Caspian Sea fresh water. Border dispute over the status of the Caspian Sea. Where does the Caspian Sea draw water from?
The Caspian Sea is one of the largest salt water bodies of the Earth, located at the junction of Europe and Asia. Its total area is about 370 thousand square meters. km. The reservoir receives more than 100 water flows. The largest rivers flowing into - Volga, Ural, Emba, Terek, Sulak, Samur, Kura, Atrek, Sefidrud.
The Volga River - the pearl of Russia
The Volga is a river that flows through the territory of the Russian Federation and partially crosses Kazakhstan. Belongs to the largest and long rivers on the ground. The total length of the Volga is more than 3500 km. The river originates in the village of Volgoverkhovye, Tver Region, located on Russian Federation.
It flows into the Caspian Sea, but does not have direct exit into the World Ocean, therefore it is referred to as internal drains. The watercourse receives about 200 tributaries and has more than 150 thousand drains. Today, reservoirs have been built on the river, allowing to regulate the flow, due to which the fluctuations in the water level have been sharply reduced.
The fishery of the river is diverse. Melon growing prevails in the Volga region: the fields are occupied by grain and industrial crops; salt is mined. Oil and gas fields have been discovered in the Ural region. The Volga is the largest river flowing into the Caspian Sea, so it has great importance For Russia. The main transport facility that allows crossing this stream is the longest one in Russia.
Ural - a river in Eastern Europe
The Ural, like the Volga River, flows on the territory of two states - Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation. historical name- Yaik. It originates in Bashkortostan at the top of the Uraltau ridge. The Ural River flows into the Caspian Sea. Its basin is the sixth largest in the Russian Federation, and the area is more than 230 square meters. km. Interesting fact: the Ural River, contrary to popular belief, belongs to the inland European river, and only its upper course in Russia belongs to Asia.
The mouth of the stream gradually becomes shallower. At this point, the river splits into several branches. This feature is typical throughout the entire length of the channel. During floods, you can watch the Ural overflow its banks, in principle, like many other Russian rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea. This is especially observed in places with a gently sloping coastline. Flooding occurs at a distance of up to 7 meters from the riverbed.
Emba - the river of Kazakhstan
Emba is a river flowing on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The name comes from the Turkmen language, literally translated as "the valley of food." The river basin with an area of 40 thousand square meters. km. The river begins its journey in the mountains of Mugodzhary and, flowing along, is lost among the swamps. Asking which rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, we can say that in full-flowing years, the Emba reaches its basin.
For coastline rivers are mining such natural resources like oil and gas. The issue of passing the border between Europe and Asia along the Emba watercourse, as in the case of the river. Ural open topic and today. The reason for this is natural factor: mountains Ural Range, which are the main reference point for drawing boundaries, disappear, forming a homogeneous area.
Terek - mountain water stream
Terek - river North Caucasus. The name literally translates from Turkic as "poplar". The Terek flows out of the glacier of Mount Zilga-Khokh, located in the Trusovsky Gorge Caucasian ridge. passes through the lands of many states: North Ossetia, Georgia, Stavropol Territory, Kabardino-Balkaria, Dagestan and Chechen Republic. It flows into the Caspian Sea and the Arkhangelsk Bay. The length of the river is just over 600 km, the basin area is about 43 thousand square meters. km. An interesting fact is that every 60-70 years the flow forms a new transit arm, while the old one loses its strength and disappears.
The Terek, like other rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea, is widely used to satisfy human economic needs: it is used to irrigate the arid territories of the adjacent lowlands. There are also several hydroelectric power plants on the water stream, the total average annual output of which is more than 200 million kWh. In the near future, it is planned to launch additional additional stations.
Sulak - water stream of Dagestan
Sulak is a river that connects the streams of the Avar Koisu and the Andi Koisu. It flows through the territory of Dagestan. It starts in the Main Sulak Canyon and ends its journey in the waters of the Caspian Sea. The main purpose of the river is the water supply of two cities of Dagestan - Makhachkala and Kaspiysk. Also, several hydroelectric power stations are already located on the river, it is planned to launch new ones to increase the generated capacity.
Samur - the pearl of South Dagestan
Samur is the second largest river in Dagestan. Literally, the name from the Indo-Aryan is translated as "an abundance of water." It originates at the foot of Mount Guton; It flows into the waters of the Caspian Sea in two branches - Samur and Small Samur. The total length of the river is just over 200 km.
All rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea are of great importance for the territories through which they flow. Samur is no exception. The main focus of the use of the river is irrigation of lands and provision of residents of nearby cities drinking water. It was because of this that a hydroelectric complex and a number of the Samur-Divichinsky canal were built.
At the beginning of the 20th century (2010), Russia and Azerbaijan signed an interstate agreement requiring both sides to rationally use the resources of the Samur River. The same agreement introduced territorial changes between these countries. The border between the two states has been moved to the middle of the hydroelectric complex.
Kura - the largest river of Transcaucasia
Asking the question which rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, I want to describe the flow of the Kuru. It flows on the land of three states at once: Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan. The length of the stream is more than 1000 km, the total area of the basin is about 200 thousand square meters. km. Part of the basin is located on the territory of Armenia and Iran. The source of the river is located in the Turkish province of Kars, flows into the waters of the Caspian Sea. The path of the river is thorny, laid among hollows and gorges, for which it got its name, which in Megrelian means “nibble”, that is, the Kura is a river that “gnaws” itself even among the mountains.
There are many cities on it, such as Borjomi, Tbilisi, Mtskheta and others. It plays an important role in meeting the economic needs of the inhabitants of these cities: fishing is carried out, hydroelectric power stations are located, and the Mingachevir reservoir created on the river is one of the main fresh water reserves for Azerbaijan. Unfortunately, the ecological state of the stream leaves much to be desired: the level of harmful substances exceeds the permissible limits by several times.
Features of the Atrek River
Atrek is a river located on the territory of Iran and Turkmenistan. It originates in the Turkmen-Kharasan mountains. Due to the active use in economic needs for irrigation of land, the river became shallow. For this reason, it reaches the Caspian Sea only during the flood period.
Sefidrud - the abundant river of the Caspian
Sefidrud is a major river of the Iranian state. It was originally formed by the confluence of two water streams - Kyzyluzen and Shakhrud. Now it flows out of the Shabanau reservoir and flows into the depths of the Caspian Sea. The total length of the river is over 700 km. The creation of a reservoir has become a necessity. It made it possible to minimize the risks of flooding, thereby securing the cities located in the river delta. The waters are used for irrigation of land with a total area of more than 200 thousand hectares of land.
As can be seen from the presented material, water resources The lands are in an unsatisfactory condition. The rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea are actively used by man to meet his needs. And this has a detrimental effect on their condition: watercourses are depleted and polluted. That is why scientists around the world are sounding the alarm and conducting active propaganda, calling for saving and conserving water on Earth.
The Caspian Sea is one of the most amazing enclosed bodies of water on Earth.
Over the centuries, the sea has changed more than 70 names. The modern came from the Caspians - the tribes inhabiting the central and southeastern part Transcaucasia 2 thousand years BC
Geography of the Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is located at the junction of Europe with Asia and geographic location is divided into the South, North and Middle Caspian. The middle and northern part of the sea belongs to Russia, the southern part to Iran, the eastern part to Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, and the southwestern part to Azerbaijan. For many years littoral states divide the waters of the Caspian among themselves, moreover, rather sharply.
Lake or sea?
In fact, the Caspian Sea is the world's largest lake, but it has a number of marine features. These include: a large water mass of the reservoir, severe storms with high waves, ebbs and flows. But the Caspian has no natural connection with the World Ocean, which makes it impossible to call it a sea. At the same time, thanks to the Volga and artificially created channels, such a connection appeared. The salinity of the Caspian Sea is 3 times lower than the usual sea level, which does not allow classifying the reservoir as a sea.
There were times when the Caspian Sea was indeed part of the World Ocean. Several tens of thousands of years ago, the Caspian was connected to the Sea of Azov, and through it to the Black and Mediterranean. As a result of long-term processes occurring in the earth's crust, the Caucasus Mountains formed, which isolated the reservoir. Communication between the Caspian and Black Seas for a long time was carried out through the strait (Kumo-Manych depression) and gradually ceased.
Physical quantities
Area, volume, depth
The area, volume and depth of the Caspian Sea are not constant and directly depend on the water level. On average, the area of \u200b\u200bthe reservoir is 371,000 km², the volume is 78,648 km³ (44% of all world lake water reserves).
(Depth of the Caspian Sea in comparison with lakes Baikal and Tanganyika)
The average depth of the Caspian is 208 m, the northern part of the sea is considered the shallowest. The maximum depth is 1025 m, noted in the South Caspian depression. In depth, the Caspian is second only to Baikal and Tanganyika.
The length of the lake from north to south is about 1200 km, from west to east an average of 315 km. The length of the coastline is 6600 km, with islands - about 7 thousand km.
coast
Basically, the coast of the Caspian Sea is low-lying and smooth. In the northern part, it is heavily indented by the river channels of the Urals and the Volga. The swampy local shores are located very low. Eastern Shores adjacent to semi-desert zones and deserts, covered with limestone deposits. The most winding coasts are in the west in the region of the Apsheron Peninsula, and in the east - in the area of the Kazakh Gulf and Kara-Bogaz-Gol.
sea water temperature
(The temperature of the Caspian Sea in different time of the year)
The average water temperature in the Caspian in winter ranges from 0 °C in the northern part to +10 °C in the south. In the waters of Iran, the temperature does not fall below +13 °C. With the onset of cold weather, the shallow northern part of the lake is covered with ice, which lasts for 2-3 months. The thickness of the ice cover is 25-60 cm, at especially low temperatures it can reach 130 cm. late autumn and in winter, drifting ice floes can be observed in the north.
In summer average temperature the surface of the water in the sea is + 24 °C. Most of the sea warms up to +25 °C ... +30 °C. warm water and beautiful sandy, occasionally shell and pebble beaches create excellent conditions for a full-fledged beach holiday. In the eastern part of the Caspian Sea near the town of Begdash, an abnormal low temperature water.
Nature of the Caspian Sea
Islands, peninsulas, bays, rivers
The Caspian Sea includes about 50 large and medium-sized islands, the total area of which is 350 km². The largest of them are: Ashur-Ada, Garasu, Gum, Dash and Boyuk-Zira. Most large peninsulas are: Agrakhan, Absheron, Buzachi, Mangyshlak, Miankale and Tyub-Karagan.
(Tyuleniy Island in the Caspian Sea, part of the Dagestan Reserve)
TO largest bays The Caspian includes: Agrakhan, Kazakh, Kizlyar, Dead Kultuk and Mangyshlak. In the east is salt Lake Kara-Bogaz-Gol, previously a lagoon connected to the sea by a strait. In 1980, a dam was built on it, through which water from the Caspian goes to Kara-Bogaz-Gol, where it then evaporates.
130 rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, located mainly in its northern part. The largest of them: Volga, Terek, Sulak, Samur and Ural. The average annual runoff of the Volga is 220 km³. 9 rivers have a delta-shaped mouth.
Flora and fauna
About 450 species of phytoplankton live in the Caspian Sea, including algae, aquatic and flowering plants. Of the 400 species of invertebrates, worms, crustaceans and mollusks predominate. There are a lot of small shrimp in the sea, which is an object of fishing.
More than 120 species of fish live in the Caspian and the delta. Fishing objects are sprat (“Kilkin fleet”), catfish, pike, bream, pike perch, kutum, mullet, vobla, rudd, herring, white fish, pike perch, goby, grass carp, burbot, asp and pike perch. Stocks of sturgeon and salmon are currently depleted, however, the sea is the largest supplier of black caviar in the world.
Fishing in the Caspian Sea is allowed all year round except for the period from late April to late June. On the coast there are many fishing bases with all conviniences. Fishing in the Caspian is a great pleasure. In any part of it, including in large cities, the catch is unusually rich.
The lake is famous for its large variety of waterfowl. Geese, ducks, loons, gulls, waders, sea eagles, geese, swans and many others come to the Caspian during migration or nesting. The largest number of birds - over 600 thousand individuals is observed in the mouths of the Volga and the Urals, in the bays of Turkmenbashi and Kyzylagach. During the hunting season, a huge number of fishermen come here not only from Russia, but also from countries near and far abroad.
The only mammal lives in the Caspian Sea. This is the Caspian seal or seal. Until recently, the seals swam close to the beaches, everyone could admire the amazing animal with round black eyes, the seals behaved very friendly. Now the seal is on the verge of extinction.
Cities on the Caspian Sea
Baku is the largest city on the coast of the Caspian Sea. The number of one of the most most beautiful cities of the world is over 2.5 million people. Baku is spread out on the most picturesque Absheron peninsula and is surrounded on three sides by the waters of the warm and oil-rich Caspian Sea. Less big cities: the capital of Dagestan is Makhachkala, Kazakh Aktau, Turkmen Turkmenbashi and Iranian Bender-Anzeli.
(Baku Bay, Baku - a city on the Caspian Sea)
Interesting Facts
Scientists are still arguing about whether to call a reservoir a sea or a lake. The level of the Caspian Sea is gradually decreasing. Most The Volga delivers water to the Caspian. 90% of black caviar is mined in the Caspian Sea. Among them, the most expensive is Almas beluga caviar ($2,000 per 100 g).
Companies from 21 countries are participating in the development of oil fields in the Caspian Sea. According to Russian estimates, hydrocarbon reserves in the sea amount to 12 billion tons. American scientists claim that one fifth of the world's hydrocarbon reserves are concentrated in the depths of the Caspian Sea. This is more than the combined reserves of such oil-producing countries as Kuwait and Iraq.
The Caspian Sea is the most big lake On the Earth. It is called the sea because of its size and bed, which is folded like an ocean basin. The area is 371,000 square meters, the depth is 1025 m. The list of rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea includes 130 names. The largest of them are: Volga, Terek, Samur, Sulak, Ural and others.
Caspian Sea
It took 10 million years before the Caspian was formed. The reason for its formation is that the Sarmatian Sea, which lost its connection with the World Ocean, was divided into two reservoirs, which were called the Black and Caspian Seas. Between the latter and the World Ocean stretch thousands of kilometers of waterless path. It is located at the junction of two continents - Asia and Europe. Its length in the north-south direction is 1200 km, west-east - 195-435 km. The Caspian Sea is an internal drainless basin of Eurasia.
Near the Caspian Sea, the water level is below the level of the World Ocean, and besides, it is subject to fluctuations. According to scientists, this is due to many factors: anthropogenic, geological, climatic. At present, the average water level reaches 28 m.
The network of rivers and sewage is unevenly distributed along the coast. To the part of the sea with north side Few rivers flow into it: Volga, Terek, Ural. From the west - Samur, Sulak, Kura. East Coast characterized by the absence of permanent streams. Differences in space in the flow of water that rivers bring to the Caspian Sea is an important geographical feature of this reservoir.
Volga
This river is one of the largest in Europe. In Russia, it ranks sixth in size. In terms of catchment area, it is second only to Siberian rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea, such as the Ob, Lena, Yenisei, Irtysh. For the source, from where the Volga originates, the key is taken near the village of Volgoverkhovye, Tver Region, on the Valdai Upland. Now there is a chapel at the source, which attracts the attention of tourists, for whom it is a pride to step over the very beginning of the mighty Volga.
A small fast stream gradually gains strength and becomes a huge river. Its length is 3690 km. The source is 225 m above sea level. Among the rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea, the largest is the Volga. Her path runs through many regions of our country: Tver, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Volgograd and others. The territories through which it flows are Tatarstan, Chuvashia, Kalmykia and Mari El. The Volga is the location of millionaire cities - Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, Kazan, Volgograd.
Volga Delta
The main riverbed is divided into channels. Formed certain form mouth. It's called the delta. Its beginning is the place of separation of the Buzan branch from the bed of the Volga river. The delta is located 46 km north of the city of Astrakhan. It includes channels, branches, small rivers. There are several main branches, but only Akhtuba is navigable. Among all the rivers of Europe, the Volga is distinguished by the largest delta, which is a rich fish region in this basin.
It lies 28 m lower than the ocean level. The mouth of the Volga is the location of the southernmost Volga city of Astrakhan, which in the distant past was the capital of the Tatar Khanate. Later, at the beginning of the 18th century (1717), Peter 1 gave the city the status of "the capital of the province of Astrakhan." During his reign, the main attraction of the city, the Assumption Cathedral, was built. Its Kremlin is made of white stone, brought from the capital of the Golden Horde, the city of Saray. The mouth is divided by branches, the largest of which are: Bolda, Bakhtemir, Buzan. Astrakhan is southern city located on 11 islands. Today it is a city of shipbuilders, sailors and fishermen.
Currently, the Volga needs protection. For this purpose, a reserve has been established at the place where the river flows into the sea. Volga Delta, largest river, flowing into the Caspian Sea, abounds unique flora and fauna: sturgeon, lotuses, pelicans, flamingos and others. Immediately after the revolution of 1917, a law was passed on their protection by the state as part of the Astrakhan Reserve.
Sulak River
It is located in Dagestan, flows through its territory. It feeds on the waters of melted snows that flow down from the mountains, as well as tributaries: Small Sulak, Chvakhun-bak, Akh-su. Water also enters Sulak through a canal from the Aksai and Aktash rivers.
The source is formed by the confluence of two rivers that originate in the basins: Didoyskaya and Tushinskaya. The length of the Sulak River is 144 km. Her pool has enough large area- 15,200 square meters. It flows through the canyon with the same name as the river, then through the Akhetlinsky gorge and finally comes to the plane. Going around the Agrakhan Bay with south side, Sulak flows into the sea.
The river provides drinking water to Kaspiysk and Makhachkala, it is home to hydroelectric power plants, the urban-type settlements of Sulak and Dubki, and small town Kizilyurt.
Samur
The river got its name not by chance. The name translated from the Caucasian language (one of them) means "middle". Indeed, the border between the states of Russia and Azerbaijan is marked along the waterway along the Samur River.
The sources of the river are glaciers and springs, originating in the spurs of the Caucasus Range from the northeast side, not far from the Guton mountain. The height above sea level is 3200 m. Samur has a length of 213 km. The height in the upper reaches and the mouth differs by three kilometers. The catchment basin has an area of almost five thousand square meters.
The places where the river flows are narrow gorges located between the mountains. high altitude, composed of shale and sandstone, which is why the water here is muddy. The Samur basin has 65 rivers. Their length reaches 10 km or more.
Samur: the valley and its description
The valley of this river in Dagestan is the most densely populated region. Derbent is located near the mouth - ancient city peace. The banks of the Samur River are home to twenty or more species of relict representatives of the flora. Endemic, endangered and rare species listed in the Red Book grow here.
In the river delta, a relict forest is comfortably located, which is the only one in Russia. Liana forest is a fairy tale. Huge trees of the rarest and most common species grow here, intertwined with lianas. The river is rich in valuable species of fish: mullet, pike perch, pike, catfish and others.
Terek
The river got its name from the Karachay-Balkar peoples who lived along its banks. They called it "Terk Suu", which means "rushing water" in translation. Ingush and Chechens called it Lomeki - "mountain water".
The beginning of the river is the territory of Georgia, the Zigla-Khokh glacier - a mountain located on the slope of the Caucasus Range. It is under glaciers all year round. One of them melts when sliding down. A small stream is formed, which is the source of the Terek. It is located at an altitude of 2713 m above sea level. The length of the river flowing into the Caspian Sea is 600 km. At the confluence with the Caspian, the Terek is divided into many branches, as a result of which a vast delta is formed, its area is 4000 square meters. In some places it is very swampy.
The course in this place has changed several times. The old arms have now been turned into canals. The middle of the last century (1957) was marked by the construction of the Kargaly hydroelectric complex. It is used to supply water to the channels.
How is the Terek replenished?
The river has a mixed supply, but for upstream An important role is played by the waters from the melting of glaciers, they fill the river. In this regard, 70% of the runoff occurs in spring and summer, that is, at this time the water level in the Terek is the highest, and the lowest - in February. The river freezes if the winters are characterized by a harsh climate, but the freeze-up is unstable.
The river is not distinguished by cleanliness and transparency. The turbidity of the water is large: 400-500 g/m 3 . Every year, the Terek and its tributaries pollute the Caspian Sea, pouring into it from 9 to 26 million tons of various suspensions. This is due to the rocks of which the shores are composed, and they are clayey.
Terek mouth
Sunzha is the most major tributary, flowing into the Terek, the lower reaches of which are counted precisely from this river. By this time, the Terek flows for a long time over the flat terrain, leaving the mountains located behind the Elkhot Gates. The bottom here is composed of sand and pebbles, the current slows down, and in some places stops altogether.
The mouth of the Terek River has an unusual appearance: the channel here is elevated above the valley, along appearance resembles a canal, which is fenced with an embankment of great height. The water level rises above the land level. This phenomenon is due to a natural cause. Since the Terek is a turbulent river, it brings sand and stones in large quantities from the Caucasus Range. Given that the current in the lower reaches is weak, some of them settle here and do not reach the sea. For the inhabitants of the area, sediments are both a threat and a boon. When they are washed away by water, floods of great destructive power occur, this is very bad. But in the absence of floods, the soils become fertile.
Ural River
In ancient times (until the second half of the 18th century), the river was called Yaik. It was renamed into the Russian style by the decree of Catherine II in 1775. Just at this time, the Peasant War was suppressed, the leader of which was Pugachev. The name is still preserved in the Bashkir language, and in Kazakhstan it is official. The Urals are the third longest in Europe, only the Volga and the Danube are larger than this river.
The Ural originates in Russia, on the slope of the Kruglyaya Sopka of the Uraltau Ridge. The source is a spring gushing out of the ground at an altitude of 637 m above sea level. At the beginning of its journey, the river flows in a north-south direction, but after meeting a plateau on the way, it makes a sharp turn and continues to flow in a north-westerly direction. However, beyond Orenburg, its direction again changes to the southwestern, which is considered the main one. Having overcome the winding path, the Ural flows into the Caspian Sea. The length of the river is 2428 km. The mouth is divided into branches and tends to shallow.
The Ural is a river along which the natural water boundary between Europe and Asia passes, with the exception of the upper reaches. This is an internal European river, but its upper reaches to the east of the Ural Range are the territory of Asia.
Importance of the Caspian rivers
The rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea are of great importance. Their waters are used for human and animal consumption, domestic needs, agricultural and industrial needs. Hydroelectric power plants are being built on the rivers, the energy of which is in demand by man for various purposes. River basins are full of fish, algae, shellfish. Even in ancient times, people chose river valleys for future settlements. And now cities and towns are being built on their banks. Rivers ply passenger and transport ships, performing important tasks for the transport of passengers and goods.
This is how the Mediterranean Sea was formed, which then included the current Azov, Black and Caspian Sea. On the site of the modern Caspian, a huge Caspian lowland, the surface of which was almost 30 meters below the water level in the oceans. When the next rise of land began to take place at the place of formation Caucasus mountains, the Caspian Sea was finally cut off from the ocean, and in its place a closed drainless reservoir was formed, which today is considered the largest inland sea on the planet. However, some scientists call this sea a giant lake.
A feature of the Caspian Sea is the constant fluctuation of the level of salinity of its water. Even in different areas This sea water has a different salinity. This was the reason for the predominance of fish and crustaceans in the Caspian Sea, which more easily tolerate fluctuations in water salinity.
Since the Caspian is completely isolated from the ocean, its inhabitants are endermics, i.e. always live in its water area.
The fauna of the Caspian Sea can be conditionally divided into four groups.
The first group of animals includes the descendants of ancient organisms that inhabited Tethys about 70 million years ago. These animals include Caspian gobies (golovach, Knipovich, Berg, bubyr, pugolovka, Baer) and herring (Kessler, Brazhnikov, Volga, brazil, etc.), some mollusks and most crustaceans (long-sexed crayfish, orthemia crustacean, etc.). Some fish, mainly herring, periodically enter the rivers flowing into the Caspian to spawn, many never leave the sea. Gobies prefer to live in coastal waters, often found in estuaries.
The second group of animals of the Caspian Sea is represented by arctic species. penetrated into the Caspian Sea from the north in the postglacial period. These are such animals as the Caspian seal (Caspian seal), fish - Caspian trout, white salmon, nelma. Of the crustaceans, this group is represented by mysid crustaceans, similar to small shrimps, tiny sea cockroaches, and some others.
The third group of animals inhabiting the Caspian includes species that independently or with the help of humans moved here from mediterranean sea. These are molluscs mitisyaster and abra, crustaceans - amphipods, shrimp, Black Sea and Atlantic crabs and some types of fish: golden mullet (sharp nose), needle fish and Black Sea kalk (flounder).
And, finally, the fourth group - freshwater fish that penetrated into the Caspian Sea from fresh rivers and turned into marine or anadromous, i.e. periodically rising into the rivers. Some of the typically freshwater fish also occasionally enter the Caspian. Among the fish of the fourth group are catfish, pike perch, barbel, red-lipped asp, Caspian fish, Russian and Persian sturgeon, beluga, stellate sturgeon. It should be noted that the Caspian Sea basin is the main habitat of sturgeons on the planet. Almost 80% of all sturgeons in the world live here. Barbels and fish are also valuable commercial fish.
As for sharks and other fish that are predatory and dangerous to humans, they do not live in the Caspian Sea-Lake.
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 the name, the Caspian 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 large sizes give reason to consider it and the 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
According to the bottom relief, 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 is from four to eight meters, and maximum depth reaches 25 m. Northern part The Caspian Sea is limited by the Mangyshlak Peninsula and occupies 25% of the entire area of the reservoir.
The middle part of the Caspian is deeper. Here average depth becomes equal to 190 m, while the maximum is 788 meters. The area of the middle Caspian 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 Absheron Peninsula in Azerbaijan.
The deepest and largest part of the Caspian Sea is the southern one. It takes 39% total area, and its share of the total volume of water is 66%. Here is the South Caspian depression, which contains the most deep point sea - 1025 m.
Islands, peninsulas and bays of the Caspian Sea
In total, 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 Astrakhan region and Dagestan.
Among the peninsulas of the Caspian Sea, the largest are Mangyshlak (Mangistau) in Kazakhstan and Absheron in Azerbaijan, where such large cities as the country's capital Baku and Sumgayit are located.
Gulf of Kara-Bogaz-Gol Caspian Sea
The coastline of the sea is heavily indented, and there are many bays on it, for example, Kizlyar, Mangyshlak, Dead Kultuk and others. Special mention deserves the Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay, which is actually a separate lake connected to the Caspian Sea by a narrow strait, thanks to which a separate ecosystem and higher salinity of water are preserved in it.
Fishing in the Caspian Sea
Since ancient times, the Caspian Sea has attracted the inhabitants of its shores with its fish resources. About 90% of the world's sturgeon production is mined here, as well as such fish as carp, bream, and sprat.
Caspian Sea video
In addition to fish, the Caspian 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.
If you liked this material, share it with your friends in in social networks. Thank you!
