Maximum depth of the Caspian. Importance of the Caspian Sea. Sea level fluctuations

The Caspian Sea is the most big lake on the ground. Its surface area is 371,000 square kilometers (143,244 sq mi) and its volume is 78,200 cubic kilometers (18,761 cu mi). This - drainless lake, and is between southern regions Russian Federation and northern Iran. Its maximum depth is approximately 1,025 meters (3,363 feet). This lake is called the sea because when the Romans arrived in this region, they tried to drink water from the lake and it turned out to be salty. The salinity at the lake is about 1.2%, which is about a third of the salinity of most sea ​​water. The lake was named after the ancient Caspians.

The Caspian Sea is the remnant of Tethys (the ancient ocean that separated the supercontinents in the Mesozoic era), along with the Black and Aral seas. The Caspian ceased to have access to the sea approximately 5.5 million years ago due to continental change. Depending on the flow fresh water The Caspian Sea is freshwater lake in their northern parts. The Caspian Sea owes its salinity to its origin from the World Ocean. Freshwater tributaries have been responsible for the decrease in salinity, although its salinity still remains variable. At present, the salinity of the Caspian Sea is quite low - three times less than the water in the oceans of the Earth.

The Caspian Sea is the largest inland body of water in the world and accounts for 40 - 44 percent of the world's total lake waters. The coastlines of the Caspian Sea are divided between Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russian Federation, and Turkmenistan. The Caspian Sea is divided into three distinct physical regions: the North, Middle, and South Caspian. The northern-middle border is the threshold of Mangyshlak, which runs along the Chechen Island and Cape Tyub-Karagan. The middle southern border is the threshold Absheron Peninsula, which passes through Zhiloy Island and Cape Kuuli. The differences between these three areas are very striking. The North Caspian Sea is very shallow; and accounts for less than one percent of the total water volume, with an average depth of only five to six meters. The sea drops noticeably towards the Caspian Middle, where average depth is 190 meters. The South Caspian Sea is the deepest, with a depth that is up to 1000 meters. The Middle and South Caspian Seas account for 33% and 66% of the total water volume, respectively. The northern part of the Caspian Sea typically freezes over in winter, and in the coldest winters, ice forms around coastline and in the south. More than 130 rivers supply the Caspian Sea, including the Volga River. The Caspian Sea also has several small islands; they are primarily located in the North and have a total area of ​​approximately 2,000 square kilometers. The Central Asian steppes stretch across northeast coast, while the Caucasus goes around West Bank. The north and east are characterized by cold, continental deserts.

The main cities of the Caspian Sea

• Baku, Azerbaijan
• Gobustan, Azerbaijan
• Nabran, Azerbaijan
• Astara, Iran
• Rasht, Iran
• Sari, Iran
• Atyrau, Kazakhstan (formerly Guriev)
• Aktau, Kazakhstan (formerly Shevchenko)
• Astrakhan, Russia
• Derbent, Russia
• Turkmenbashi (Turkmenbasy), Turkmenistan (formerly Krasnovodsk)
• Khazar, Turkmenistan
• Makhachkala, Russia

Discoveries in the Khuto Cave near the city of Behshahr, in the south of Mazandaran in Iran, date human habitation in this area to 75,000 years ago. In the classical ancient period, the Greeks and Persians called the Caspian Sea the Ocean of Hyrcania. In Persia and modern Iran, the Caspian Sea is known as the Khazar or Mazenadaran Sea. In Turkic languages, it is known as the Khazar Sea.

May 23, 2016 Salt lakes are more correctly called mineral lakes, such are lakes with a mineralization of more than 1 ppm (thousandth). Most often, salt lakes are endorheic reservoirs located in an arid zone.

We will briefly talk here about the seven largest salt lakes on our planet:

Former salt lake on the border of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. It is called “former” because from the beginning of the 1960s the lake began to become catastrophically shallow due to the increased intake of fresh water for the development of cotton growing from the large rivers flowing into it - the Syr-Darya and Amu-Darya. At present, the Aral Sea has split into two isolated lakes - the Northern Aral and the Southern Aral.

Dead Sea

The coast of this salt lake on the border of Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Jordan is the lowest piece of land on Earth. The water in the Dead Sea is mineralized to a very high degree; this property has been used for medicinal purposes since ancient times and today attracts a large number of tourists.

Great Salt Lake

Great Salt Lake is the largest (5 thousand km²) salt lake in the Western Hemisphere located in the southwestern United States, in a desert area. Common table salt and Glauber's salt, a valuable chemical reagent and medicinal product, are actively mined here.

Elton

The largest in Europe and one of the most mineralized salt lakes in the world. Located in Russia, in Volgograd region, near the border with Kazakhstan. The industrial extraction of salt from Lake Elton was carried out until the end of the 19th century, then it stopped. Now here is a balneological and mud resort.

Baskunchak

The main "salt mill" of Russia, about 80% of the salt production in the country is concentrated here. The lake is located in Caspian lowland, V Astrakhan region. deposits healing clays on the coast of Baskunchak allowed to organize here mud resort. Tourists are also attracted by the opportunity to visit the picturesque and the only mountain in the Caspian Sea, Bogdo, which, together with Lake Baskunchak, has been declared a protected area.

This is a collection of objects located in Gulf of Mexico, in the Arctic and some other places in the oceans. Due to the difference in salinity and, as a result, density, the flows of oceanic waters in some cases do not mix, but form clear boundaries and form the so-called "shores" of the underwater salt reservoir.

The Caspian Sea is the largest lake on our planet, which is located in a depression on the earth's surface (the so-called Aral-Caspian lowland) on the territory of Russia, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Iran. Although they consider it as a lake, because it is not connected with the World Ocean, but by the nature of the formation processes and the history of origin, in terms of its size, the Caspian Sea is a sea.

The area of ​​the Caspian Sea is about 371 thousand km2. The sea, stretched from north to south, has a length of about 1200 km and an average width of 320 km. The length of the coastline is about 7 thousand km. The Caspian Sea is located 28.5 m below the level of the World Ocean and its greatest depth is 1025 m. There are about 50 islands in the Caspian Sea, mostly small in area. Large islands include such islands as Tyuleniy, Kulaly, Zhiloy, Chechen, Artem, Ogurchinsky. There are also many bays in the sea, for example: Kizlyarsky, Komsomolets, Kazakh, Agrakhansky, etc.

The Caspian Sea is fed by more than 130 rivers. The largest number water (about 88% of the total flow) is brought by the Ural, Volga, Terek, Emba rivers, which flow into the northern part of the sea. About 7% of the runoff give major rivers Kura, Samur, Sulak and small ones flowing into the sea on west coast. To the south Iranian coast the Heraz, Gorgan, Sefidrud rivers flow, which bring only 5% of the flow. IN eastern part no river flows into the sea. The water in the Caspian Sea is salty, its salinity ranges from 0.3‰ to 13‰.

The shores of the Caspian Sea

The shores have a different landscape. The shores of the northern part of the sea are low and gentle, surrounded by low semi-desert and somewhat elevated desert. In the south, the shores are partially low-lying, they are bordered by a coastal lowland of a small area, behind which the Elburs ridge runs along the coast, which in some places comes close to the coast. Ranges rise to the west Greater Caucasus. In the east there is an abrasion coast, worked out in limestones, semi-desert and desert plateaus approach it. The coastline is very variable due to periodic fluctuations in water levels.

The climate of the Caspian Sea is different:

Continental in the north;

Moderate in the middle

Subtropical in the south.

At the same time, severe frosts and snowstorms are raging on the northern coast, and fruit trees and magnolias bloom on the southern coast. In winter, strong storm winds rage on the sea.

On the coast of the Caspian Sea are located big cities, ports: Baku, Lankaran, Turkmenbashi, Lagan, Makhachkala, Kaspiysk, Izberbash, Astrakhan, etc.

The fauna of the Caspian Sea is represented by 1809 animal species. More than 70 species of fish are found in the sea, including: herring, gobies, stellate sturgeon, sturgeon, beluga, white fish, sterlet, pike perch, carp, bream, roach, etc. From marine mammals only the smallest Caspian seal in the world is found in the lake, which is not found in other seas. The Caspian lies on the main bird migration route between Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Every year, about 12 million birds fly over the Caspian during their migration period, and another 5 million usually winter here.

Vegetable world

The flora of the Caspian Sea and its coast is 728 species. Basically, algae inhabit the sea: diatoms, blue-green, red, char, brown and others, from flowering ones - rupee and zoster.

The Caspian Sea is rich in reserves natural resources, many oil and gas fields are being developed in it, in addition, limestone, salt, sand, stone and clay are also mined here. The Caspian Sea is connected by the Volga-Don Canal with the Sea of ​​Azov, shipping is well developed. A lot of different fish are caught in the reservoir, including more than 90% of the world's sturgeon catch.

The Caspian Sea is also a recreation area, there are rest houses on its shores, tourist bases and sanatoriums.

Related content:

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

Story

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

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

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

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

Depth and relief

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

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

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

Coastline Features

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

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

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

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

Reservoir nutrition

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

Caspian resources

The pond has amazing beauty, the diversity of ecosystems and the richest stock of natural resources. When there are frosts in its northern part, magnolias and apricots bloom in the south.

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

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

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

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

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

The 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. Average and Northern part The sea belongs to Russia, the south to Iran, the east to Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, and the southwest 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 Caspian Seas was indeed part of the oceans. 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, formed Caucasian mountains that isolated the pond. 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. The eastern shores are 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, total area 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 the 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.