home General issues Which is correct: Caspian Sea or lake? Why is the Caspian Sea considered a lake? What geographical objects is washed by the Caspian Sea?

Which is correct: Caspian Sea or lake? Why is the Caspian Sea considered a lake? What geographical objects is washed by the Caspian Sea?

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

How to distinguish a sea from a lake

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

1. Rivers can flow into the sea.

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

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

Does the Caspian Sea fit sea parameters?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The coastline of the Caspian Sea is estimated at approximately 6,500 - 6,700 kilometers, with islands - up to 7,000 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 streams 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.

Peninsulas of the Caspian Sea

Large peninsulas of the Caspian Sea:
* Agrakhan Peninsula
* Absheron Peninsula, located on the western coast of the Caspian Sea in the territory of Azerbaijan, at the northeastern end Greater Caucasus, on its territory the cities of Baku and Sumgayit are located
* Buzachi
* Mangyshlak, located on the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea, on the territory of Kazakhstan, on its territory is the city of Aktau.
* Miankale
* Tub-Karagan

There are about 50 large and medium-sized islands in the Caspian Sea with total area approximately 350 square kilometers.

Largest islands:

* Ashur-Ada
* Garasu
*Hum
* Dash
* Zira (island)
* Zyanbil
* Cure Dasha
* Khara-Zira
* Sengi-Mugan
* Chechen (island)
* Chygyl

Large bays of the Caspian Sea:

* Agrakhan Bay,
* Komsomolets (bay),
* Mangyshlak,
* Kazakh (bay),
* Turkmenbashi (bay) (formerly Krasnovodsk),
* Turkmen (bay),
* Gizilagach,
* Astrakhan (bay)
* Gyzlar
* Hyrcanus (formerly Astarabad) and
* Anzeli (formerly Pahlavi).

Rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea

130 rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, of which 9 rivers have a delta-shaped mouth. Large rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea are the Volga, Terek (Russia), Ural, Emba (Kazakhstan), Kura (Azerbaijan), Samur (Russian border with Azerbaijan), Atrek (Turkmenistan) and others. The largest river flowing into the Caspian Sea is the Volga, its average annual flow is 215-224 cubic kilometers. The Volga, Ural, Terek and Emba provide up to 88 - 90% of the annual runoff of the Caspian Sea.

Basin of the Caspian Sea

The area of the Caspian Sea basin is approximately 3.1 - 3.5 million square kilometers, which is approximately 10 percent of the world's closed water basin area. The length of the Caspian Sea basin from north to south is about 2500 kilometers, from west to east - about 1000 kilometers. The Caspian Sea basin covers 9 states - Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan, Turkey and Turkmenistan.

Coastal states

The Caspian Sea washes the shores of five coastal states:
* Russia (Dagestan, Kalmykia and Astrakhan region) - in the west and north-west, coastline length 695 kilometers
* Kazakhstan - in the north, northeast and east, coastline length 2320 kilometers
* Turkmenistan - in the southeast, the length of the coastline is 1200 kilometers
* Iran - in the south, coastline length - 724 kilometers
* Azerbaijan - in the southwest, coastline length 955 kilometers

Cities on the Caspian Sea coast

The largest city and port on the Caspian Sea is Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, which is located in the southern part of the Absheron Peninsula and has a population of 2,070 thousand people (2003). Other major Azerbaijani Caspian cities are Sumgait, which is located in the northern part of the Absheron Peninsula, and Lankaran, which is located near the southern border of Azerbaijan. To the South-East of the Absheron Peninsula, the oil workers’ village of Neftyanye Kamni is located, the buildings of which stand on artificial islands, overpasses and technological sites.

Large Russian cities- the capital of Dagestan Makhachkala and the most Southern City Russia Derbent - located on the western coast of the Caspian Sea. 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.

On east coast On the Caspian Sea there is a Kazakh city - the port of Aktau, in the north in the Ural delta, 20 km from the sea, the city of Atyrau is located, south of Kara-Bogaz-Gol on the northern shore of the Krasnovodsk Bay - the Turkmen city of Turkmenbashi, former Krasnovodsk. Several Caspian cities are located on the southern (Iranian) coast, the largest of them is Anzeli.

Area, depth, volume of water

The area and volume of water of the Caspian Sea varies significantly depending on fluctuations in water levels. At a water level of −26.75 m, the area was approximately 392,600 square kilometers, the volume of water was 78,648 cubic kilometers, which is approximately 44 percent 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

The water level in the Caspian Sea is subject to significant fluctuations. According to modern science, over the past 3 thousand years the amplitude of changes in the water level of the Caspian Sea has been 15 meters. Instrumental measurements of the level of the Caspian Sea and systematic observations of its fluctuations have been carried out since 1837, during which time the highest water level was recorded in 1882 (-25.2 m), the lowest in 1977 (-29.0 m) , since 1978, the water level has risen and in 1995 reached −26.7 m; since 1996, there has again been a downward trend in the level of the Caspian Sea. Scientists associate the reasons for changes in the water level of the Caspian Sea with climatic, geological and anthropogenic factors.

Water temperature

In April-May, the area of minimum temperatures moves to the Middle Caspian Sea, which is associated with faster heating of waters in the shallow northern part of the sea. True, at the beginning of the season in the northern part of the sea a large amount of heat is spent on melting ice, but already in May the temperature here rises to 16-17 °C. In the middle part the temperature at this time is 13-15 °C, and in the south it increases to 17-18 °C.

Spring warming of water evens out horizontal gradients, and the temperature difference between coastal areas and the open sea does not exceed 0.5 °C. Warming up of the surface layer, starting in March, disrupts the homogeneity in the temperature distribution with depth. In June-September, horizontal homogeneity in the temperature distribution in the surface layer is observed. In August, which is the month of greatest warming, the water temperature throughout the sea is 24-26 °C, and in the southern regions it rises to 28 °C. In August, the water temperature in shallow bays, for example, in Krasnovodsk, can reach 32 °C. The main feature of the water temperature field at this time is upwelling. It is observed annually along the entire eastern coast of the Middle Caspian and partially penetrates even into the Southern Caspian.

The rise of cold deep waters occurs with varying intensity as a result of the influence of prevailing summer season northwest winds. The wind in this direction causes the outflow of warm surface waters from the coast and the rise of colder waters from the intermediate layers. Upwelling begins in June, but it reaches its greatest intensity in July-August. As a result, a decrease in temperature is observed on the surface of the water (7-15 °C). Horizontal temperature gradients reach 2.3 °C at the surface and 4.2 °C at a depth of 20 m.

The source of upwelling gradually shifts from 41-42° north. latitude in June, to 43-45° north. latitude in September. Summer upwelling is of great importance for the Caspian Sea, radically changing the dynamic processes in the deep-water area. In open areas of the sea, in late May - early 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. Vertical temperature gradients in the shock layer are very significant and can reach several degrees per meter. In the middle part of the sea, due to the surge off the eastern coast, the shock layer rises close to the surface.

Since in the Caspian Sea there is no stable baroclinic layer with a large reserve of potential energy similar to the main thermocline of the World Ocean, then with the cessation of the prevailing winds causing upwelling and with the beginning of autumn-winter convection in October-November, a rapid restructuring of temperature fields to the winter regime occurs. In the open sea, the water temperature in the surface layer drops in the middle part to 12-13 °C, in the southern part to 16-17 °C. In the vertical structure, the shock layer is eroded due to convective mixing and disappears by the end of November.

Water composition

Mineralization in shallow salty bays-kultuks can reach 60-100 g/kg. In the Northern Caspian, during the entire ice-free period from April to November, a salinity front of a quasi-latitudinal location is observed. The greatest desalination, associated with the spread of river flow across the sea, is observed in June. The formation of the salinity field in the Northern Caspian Sea is greatly influenced by the wind field. In the middle and southern parts of the sea, salinity fluctuations are small. Basically it is 11.2-12.8 units. psu, increasing in the southern and eastern directions. With depth, salinity increases slightly (by 0.1-0.2 units psu).

In the deep-sea part of the Caspian Sea, in the vertical profile of salinity, characteristic deflections of isohalines and local extrema are observed in the area of the eastern continental slope, which indicate the processes of bottom sliding of waters salinizing in the eastern shallow waters of the South Caspian. The magnitude of salinity also strongly depends on sea level and (which is interconnected) on the volume of continental runoff.

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 about 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.

Climate

The climate of the Caspian Sea is continental in the northern part, temperate in the middle and subtropical in the southern part. In winter, the average monthly temperature of the Caspian Sea varies from −8 −10 in the northern part to +8-10 in the southern part, in summer - from +24-25 in the northern part to +26-27 in the southern part. The maximum temperature recorded on the east coast was 44 degrees.

The average annual precipitation is 200 millimeters per year, ranging from 90-100 millimeters in the arid eastern part to 1,700 millimeters along the southwestern subtropical coast. Evaporation of water from the surface of the Caspian Sea is about 1000 millimeters per year, the most intense evaporation in the area of the Absheron Peninsula and in the eastern part of the South Caspian Sea is up to 1400 millimeters per year.

Winds often blow on the territory of the Caspian Sea, their average annual speed is 3-7 meters per second, the wind rose is dominated by north winds. In the autumn and winter months, winds become stronger, with wind speeds often reaching 35-40 meters per second. The most windy areas are the Absheron Peninsula and the environs of Makhachkala - Derbent, where the highest wave was recorded - 11 meters.

Currents

Water circulation in the Caspian Sea is related to runoff and winds. Because the most of The drainage falls on the Northern Caspian Sea, northern currents predominate. An intense northern current carries water from the Northern Caspian along the western coast to the Absheron Peninsula, where the current divides into two branches, one of which moves further along the western coast, the other goes to the Eastern Caspian.

Animal world

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 world, where most of the world's sturgeon reserves 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. Since March 31, 2008, 363 dead seals have been found on the coast of the Caspian Sea in Kazakhstan.

Vegetable world

The flora of the Caspian Sea and its coast is represented by 728 species. Among the plants in the Caspian Sea, the predominant algae are blue-green, diatoms, red, brown, characeae and others, and among the 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.

Origin of the Caspian Sea

The Caspian Sea is of oceanic origin - its bed is composed of oceanic-type crust. It was formed approximately 10 million years ago, when the closed Sarmatian Sea, which lost contact with the world's oceans approximately 70 million years ago, was divided into two parts - the "Caspian Sea" and the Black Sea.

Anthropological and cultural history Caspian Sea

Finds in the Khuto Cave off the southern coast of the Caspian Sea indicate that humans 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 IV-V 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 1820s, hydrographic research was continued by I. F. Soyomov, 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.

Mining of oil and gas

Many oil and gas fields are being developed in the Caspian Sea. Proven oil resources in the Caspian Sea amount to about 10 billion tons, shared resources oil and gas condensate 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.

Shipping

Shipping is developed in the Caspian Sea. On the Caspian Sea there are ferry crossings, 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 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 therapeutic mud in the coastal zone creates good conditions for relaxation and treatment. At the same time, according to the degree of development of resorts and the 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.

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 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.

Border dispute over the status of the Caspian Sea

After the collapse of the USSR, the division of the Caspian Sea has long been and still remains the subject of unresolved disagreements related to the division of Caspian shelf resources - 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 2003, Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan signed an agreement on the partial division of the Caspian Sea along the median line.

Coordinates: 42.622596 50.041848

The Caspian Sea is located at the junction of two parts of the Eurasian continent - Europe and Asia. The Caspian Sea is shaped like Latin letter S, 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° E).

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 Seas passes along the Chechen line (island)- Tyub-Karagansky Cape, between the Middle and Southern Caspian Seas - along the Zhiloi line (island)- Gan-Gulu (Cape). The area of the Northern, Middle and Southern Caspian Sea is 25, 36, 39 percent, respectively.

According to one hypothesis, the Caspian Sea received its name in honor of the ancient tribes of horse breeders - the Caspians, who lived BC on the southwestern coast of the Caspian Sea. Throughout the history of its existence, the Caspian Sea had about 70 names among different tribes and peoples: the Hyrcanian Sea; The Khvalyn Sea or the Khvalis Sea is an ancient Russian name, derived from the name of the inhabitants of Khorezm who traded in the Caspian Sea - Khvalis; Khazar Sea - name in Arabic (Bahr al-Khazar), Persian (Darya-e Khazar), Turkish and Azerbaijani (Khazar denizi) languages; Abeskun Sea; Sarayskoye Sea; Derbent Sea; Xihai and other names. In Iran, the Caspian Sea is still called the Khazar or Mazandaran Sea. (after the name of the people inhabiting the coastal province of Iran of the same name).

Large peninsulas of the Caspian Sea: Agrakhan Peninsula, Absheron Peninsula, Buzachi, Mangyshlak, Miankale, Tub-Karagan.

There are about 50 large and medium-sized islands in the Caspian Sea with a total area of approximately 350 square kilometers. The largest islands: Ashur-Ada, Garasu, Gum, Dash, Zira (island), Zyanbil, Kur Dashi, Khara-Zira, Sengi-Mugan, Chechen (island), Chygyl.

Large bays of the Caspian Sea: Agrakhansky Bay, Komsomolets (bay) (formerly Dead Kultuk, formerly Tsesarevich Bay), Kaydak, Mangyshlak, Kazakh (bay), Turkmenbashi (bay) (formerly Krasnovodsk), Turkmen (bay), Gizilagach, Astrakhan (bay), Gyzlar, Girkan (formerly Astarabad) and Anzeli (formerly Pahlavi).

On the eastern coast is the salt lake Kara Bogaz Gol, which until 1980 was a bay-lagoon of the Caspian Sea, connected to it by a narrow strait. In 1980, a dam was built separating Kara-Bogaz-Gol from the Caspian Sea, and in 1984 a culvert was built, after which the level of Kara-Bogaz-Gol dropped by several meters. In 1992, the strait was restored, through which water flows from the Caspian Sea to Kara-Bogaz-Gol and evaporates there. Every year, 8 - 10 cubic kilometers of water flow from the Caspian Sea to Kara-Bogaz-Gol (according to other sources - 25 thousand kilometers) and about 150 thousand tons of salt.

130 rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, of which 9 rivers have a delta-shaped mouth. Large rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea - Volga, Terek (Russia), Ural, Emba (Kazakhstan), Kura (Azerbaijan), Samur (Russian border with Azerbaijan), Atrek (Turkmenistan) and others. The largest river flowing into the Caspian Sea is the Volga, its average annual flow is 215-224 cubic kilometers. The Volga, Ural, Terek and Emba provide up to 88 - 90% of the annual runoff of the Caspian Sea.

The Caspian Sea washes the shores of five coastal states:

Russia (Dagestan, Kalmykia and Astrakhan region)- in the trap and north-west, the length of the coastline is 695 kilometers
Kazakhstan - in the north, northeast and east, the length of the coastline is 2320 kilometers
Turkmenistan - in the southeast, the length of the coastline is 1200 kilometers
Iran - in the south, coastline length - 724 kilometers
Azerbaijan - in the southwest, the length of the coastline is 955 kilometers

The largest city and port on the Caspian Sea is Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, which is located in the southern part of the Absheron Peninsula and has a population of 2,070 thousand people. (2003) . Other major Azerbaijani Caspian cities are Sumgait, which is located in the northern part of the Absheron Peninsula, and Lankaran, which is located near the southern border of Azerbaijan. To the southeast of the Absheron Peninsula, there is an oil workers’ settlement called Neftyanye Kamni, whose structures are located on artificial islands, overpasses and technological sites.

Large Russian cities - the capital of Dagestan, Makhachkala, and the southernmost city of Russia, Derbent - are located on the western coast of the Caspian Sea. 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.

On the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea there is a Kazakh city - the port of Aktau, in the north in the Ural delta, 20 km from the sea, the city of Atyrau is located, south of Kara-Bogaz-Gol on the northern shore of the Krasnovodsk Bay - the Turkmen city of Turkmenbashi, former Krasnovodsk. Several Caspian cities are located in the southern (Iranian) coast, the largest of them is Anzeli.

The area and volume of water of the Caspian Sea varies significantly depending on fluctuations in water levels. At a water level of −26.75 m, the area was approximately 392,600 square kilometers, the volume of water was 78,648 cubic kilometers, which is approximately 44 percent 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 Lake 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.

The water level in the Caspian Sea is subject to significant fluctuations. According to modern science, over the past 3 thousand years the amplitude of changes in the water level of the Caspian Sea has been 15 meters. Instrumental measurements of the level of the Caspian Sea and systematic observations of its fluctuations have been carried out since 1837, during which time the highest water level was recorded in 1882 (-25.2 m.), lowest - in 1977 (-29.0 m.), since 1978 the water level has risen and in 1995 reached −26.7 m; since 1996, a downward trend has emerged again. Scientists associate the reasons for changes in the water level of the Caspian Sea with climatic, geological and anthropogenic factors.

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 difference in water temperature 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 on the coasts. Based on the nature of the horizontal structure of the temperature field in the annual cycle of variability, three time periods can be distinguished in the upper 2-meter layer. From October to March, the water temperature increases in the southern and eastern regions, which is especially clearly visible in the Middle Caspian. Two stable quasi-latitudinal zones can be distinguished, where temperature gradients are increased. This is, firstly, the border between the Northern and Middle Caspian, and, secondly, between the Middle and Southern. At the ice edge, in the northern frontal zone, the temperature in February-March increases from 0 to 5 °C, in the southern frontal zone, in the area of the Absheron threshold, from 7 to 10 °C. During this period, the least cooled waters are in the center of the South Caspian Sea, which form a quasi-stationary core. In April-May, the area of minimum temperatures moves to the Middle Caspian Sea, which is associated with faster heating of waters in the shallow northern part of the sea. True, at the beginning of the season in the northern part of the sea a large amount of heat is spent on melting ice, but already in May the temperature here rises to 16 - 17 °C. In the middle part the temperature at this time is 13 - 15 °C, and in the south it increases to 17 - 18 °C. Spring warming of water evens out horizontal gradients, and the temperature difference between coastal areas and the open sea does not exceed 0.5 °C. Warming of the surface layer, which begins in March, disrupts the uniformity of temperature distribution with depth. In June-September, horizontal uniformity in the temperature distribution in the surface layer is observed. In August, which is the month of greatest warming, the water temperature throughout the sea is 24 - 26 °C, and in the southern regions it rises to 28 °C. In August, the water temperature in shallow bays, for example, in Krasnovodsk, can reach 32 °C. The main feature of the water temperature field at this time is upwelling. It is observed annually along the entire eastern coast of the Middle Caspian and partially penetrates even into the Southern Caspian. The rise of cold deep waters occurs with varying intensity as a result of the influence of northwest winds prevailing in the summer season. The wind in this direction causes the outflow of warm surface waters from the coast and the rise of colder waters from the intermediate layers. Upwelling begins in June, but it reaches its greatest intensity in July-August. As a result, a decrease in temperature is observed on the water surface (7 - 15 °C). Horizontal temperature gradients reach 2.3 °C on the surface and 4.2 °C at a depth of 20 m. The source of upwelling gradually shifts from 41 - 42° N. in June to 43 - 45° N. in September. Summer upwelling is of great importance for the Caspian Sea, radically changing the dynamic processes in the deep-water area. 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. Vertical temperature gradients in the shock layer are very significant and can reach several degrees per meter. In the middle part of the sea, due to the surge off the eastern coast, the shock layer rises close to the surface. Since in the Caspian Sea there is no stable baroclinic layer with a large reserve of potential energy similar to the main thermocline of the World Ocean, then with the cessation of the prevailing winds causing upwelling and with the beginning of autumn-winter convection in October-November, a rapid restructuring of temperature fields to the winter regime occurs. In the open sea, the water temperature in the surface layer drops in the middle part to 12 - 13 °C, in the southern part to 16 - 17 °C. In the vertical structure, the shock layer is eroded due to convective mixing and disappears by the end of November.

The salt composition of the waters of the closed Caspian Sea differs from the oceanic one. There are significant differences in the ratios of concentrations of salt-forming ions, especially for waters in areas directly influenced by continental runoff. The process of metamorphization of sea waters under the influence of continental runoff leads to a decrease in the relative content of chlorides in the total amount of salts of sea waters, an increase in the relative amount of carbonates, sulfates, calcium, which are the main components in the chemical composition of river waters. The most conservative ions are potassium, sodium, chlorine and magnesium. The least conservative are calcium and bicarbonate ions. In the Caspian Sea, the content of calcium and magnesium cations is almost two times higher than in the Sea of Azov, and the sulfate anion is three times higher. Water salinity changes especially sharply in the northern part of the sea: from 0.1 units. psu in the mouth areas of the Volga and Ural up to 10 - 11 units. psu on the border with the Middle Caspian. Mineralization in shallow salty bays-kultuks can reach 60 - 100 g/kg. In the Northern Caspian, during the entire ice-free period from April to November, a salinity front of a quasi-latitudinal location is observed. The greatest desalination, associated with the spread of river flow across the sea, is observed in June. The formation of the salinity field in the Northern Caspian Sea is greatly influenced by the wind field. In the middle and southern parts of the sea, salinity fluctuations are small. Basically it is 11.2 - 12.8 units. psu, increasing in the southern and eastern directions. Salinity increases slightly with depth (by 0.1 - 0.2 psu units). In the deep-sea part of the Caspian Sea, in the vertical profile of salinity, characteristic deflections of isohalines and local extrema are observed in the area of the eastern continental slope, which indicate the processes of bottom sliding of waters salinizing in the eastern shallow waters of the South Caspian. The salinity value also strongly depends on sea level and (which is related) on the volume of continental runoff.

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 about 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.

The climate of the Caspian Sea is continental in the northern part, temperate in the middle and subtropical in the southern part. In winter, the average monthly temperature of the Caspian Sea varies from −8 −10 in the northern part to +8 - +10 in the southern part, in summer - from +24 - +25 in the northern part to +26 - +27 in the southern part. The maximum temperature recorded on the east coast was 44 degrees.

On the territory of the Caspian Sea, winds often blow, their average annual speed is 3-7 meters per second, and northern winds predominate in the wind rose. In the autumn and winter months, winds become stronger, with wind speeds often reaching 35-40 meters per second. The most windy areas are the Absheron Peninsula and the environs of Makhachkala - Derbent, where the highest wave was recorded - 11 meters.

Water circulation in the Caspian Sea is related to runoff and winds. Since most of the drainage occurs in the Northern Caspian Sea, northern currents predominate. An intense northern current carries water from the Northern Caspian along the western coast to the Absheron Peninsula, where the current divides into two branches, one of which moves further along the western coast, the other goes to the Eastern Caspian.

The fauna of the Caspian Sea is represented by 1810 species, of which 415 are vertebrates. 101 species of fish are registered in the Caspian world, where most of the world's sturgeon reserves 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. Since March 31, 2008, 363 dead seals have been found on the coast of the Caspian Sea in Kazakhstan.

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. Amazing natural creation Poets, philosophers, historians, and geographers devoted a lot of their work. 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 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:

The share of the Northern Caspian occupies 25% of the reservoir.
The Middle Caspian zone has 36%.
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 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 the eastern 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 washes 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 the most major port city considered Baku. 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. 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 south coast reservoir, Bender-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 carry water to west coast 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.

At the end of the 19th century, 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. Drilling the long-awaited oil well studied by Mikhail Kaverochkin. 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 The Caspian coast is a good place for treatment and relaxation. Tourism industry and the resorts here are not as developed as on the Black Sea, but there are many 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 lacks 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 in 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. Renting a single room here costs from 500 to 1,000 rubles, a double room - 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 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 is the city of 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. 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.

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 has big sizes. 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 most big lake on the planet.

The approximate area of the Caspian Sea is about 370 thousand square kilometers. The volume of the sea changes depending on 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 average temperature air in the northern region is about -10 degrees, water reaches a value of -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 of 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 in different parts of the sea.

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 is discharged into the sea in huge quantities, 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.