Map of the Caspian Sea. Where is the Caspian Sea, Show map. Iranian coast of the Caspian Sea. Download map of the Caspian Sea. Port cities on the Caspian Sea. Photo. Picture. Resort towns on the Caspian Sea. Abstract. How do you look

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. It belongs to the category of the largest and longest rivers on Earth. The total length of the Volga is more than 3500 km. The river originates in the village of Volgoverkhovye, Tver region, located on the territory of the Russian Federation. After that, it continues its movement through the territory of the Russian Federation.

It flows into the Caspian Sea, but does not have a direct outlet to the World Ocean, so it is classified as an internal drain. 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 is of 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. An 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.

Natural resources such as oil and gas are being exploited along the coastline of the river. The issue of passing the border between Europe and Asia along the Emba watercourse, as in the case of the river. Ural, an open topic today. The reason for this is a natural factor: the mountains of the Ural Range, which are the main reference point for drawing borders, disappear, forming a homogeneous area.

Terek - mountain water stream

Terek is a river of the 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 of the Caucasus Range. passes through the lands of many states: North Ossetia, Georgia, Stavropol Territory, Kabardino-Balkaria, Dagestan and the 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 direction of using the river is irrigation of lands and providing residents of nearby cities with 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, the Earth's water resources are in an unsatisfactory state. 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 the largest lake on Earth, located at the junction of Europe and Asia, called the sea because of its size. The Caspian Sea is a drainless lake, and the water in it is salty, from 0.05 ‰ near the mouth of the Volga to 11-13 ‰ in the southeast. The water level is subject to fluctuations, currently - about -28 m below the level of the World Ocean. The area of ​​the Caspian Sea is currently approximately 371,000 km², the maximum depth is 1025 m.

The Caspian Sea is located at the junction of two parts of the Eurasian continent - Europe and Asia. The Caspian Sea is similar in shape to the 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 conditionally 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 North and Middle Caspian is passed along the line Chechen (island) - Tyub-Karagansky cape, between the Middle and South Caspian - along the line Zhiloy (island) - Gan-Gulu (cape). The area of ​​the Northern, Middle and Southern Caspian is 25, 36, 39 percent respectively.

Origin

According to one of the hypotheses, the Caspian Sea got its name in honor of the ancient tribes of horse breeders - the Caspians, who lived before our era on the southwestern coast of the Caspian Sea. Throughout the history of its existence, the Caspian Sea had about 70 names for 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 - the name in Arabic (Bahr-al-Khazar), Persian (Daria-e Khazar), Turkish and Azerbaijani (Khazar Denizi) languages; Abeskun Sea; Saray Sea; Derbent Sea; Sihai and other names. In Iran, the Caspian Sea is still called the Khazar or Mazenderan Sea (after the name of the people inhabiting the Iranian coastal province of the same name).

Data

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

Islands

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, Kyur Dashy, Khara-Zira, Sengi-Mugan, Chechen (island), Chygyl.

gulfs

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

nearby lakes

Off 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, 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 leaves the Caspian Sea to Kara-Bogaz-Gol and evaporates there. Every year, 8-10 cubic kilometers of water (according to other sources - 25 thousand kilometers) and about 150 thousand tons of salt enter Kara-Bogaz-Gol from the Caspian Sea.

Rivers

130 rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, of which 9 rivers have a mouth in the form of a delta. 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 runoff is 215-224 cubic kilometers. The Volga, Ural, Terek and Emba provide up to 88 - 90% of the annual drainage of the Caspian Sea.

Pool

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 basins. The length of the Caspian Sea basin from north to south is about 2,500 kilometers, from west to east - about 1,000 kilometers. The Caspian Sea basin covers 9 states - Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan, Turkey and Turkmenistan.

Cities and states

The Caspian Sea washes the shores of five coastal states:

Russia (Dagestan, Kalmykia and Astrakhan region) - in the west 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, the length of the coastline - 724 kilometers
Azerbaijan - in the southwest, the length of the coastline is 955 kilometers
The largest city - a port on the Caspian Sea - Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, which is located in the southern part of the Absheron Peninsula and has 2,070 thousand people (2003). Other large Azerbaijani Caspian cities are Sumgayit, 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, there is a settlement of oil workers Neftyanye Kamni, whose facilities 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 is the 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, formerly Krasnovodsk. Several Caspian cities are located on the southern (Iranian) coast, the largest of them is Anzali.

Dimensions

The area and volume of water in the Caspian Sea varies significantly depending on fluctuations in water levels. At a water level of -26.75 m, the area 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.

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 amounted to 15 meters. Instrumental measurement of the level of the Caspian Sea and systematic observations of its fluctuations have been carried out since 1837, during this 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 been a downward trend again. Scientists associate the causes of changes in the water level of the Caspian Sea with climatic, geological and anthropogenic factors.

Climate

The water temperature is subject to significant latitudinal changes, most pronounced 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, i.e. the water temperature difference is about 10 °C. For shallow water areas with depths less than 25 m, the annual amplitude can reach 25 - 26 °C. On average, the water temperature near the western coast is 1 - 2 °C higher than that of the eastern coast, and in the open sea the water temperature is 2 - 4 °C higher than near the coasts. According to the nature of the horizontal structure of the temperature field in the annual cycle of variability, three time intervals can be distinguished in the upper 2-m layer. From October to March, the water temperature increases in the south and east, which is especially evident in the Middle Caspian. Two stable quasi-latitudinal zones can be distinguished, where the temperature gradients are increased. This is, firstly, the border between the North and Middle Caspian, and, secondly, between the Middle and South. 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 Apsheron threshold, from 7 to 10 °C. During this period, the least chilled waters are in the center of the South Caspian, which form a quasi-stationary core. In April-May, the area of ​​minimum temperatures moves to the Middle Caspian, which is associated with faster warming 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 rises here to 16 - 17 °C. In the middle part, the temperature at this time is 13 - 15 °C, and in the south it rises to 17 - 18 °C. The spring warming of the water evens out the horizontal gradients, and the temperature difference between the coastal areas and the open sea does not exceed 0.5 °C. The heating of the surface layer, which begins in March, breaks the uniformity in the temperature distribution with depth. In June-September, there is a horizontal uniformity in the temperature distribution in the surface layer. In August, which is the month of the 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 South Caspian. The rise of cold deep waters occurs with varying intensity as a result of the influence of northwestern winds prevailing in the summer season. The wind of this direction causes the outflow of warm surface waters from the coast and the rise of colder waters from the intermediate layers. Upwelling starts in June, but it reaches its highest 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. 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 the 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 the 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 near the eastern coast, the shock layer rises close to the surface. Since there is no stable baroclinic layer in the Caspian Sea with a large potential energy reserve similar to the main thermocline of the World Ocean, with the cessation of the effect of the prevailing winds that cause upwelling, and with the onset of autumn-winter convection in October-November, the temperature fields are rapidly reorganized to the winter regime. 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 washed out due to convective mixing and disappears by the end of November.

Compound

The salt composition of the waters of the closed Caspian Sea differs from that of the ocean. There are significant differences in the ratios of the concentrations of salt-forming ions, especially for the waters of areas under the direct influence of 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 in sea waters, an increase in the relative amount of carbonates, sulfates, and calcium, which are the main components in the chemical composition of river waters. The most conservative ions are potassium, sodium, chloride and magnesium. The least conservative are calcium and bicarbonate ion. In the Caspian Sea, the content of calcium and magnesium cations is almost two times higher than in the Sea of ​​Azov, and sulfate anion is three times higher. The salinity of water changes especially sharply in the northern part of the sea: from 0.1 units. psu in the mouth areas of the Volga and the Urals up to 10 - 11 units. psu on the border with the Middle Caspian. Mineralization in shallow saline bays-kultuks can reach 60 - 100 g/kg. In the Northern Caspian, during the entire ice-free period from April to November, a quasi-latitudinal salinity front is observed. The greatest desalination associated with the spread of river runoff over the sea area is observed in June. The formation of the salinity field in the Northern Caspian 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 insignificantly with depth (by 0.1 - 0.2 psu). In the deep-water part of the Caspian Sea, in the vertical salinity profile, characteristic troughs of isohalines and local extrema are observed in the area of ​​the eastern continental slope, which indicate the processes of near-bottom creep of waters becoming saline in the eastern shallow waters of the South Caspian. The salinity value also strongly depends on the sea level and (which is interrelated) on the amount of continental runoff.

General information

The relief of the northern part of the Caspian is a shallow wavy plain with banks and accumulative islands, the average depth of the Northern Caspian is about 4 - 8 meters, the maximum does not exceed 25 meters. The Mangyshlak threshold separates the Northern Caspian from the Middle. The Middle Caspian is quite deep, the depth of water in the Derbent depression reaches 788 meters. The Apsheron threshold separates the Middle and South Caspian. The South Caspian is considered deep water, the depth of water in the South Caspian depression reaches 1025 meters from the surface of the Caspian Sea. Shell sands are widespread on the Caspian shelf, deep-water 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 part and subtropical in the southern part. In winter, the average monthly temperature of the Caspian 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 is 44 degrees.

The average annual rainfall is 200 millimeters per year, ranging from 90-100 millimeters in the arid eastern part to 1,700 millimeters off 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 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, north winds prevail in the wind rose. In the autumn and winter months, the winds increase, the wind speed often reaches 35-40 meters per second. The most windy territories are the Apsheron Peninsula and the environs of Makhachkala - Derbent, where the highest wave was recorded - 11 meters.

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

The fauna of the Caspian is represented by 1809 species, of which 415 are vertebrates. 101 species of fish are registered in the Caspian world, and most of the world's stocks of sturgeon are concentrated in it, as well as such freshwater fish as vobla, carp, pike perch. The Caspian Sea is the habitat of such fish as carp, mullet, sprat, kutum, bream, salmon, perch, pike. The Caspian Sea is also inhabited by 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 flora of the Caspian Sea and its coast is represented by 728 species. Of the plants in the Caspian Sea, algae predominate - blue-green, diatoms, red, brown, char and others, of flowering - zoster and ruppia. By origin, the flora belongs mainly to the Neogene age, however, some plants were brought into the Caspian Sea by man either consciously or on the bottoms of ships.

(Visited 133 times, 1 visits today)

CaspAndmOre(Caspian) - the largest enclosed body of water on Earth. In size, the Caspian Sea is much larger than such lakes as the Upper, Victoria, Huron, Michigan, Baikal. According to formal features, the Caspian Sea is an endorheic lake. However, given its large size, brackish waters and sea-like regime, this body of water is called the sea.

According to one hypothesis, the Caspian Sea (among the ancient Slavs - the Khvalyn Sea) got its name in honor of the Caspian tribes who lived before our era on its southwestern coast.

The Caspian Sea washes the shores of five states: Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan.

The Caspian Sea is elongated in the meridional direction and is located between 36°33' and 47°07' N latitude. and 45°43΄ and 54°03΄ E (without Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay). The length of the sea along the meridian is about 1200 km; the average width is 310 km. The northern coast of the Caspian Sea is bordered by the Caspian lowland, the eastern coast by the deserts of Central Asia; in the west, the mountains of the Caucasus approach the sea, in the south, near the coast, the Elburz ridge stretches.

The surface of the Caspian Sea is much lower than the level of the World Ocean. Its current level fluctuates around -27 ... -28 m. These levels correspond to the sea surface area of ​​​​390 and 380 thousand km 2 (without the Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay), the volume of water is 74.15 and 73.75 thousand km 3, average depth is about 190 m.

The Caspian Sea is traditionally divided into three large parts: the North (24% of the sea area), the Middle (36%) and the South Caspian (40%), which differ significantly in morphology and regime, as well as the large and isolated Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay. The northern, shelf part of the sea is shallow: its average depth is 5–6 m, maximum depths are 15–25 m, and the volume is less than 1% of the total water mass of the sea. The Middle Caspian is a separate basin with the area of ​​maximum depths in the Derbent depression (788 m); its average depth is about 190 m. In the South Caspian, the average and maximum depths are 345 and 1025 m (in the South Caspian depression); 65% of the water mass of the sea is concentrated here.

There are about 50 islands in the Caspian Sea with a total area of ​​approximately 400 km2; the main ones are Tyuleniy, Chechen, Zyudev, Konevsky, Dzhambaysky, Durneva, Ogurchinsky, Apsheronsky. The length of the coastline is approximately 6.8 thousand km, with islands - up to 7.5 thousand km. The shores of the Caspian Sea are diverse. In the northern and eastern parts, they are quite strongly indented. There are large bays Kizlyarsky, Komsomolets, Mangyshlaksky, Kazakhsky, Kara-Bogaz-Gol, Krasnovodsky and Turkmensky, many bays; off the western coast - Kyzylagach. The largest peninsulas are Agrakhansky, Buzachi, Tyub-Karagan, Mangyshlak, Krasnovodsky, Cheleken and Apsheronsky. The most common banks are accumulative; areas with abrasion shores are found along the contour of the Middle and South Caspian.

More than 130 rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, the largest of which is the Volga. , Ural, Terek, Sulak, Samur, Kura, Sefidrud, Atrek, Emba (its runoff enters the sea only in high-water years). Nine rivers have deltas; the largest are located at the mouths of the Volga and Terek.

The main feature of the Caspian Sea, as a drainless reservoir, is instability and a wide range of long-term fluctuations in its level. This most important hydrological feature of the Caspian Sea has a significant impact on all its other hydrological characteristics, as well as on the structure and regime of river mouths, on coastal zones. In the Caspian Sea level varied in the range of ~200 m: from -140 to +50 m BS; in from -34 to -20 m BS. From the first third of the 19th century and until 1977, sea level dropped by about 3.8 m - to the lowest point in the last 400 years (-29.01 m BS). In 1978–1995 The level of the Caspian Sea rose by 2.35 m and reached -26.66 m BS. Since 1995, a certain downward trend has dominated - to -27.69 m BS in 2013.

During major periods, the northern shore of the Caspian Sea shifted to Samarskaya Luka on the Volga, and perhaps even further. At maximum transgressions, the Caspian turned into a sewage lake: excess water flowed through the Kuma-Manych depression into the Sea of ​​Azov and further into the Black Sea. In extreme regressions, the southern coast of the Caspian Sea was shifted to the Apsheron threshold.

Long-term fluctuations in the level of the Caspian are explained by changes in the structure of the water balance of the Caspian Sea. The sea level rises when the incoming part of the water balance (primarily river runoff) increases and exceeds the outgoing part, and decreases if the inflow of river waters decreases. The total water flow of all rivers averages 300 km 3 /year; while the five largest rivers account for almost 95% (the Volga provides 83%). During the period of the lowest sea level, in 1942–1977, the river flow was 275.3 km 3 / year (of which 234.6 km 3 / year is the flow of the Volga), precipitation - 70.9, underground flow - 4 km 3 /year, and evaporation and outflow to the Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay - 354.79 and 9.8 km 3 /year. During the period of intensive sea level rise, in 1978-1995, respectively, 315 (Volga - 274.1), 86.1, 4, 348.79 and 8.7 km 3 / year; in the modern period - 287.4 (Volga - 248.2), 75.3, 4, 378.3 and 16.3 km 3 / year.

The intra-annual changes in the level of the Caspian Sea are characterized by a maximum in June–July and a minimum in February; the range of intra-annual level fluctuations is 30–40 cm. Surge-surge level fluctuations are manifested throughout the sea, but they are most significant in the northern part, where, with maximum surges, the level can rise by 2–4.5 m and the edge “retreat” by several tens of kilometers inland, and in case of surges - to drop by 1–2.5 m. Seiche and tidal level fluctuations do not exceed 0.1–0.2 m.

Despite the relatively small size of the reservoir in the Caspian Sea, there is strong excitement. The highest wave heights in the South Caspian can reach 10–11 m. Wave heights decrease from south to north. Storm waves can develop at any time of the year, but more often and more dangerously in the cold half of the year.

The Caspian Sea is generally dominated by wind currents; nevertheless, runoff currents play an appreciable role on the estuarine coasts of large rivers. Cyclonic water circulation prevails in the Middle Caspian, and anticyclonic circulation in the South Caspian. In the northern part of the sea, the patterns of wind currents are more irregular and depend on the characteristics and variability of the wind, bottom topography and coastlines, river runoff and aquatic vegetation.

The water temperature is subject to significant latitudinal and seasonal changes. In winter, it varies from 0–0.5 o C at the ice edge in the north of the sea to 10–11 o C in the south. In summer, the water temperature in the sea averages 23–28 o C, and in shallow coastal waters in the Northern Caspian it can reach 35–40 o C. At depths, a constant temperature is maintained: deeper than 100 m it is 4–7 o C.

In winter, only the northern part of the Caspian Sea freezes; in severe winter - the entire Northern Caspian and the coastal zones of the Middle Caspian. Freezing in the Northern Caspian lasts from November to March.

The salinity of water changes especially sharply in the northern part of the sea: from 0.1‰ on the estuarine coasts of the Volga and Urals to 10–12‰ on the border with the Middle Caspian. In the Northern Caspian, the temporal variability of water salinity is also great. In the middle and southern parts of the sea, salinity fluctuations are small: it is mainly 12.5–13.5‰, increasing from north to south and from west to east. The highest water salinity is in the Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay (up to 300‰). With depth, the salinity of water increases slightly (by 0.1–0.3‰). The average salinity of the sea is about 12.5‰.

More than a hundred species of fish live in the Caspian Sea and the mouths of the rivers flowing into it. There are Mediterranean and Arctic invaders. The object of fishing is goby, herring, salmon, carp, mullet and sturgeon fish. The latter number five species: sturgeon, beluga, stellate sturgeon, spike and sterlet. The sea is capable of producing up to 500-550 thousand tons of fish annually if overfishing is not allowed. Of the marine mammals, the endemic Caspian seal lives in the Caspian Sea. Every year 5-6 million waterfowl migrate through the Caspian region.

The economy of the Caspian Sea is connected with oil and gas production, shipping, fishing, extraction of seafood, various salts and minerals (Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay), with the use of recreational resources. The explored oil resources in the Caspian Sea are about 10 billion tons, the total resources of oil and gas condensate are estimated at 18–20 billion tons. Oil and gas are being produced on an ever-increasing scale. The Caspian Sea is also used by water transport, including along the river-sea and sea-river routes. The main ports of the Caspian Sea: Astrakhan, Olya, Makhachkala (Russia), Aktau, Atyrau (Kazakhstan), Baku (Azerbaijan), Nowshahr, Bender-Enzeli, Bender-Torkemen (Iran) and Turkmenbashi (Turkmenistan).

The economic activity and hydrological features of the Caspian Sea create a number of serious environmental and water management problems. Among them: anthropogenic pollution of river and sea waters (mainly with oil products, phenols and synthetic surfactants), poaching and reduction of fish stock, especially sturgeons; damage to the population and coastal economic activity due to large-scale and rapid changes in the level of the reservoir, the impact of numerous hazardous hydrological phenomena and hydrological and morphological processes.

The total economic damage for all the Caspian countries associated with the rapid and significant recent rise in the level of the Caspian Sea, the flooding of part of the coastal land, the destruction of coasts and coastal structures, was estimated at 15 to 30 billion US dollars. It took urgent engineering measures to protect the coast.

A sharp drop in the level of the Caspian Sea in the 1930s–1970s. led to less damage, but they were significant. The navigable approach channels became shallow, the shallow seashore at the mouths of the Volga and the Urals became heavily overgrown, which became an obstacle to the passage of fish into the rivers for spawning. It was necessary to build fish passages through the seasides mentioned above.

Among the unresolved problems is the lack of an international agreement on the international legal status of the Caspian Sea, the division of its water area, bottom and subsoil.

The Caspian Sea is the object of many years of research by specialists from all the Caspian states. Such domestic organizations as the State Oceanographic Institute, the Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Hydrometeorological Center of Russia, the Caspian Research Institute of Fisheries, the Faculty of Geography of Moscow State University, etc. took an active part in the study of the Caspian Sea.

Caspian Sea or Caspian Lake?

An amazing body of water located at the junction of Europe and Asia was called the Caspian Sea. Today it is not difficult to find it on a geographical map, since its waters wash the shores of 5 states at once. Although not everyone agrees that this is the sea. Many experts say that this is a huge lake in size. Indeed, the Caspian Sea does not have a direct outlet to the World Ocean, but is connected with it only through the Volga River.

However, some time ago, the Sarmatian Sea was located on this territory, which disappeared due to climatic conditions, and smaller seas appeared in its place, including the Caspian Sea. The waters of the Caspian Sea are quite deep, and its bottom is the earth's crust. This is another argument for calling this body of water a sea.

Depth and temperature

The Caspian Sea is heterogeneous in its depth and at different times different depth indicators can be observed here. All this depends on the season. According to scientists, the recorded depth of the sea is 1025 meters. Those scientists who rank the Caspian Sea as a lake in terms of depth put it in fourth place in the world.

Washing the shores of Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, the lake-sea is becoming more and more popular with tourists. The lake almost never freezes. The temperature regime of water in the Caspian reaches 28 degrees, and in places where the depth is less, the water can warm up to 32 degrees.

Climate

The waters of the Caspian are located in three different climatic zones. Subtropical in the south, temperate in the middle and continental in the north. Depending on the climatic zone, fluctuations in temperature indicators are observed. On average, the temperature reaches 26-27 degrees, but in the south it is possible to increase the air temperature to 44 degrees.

The inhabitants of the Caspian

The inner world of the Caspian Sea is very rich, various plants, mammals and hundreds of species of fish live in it. It is believed that some species of algae, which prevail in the Caspian Sea, got there from outside. The most famous species of fish living in the Caspian Sea belong to the sturgeon family.

The largest part of all black caviar is mined in the Caspian Sea.

The Caspian Sea is also famous for such an inhabitant as the albino beluga, which spawns very rarely, about once every hundred years, so its caviar is considered the most expensive in the world. Today, the countries that own the waters of the Caspian are extremely interested in preserving the sturgeon population. For this, restrictions have been introduced on the export of this type of fish. A special place in the conservation of the famous species of fish is the fight against poaching, for which various measures have also been developed to combat illegal fishing.

Resorts of the Caspian Sea

The Caspian Sea is an amazing place to relax, and those who decide to spend their holidays on the shores of the Caspian will not regret it. The Caspian Sea will attract everyone who comes here with its beauty, landscapes, air and its mild climate. Well-equipped beaches will complement the impressions of nature and the sea.

And quite affordable prices will be a pleasant bonus for those who choose the Caspian coast as a vacation spot. Russian cities - ports located on the shores of the Caspian Sea are the capital of Dagestan Makhachkala and the city of Derbent. The distance from the port city of Astrakhan to the northern coast of the Caspian Sea is 60 kilometers.

The Caspian Sea is located on the Eurasia continent. Surprisingly, the Caspian Sea with an area of ​​370 thousand square kilometers is actually the largest lake, since it has no connection with the ocean. Although it is difficult to call it a lake, because the composition of the water, flora and fauna are similar to those of the sea. The salinity of the water is close to oceanic (from 0.05% to 13%).

Photo: Seagulls on the shore of the Caspian Sea.

About 50 million years ago, the Tethys Sea was located in Eastern Europe, which, drying up, divided into several large reservoirs - the Caspian, Black and Mediterranean Seas.

Thanks to mineral waters and therapeutic mud, the Caspian Sea has a great recreational and health potential. Therefore, there is an increase in the popularity of the coast of Turkmenistan, Iran, Azerbaijan and Russian Dagestan among tourists.

The resort area in the Baku region, where the popular resort in Amburan is located, as well as the area of ​​the village of Nardaran, sanatoriums in the villages of Zagulba and Bilgah, is especially popular. In the north of Azerbaijan, the resort in Nabran is gaining popularity.

Unfortunately, tourism in Turkmenistan is underdeveloped due to the isolation policy. And in Iran, Sharia law prohibits foreign tourists from relaxing on the coast.

But if you decide to relax on the Caspian Lake, then you will like to walk in protected areas, you will burn to see unusual floating islands, a variety of plants and animals that live in fresh and salt waters.

Here, throughout the year, a greater variety of ways to have a good time is offered. For example, you can go on boat cruises, go fishing or waterfowl hunting, or you can simply enjoy the healing waters, watching seals and various birds. The protected areas of the seashores are very beautiful, for example, the Astrakhan International Biosphere Reserve and the Volga Delta with lotus fields.

A feature of the Caspian region is oriental flavor with a hookah and bewitching dances. Traditional music will delight your ears, and East Asian cuisine will satisfy your hunger.

See where the Caspian Sea is located on the world map.

Sorry, the map is temporarily unavailable Sorry, the map is temporarily unavailable

Video: Caspian Sea. Storm. 08.07.2012.