Caspian lake. Why is the Caspian Lake called a sea? Resources of the Caspian Sea. Brief description of which countries are washed by the Caspian Sea

, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Azerbaijan

Geographical position

Caspian Sea - view from space.

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 (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. At the same time, the northern part of 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 Cave off the southern coast of the Caspian Sea indicate 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 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 production, illegal production of sturgeon and their caviar flourishes in the Caspian Sea.

Recreational resources

The 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 Caspian coast noticeably loses 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. In Azerbaijan, the resort area in the Baku region is actively developing. 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. For a long time, negotiations were ongoing between the 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 on the border of Europe and Asia and is surrounded by the territories of five states: Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. Despite its name, the Caspian Sea is the largest lake on the planet (its area is 371,000 km2), but the bottom, composed of oceanic crust, and salty water together with its large size, they give reason to consider it a sea. A large number of rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, for example, such large ones as the Volga, Terek, Ural, Kura and others.

Relief and depth of the Caspian Sea

Based on the bottom topography, the Caspian Sea is divided into three parts: southern (the largest and deepest), middle and northern.

In the northern part, the depth of the sea is the smallest: on average it ranges from four to eight meters, and the maximum depth here reaches 25 m. The northern part of the Caspian Sea is limited by the Mangyshlak Peninsula and occupies 25% of the total area of ​​the reservoir.

The middle part of the Caspian Sea is deeper. Here the average depth becomes 190 m, while the maximum is 788 meters. The area of ​​the middle Caspian Sea is 36% of the total, and the volume of water is 33% of the total volume of the sea. It is separated from the southern part by the Absheron Peninsula in Azerbaijan.

The deepest and largest part of the Caspian Sea is the southern one. It occupies 39% of the total area, and its share of the total water volume is 66%. Here is the South Caspian depression, which contains the deepest point of the sea - 1025 m.

Islands, peninsulas and bays of the Caspian Sea

There are about 50 islands in the Caspian Sea, almost all of them are uninhabited. Due to the shallower depth of the northern part of the sea, most of the islands are located there, among them the Baku archipelago belonging to Azerbaijan, the Seal Islands in Kazakhstan, as well as many Russian islands off the coast of the Astrakhan region and Dagestan.

Among the Caspian Sea peninsulas, the largest are Mangyshlak (Mangistau) in Kazakhstan and Absheron in Azerbaijan, on which such big cities as the capital of the country Baku and Sumgayit.

Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay Caspian Sea

Coastline The sea is very indented, and there are many bays on it, for example, Kizlyarsky, Mangyshlaksky, Dead Kultuk and others. The Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay deserves special mention, which is actually a separate lake connected to the Caspian Sea by a narrow strait, thanks to which it maintains a separate ecosystem and higher salinity of water.

Fishing in the Caspian Sea

Since ancient times, the Caspian Sea has attracted residents of its shores with its fish resources. About 90% of the world's sturgeon production is caught here, as well as fish such as carp, bream, and sprat.

Caspian Sea video

In addition to fish, the Caspian Sea is extremely rich in oil and gas, the total reserves of which are about 18-20 million tons. Salt, limestone, sand and clay are also mined here.

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Caspian Sea is inland and located in a vast continental depression on the border of Europe and Asia. The Caspian Sea has no connection with the ocean, which formally allows it to be called a lake, but it has all the features of the sea, since in past geological eras it had connections with the ocean.
Today Russia has access only to the Northern Caspian Sea and the Dagestan part of the western coast of the Middle Caspian Sea. The waters of the Caspian Sea wash the shores of countries such as Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan.
The sea area is 386.4 thousand km2, the volume of water is 78 thousand m3.

The Caspian Sea has a vast drainage basin, with an area of ​​about 3.5 million km2. The nature of the landscapes, climatic conditions and types of rivers are different. Despite the vastness of the drainage basin, only 62.6% of its area is drainage areas; about 26.1% - for non-drainage. The area of ​​the Caspian Sea itself is 11.3%. 130 rivers flow into it, but almost all of them are located in the north and west (and the eastern coast does not have a single river reaching the sea). The largest river in the Caspian basin is the Volga, which provides 78% of the river waters entering the sea (it should be noted that more than 25% of the Russian economy is located in the basin of this river, and this undoubtedly determines many hydrochemical and other features of the waters of the Caspian Sea), as well as rivers Kura, Zhaiyk (Ural), Terek, Sulak, Samur.

Physiographically and according to the nature of the underwater relief, the sea is divided into three parts: northern, middle and southern. The conventional border between the northern and middle parts runs along the line Chechen Island–Cape Tyub-Karagan, and between the middle and southern parts along the line Zhiloy Island–Cape Kuuli.
The shelf of the Caspian Sea is on average limited to depths of about 100 m. The continental slope, which begins below the shelf edge, ends in the middle part at approximately 500–600 m depths, in the southern part, where it is very steep, at 700–750 m.

The northern part of the sea is shallow, its average depth is 5–6 m, the maximum depths of 15–20 m are located on the border with the middle part of the sea. The bottom topography is complicated by the presence of banks, islands, and grooves.
The middle part of the sea is an isolated basin, the region of maximum depths of which - the Derbent depression - is shifted to the western coast. The average depth of this part of the sea is 190 m, the greatest is 788 m.

The southern part of the sea is separated from the middle by the Absheron threshold, which is a continuation of the Greater Caucasus. The depths above this underwater ridge do not exceed 180 m. The deepest part of the South Caspian depression with a maximum sea depth of 1025 m is located east of the Kura delta. Several underwater ridges up to 500 m high rise above the bottom of the basin.

Shores The Caspian Sea is diverse. In the northern part of the sea they are quite indented. Here are the Kizlyarsky, Agrakhansky, Mangyshlaksky bays and many shallow bays. Notable peninsulas: Agrakhansky, Buzachi, Tyub-Karagan, Mangyshlak. Large islands in the northern part of the sea are Tyuleniy and Kulaly. In the deltas of the Volga and Ural rivers, the coastline is complicated by many islands and channels, often changing their position. Many small islands and banks are located on other parts of the coastline.
The middle part of the sea has a relatively flat coastline. On the western coast, on the border with the southern part of the sea, is the Absheron Peninsula. To the east of it, the islands and banks of the Absheron archipelago stand out, of which the most large island Residential. The eastern coast of the Middle Caspian is more indented; the Kazakh Gulf with Kenderli Bay and several capes stand out here. The largest bay of this coast is Kara-Bogaz-Gol.

South of the Absheron Peninsula are the islands of the Baku archipelago. The origin of these islands, as well as some banks off the eastern coast of the southern part of the sea, is associated with the activity of underwater mud volcanoes lying on the seabed. On east coast There are large bays of Turkmenbashi and Turkmensky, and near it the island of Ogurchinsky.

One of the most striking phenomena of the Caspian Sea is the periodic variability of its level. In historical times, the Caspian Sea had a level lower than the World Ocean. Fluctuations in the level of the Caspian Sea are so great that for more than a century they have attracted the attention of not only scientists. Its peculiarity is that in the memory of mankind its level has always been below the level of the World Ocean. Since the beginning of instrumental observations (since 1830) of sea level, the amplitude of its fluctuations has been almost 4 m, from –25.3 m in the eighties of the 19th century. to –29 m in 1977. In the last century, the level of the Caspian Sea changed significantly twice. In 1929 it stood at about -26 m, and since it had been close to this level for almost a century, this level position was considered to be a long-term or secular average. In 1930 the level began to decline rapidly. By 1941 it had dropped by almost 2 m. This led to the drying out of vast coastal areas of the bottom. The decrease in level, with slight fluctuations (short-term slight rises in level in 1946–1948 and 1956–1958), continued until 1977 and reached a level of –29.02 m, i.e. the level reached its lowest position in history the last 200 years.

In 1978, contrary to all forecasts, sea level began to rise. As of 1994, the level of the Caspian Sea was at –26.5 m, that is, over 16 years the level rose by more than 2 m. The rate of this rise is 15 cm per year. The level increase in some years was higher, and in 1991 it reached 39 cm.

The general fluctuations in the level of the Caspian Sea are superimposed by its seasonal changes, the long-term average of which reaches 40 cm, as well as surge phenomena. The latter are especially pronounced in the Northern Caspian Sea. The northwestern coast is characterized by large surges created by the prevailing, especially in the cold season, storms of eastern and south-eastern directions. A number of large (more than 1.5–3 m) surges have been observed here over the past decades. A particularly large surge with catastrophic consequences was noted in 1952. Fluctuations in the level of the Caspian Sea cause great damage to the states surrounding its waters.

Climate. The Caspian Sea is located in temperate and subtropical climatic zones. Climatic conditions change in the meridional direction, since the sea stretches from north to south for almost 1200 km.
Various atmospheric circulation systems interact in the Caspian region, however, winds from the eastern directions predominate throughout the year (the influence of the Asian High). The position at fairly low latitudes provides a positive balance of heat influx, so the Caspian Sea serves as a source of heat and moisture for passing air masses for most of the year. The average annual air temperature in the northern part of the sea is 8–10°C, in the middle part - 11–14°C, in the southern part - 15–17°C. However, in the northernmost areas of the sea, the average January temperature is from –7 to –10°C, and the minimum during intrusions of Arctic air is down to –30°C, which determines the formation of ice cover. In summer, rather high temperatures dominate over the entire region under consideration - 24–26°C. Thus, the Northern Caspian is subject to the most dramatic temperature fluctuations.

The Caspian Sea is characterized by very a large number of precipitation per year is only 180 mm, with most of it occurring in the cold season of the year (from October to March). However, the Northern Caspian differs in this respect from the rest of the basin: here the average annual precipitation is lower (for the western part only 137 mm), and the seasonal distribution is more uniform (10–18 mm per month). In general, we can talk about closeness climatic conditions to arid ones.
Water temperature. The distinctive features of the Caspian Sea (large differences in depths in different parts of the sea, the nature of the bottom topography, isolation) have a certain influence on the formation of temperature conditions. In the shallow Northern Caspian Sea, the entire water column can be considered homogeneous (the same applies to shallow bays located in other parts of the sea). In the Middle and Southern Caspian Sea, surface and deep masses can be distinguished, separated by a transition layer. In the Northern Caspian and in the surface layers of the Middle and Southern Caspian, water temperatures vary over a wide range. In winter, temperatures vary from north to south from less than 2 to 10°C, the water temperature off the west coast is 1–2°C higher than that on the east, in the open sea the temperature is higher than at the coasts: by 2–3°C in the middle part and by 3–4°С in the southern part of the sea. In winter, the distribution of temperature with depth is more uniform, which is facilitated by winter vertical circulation. During moderate and severe winters in the northern part of the sea and shallow bays of the east coast, the water temperature drops to freezing temperature.

In summer, the temperature varies in space from 20 to 28°C. The highest temperatures are observed in the southern part of the sea; temperatures are also quite high in the well-warmed shallow Northern Caspian Sea. The zone where the lowest temperatures occur is adjacent to the east coast. This is explained by the rise of cold deep waters to the surface. Temperatures are also relatively low in the poorly heated deep-sea central part. In open areas of the sea, at the end of May–beginning of June, the formation of a temperature jump layer begins, which is most clearly expressed in August. Most often it is located between horizons of 20 and 30 m in the middle part of the sea and 30 and 40 m in the southern part. In the middle part of the sea, due to the surge off the eastern coast, the shock layer rises close to the surface. In the bottom layers of the sea, the temperature throughout the year is about 4.5°C in the middle part and 5.8–5.9°C in the southern part.

Salinity. Salinity values ​​are determined by factors such as river flow, water dynamics, including mainly wind and gradient currents, the resulting water exchange between the western and eastern parts of the Northern Caspian and between the Northern and Middle Caspian, bottom topography, which determines the location of waters with different salinities, mainly along isobaths, evaporation, providing a deficit of fresh water and an influx of saltier water. These factors collectively influence seasonal differences in salinity.
The Northern Caspian Sea can be considered as a reservoir of constant mixing of river and Caspian waters. The most active mixing occurs in the western part, where both river and Central Caspian waters directly flow. Horizontal salinity gradients can reach 1‰ per 1 km.

The eastern part of the Northern Caspian is characterized by a more uniform salinity field, since most of the river and sea (Middle Caspian) waters enter this area of ​​the sea in a transformed form.

Based on the values ​​of horizontal salinity gradients, it is possible to distinguish in the western part of the Northern Caspian the river-sea contact zone with water salinity from 2 to 10‰, in the eastern part from 2 to 6‰.

Significant vertical salinity gradients in the Northern Caspian are formed as a result of the interaction of river and sea ​​waters, the determining role is played by runoff. The strengthening of vertical stratification is also facilitated by the unequal thermal state of the water layers, since the temperature of the surface desalinated waters coming from the seashore in summer is 10–15°C higher than the bottom waters.
In the deep-sea depressions of the Middle and Southern Caspian Sea, fluctuations in salinity in the upper layer are 1–1.5‰. The largest difference between the maximum and minimum salinity was noted in the area of ​​the Absheron threshold, where it is 1.6‰ in the surface layer and 2.1‰ at a 5 m horizon.

The decrease in salinity along the western coast of the South Caspian Sea in the 0–20 m layer is caused by the flow of the Kura River. The influence of the Kura runoff decreases with depth; at horizons of 40–70 m, the range of salinity fluctuations is no more than 1.1‰. Along the entire western coast to the Absheron Peninsula there is a strip of desalinated water with a salinity of 10–12.5‰, coming from the Northern Caspian Sea.

In addition, in the Southern Caspian Sea, an increase in salinity occurs when salted waters are carried out from bays and gulfs on the eastern shelf under the influence of southeastern winds. Subsequently, these waters are transferred to the Middle Caspian Sea.
In the deep layers of the Middle and Southern Caspian Sea, the salinity is about 13‰. In the central part of the Middle Caspian, such salinity is observed at horizons below 100 m, and in the deep-water part of the Southern Caspian, the upper limit of waters with high salinity drops to 250 m. Obviously, in these parts of the sea vertical mixing water is difficult.

Surface water circulation. Currents in the sea are mainly wind-driven. In the western part of the Northern Caspian, currents of the western and eastern quarters are most often observed, in the eastern part - southwestern and southern ones. Currents caused by the runoff of the Volga and Ural rivers can be traced only within the estuary coastal area. The prevailing current speeds are 10–15 cm/s, in open areas of the Northern Caspian Sea the maximum speeds are about 30 cm/s.

In the coastal areas of the middle and southern parts of the sea, in accordance with the wind directions, currents in the northwestern, northern, southeastern and southern directions are observed; near the east coast, currents in the eastern direction often occur. Along the western coast of the middle part of the sea, the most stable currents are southeastern and southern. Current speeds are on average about 20–40 cm/s, with maximum speeds reaching 50–80 cm/s. Other types of currents also play a significant role in the circulation of sea waters: gradient, seiche, and inertial.

Ice formation. The Northern Caspian Sea is covered with ice every year in November, the area of ​​the frozen part of the water area depends on the severity of the winter: in severe winters the entire Northern Caspian Sea is covered with ice, in mild winters the ice remains within 2–3 meter isobath. The appearance of ice in the middle and southern parts of the sea occurs in December-January. On the eastern coast the ice is of local origin, on the western coast it is most often brought from the northern part of the sea. In severe winters, shallow bays freeze off the eastern coast of the middle part of the sea, shores and fast ice form off the coast, and on the western coast, drifting ice spreads to the Absheron Peninsula in abnormally cold winters. The disappearance of ice cover is observed in the second half of February–March.

Oxygen content. The spatial distribution of dissolved oxygen in the Caspian Sea has a number of patterns. The central part of the waters of the Northern Caspian Sea is characterized by a fairly uniform distribution of oxygen. An increased oxygen content is found in the areas near the Volga River near the mouth, while a decreased oxygen content is found in the southwestern part of the Northern Caspian Sea. In the Middle and Southern Caspian highest concentrations oxygen are confined to coastal shallow areas and pre-estuary coastal areas of rivers, with the exception of the most polluted areas of the sea (Baku Bay, Sumgait region, etc.). In the deep-water areas of the Caspian Sea, the main pattern remains the same throughout all seasons - a decrease in oxygen concentration with depth. Thanks to autumn-winter cooling, the density of the North Caspian Sea waters increases to a value at which it becomes possible for North Caspian waters with a high oxygen content to flow along the continental slope to significant depths of the Caspian Sea. The seasonal distribution of oxygen is mainly associated with the annual variation of water temperature and the seasonal relationship between production and destruction processes occurring in the sea. In spring, the production of oxygen during photosynthesis very significantly covers the decrease in oxygen caused by a decrease in its solubility with increasing water temperature in spring. In the areas of the coastal mouths of rivers feeding the Caspian Sea, in the spring there is a sharp increase in the relative oxygen content, which in turn is an integral indicator of the intensification of the photosynthesis process and characterizes the degree of productivity of the mixing zones of sea and river waters. In summer, due to the significant warming of water masses and the activation of photosynthesis processes, the leading factors in the formation of the oxygen regime are photosynthetic processes in surface waters, and biochemical oxygen consumption by bottom sediments in bottom waters. Thanks to high temperature water, stratification of the water column, a large influx of organic matter and its intense oxidation, oxygen is quickly consumed with minimal entry into the lower layers of the sea, as a result of which an oxygen deficiency zone is formed in the Northern Caspian Sea. Intensive photosynthesis in open waters The deep-sea regions of the Middle and Southern Caspian Sea cover the upper 25-meter layer, where oxygen saturation is more than 120%. In autumn, in the well-aerated shallow areas of the Northern, Middle and Southern Caspian Sea, the formation of oxygen fields is determined by the processes of water cooling and the less active, but still ongoing process of photosynthesis. The oxygen content is increasing. The spatial distribution of nutrients in the Caspian Sea reveals the following patterns:

– increased concentrations of nutrients characterize the areas of pre-estuarine coastal rivers that feed the sea and shallow areas of the sea that are subject to active anthropogenic influence(Baku Bay, Turkmenbashi Bay, water areas adjacent to Makhachkala, Fort Shevchenko, etc.);
– The Northern Caspian, which is a vast mixing zone of river and sea waters, is characterized by significant spatial gradients in the distribution of nutrients;
– in the Middle Caspian, the cyclonic nature of the circulation contributes to the rise of deep waters with a high content of nutrients into the overlying layers of the sea;
– in the deep-water regions of the Middle and Southern Caspian Sea, the vertical distribution of nutrients depends on the intensity of the convective mixing process, and their content increases with depth.

On the dynamics of concentrations nutrients During the year, the Caspian Sea is influenced by such factors as seasonal fluctuations in nutrient runoff into the sea, the seasonal ratio of production-destruction processes, the intensity of exchange between soil and water mass, ice conditions in winter time in the Northern Caspian, processes of winter vertical circulation in deep-water areas of the sea.
In winter, a significant area of ​​the Northern Caspian Sea is covered with ice, but biochemical processes actively develop in subglacial water and in ice. The ice of the Northern Caspian Sea, being a kind of accumulator of nutrients, transforms these substances entering the sea with river runoff and from the atmosphere.

As a result of the winter vertical circulation of water in the deep-water regions of the Middle and Southern Caspian Sea during the cold season, the active layer of the sea is enriched with nutrients due to their supply from the underlying layers.

Spring for the waters of the Northern Caspian Sea is characterized by a minimum content of phosphates, nitrites and silicon, which is explained by the spring outbreak of phytoplankton development (silicon is actively consumed by diatoms). High concentrations of ammonium and nitrate nitrogen, characteristic of the waters of a large area of ​​the Northern Caspian Sea during floods, are due to intensive washing by river waters of the Volga delta.

In the spring season, in the area of ​​water exchange between the Northern and Middle Caspian Seas in the subsurface layer, with a maximum oxygen content, the phosphate content is minimal, which, in turn, indicates the activation of the photosynthesis process in this layer.
In the Southern Caspian, the distribution of nutrients in spring is basically similar to their distribution in the Middle Caspian.

In summer, a redistribution of various forms of biogenic compounds is detected in the waters of the Northern Caspian Sea. Here the content of ammonium nitrogen and nitrates decreases significantly, while at the same time there is a slight increase in the concentrations of phosphates and nitrites and a rather significant increase in the concentration of silicon. In the Middle and Southern Caspian Sea, the concentration of phosphates has decreased due to their consumption during photosynthesis and the difficulty of water exchange with the deep-sea accumulation zone.

In autumn in the Caspian Sea, due to the cessation of activity of some types of phytoplankton, the content of phosphates and nitrates increases, and the concentration of silicon decreases, as there is an autumn outbreak of the development of diatoms.

For more than 150 years, oil has been mined on the shelf of the Caspian Sea. oil.
Currently, large hydrocarbon reserves are being developed on the Russian shelf, the resources of which on the Dagestan shelf are estimated at 425 million tons in oil equivalent (of which 132 million tons of oil and 78 billion m3 of gas), on the shelf of the Northern Caspian Sea - at 1 billion tons of oil .
In total, about 2 billion tons of oil have already been produced in the Caspian Sea.
Losses of oil and its products during production, transportation and use reach 2% of the total volume.
Main sources of income pollutants, including petroleum products into the Caspian Sea - this is the removal with river runoff, the discharge of untreated industrial and agricultural wastewater, municipal wastewater from cities and towns located on the coast, shipping, exploration and exploitation of oil and gas fields located at the bottom of the sea, transportation of oil by sea. The places where pollutants enter with river runoff are 90% concentrated in the Northern Caspian Sea, industrial wastes are confined mainly to the area of ​​the Absheron Peninsula, and increased oil pollution of the Southern Caspian Sea is associated with oil production and oil exploration drilling, as well as with active volcanic activity (mud volcanism) in the zone of oil and gas bearing structures.

From the territory of Russia, about 55 thousand tons of petroleum products enter the Northern Caspian annually, including 35 thousand tons (65%) from the Volga River and 130 tons (2.5%) from the runoff of the Terek and Sulak rivers.
Thickening of the film on the water surface to 0.01 mm disrupts gas exchange processes and threatens the death of hydrobiota. The concentration of petroleum products is toxic to fish at 0.01 mg/l and to phytoplankton at 0.1 mg/l.

The development of oil and gas resources on the bottom of the Caspian Sea, the forecast reserves of which are estimated at 12–15 billion tons of standard fuel, will become the main factor in the anthropogenic load on the sea ecosystem in the coming decades.

Caspian autochthonous fauna. The total number of autochthons is 513 species or 43.8% of the entire fauna, which include herring, gobies, mollusks, etc.

Arctic species. The total number of the Arctic group is 14 species and subspecies, or only 1.2% of the entire Caspian fauna (mysids, sea cockroach, white fish, Caspian salmon, Caspian seal, etc.). The basis of the Arctic fauna are crustaceans (71.4%), which easily tolerate desalination and live on great depths The Middle and Southern Caspian Sea (from 200 to 700 m), since the lowest water temperatures are maintained here throughout the year (4.9–5.9 ° C).

Mediterranean species. These are 2 types of mollusks, needle fish, etc. At the beginning of the 20s of our century, the mollusk mytileaster entered here, later 2 types of shrimp (with mullet, during their acclimatization), 2 types of mullet and flounder. Some Mediterranean species entered the Caspian Sea after the opening of the Volga-Don Canal. Mediterranean species play a significant role in the food supply of fish in the Caspian Sea.

Freshwater fauna(228 species). This group includes anadromous and semi-anadromous fish (sturgeon, salmon, pike, catfish, carp, and also rotifers).

Marine species. These are ciliates (386 forms), 2 species of foraminifera. There are especially many endemics among higher crustaceans (31 species), gastropods (74 species and subspecies), bivalves (28 species and subspecies) and fish (63 species and subspecies). The abundance of endemics in the Caspian Sea makes it one of the most unique brackish bodies of water on the planet.

The Caspian Sea produces more than 80% of the world's sturgeon catches, the bulk of which occur in the Northern Caspian Sea.
To increase sturgeon catches, which sharply decreased during the years of falling sea levels, a set of measures is being implemented. Among them are a complete ban on sturgeon fishing in the sea and its regulation in rivers, and an increase in the scale of sturgeon factory farming.

One of the brightest bodies of water in the world is Caspian lake, which is located at the junction of Asia and Europe, and its shores and waters belong to 5 countries. The Caspian Sea is an attractive and inexpensive place for recreation and treatment. Beautiful nature and the early opening of the swimming seasons make holidays on the Caspian coast more tempting.

The Caspian Lake is the largest of all lakes on the planet. It is often called the Caspian Sea because of its impressive dimensions and slightly salty water. It is located at the junction of Asia and Europe on the territory of 5 countries: Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation of Azerbaijan and Iran.

Despite the fact that the tourism infrastructure is inferior in level of development to that of the Black Sea, the Caspian coast is in demand among tourists. This is facilitated by the rapid warming of the reservoir due to its shallow depth; often the swimming season can begin at the end of April and end in October. The average water temperature in summer is 20-22 °C.

Advantages of holidays on the Caspian Lake:

• clean sea sand;
• picturesque nature;
• sea ​​healing climate;
• mineral springs;
• healing mud;
• the presence of sanatoriums of various orientations;
• excellent fishing, especially in Astrakhan;
• active entertainment for every taste (diving, rafting, windsurfing, etc.);
• low cost of housing and entertainment with developed infrastructure;
• being on the territory of the Russian Federation, which saves a lot of time on paperwork;
• great service;
• warm water for six months;
• the opportunity to save thousands of rubles on vacation, housing and food without denying yourself anything.

You can get to the Caspian Sea in different ways, but it’s worth deciding in the area of ​​which coastal city to plan your vacation.

In the Russian Federation on the Caspian Lake there are several resort towns:

Astrakhan is very popular among fishermen and lovers of outdoor activities related to water, because there are many rivers in its vicinity, and the Caspian Lake is just an hour away by car.

Ancient city Derbent also enjoys special love among tourists, because it is surrounded by such attractions as picturesque mountains, ancient fossils and legendary caves, overgrown with legends, and other interesting places to visit.

Such Dagestan resort cities as Izberbash, Kaspiysk, Makhachkala and Kalmyk Lagan are not deprived of attention. Many tourists come to the Caspian Lake and stay in Azerbaijani cities (Baku, Lankaran, Sumgait), Turkmen resorts Turkmentbashi and Avaza, Kazakh Aktau and Atyrau.

Origin of the Caspian Lake and its name

Over 5 million years ago, the ancient sea was divided into several smaller ones, including the Caspian and Black Sea. After this separation, the reservoirs repeatedly merged into one whole and were split up, but approximately 1.75-2 million years ago the reservoir was finally cut off from the waters of the World Ocean.

The modern name of the Caspian Lake is new. And according to one hypothesis, it came from the name of the Caspian tribe, who lived in its southwest in the first millennium BC.

Throughout the entire period of its existence, the Caspian Lake had more than 70 different names among various tribal peoples, including:

1. Abeskunskoe - after the name of the island and the city, which were located before their flooding by a reservoir in the 14th century in a low-lying plain formed by the Kura Kura River.
2. Saraiskoe.
3. Khazar or Mazandaran - an Iranian name in honor of the province of the same name of the country, located on the coast, is used in Iran to this day.
4. Dzhurdzhansky (Hirkansky) - the ancient Greek name of the reservoir, comes from the region of Hyrcania and the city of Gorgan, now belonging to Iran.
5. Derbentskoye is named after the ancient coastal town of the same name in Dagestan.
6. Sihai.
7. Khvaliskoe is an ancient Russian name, derived from the name of the Khvalis people who lived in the north of the Caspian Sea.

Study and development of the Caspian Lake

Finds on the western coast of Dagestan indicate that people lived in this territory already 2 million ago. At the confluence of the river. Darvagchay (Dagestan) remains have been excavated at sites older than 600 thousand years. Excavations at south coast indicate human habitation in this territory 75 thousand years ago. All these studies show that the climate and living conditions were suitable for humans.

The founder of geography and writer Hecataeus of Miletus (VI-V centuries BC) in his work “Description of the Earth” described the Caspian Sea as the Hyrcanian Sea. In the 5th century BC, the ancient Greek historian was one of the first to suggest that the Caspian is not connected with other seas or oceans, although scientists of those times argued that the reservoir was the northern bay of the World Ocean, which washed all known lands.

Aristotle in the 4th century BC was sure that the Hyrcanian reservoir was connected with the Black Sea by underground waters. Macedonsky studied the relationship of the Caspian Sea with other large bodies of water throughout his travels. In 323 BC, he sent the sailor and geographer Patroclus to explore the shores of the Caspian Sea.

The navigator reached the Kara-Bogaz Bay and considered it a river that connects the Caspian Lake with the ocean. The famous ancient Greek geographer and historian Strabo, in one of his 17 chronicles (books) “Geography”, represented the Caspian Lake stretched in the east-west direction.

Arab scientists of the 9th-13th centuries made a significant contribution to the study of the Caspian Sea, recording in their works information about coastal cities and states, islands, flowing rivers and oil that was produced in Azerbaijan (Baku).

The expansion of the geography of trade relations made it possible for European, Persian and Turkish travelers to receive a lot of information about the Caspian Sea. And the famous Marco Polo (XIII century) also described a huge reservoir.

A very detailed, although sometimes erroneous, map of the Caspian Sea was compiled in the 17th century by the famous scientist and traveler, the German Adam Olearius. Peter I repeatedly traveled towards the Caspian Lake, and based on the data he provided, Russian hydrographers compiled very detailed maps of the Caspian Sea.

Since the 17th century, exploration of the Caspian Sea and its coastal environs has become systematic and versatile. Peter the Great in 1714 sent a research expedition under the leadership of Bekovich-Cherkassky. A few years later, research was continued by Verdun and Soimonov, and a little later by Tokmachev, Voinovich and other scientists.

At the beginning of the 19th century, an instrumental survey of the coast was carried out by I.F. Kolodkin; several decades later, a geographical survey was carried out by an expedition led by N.A. Ivashintsev. For half a century, starting from 1866, regular hydrological and hydrobiological expeditions were carried out under the leadership of N.M. Knipovich.

During the first years of Soviet power, the Caspian Sea was actively explored by geologists, mainly in search of oil product deposits, studying the water balance and fluctuations in water height in the lake.

History of the Caspian Lake

The Caspian Lake is located on the site of one of the giant reservoirs of antiquity. The origin of the Caspian Lake is inextricably linked with the ancient Tetris Sea, which more than 50-55 million years ago united the Pacific and atlantic oceans, located on the territory of the present Caspian, Azov, Black and Mediterranean seas.

After long, complex tectonic movements, Tetris was first cut off from Pacific Ocean, and a little later the Atlantic.

About 5-6.5 million years ago, the giant reservoir broke into small basins, which included the Caspian and Black Sea.

After that, they repeatedly united and moved apart.

1.8-2 million years ago the Caspian Sea was finally cut off from the waters of the World Ocean and it was this time that is considered the beginning of its origin.

Throughout its history, the lake has changed its shoreline many times until it acquired its current appearance.

Physiographic characteristics of the Caspian Lake

The water surface of the lake is noticeably lower than the level of the World Ocean and amounts to -27.5...-28.5 m. The area of ​​the Caspian Sea varies depending on the level and water and is in the range of 380-390 km2, the total volume is 73.7-74.1 km3 .

The Caspian Sea is geographically divided into several parts with their own characteristics:

1. Northern Caspian— it accounts for 24% of the total area of ​​the reservoir. This part is shallow, and its average depth does not exceed 6 m, the maximum reaches 25 m, the volume of water is less than 1%.
2. Middle Caspian– 36% of the total area of ​​the lake falls on it. This part of the lake is a kind of basin with a maximum depth of almost 800 m and an average depth of 190 m. It contains a third of the total volume of water.
3. Southern Caspian– occupies 40% of the total area of ​​the lake and accounts for the deepest part of the reservoir. It contains 2/3 of the volume of all water - 66%. The average depth is 340 m, and the deepest depression is 1025 m.

The length of the coastline reaches almost 7 thousand km. The maximum length of the lake is slightly more than 1 thousand km, and the widest point is 435 km. The minimum width is considered to be a segment of 195 km. The average width is considered to be 317 km.

Map of the depth of the Caspian lake

The shores vary greatly in their landscape. North coast flat and low, around it there is a semi-desert in the lowlands, and on the hill there is a desert. The southern coastline is partly lowland and partly mountainous and consists of the Elbrus ridge. The Caucasus Mountains come close to the western part.

The eastern coastline is a calcareous plateau of desert and semi-desert type. The outlines of the coast vary greatly depending on the water level, which fluctuates periodically.

Climate

The water temperature of the Caspian Sea fluctuates significantly depending on latitude. This amplitude is most noticeable in winter, when the water under the ice in the northern part has a temperature of 0.-0.5 °C above zero, while in the south at this time it is 10-11 °C.

According to average data, the temperature in the western part of the lake is up to 2 °C higher than in the eastern part, and when moving away from the shore it increases by 2-4 °C compared to the coastal zone. In summer, the water in the lake warms up to 23-29 °C, and in shallow water in the northern part it can reach 34-40 °C. Below 100 m, the temperature stabilizes at 4-7 °C.

The Caspian Lake is located in three climatic zones: continental (north of the reservoir), temperate (middle) and subtropical (South Caspian). in winter average temperature ranges from -8 to -11 °C in the north and to +8 to +11 °C in the south of the lake.

In summer, the northern part warms up to 24-25 °C with a positive mark, in the south the temperature rises to 26-27 °C. The highest temperature of +44 °C was recorded in the east of the reservoir.

The average annual precipitation is about 200 mm. Moreover, on the arid eastern coast at least 90-100 mm falls; in the southwest these figures can reach 1700 mm. The average annual wind speed is in the range of 3-8 m/s, mainly winds from the north prevail. In autumn and winter, their speed increases and can reach 35-39 m/s.

When the thermometer shows large subzero values ​​in the northern part of the lake, south coast trees and flowers bloom. In winter, the surface of the lake is unstable and stormy winds prevail. In winter, only the northern shallow waters freeze; during severe winter frosts, the Northern Caspian and the coastal waters of the Middle Caspian are covered with ice.

Flora and fauna

The flora of the Caspian Sea and its coastal environs consists of more than 720 plant species. The lake is mainly dominated by algae (diatoms, brown algae, etc.), and angiosperms - rupee and zoster. Most of the vegetation of the Caspian Lake comes from the Neogene period, but some entered the reservoir on the bottoms of ships or deliberately, with the help of humans.

Among the animal representatives of the Caspian Sea and its environs, there are more than 1,800 species, of which more than 400 are vertebrates, and more than 90 species are fish (sturgeon, carp, bream, mullet, beluga, etc.). Mammals are represented only by the Caspian seal, which is the smallest of the seal family and lives exclusively in the Caspian Lake.

The lake is home to the largest school of sturgeon in the world, and a lot of pike perch, carp and roach live in the sea waters. Up to 80% of the total world sturgeon catch and more than 90% of the world black caviar fishery come from the Caspian Lake.

The main route of bird migration between Europe and Asia passes over the Caspian Sea (in spring - in south direction, and in the fall - in the north). During seasonal migrations, over 11.5 million birds fly over the lake, about 5 million individuals remain for the winter. The lake itself is home to over 850 species of animals, of which almost 80 are vertebrates. More than 500 species of plants are present in the lake.

Islands

The Caspian Lake contains more than 50 large and medium-sized islands with a total area of ​​about 350 square meters. km.

State to which the island belongs	Island name
Azerbaijan	Jasper
	Oil Rocks
	pelicanium
	Zenbil
	Sengi Mugan
	Boyuk-Zira
	Baku archipelago
	Kichik Zira
	Kurinsky
	Chilov
	Ignat Dashi
	Inner Stone
	Khyarya Zira
	Kara Su
	Dash Zira
	Novoivanovsky
	Chikil
	Kurinskaya braid
	Gil
	Baburiy
Iran	Ashur-Ada
Kazakhstan	Seal Islands
	Average
	Südev
	Konevsky Oseredok
	Somyonok
	Babiy
	Somovy
Turkmenistan	Ogurchinsky
	Bolshoi Zyudostinsky
	Marine Ivan-Karul
	Clean Jars
	Maly Zyudostinsky
	little birdie
	Egg
	Maly Setnoy
	Jumpers
	Sandy
	Bazaar
	Konevsky
	Green
	Sea Privet
	Batkachny
	Nordic
	Maly Zhemchuzhny
	Big Setnoy
	Blinov
	Upper Oseredok
	Khokhlatsky
	Südev
	Lower
	Small
	Likhachev
	Seal
	Seventh
	Marine Chapura
	Chechen

Flowing rivers

More than 130 rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, 9 of which have delta-shaped mouths. 95% of water enters the Caspian Sea from rivers. Most of them flow into the lake in the northern and western parts of the reservoir; there are no flowing rivers in the east.

The largest and most significant rivers of the Caspian basin:

Approximately 88% of the total flow comes from rivers such as the Volga, Terek, Ural and Emba, which flow into the northern Caspian Sea. 7% of the flow falls on rivers such as the Kura, Sulak, Samur and other smaller ones flowing into the western part of the Caspian Sea. About 5% of the flow of the Sefidrud, Kheraz and Gorgan rivers enters the Iranian part of the reservoir.

Ecological state

The condition of the Caspian Lake and surrounding areas inspires concern among environmentalists.

The main causes of environmental problems are related to man and his activities:

• production and transportation of oil and gas products;
• influx of pollutants from river runoff waters;
• poaching;
• waste from coastal cities;
• rapid jumps in water levels in the Caspian Sea due to irrigation of lands with the waters of inflowing rivers and the use of hydroelectric power stations.

How is the Caspian Lake used?

The Caspian Lake has been actively used by humans for many centuries.

Main directions economic activity:

Recreational resources of the Caspian Lake

The climate and nature of the Caspian coastal region with its clean beaches made of sand, healing mud and healing springs provides great potential and excellent conditions for spa treatment and tourist recreation.

The development of the resort and tourism infrastructure, although noticeably inferior to the similar industry on the Black Sea coast, is actively expanding and the quality of service is improving. The most noticeable surge in development in recent years has been observed in the Republic of Dagestan, Iran, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan.

Holidays on the Caspian coast in the Russian Federation and former countries The CIS is characterized by low cost and on average the quality in some places is inferior to that in the Black Sea, but in actively developing places the level is quite high.

Popular recreation areas with developed infrastructure:

• Baku;
• Amburan;
• Makhachkala;
• Bilgah;
• Derbent.
• Nabran;
• Lankaran;
• Nardaran.

The development of the Turkmen resort and tourism industry is hampered by internal policies that isolate the state from the majority of tourists. And in Iran, mass recreation is difficult due to strict Sharia laws.

There are 3 protected areas on the coast:

The Caspian Lake is located at the junction of Europe and Asia and is the largest lake in the world.

There are many interesting facts about the reservoir:

1. Its size is larger than Japan, but its area is smaller than Germany.
2. In terms of depth, the Caspian Sea is in third place, second only to Tanganyika and Baikal.
3. Every 2.5 centuries the waters are completely renewed.
4. Albino beluga sturgeon, whose caviar is the most expensive in the world, is caught on the Iranian coast. It is distinguished by a white tint and is packaged in unusual jars made of real gold.
5. The largest beluga weighed more than 1200 kg and was caught in the 20s. XX century on the Russian coast. In its dimensions it is comparable to a large shark.
6. Throughout the history of the lake, it has had more than 70 different names.
7. Scientists are still debating whether to consider the Caspian Lake a sea, arguing that its area exceeds the size of some seas, and the bottom is created according to the oceanic type. But at the same time, the reservoir is endorheic and is not connected to the ocean or other seas.
8. The smallest coastline of the five countries belongs to the Russian Federation.
9. More than 80% of the water enters the lake from the river. Volga.

The Caspian Lake is rich in flora and fauna, distinguished by warm waters and a long swimming season. It is best known for its depth and size, production of oil, gas and sturgeon, the reserves of which exceed those known throughout the world.

The lake is 95% supplied with runoff water from rivers. On its coast there are many resorts and sanatoriums, whose attractiveness can be appreciated, and at affordable prices.

Article format: Mila Friedan

Video about the Caspian Sea

Film about 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. Northern part The coastline is cut by water channels and islands of the Ural and Volga deltas. The banks are mostly low and marshy, 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 on 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?

Intergovernmental Economic Conference Caspian states found 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 the northern 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. Near southern border Lankaran is located in 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. Avaza is a major resort in this country.

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. The Volga is considered the largest river flowing into the reservoir. 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 shore.

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 one more 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 the 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.

Most people choose for fishing in Russia Astrakhan region. 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 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 easily come here in 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.

The 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 tourists as possible to their city and are building the Cote d'Azur resort area. 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 of the Greater Caucasus. Sand beach you can change it to a walk to mineral springs, among which there are geothermal ones that help restore health.

Rosstourism has taken measures to develop cruise holidays 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 here improve their health with mineral waters, mud, and a healing climate. It cannot do without health and sports tourism. Active recreation is 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.