pomegranates, almonds, walnuts, grapes and other crops.

No less colorful city Izberbash. Here beautiful nature with clean mountain-sea air, rich in the aroma of forests that grow low on the foothills Greater Caucasus. The sandy beach can be replaced by a walk to mineral springs, among which there are geothermal ones that help restore health.

Rosstourism has taken measures for development cruise holiday in the Caspian Sea. Not only domestic Russian routes, but also international ones have been thought out. Sea cruises are often connected to the Volga route. For such events, very good ships are needed, because there are often storms on the Caspian Sea.

Another direction sea ​​holiday in the Caspian Sea is health-improving and therapeutic. The local sea air helps to overcome many ailments. Many sanatoriums have been built on the seashore in Dagestan. People get healthier here mineral waters, mud, healing climate. It cannot do without health and sports tourism. Leisure quite popular today. For those interested, extreme, ski, and eco-tourism are offered. You can be sure that the Caspian Sea and its coastal areas deserve to be visited.

, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Azerbaijan

Geographical position

Caspian Sea - view from space.

The Caspian Sea is located at the junction of two parts of the Eurasian continent - Europe and Asia. The length of the Caspian Sea from north to south is approximately 1200 kilometers (36°34"-47°13" N), from west to east - from 195 to 435 kilometers, on average 310-320 kilometers (46°-56° c. d.).

The Caspian Sea is conventionally divided according to physical and geographical conditions into 3 parts - Northern Caspian, Middle Caspian and Southern Caspian. The conditional border between the Northern and Middle Caspian runs along the line of the island. Chechen - Cape Tyub-Karagansky, between the Middle and Southern Caspian Sea - along the line of the island. Residential - Cape Gan-Gulu. The area of ​​the Northern, Middle and Southern Caspian Sea is 25, 36, 39 percent, respectively.

Coast of the Caspian Sea

Coast of the Caspian Sea in Turkmenistan

The territory adjacent to the Caspian Sea is called the Caspian region.

Peninsulas of the Caspian Sea

• Ashur-Ada
• Garasu
• Zyanbil
• Khara-Zira
• Sengi-Mugan
• Chygyl

Bays of the Caspian Sea

• Russia (Dagestan, Kalmykia and Astrakhan region) - in the west and northwest, the length of the coastline is about 1930 kilometers
• Kazakhstan - in the north, northeast and east, the length of the coastline is about 2320 kilometers
• Turkmenistan - in the southeast, the length of the coastline is about 650 kilometers
• Iran - in the south, the length of the coastline is about 1000 kilometers
• Azerbaijan - in the southwest, the length of the coastline is about 800 kilometers

Cities on the Caspian Sea coast

On the Russian coast are the cities of Lagan, Makhachkala, Kaspiysk, Izberbash and the southernmost city of Russia, Derbent. Astrakhan is also considered a port city of the Caspian Sea, which, however, is not located on the shores of the Caspian Sea, but in the Volga delta, 60 kilometers from the northern coast of the Caspian Sea.

Physiography

Area, depth, volume of water

The area and volume of water in the Caspian Sea varies significantly depending on fluctuations in water levels. At a water level of −26.75 m, the area is approximately 371,000 square kilometers, the volume of water is 78,648 cubic kilometers, which is approximately 44% of the world's lake water reserves. The maximum depth of the Caspian Sea is in the South Caspian depression, 1025 meters from its surface level. In terms of maximum depth, the Caspian Sea is second only to Baikal (1620 m) and Tanganyika (1435 m). The average depth of the Caspian Sea, calculated from the bathygraphic curve, is 208 meters. In the same time Northern part The Caspian Sea is shallow, its maximum depth does not exceed 25 meters, and the average depth is 4 meters.

Water level fluctuations

Vegetable world

The flora of the Caspian Sea and its coast is represented by 728 species. The predominant plants in the Caspian Sea are algae - blue-green, diatoms, red, brown, characeae and others, and flowering plants - zoster and ruppia. In origin, the flora is predominantly of Neogene age, but some plants were brought into the Caspian Sea by humans deliberately or on the bottoms of ships.

History of the Caspian Sea

Origin of the Caspian Sea

Anthropological and cultural history of the Caspian Sea

Finds in the Khuto u cave south coast The Caspian Sea indicates that man lived in these areas approximately 75 thousand years ago. The first mentions of the Caspian Sea and the tribes living on its coast are found in Herodotus. Around the V-II centuries. BC e. Saka tribes lived on the Caspian coast. Later, during the period of settlement of the Turks, in the period of the 4th-5th centuries. n. e. Talysh tribes (Talysh) lived here. According to ancient Armenian and Iranian manuscripts, Russians sailed the Caspian Sea from the 9th-10th centuries.

Research of the Caspian Sea

Research of the Caspian Sea was started by Peter the Great, when, on his order, an expedition was organized in 1714-1715 under the leadership of A. Bekovich-Cherkassky. In the 1720s, hydrographic research was continued by the expedition of Karl von Werden and F. I. Soimonov, and later by I. V. Tokmachev, M. I. Voinovich and other researchers. At the beginning of the 19th century, instrumental surveys of the shores were carried out by I. F. Kolodkin, in the mid-19th century. - instrumental geographical survey under the direction of N. A. Ivashintsev. Since 1866, for more than 50 years, expeditionary research on the hydrology and hydrobiology of the Caspian Sea was carried out under the leadership of N. M. Knipovich. In 1897, the Astrakhan Research Station was founded. In the first decades of Soviet power, geological research by I.M. Gubkin and other Soviet geologists was actively carried out in the Caspian Sea, mainly aimed at searching for oil, as well as research into the study of water balance and level fluctuations in the Caspian Sea.

Economy of the Caspian Sea

Mining of oil and gas

Many oil and gas fields are being developed in the Caspian Sea. Proven oil resources in the Caspian Sea are about 10 billion tons, total oil and gas condensate resources are estimated at 18-20 billion tons.

Oil production in the Caspian Sea began in 1820, when the first oil well was drilled on the Absheron shelf near Baku. In the second half of the 19th century, oil production began on an industrial scale on the Absheron Peninsula, and then in other territories.

Shipping

Shipping is developed in the Caspian Sea. There are ferry crossings on the Caspian Sea, in particular, Baku - Turkmenbashi, Baku - Aktau, Makhachkala - Aktau. The Caspian Sea has a shipping connection with the Sea of ​​Azov through the Volga, Don and Volga-Don Canal rivers.

Fishing and seafood production

Fishing (sturgeon, bream, carp, pike perch, sprat), caviar production, as well as seal fishing. More than 90 percent of the world's sturgeon catch occurs in the Caspian Sea. In addition to industrial mining, illegal fishing of sturgeon and their caviar flourishes in the Caspian Sea.

Recreational resources

Natural environment of the Caspian coast with sandy beaches, mineral waters and healing mud in the coastal zone creates good conditions for rest and treatment. At the same time, according to the degree of development of resorts and tourism industry The Caspian coast is noticeably inferior to the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. At the same time, in last years The tourism industry is actively developing on the coasts of Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan and Russian Dagestan. Azerbaijan is actively developing resort area in the Baku region. A world-class resort has now been created in Amburan, another modern tourist complex is being built in the area of ​​the village of Nardaran, holidays in the sanatoriums of the villages of Bilgah and Zagulba are very popular. A resort area is also being developed in Nabran, in northern Azerbaijan. However high prices, in general, the low level of service and lack of advertising lead to the fact that Caspian resorts almost no foreign tourists. The development of the tourism industry in Turkmenistan is hampered by a long-term policy of isolation; in Iran, Sharia law, due to which mass recreation foreign tourists on the Caspian coast of Iran is impossible.

Ecological problems

Environmental problems of the Caspian Sea are associated with water pollution as a result of oil production and transportation on the continental shelf, the flow of pollutants from the Volga and other rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea, the life activity of coastal cities, as well as the flooding of individual objects due to rising levels of the Caspian Sea. Predatory production of sturgeon and their caviar, rampant poaching lead to a decrease in the number of sturgeon and to forced restrictions on their production and export.

International status of the Caspian Sea

Legal status of the Caspian Sea

After the collapse of the USSR, the division of the Caspian Sea for a long time was and still remains the subject of unresolved disagreements related to the division of resources of the Caspian shelf - oil and gas, as well as biological resources. Negotiations took place for a long time between Caspian states on the status of the Caspian Sea - Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan insisted on dividing the Caspian along the median line, Iran insisted on dividing the Caspian by one fifth between all Caspian states.

In relation to the Caspian Sea, the key is the physical-geographical circumstance that it is a closed inland body of water that does not have a natural connection with the World Ocean. Accordingly, the norms and concepts of international maritime law, in particular, the provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea of ​​1982, should not be automatically applied to the Caspian Sea. Based on this, in relation to the Caspian Sea it would be unlawful to apply such concepts as “territorial sea”, “exclusive economic zone", "continental shelf", etc.

The current legal regime of the Caspian Sea was established by the Soviet-Iranian treaties of 1921 and 1940. These treaties provide for freedom of navigation throughout the sea, freedom of fishing with the exception of ten-mile national fishing zones and a ban on vessels flying the flag of non-Caspian states sailing in its waters.

Negotiations about legal status The Caspian Sea is currently ongoing.

Delineation of sections of the Caspian seabed for subsoil use

The Russian Federation concluded an agreement with Kazakhstan on delimiting the bottom of the northern part of the Caspian Sea in order to exercise sovereign rights to subsoil use (dated July 6, 1998 and the Protocol thereto dated May 13, 2002), an agreement with Azerbaijan on delimiting adjacent areas of the bottom of the northern part of the Caspian Sea (dated September 23, 2002), as well as the trilateral Russian-Azerbaijani-Kazakh agreement on the junction point of the demarcation lines of adjacent sections of the Caspian Sea bottom (dated May 14, 2003), which established geographical coordinates dividing lines limiting the areas of the seabed within which the parties exercise their sovereign rights in the field of exploration and production of mineral resources.

The Caspian Sea is located in different geographical areas. It plays a large role in world history and is an important economic region and source of resources. The Caspian Sea is a unique body of water.

Short description

This sea is large. The bottom is covered with oceanic crust. These factors allow us to classify it as a sea.

It is a closed body of water, has no drains and is not connected to the waters of the World Ocean. Therefore, it can also be classified as a lake. In this case, it will be the largest lake on the planet.

The approximate area of ​​the Caspian Sea is about 370 thousand square kilometers. The volume of the sea changes due to various fluctuations in water level. The average value is 80 thousand cubic kilometers. The depth varies in its parts: the southern one has greater depth than the northern one. The average depth is 208 meters, the greatest value in the southern part exceeds 1000 meters.

The Caspian Sea plays a major role in the development of trade relations between countries. The resources mined there, as well as other trade items, were transported to different countries since the development of maritime navigation. Since the Middle Ages, merchants have brought exotic goods, spices and furs. Today, in addition to transporting resources, ferry crossings between cities are carried out by sea. The Caspian Sea is also connected by a shipping canal through rivers to the Sea of ​​Azov.

Geographical characteristics

The Caspian Sea is located between two continents - Europe and Asia. It washes the territory of several countries. These are Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan.

It has more than 50 islands, both large and small in area. For example, the islands of Ashur-Ada, Tyuleniy, Chigil, Gum, Zenbil. And also the peninsulas, the most significant - Absheronsky, Mangyshlak, Agrakhansky and others.

Main influx water resources The Caspian Sea receives its water from the rivers flowing into it. There are a total of 130 tributaries of this reservoir. The largest is the Volga River, which brings the bulk of water. The rivers Heras, Ural, Terek, Astarchay, Kura, Sulak and many others also flow into it.

The waters of this sea form many bays. Among the largest: Agrakhansky, Kizlyarsky, Turkmenbashi, Hyrkan Bay. In the eastern part there is a bay-lake called Kara-Bogaz-Gol. It communicates with the sea through a small strait.

Climate

The climate is characterized geographical location sea, therefore it has several types: from continental in the northern region to subtropical in the southern. This affects air and water temperatures, which have large contrasts depending on the part of the sea, especially in the cold season.

In winter, the average air temperature in the northern region is about -10 degrees, the water reaches -1 degree.

In the southern region, air and water temperatures in winter warm up to an average of +10 degrees.

IN summer time The air temperature in the northern zone reaches +25 degrees. It's much hotter in the south. The maximum recorded value here is + 44 degrees.

Resources

The natural resources of the Caspian Sea contain large reserves various deposits.

One of the most valuable resources of the Caspian Sea is oil. Mining has been carried out since approximately 1820. The springs opened on the territory of the seabed and its coast. Already by the beginning of the new century, the Caspian Sea occupied a leading position in obtaining this valuable product. During this time, thousands of wells were opened, which made it possible to extract oil on a huge industrial scale.

The Caspian Sea and its surrounding area also have rich deposits of natural gas, mineral salts, sand, lime, several types of natural clay and rocks.

Inhabitants and fisheries

The biological resources of the Caspian Sea are distinguished by great diversity and good productivity. It contains more than 1,500 species of inhabitants and is rich in commercial fish species. Occupancy depends on climatic conditions V different areas seas.

In the northern part of the sea, pike perch, bream, catfish, asp, pike and other species are more common. The western and eastern areas are inhabited by gobies, mullet, bream, and herring. Southern waters are rich in different representatives. One of the many is sturgeon. In terms of their content, this sea occupies a leading place among other bodies of water.

Among the wide variety, tuna, beluga, stellate sturgeon, sprat and many others are also caught. In addition, there are mollusks, crayfish, echinoderms and jellyfish.

The Caspian seal is a mammal that lives in the Caspian Sea, or this animal is unique and lives only in these waters.

The sea is also characterized by a high content of various algae, for example, blue-green, red, brown; sea ​​grass and phytoplankton.

Ecology

Oil production and transportation have a huge negative impact on the ecological situation of the sea. Oil products getting into water is almost inevitable. Oil stains cause irreparable damage to marine habitats.

The main influx of water resources to the Caspian Sea comes from rivers. Unfortunately, most of them have high levels of pollution, which deteriorates the quality of sea water.

Industrial and domestic wastewater from surrounding cities in huge quantities drain into the sea, which also causes environmental damage.

Poaching causes great damage to marine habitats. The main target for illegal fishing is sturgeon species. This significantly reduces the number of sturgeon and threatens the entire population of this type.

The information provided will help to assess the resources of the Caspian Sea and briefly study the characteristics and ecological situation of this unique body of water.