Coast of the Sea of Azov geographical location. Description of the Sea of Azov: area, depth and fauna. Sea of Azov: general information

Azov today

Modern Azov is quiet, very green and cozy city with a population of just over 80 thousand people. The industrial zone was taken out of the residential areas, and the center became great place for walking and learning about history.

On the banks of the Don, the ramparts of the Azov fortress, the moat, and the Alekseevsky Gates have been preserved. The Powder Cellar - a monument of military engineering art of the 18th century, and a small fragment of the wall of the Italian trading post Tana, and major port. But perhaps the brightest pearl in this necklace is the Azov Museum of Local Lore, which allows you to look at Azov with completely different eyes, soak up the spirit of respectful respect for the glorious history of this incredible southern city.

Story

In the I-III centuries. AD on the site of Azov there were Meotian settlements, forming fortified settlements around the ancient Greek settlement - Even in ancient times it was conquered by Mithridates of Pontus; then, in turn, it was owned by: Sarmatians, Huns, Khazars and Pechenegs. In the X-XII centuries. on the site of Azov there was a Slavic settlement, which was part of the ancient Russian Tmutarakan principality, and around 1067 it was conquered by the Polovtsy. In these places, the Polovtsian prince Azun was killed (as is supposed, by whose name the Russian name "Azov" originated). In the XIII century. here arose the city of Azak (the toponym of the Turkic "Azak" - the mouth of the river), through which the "great trade route". At the same time, Azov passed to the Genoese, was fortified with stone walls and towers, and became a storage point for their Indo-Chinese trade. In 1395, the city was destroyed by Tamerlane, who captured it, but in 1400 Azov was rebuilt by the Genoese.

There are many bright pages in the history of the city. One of them is the famous (1637 - 1642), when in 1641 a fortified Cossack fortress with five thousand Cossacks withstood the onslaught of a 250,000-strong Turkish army for 93 days and nights. Turkey in May 1641 moved an army led by Pasha Hussein Delhi to Azov to drive the Cossacks out of here. The forces of the Turks were enormous - more than two hundred thousand people with a hundred siege weapons. With the Turks was the Crimean Khan with his hordes. There were many Cossacks in Azov - fifteen thousand, and there were hundreds of eight Cossack women. The Cossacks repelled the Turks with desperate courage.

The Turks and Tatars suffered losses and asked the Sultan for help. Having received reinforcements, Hussein-Deli decided to try the last resort to take possession of Azov - to cover all the defenders with his land. Hasty earthworks began, in which Italian and German engineers were the main leaders; in a few days, a rampart 7 fathoms high appeared near the very city walls. Having installed on it numerous heavy artillery, the Turks began to hit the city with all the shells day and night. This shooting lasted 16 days. The Cossacks defended themselves with desperate courage. And they endured. In the end, the Turks were forced to lift the siege and get out. They fled in panic fear, leaving from 50 to 70 thousand corpses near Azov.

The campaigns of Peter I near Azov, undertaken in 1695-96 and crowned with the capture of the Turkish fortress, opened the "gates" to the southern seas for the Russian State.

The city of Azov was the center of the Azov province (1775-1782). In the 19th century, Azov was a settlement of the Yekaterinoslav province. Only in 1926 did Azov again become a city.

During the Great Patriotic War, the city was occupied by the Nazis for more than six months. About 600 people were shot. More than 5,000 Azov residents were deported to Germany. The city suffered significant damage.

Azov received its modern main development in the 60-80s of the XX century due to the intensive development of industry.

Geographical position

Azov is located in the southwestern part of the Rostov region, on the left bank of the Don River. It is located 15 km from the confluence of the Don into the Taganrog Bay of the Azov Sea and 36 km from the city of Rostov-on-Don. It is connected with the regional center by rail, road and river transport.

Geographical features of the Sea of Azov

Sea of Azov located between 45 and 47 degrees north latitude and between 33 and 39 degrees east longitude. From west to east, the maximum length of the Sea of Azov is 343 kilometers. From north to south - 231. The surface area of the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov is 37,605 square kilometers. Interestingly, the islands and spits of the Sea of Azov have a total area of about 108 square kilometers. For a person planning a vacation on the Sea of Azov, it will be interesting to know that the length of the coastline is as much as 1472 kilometers, most of them are beautiful sandy beaches. Max Depth Sea of Azov - 14.4 meters. Of course, this figure may seem quite large to you, but do not worry, such depths are found mainly in the central part of the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov. The depth level of 5 meters is on average located 2 kilometers from the coast. Summing up, we can add that the average depth of the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov is within 6-8 meters.

The bottom of the Sea of Azov is a shallow plain, the maximum depth of which in its central part reaches 15 m. The evenness of the relief was achieved as a result of the burial of irregularities in the roof of continental Upper Pleistocene loams under the thickness of marine sediments (thickness 30-40 m). Only in the western part of the sea, in the area of sea banks, and in the east between the Elenina spit and the Zhelezinskaya bank, the flat surface of the sea bottom is disturbed by small local uplifts that rise 3-4 m relative to the surrounding areas.

According to the nature of modern sedimentation in the Sea of Azov, an area of intense sediment accumulation, a zone of material transit and weak accumulation, and a zone of stable erosion are distinguished.

The area of intense accumulation is located in the eastern and southeastern parts of the Taganrog Bay, where the effluent river is deposited. Suspended material by the Don, and in the central part of the Sea of Azov, characterized by intense subsidence in the Quaternary Holocene.

The Sea of Azov is shallow. Its maximum depth is 15 m. Depths in the open part of the sea are 10-13 m. The greatest depth at the entrance to the Taganrog Bay is 9.6 m; from the entrance towards the top of the bay, the depths gradually decrease and at its top do not exceed 5 m.

The bottom of the sea is very flat, only shallows extend from the spits.

The ground is mostly soft. Along the coast, sandy soils with an admixture of shells lie in a wide strip. The bottom of the central part of the sea is covered with soft silt. Rocky soil is found only near the southern coast of the sea.

The softness of the soil determines the intensity of sediments in the channels and fairways. Therefore, every time you intend to enter any port, you should definitely inquire about the depth of the channel or fairway leading to it.

The area of weak accumulation and transit of material corresponds to the zone of wind currents encircling the sea. This area is located at a depth of 6-10 m. Here, thin material stirred up by wave movements and fragments of shells are moved by wind currents.

The zone of stable erosion covers the coastal strip of the sea to an average depth of 6-7 m. In the northern and western parts it is confined to the eastern shores of accumulative forms and the Arabat Spit, in the eastern part - to the Yeisk Peninsula, the Akhtar and Beisug estuaries. In this zone, sediment dynamics is determined by the formation of abrasion material due to the activity of the surf flow in the coastal zone, the movement of destruction products along the coast, the total action of the surf flow and alongshore currents, as well as the movement of particles from the coast and their deposition in the accumulation zone. total area the zone of stable erosion reaches 20% of the seabed surface.

A feature of the modern dynamics of the coasts of the Sea of Azov is the predominance of abrasion and the local nature of accumulation. Erosion affects not only bedrock shores, but also accumulative forms.

The main sources of terrigenous material that forms bottom sediments in the Sea of Azov are abrasion products of the seashores and river alluvium. Thus, as a result of the active abrasion destruction of the coasts, 16-17 million tons of terrigenous material enters the sea annually. River alluvium comes with the runoff of the Don and Kuban rivers, as well as the rivers north coast seas. The volume of sedimentary material brought in annually by rivers is about 19 million tons.

Bottom sediments are mainly represented by clayey silt, silty silt, silty sand and sand. Sands in the Sea of Azov are common to a depth of 7 m. Near the western coast, sands are limited by an isobath of 4-5 m, and near the eastern coast, to depths of up to 2 m. Clay silts (fraction less than 0.01 mm) are most common. They occupy almost the entire central part of the sea, an area with depths of more than 9-10 m. The rest of the sea bottom is occupied by silty silt.

In the northeastern part, the sea forms a shallow, desalinated Taganrog Bay, which goes far into the land, and in the west, the strongly saline, shallow Sivash Bay, separated from the sea by a sandy-shell embankment - the Arabat Spit - and connected to the sea by the Tonky Strait.

The eastern coast of the sea to the south of the Beisug estuary is an extensive floodplain with a large number of estuaries, interconnected by a complex network of channels of the river delta. Kuban.

The northern coastal part of the sea is divided by sandy spits extending far into the sea into separate regions. The sandbars here are elongated in a south-westerly direction and end in the sea with a whole series of sandbars.

There are very few natural landmarks on the shores of the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov. Only on the south coast are several capes, hills and mountains noticeable.

The western and eastern shores of the Sea of Azov are predominantly flat and monotonous. In many places, especially near the mouths of rivers, there are floodplains. Most of coast lined with sand and shell beaches. South part the eastern shore, approximately from the northern branch of the Kuban River delta to the top of the Yasensky Bay, is the so-called Azov floodplains, crossed big amount sleeves and erikov. N from the top of the Yasensky Bay, the eastern coast is high and steep. Forests neither on the western nor on eastern shores there is no sea, only in some places there are bushes and groups of trees. Spit in the west Arabat Spit separates the vast, but shallow Sivash Bay from the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov.

The southern coast of the Sea of Azov, formed by the northern sides of the Kerch and Taman Peninsulas, is hilly and steep; in some places rocky headlands protrude from it. IN eastern part The vast Temryuk Bay protrudes from the southern coast, and the Kazantip and Arabat Bays into the western coast.

The shores of the Kerch Strait are high. It contains the Kamysh-Burun and Kerch bays, as well as the vast Taman Bay. In some places they protrude from the shores of the strait sandbars, of which the Tuzla and Chushka braids are the largest.

The northern coast of the sea drops steeply into the sea for almost its entire length. Mounds rise on it; in many places it is cut by beams. A characteristic feature of the northern coast is the presence of low and long shallow spits. The largest of them are the Fedotov, Obitochnaya and Berdyansk braids. The coast between the spits is intensively eroded and recedes, as a result of which vast bays have formed: the Utlyuk estuary, bounded from the SE by the Fedotov spit and its continuation - the Biryuchy Ostrov spit; Obitochny Bay, located between the Fedotov and Obitochnaya spits; Berdyansk Bay between Obitochnaya and Berdyansk spits.

The northeastern part of the sea is the vast, but shallow Taganrog Bay, elongated into eastbound almost 75 miles. Several small shallow bays, bounded by spits, protrude into its shores. On south side The bay is a shallow Yeysk estuary.

The only large strait in the described area is the Kerch Strait. The strait is shallow, so a channel has been dug along almost its entire length, the safety of navigation through which is ensured by means of navigation equipment. Channels, recommended routes and fairways leading to ports, ports and settlements of the strait depart from the main channel.

A narrow strait connects the Thin Sivash Bay with the Sea of Azov.

There are no large islands in the Sea of Azov. There are only small low islands: Lyapin Island - near the coast east of the port Mariupol; artificial island Turtle - on the way to the port of Taganrog; sandy islands- on the approaches to the port of Yeysk.

The waters of the Sea of Azov have low salinity due to the difficult water exchange with the Black Sea and the large inflow river waters. This is another argument in favor of relaxing on the shores of the Sea of Azov - the low salinity of the water irritates the skin less, which is conducive to a long bath and is good for children's recreation. The combination of the low salinity of the water and its richness in minerals gives every bath an excellent cosmetic effect. Due to the low salinity, the waters of the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov easily freeze in winter period. Interestingly, before the regulation of the Don River, the water was even fresher. The minimum salinity of the water is at the mouth of the Don, the maximum is at the Kerch Strait.

The climate of the Sea of Azov belongs to the continental climate of temperate latitudes. It is characterized by moderately mild, short winters and warm, long summers.

Seasonal weather changes in the Sea of Azov are formed under the influence of large-scale synoptic processes. In autumn and winter, the Sea of Azov is affected by a spur of the Siberian anticyclone. This causes a pronounced predominance of northeastern and eastern winds with an average speed of 4-7 m/s. An increase in the intensity of this spur causes strong, up to storm, winds, accompanied by a sharp cooling. The average monthly air temperature in January is -2... -5°С, however, during northern and northeastern storms, it drops to -25°С and lower. In spring and summer, the Sea of Azov is affected by the spur of the Azores high. This period is characterized by the predominance of low-wind, cloudless and warm weather. The winds are unstable in direction, their speed is insignificant (3-5 m/s). Often there is a complete calm. In spring, Mediterranean cyclones are observed over the sea, which are accompanied by southwestern winds at a speed of 4-6 m/s. The passage of atmospheric fronts causes thunderstorms and intermittent showers. In summer, the air over the sea gets very warm; in July, the average monthly air temperature is 23-25 °C.

The average monthly isotherms of the cold period of the year are zonally extended. During the warm period, the distribution of air temperature over the sea is significantly different. In summer (June-August), the field of average monthly air temperatures is very uniform. In transitional seasons, isotherms over the sea look like closed rings. In April-May, the minimum air temperature is observed above central part sea and increases towards the coast. In September-October, the temperature distribution is reversed. The maximum (up to 43 °С) air temperature is observed in July-August, the minimum (up to -33 °С) - in January-February. The average monthly temperature varies from -1... -5 °С in January-February to 23-24 °С in July-August.

In the daily course of air temperature, there is one maximum in the middle of the day and one minimum before sunrise. The maximum daily fluctuations in air temperature (up to 10°C) were observed in July-August northeast coast seas.

The frosty period usually lasts from December to March and is accompanied by frequent thaws. The number of days with negative air temperature is approximately 105-110 days in the northern part and 75-80 days in the southern part. The duration of the frost-free period varies from 200 days in the northern part to 300 days in the southern part.

On average, over a long period, 418 mm of precipitation per year falls on the surface of the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov. The distribution of precipitation over the sea area is uneven. The largest amount falls in the northeastern (Taganrog Bay) and eastern (Primorsko-Akhtarsk) regions of the sea. At the same time, throughout the year, the amount of precipitation falling on the coast exceeds the amount of precipitation falling on the sea surface.

In the seasonal course of precipitation, there is a winter maximum, which is 28-39% of the annual amount, and a summer (June-July) maximum, which is 21-29%. Summer precipitation is the least frequent, while winter precipitation is the highest. The average intensity of summer precipitation is 3-4 times more than winter.

In the distribution of precipitation over the sea by seasons, the following features are traced: from April to October, the least amount falls in the central regions of the sea; from November to March, the least precipitation is observed in the western and southwestern regions of the sea.

Large precipitation anomalies are local in nature and are mainly related to summer heavy rainfall. Showers are relatively rare and average about 20-25% of the number of days with precipitation.

Solid precipitation on the coast of the Sea of Azov can be observed from October to April. Snow cover on the coast is established from December to March. On average, snow cover in the southern regions of the coast lasts for 20-30 days, and in the northern regions - 50-70 days and can reach a thickness of 50 cm.

The hydrological and hydrochemical regime of the sea is formed under the influence of river runoff, water exchange with the Black Sea and climatic factors. The shallowness of the sea also plays a significant role. Excess fresh water (river runoff plus precipitation), limited supply Black Sea waters through the Kerch Strait determine the low salinity of the sea, which is about 1.5 times lower than the salinity of the Black Sea waters and almost 3 times lower than the ocean waters. The spatial distribution of salinity is characterized by significant horizontal gradients in the Taganrog Bay, especially in its eastern part, and on the coast of the Kuban, a low-gradient field in the central part of the sea, and increased salinity in the area adjacent to the Kerch Strait.

Due to the small volume of the sea and the high temporal variability of river runoff, interannual changes in salinity can reach 1% 0 or more, and long-term - more than 4% 0.

Due to the large amount of incoming solar radiation, the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov has a fairly high average annual water temperature of 11.5 ° C. In July-August, the water temperature reaches 24-25°C, and off the coast it can exceed 30°C. In winter, the water temperature is at or close to the freezing point. During the periods of the greatest cooling (January-February) and the greatest warming (July-August), the water temperature fields have little contrast. In the spring transition season (April-May), due to the influence of depths on the heating of water, its temperature noticeably increases from the central regions of the sea to the coastal ones. In autumn (October-November), due to differences in heat reserves at different depths, the opposite picture is noted - the water temperature drops from high seas to coastal areas. Intensive wind-wave mixing of waters at shallow sea depths contributes to the equalization of temperatures from the surface to the bottom. The temperature difference in the entire water column does not exceed 1°C on average.

Ice on the Sea of Azov appears annually. Ice phases are characterized by great variability in time and space. Thus, the earliest appearance of the initial types of ice in the Taganrog Bay was noted at the end of October, and in the Kerch Strait - at the end of December. The latest ice clearance occurs first in the coastal areas of the northern part of the sea, Temryuk Bay and the Kerch Strait (3rd decade of April), then in the southwestern part of the sea, where floating ice is driven by the prevailing winds (early May). IN harsh winters most of the ice season, the sea is covered with a continuous or very compact floating ice. In mild winters, most of the open sea usually remains free of ice and only in February is covered with floating ice with a concentration of 7-8 points.

Fauna of the Sea of Azov

Along the banks of rivers and reservoirs, on the spits of the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov there are a lot of waterfowl - geese, ducks, steppe waders, lapwings, red-breasted geese, mute swans, curlews, gulls - blackheads, gulls - gulls, ferns. The marsh turtle, lake frog, pond frog, some mollusks - coil, pond snail, meadow grass, crayfish and about 30 species of fish live in steppe reservoirs. The fauna of the Sea of Azov includes about 80 species of fish. The most important are bream, pike perch, beluga, herring, ram, anchovy, large flounder, goby.

o Fish catch per hectare of surface in the Sea of Azov is 80 kilograms, for comparison, in the Black Sea - 2 kilograms, in the Mediterranean - 0.5 kilograms.

It is interesting to see how the number of Mediterranean animal and plant species decreases from west to east. More than 6,000 species of organisms are found in the Mediterranean Sea, 1,500 in the Black Sea, 200 in the Azov Sea, 28 in the Caspian Sea, and only 2 species of Mediterranean organisms in the Aral Sea. This suggests that these seas gradually separated from mediterranean sea in the distant past.

Mullet, herring and anchovy (anchovy) in the spring go from the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov for feeding. In autumn, when the water temperature drops to 6 degrees, the fish returns back to the Black Sea. Sturgeon fish spawn in the rivers Don, Kuban, Dnieper.

Belugas, in addition to their large weight, are also distinguished by their longevity. They live 70 - 80 years. True, compared with a pike living up to 200 years, and sea turtle living 400 - 500 years, the age of the beluga is small, but compared to the life expectancy of other marine fish, it is still significant. Probably, not many people know that the age of fish is determined by the scales and by the cut of the bones. On these parts of the body of the fish there are annual rings, the same as on trees. There is an expression "roars like a beluga", but oddly enough, it has nothing to do with the beluga. It is not a beluga roaring, but a beluga whale - a northern sea animal. Beluga spawns in the same rivers as other sturgeons. Their caviar is highly valued. However, there are cases when the dangerous bacterium botulinus settles in sturgeon meat, the poison of which is dangerous for humans.

Interesting flounder. This fish, flat, often lying on the ground, is distinguished by the ability to quickly change color to match the color of the underlying surface. In the skin of a flounder there are separate colored cells that, when moving, change its color. Scientists put colored glasses on flounders, and the fish tried to copy the color of their glasses. Interestingly, blind flounders are always black. They seem to see darkness in front of them and accordingly change the color of the body. For some reason, flounder is considered one-eyed. This is not true, she actually has two eyes. The weight of a flounder is up to 15 kilograms, it lives up to 25 years. Interestingly, its fry have a body shape flattened in a vertical plane; gradually one side of the body of the fish begins to develop faster than the other, and the flounder, as it were, lies on its side.

Fish and marine animals hear perfectly. With regard to fish, it would be more correct to say that they do not hear, but feel, since they perceive the vibrations of water that occur when sounds pass through the surface of their body, especially the lateral line. Fish also have some semblance of an inner ear, auditory ossicles that perceive sounds. Remember that sound travels faster and farther in water than in air. Our method of catching mullet in the Black and Azov Seas is based on this property of fish: they are frightened by noise. Fish not only hear sounds, but some of them can make them. For example, sciens, dark croakers, gurnards and other fish found in the Black Sea "talk" to each other, squeezing out sounds from their swim bladder (they play it like a drum). What are these sounds like? The sea cock, as it were, "gnashes his teeth" if he is dissatisfied, and in case of pleasure he makes more melodic sounds, croakers "croak", herring "whisper", and horse mackerel loudly "bass". The dolphins pulled onto the deck "grunt", "meow", "croak". Some fish make very strong sounds, such as the dark croaker. When a flock of slabs is at a depth of 40 meters, then on the surface of the water you can hear how they "talk". Navy sailors believe that during the war, some acoustic mines exploded not from the noise of the ship's propellers, but from the cries of the loudest fish. From this it can be seen that the expression "mute as a fish" that we use is not always true.

In addition to the sounds that we can hear, fish emit ultrasounds. With their help, they detect food or danger, this largely replaces their vision. It is not surprising, therefore, that blind fish can find food and spawning grounds on a par with sighted ones.

How fast do fish swim? Which fish are considered the best swimmers? Can a human swim faster than a fish? However, the last question is likely to be answered in the negative by the majority. And the answer to the first two questions can be given, perhaps, only by hydrobiologists. Here's what they say. The speed of small fish is from 2 to 12 kilometers per hour. How more sizes fish, the more, as a rule, their speed. A shark and a dolphin can easily overtake a passenger steamer, and a swordfish can reach speeds of up to 130 kilometers per hour. Man is a very weak swimmer compared to fish. The world champion in swimming cannot develop a speed of more than 6 - 7 kilometers per hour, that is, it swims twenty times slower than the fastest fish.

higher professional education

"SOUTH FEDERAL UNIVERSITY"

Faculty of Sociology and Political Science
Department of Sociology
Essay
on the course "Sociology of International Relations"
on the topic: "Socio-economic characteristics of the Azov region and the city of Azov"
Completed by: 5th year student of OZO
Fomenko T. S.
Checked: teacher. Gugueva D.A.
Rostov-on-Don
2012

Socio-economic characteristics of the city of Azov
Geography
Azov is located in the southwest of the Rostov region, at the mouth of the Don River on the left bank, 42 km from Rostov-on-Don.
Occupied area 67.5 sq. km
Story
The first fortified settlements were formed on the land of Azov more than two thousand years ago. Officially, the city dates back to 1067, when the Don River delta was captured by the Polovtsy and the settlement was given the name Azak. Azov fortress was on the way from Europe to Asia, it gave access to the sea, so there was a constant struggle for it and the fortress changed hands more than once, it was often subjected to devastating defeats.
There are many bright pages in the history of the city. One of them is the famous Azov siege seat, when in 1641 a fortified Cossack fortress with five thousand Cossacks withstood the onslaught of a 250,000-strong Turkish army for 93 days and nights. And not only survived. The Turks were forced to lift the siege and get out. The campaigns of Peter I near Azov, undertaken in 1695-96 and crowned with the capture of the Turkish fortress, opened the "gates" to the southern seas for the Russian State.
The city of Azov was the center of the Azov province (1775-1782). In the 19th century, Azov was a settlement of the Yekaterinoslav province. Only in 1926 did Azov again become a city.
During the Great Patriotic War, the city was occupied by the Nazis for more than six months. About 600 people were shot. More than 5,000 Azov residents were deported to Germany. The city suffered significant damage.
Azov received its modern main development in the 60-80s of the XX century due to the intensive development of industry.
Administrative-territorial division
The city of Azov is a city of regional subordination, an independent municipal formation.
The city is also the center of the Azov region.
Population and workforce
The population is over 82 thousand people. More than 20 nationalities live in the city. The most numerous are: Russians - 94%, Ukrainians - 3.1%, Belarusians - 0.5%. About 55% of the population is of working age. The number of people employed in the economy - total: 34.0 thousand people. Of these, 23.8 thousand people are in material production, 10.2 in the non-productive sphere.
Industry
The basis of the city's economy is mechanical engineering (7 enterprises) and the food industry (6 enterprises). The development of the food industry is driven by local natural resources, which are favorable for the production of agricultural products that require processing: the production of bakery and confectionery products, the elevator, meat and dairy production, the production of canned fish. Steady demand is found by the products of the Azov garment factory.
There are 27 large and medium-sized industrial enterprises on the territory of the city of Azov. More than half of the enterprises, including the largest industrial units, have a mixed form of ownership, mainly open joint-stock companies (OJSC). There are 9 small enterprises in private ownership. The state form of ownership was retained by one of the largest industrial enterprises of the city - the production association "Azov Optical and Mechanical Plant" (FGUP "AOMZ"). Another enterprise, the Svetotekhnika training and production enterprise of the All-Russian Society of the Blind, is owned by public associations.
Small and medium businesses
As of the beginning of the third millennium, more than 400 small enterprises and about 4,000 entrepreneurs were registered in the city of Azov.

Transport
Due to its favorable geographical location, today the city of Azov is a developing international seaport with all the necessary infrastructure, processing about 1 million tons of various cargoes per year, coming both by sea and by inland routes on ships with a carrying capacity of 3000t - 5000t of the "river" type -sea" with a draft of up to 4 meters. In addition to the already operating 7 berths, in 2002 the construction of several grain terminals, a port elevator, terminals for transshipment of timber and industrial spirits, and a ship bunkering terminal began.
The railway station Azov is located from the junction station Bataysk at a distance of 30 km. By electric train or bus from the regional center to Azov can be reached in one hour, by fixed-route taxi - in 40 minutes, by boat - in 30 minutes.
Culture and art
The network of cultural institutions includes a palace of culture, a city park, a youth cultural center, and 7 libraries.
The Song and Dance Ensemble of the Don Cossacks, the Walk, Russians Ensemble, the Nadezhda Ballroom Dance Ensemble give concerts both in the cities of our country and far beyond its borders. Young Azov residents study at the children's art school and the children's music school.
Education
The Azov Technological Institute of the Don State Technical University, the Azov Institute of Management, Business and Law of the Rostov State Economic Academy, a branch of the Rostov State University, branches of universities from other cities of Russia, a music and pedagogical college, a humanitarian and technical college, three vocational schools , as well as secondary, special and preschool educational institutions.
Monuments and museums
Azov is included in the Russian and international tourist routes. Its historical monuments are of international importance.
The ramparts of the Turkish fortress with the Alekseevsky gates of the 18th century, the powder magazine, the ruins of the Genoese wall on the site of the medieval Tana fraction. There is a museum of local lore and a museum of the first director of the Arctic Institute, a native of Azov R.L. Samoilovich. On the occasion of the tercentenary of the Russian fleet in 1996, a monument to Peter I was erected.
The Azov Museum of Local Lore contains unique paleontological, archaeological and historical exhibits:

Hotels
Guests of the city of Azov can stay in the hotels "Azov" and "Solnechnaya", located a few tens of meters from the stairway to suspension bridge across the Azovka River.

Socio-economic characteristics of the Azov region

The area is located in the southwest of the Rostov region in the delta of the Don River. In the north-west, the territory of the region is washed by the waters of the Taganrog Bay of the Sea of Azov.
The cities of Rostov-on-Don and Bataisk are located in close proximity to the district, small distances separate it from the cities of Novocherkassk and Taganrog. Due to its geographical position, the Azov region is provided with a developed transport infrastructure, including extensive network highways and railways, including federal highways linking the central part of Russia with the North Caucasus.
Favorable natural and climatic conditions have long contributed to the development of agriculture in the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov. The Azov district is traditionally among the leaders of the region in terms of a whole range of crop and livestock indicators, for example, in terms of grain crop yields.
The labor potential of the region is significant.
In terms of population, it is one of the largest in the region: on an area of 2862 km? 91.1 thousand people live, including 50.9 thousand able-bodied population.
The unique natural conditions of the Don Delta and the coast of the Taganrog Bay, the rich history of the Azov region are the basis for turning the area into one of the leading tourist centers in the southern region.

Geographical position

The Azov region is located in the southwest of the Rostov region in the delta of the Don River. The northwestern part of the region is washed by the waters of the Taganrog Bay of the Sea of Azov.
The geographical position of the region is exceptionally advantageous, which is connected, first of all, with its proximity to the largest cities of the region. In the north it borders on the Neklinovsky and Myasnikovsky districts and Rostov-on-Don, in the east - on the Bataysk and Kagalnitsky districts, in the south and west - on the Krasnodar Territory. The distance from the administrative center of the district of the city of Azov to Rostov-on-Don is 25 km, to Taganrog - 92 km. Bataysk is located 28 km from Azov, Novocherkassk - 66 km.
The area of the territory of the Azov region is 2862 km². The population density is 30.9 people/km².
The distance from Azov to Krasnodar is 257 km, to Volgograd - 500 km, to Moscow - 1115 km.

Transport

A developed transport infrastructure is the most important distinguishing feature of the Azov region and one of the components of its economic well-being. The territory of the district is crossed by several transport highways of national importance. The main ones are the M-4 Don highway and the Moscow-Baku railway line, which connect the center of the European part of Russia with the North Caucasus.
The federal highway M-4 "Don" crosses the eastern part of the territory of the Azov region from north to south. The administrative center of the district, the city of Azov, is connected to it by a 21-kilometer highway of regional significance. In addition, there are five regional roads in the district: Azov - Aleksandrovka - Starominskaya (to the border Krasnodar Territory)”, “entrance from Rostov-on-Don (from the highway M-4 "Don") - Azov to Bataysk", eastern bypass of Azov, "Azov - Vasilyevo-Petrovskoye - Samara", "Rostov-on-Don - Rogozhkino" .
The total length of the network of highways of various forms of ownership in the Azov region is 1151.3 km. Of these - federal property (M-4 Don) - 31.4 km, regional roads - 264.3 km, roads run by rural settlements - 663.2 km, including the length of public roads of local importance with hard surface - 433 km; municipal (Azov district) - 192.4 km., 95% are paved roads.
The railway line connects the city of Azov with the city of Bataysk, one of the largest transport hubs in the south of Russia. In addition to the Moscow-Baku line, a railway line passes through the territory of the district, connecting the city of Bataysk and, accordingly, the city of Rostov-on-Don, with the village of Starominskaya and the city of Yeysk, Krasnodar Territory.
There is an international seaport in the city of Azov. The distance to the river port and the airport of Rostov-on-Don is 25 km, the international seaport of Taganrog is 92 km.

Natural conditions and resources

The territory of the Azov region is a combination of various natural landscapes: the southern Russian steppe, coastal areas, protected areas of the Don delta. Since 1884, there has been the Aleksandrovskiy Forest (former Ataman forestry) on its territory.
The area is rich in various minerals. However, not all deposits discovered in the area are active. So, to the north of the Obukhovka farm there is a large oil and gas field, the main part of which lies in the neighboring Myasnikovsky district. The field is assessed as promising, but its development requires the attraction of significant funds. The right bank of the Taganrog Bay is rich in dense shell rock, which serves as a good material for filling roads in the villages and farms of the Don delta. However, the shell ridge comes out as a thin twenty-centimeter layer, which excludes the possibility of mining the shell rock on an industrial scale and its subsequent wide practical application. The main wealth of the region is the active sand deposits near the villages of Kagalnik, Kuleshovka, Samarskoye, Pavlovka, Novomargaritovo and Port-Katon. The oldest of them, Azov, was explored in the middle of the 20th century and has an estimated reserve of about 10 thousand tons. In addition, there are deposits of clay, marl, hydrogen sulfide mud in the region.
The coast of the Taganrog Bay and the Don Delta are very attractive areas for tourism development. The duration of the bathing period on the Azov coast is 120-140 days. The most favorable for swimming is July and August, when the water temperature is above 22°C. The thalassotherapy season ends at the end of September. The beaches of the area are composed of sand with shell rock. The Lower Don valley is also famous for its beaches.

Economic situation

The main branch of the economy of the Azov region is agriculture.
In the Azov region, there are 243.4 thousand hectares of agricultural land, including 236.9 thousand hectares of agricultural land, of which 190.7 thousand hectares are arable land.
Azov region is one of the largest producers of agricultural products.
In different years, the gross harvest of grain crops is 300 thousand tons or more. In 2008, this figure was 369.0 thousand tons with an average yield of 41.2 c/ha, in 2009 - 327.0 thousand tons and 39.2 c/ha, respectively, in 2010 - 353.3 thousand. tons with an average yield of 39 q/ha. In some farms, the grain yield is 55-60 kg/ha.
In the last three years, the district has been ranked first in the Rostov region in terms of the yield of early grain and leguminous crops; sunflower is also grown here. Every year, sunflower areas are reduced, while gross production is growing. In 2005, the gross production was 60.0 thousand tons, the yield was 15.8 q/ha; in 2009 - 65.0 thousand tons and 17.3 q/ha.
In 2009, individual agricultural enterprises and C(F)H, using modern technologies and seeds of high-yielding hybrids, received 29-34 c/ha of oilseeds.
The area is seriously engaged in the cultivation of sugar beets. In 2009, 4.0 thousand hectares were sown. An average yield of 350.0 q/ha was obtained. 16 new complexes for the cultivation and harvesting of sugar beets were purchased. In 2009, the sugar beet harvest was 113.2 thousand tons, in 2010 - 140.8 thousand tons.
The Azov region has 15,000 hectares of artificially irrigated land, and therefore vegetables and potatoes occupy an important place in the structure of production.
In 2009, the gross harvest of vegetable crops amounted to 100.0 thousand tons with an average yield of 263.2 c/ha, in 2010 - 103.7 thousand tons, with an average yield of 246.5 c/ha. On an area of about 1500 hectares, vegetables are grown on drip irrigation. For five years in a row, the Azov region has been ranked first in the region among 43 regions in terms of gross vegetable production and productivity. In addition to vegetable growing in the open field, the district began to cultivate vegetables in protected ground. In the village of Samarskoye, the first stage of the APK XXI Vek greenhouse complex was built at a cost of 160 million rubles, where vegetables are grown all year round and the most modern growing technologies are used. In 2009, 1.5 thousand tons of tomatoes and cucumbers were produced under cover.
Gross production of ware potatoes in 2009 increased to 40.0 thousand tons, with a yield of 132.3 q/ha. In 2010, the district is engaged in the cultivation of potato chips varieties. In 2009, the Frito Lay Manufacturing company on the territory of the city of Azov commissioned a plant for the production of potato chips. This plant will process 200 tons of potatoes per day. For agricultural producers, a guaranteed market for the sale of potato chips has opened on mutually beneficial terms.
The fruit industry has been preserved in the region. In 2010, 1038 tons of fruits were produced. Annually, old-growth, perennial plantings are uprooted and young orchards and berry fields are planted.
The average annual production of pome fruits, stone fruits and berries is 5.1 thousand tons, the area of laying perennial plantations in 2009 was 70 hectares. The increase in the production of all agricultural crops in the region is achieved through the introduction of surface moisture-saving soil cultivation technology, the use of new promising varieties and hybrids.
A lot of work is being done in the region to introduce new technologies in animal husbandry, reconstruct livestock buildings, upgrade breeding stock to more productive breeds and crosses, and purchase high-performance livestock breeding equipment.
In the next three years, the Azov region will further develop the agricultural sector and increase the production of all types of agricultural products by increasing crop yields and animal productivity, increasing the number of livestock and poultry in all categories of farms, and improving other quality indicators.
It is planned that by 2013 grain production in all categories of farms will amount to 338.5 thousand tons, an increase of 63.6% by 2007; sunflower 66.8 thousand tons, an increase of 44.8%; sugar beet 147.4 thousand tons, an increase of 1.8%; potatoes 52.7 thousand tons, an increase of 1.2%; vegetables 109.2 thousand tons, an increase of 17.4%; fruits and berries - 9.1 thousand tons, an increase of 60.6%. The livestock industry will be further developed. Meat production will increase by 29% and will amount to 18.0 thousand tons in 2013, milk by 17.1% and will amount to 59.6 thousand tons, eggs by 17.4% and will amount to 60.0 million tons. things. The marketability of crop and livestock products will increase.
Investment activities
Azovsky district is one of the municipalities of the Rostov region with the highest investment potential
The agro-industrial complex plays a dominant role in the development of the region's production, which is largely due to favorable natural and climatic conditions.
Prospects for the development of the Azov region are associated with the creation of the Novoaleksandrovsky industrial park, where investment projects are being implemented by such companies as Coca-Cola HBC Eurasia (a soft drink production plant), Bol Packaging Europe (production of aluminum cans for drinks), Danone-Unimilk (dairy plant), "Aston" (production of starch products and glucose-fructose syrups), "Rostov plant of champagne wines" (production of alcoholic products), "Regatta" (production and logistics complex).
The plant of the Coca-Cola company in 2010 reached the volume of shipped products of its own production at 986.6 million rubles, which accounted for 72% of the total volume of shipment of large and medium-sized enterprises. The monthly output of shipped products of the plant is more than 100 million rubles. In 2011, it is planned to produce three times more products.
Azov district is an active participant in the priority national project "Development of the Agro-Industrial Complex". The implementation of the largest project is carried out by Batayskoye JSC. Currently, within the framework of the project, pigsties have been fully built, 565 million rubles have been disbursed.
Investment attractiveness for the development of the region is the development of the territory along the federal highway M-4 "Don", the implementation of projects in the construction industry and housing construction, energy. It is also planned to build a port for transshipment of mixed cargoes.
The district continues to have a positive trend in housing commissioning. In 2009, 443 residential buildings with a total area of 46.3 thousand square meters were put into operation, in 2010 - 460 houses with a total area of 47.8 thousand square meters. With the development of the Novoaleksandrovsky industrial park, there is a need for large-scale construction of housing and social infrastructure facilities. To this end, in the Azov region, the construction of housing settlements "Belovodie", "Southern", "Priazovie" is underway.
About 500 trade enterprises and over 100 enterprises operate in the Azov region Catering. Retail trade turnover in 2009 amounted to 3177.8 million rubles, in 2010 - 3860 million rubles, catering turnover - 232.9 million rubles.
The average monthly salary at the enterprises of the region in 2010 amounted to 11,254 rubles, including in the field of agricultural production - 10,518 rubles, in manufacturing (production of food products) - 25,484 rubles.

Engineering infrastructure

Since 1998, a program of gasification of settlements has been actively implemented in the Azov region. By the beginning of 2011, 71.2% of the territory was supplied with gas.
Gasification work continues. In 2009, 6 settlements were supplied with gas (36.8 km of gas networks). (For reference: 2007 - 12 settlements, 68 km of gas networks, 2008 - 3 settlements, 44.06 km of gas networks). In 2010, 57.6 km of gas networks were laid, 10 settlements were supplied with gas, 4 supply gas pipelines and one intra-settlement pipeline were built.
100% of the district's territory is provided with telephone communication.

Labor potential

The Azov region is one of the largest in terms of population in the region. Currently, 91.1 thousand people live in it, including 50.9 thousand able-bodied population.

Population of the Azov region, thousand people

Among the able-bodied population of the district, workers in agriculture, manufacturing industries and social institutions predominate. The level of registered unemployment in the region in 2009 is 1.46%, in 2010 - 1%.
Migration remains the main source of population replenishment.
Representatives of more than 20 nationalities live in the region. There are three large ethnic groups living compactly: Turks (599 people), Koreans (544 people) and Azerbaijanis (179 people).

Social sphere

The education system of the Azov region is one of the most developed in the region. It unites 44 general education schools, 25 school branches, 4 institutions of additional education for children, 38 municipal preschool educational institutions, etc. The teaching staff of the district has about 1,100 employees, 4 of them have the title of Honored School Teacher of the Russian Federation.
As part of the implementation of the national priority project "Education", 4 teachers became the winners of the competition "The Best Teacher of Russia". The region has accumulated rich experience in the military-patriotic education of youth. Every year, the military-sports game "Zarnitsa" is held in the Alexander Forest.
The network of healthcare institutions in the Azov region includes 2 district hospitals, 4 district hospitals, 8 medical outpatient clinics, 50 FAPs. In 2009, according to the performance indicators of health care institutions, the Azovsky district took the 2nd ranking place out of 43 districts of the region.
The district has been considered the best in the implementation of the national project "Health" for three years.
Cultural institutions of the district are represented by 51 houses of culture and clubs, 44 libraries, 6 art schools, and a music school. More than 10.5 thousand cultural and leisure events are held annually for the residents of the district. The creative teams of the district are regular participants in regional, All-Russian festivals, reviews, competitions, where they take worthy prizes.
Physical culture and sports are actively developing in the region. There are 205 sports facilities on the territory, of which 37 are gyms, there is a swimming pool, as well as the Azov District Children's and Youth Sports School.
In 2010, five athletes of the Azov region were awarded the title of "Master of Sports of Russia", five candidates for the master of sports were trained. A new modern sports center is being built in the village of Kuleshovka.
The nature and climate of the Azov region contribute to the development of tourism. The Azov region is one of the rarest municipal formations, the lands of which are located on two continents at once. The Don River divides it into "European" and "Asian" parts. The territory of the Sea of Azov has long attracted the attention of nomadic peoples: Cimmerians, Scythians, Sauromatians, Meotians ... In the 11th century, the Great Silk Road began here.
The Azov region belongs to the territories about which they say: "there is history at every step." Eneolithic household items have been found on its territory. The era of the Iron Age is represented by unique finds near the village of Elizavetinskaya, where a magnificent monument of the ancient era is currently located - the Elizavetovskoye settlement. Part of the exhibits found on the territory of the Azov region is stored in the Azov Museum of Local Lore, the paleontological collection of which includes 2739 items. The central place in the exposition is occupied by the skeleton of the trogontherian elephant Mammuthus trogonterii (199 bones), found in the Kagalnitsky quarry. Its age is about 600 thousand years.
The Azov region is rich in its natural landscapes. Here, the southern Russian steppe, coastal regions, protected areas of the Don delta coexist. On the territory of the district is located natural Park"Donskoy", its section "Delta of the Don". The territory of the district is also represented by forest vegetation - this is the Alexander Forest, which was planted back in 1884. In the area of the village of Platono-Petrovka there is Lake Pelenkino, famous for its healing mud. In the summer months in the Azov region you can meet vacationers from all regions of Russia: a warm climate, long beach season, the sandy bottom of the Taganrog Bay of the Azov Sea is an ideal place for beach holiday

Don industrial parks

The Rostov region is one of the best places in the Russian Federation to locate new plants and factories. Multinational companies such as Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Guardian, Fondital, Alcoa and others have already chosen the Rostov region for their industrial projects.
The region has both operating and virtual industrial parks (territories specially selected for the placement of industrial projects, to which it is possible and cheapest to bring engineering communications in the shortest possible time, where there is complete clarity regarding the cost of engineering and land).
Reasons for choosing the Don industrial parks:

big cities

Currently, there are 5 local industrial parks in the Rostov region.

Novoaleksandrovsky industrial park

Azov industrial park

Krasnosulinskiy industrial park

The Krasnosulinsk industrial park is located in the "golden triangle" of the Eastern Donbass, between the cities of Shakhty, Novoshakhtinsk and Krasny Sulin.

Grushevsky industrial park (Aksai district)

Oktyabrsky industrial park
The total volume of investments for the projects being implemented here is over $ 450 million

etc.................

Physical location

Sea of Azov located in the southern part of the Russian Plain. It has a mainland border on almost all sides. Only in the south is the small Kerch Strait connecting it to the waters of the Black Sea. The Sea of Azov is inland. It is the smallest and shallowest sea in the world. It occupies an area of 39.1 thousand km 2, the volume of its waters is 290 km 3. The deepest place has a depth of 13 m, the average depth of the sea is 7.4 m. The shores of the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov are quite uniform in their relief, they are mostly low-lying. Coastline slightly cut.

The Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov in Rus' became known in the 1st century AD. Our ancestors called it the Blue Sea. Later, after the Tmutarakan principality was formed, it received a new name - Russian. With the fall of this principality, the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov was repeatedly renamed. He was called Maiutis, Salakar, Samakush. At the beginning of the 13th century, the designation Saksinsk Sea appeared. The Tatar-Mongol conquerors added to the list. They called it Balyk-dengiz (in translation - "fish sea"), as well as Chabak-dengiz (bream, chabache sea). The most reliable is the origin modern name from the city of Azov. Only during the famous Azov campaigns committed by Peter I, this name was assigned to the reservoir.

Two large rivers carry their waters into the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov: the Don and Kuban and about 20 small rivers.

seafaring

In the history of the study of the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov, there are three stages:

1. Ancient (geographical) - from the time of Herodotus to the beginning of the 19th century.

2. Geological and geographical - XIX century. - 40s of XX century.

3. Complex - the middle of the XX century. - Today.

The first map of Pontus Euxine and Maeotis was made by Claudius Ptolemy, he also determined geographical coordinates for cities, estuaries, capes and bays of the coast of the Sea of Azov.

Bottom relief

The Sea of Azov, in terms of its geological age, is a young basin. It acquired outlines close to modern ones in the Quaternary period. Many millions of years ago, the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov was part of the ocean, which geologists call Tethys. Only in the Cenozoic era (the era of new life) did the outlines of the continents and individual seas, including the Sea of Azov, become what we see them on modern maps.

The underwater relief of the Sea of Azov is quite simple. The bottom is flat, without large depressions and hills. As you move away from the coast, the depths slowly and smoothly increase, reaching 14.4 meters in the central part of the sea. The area of greatest depths is located in the center of the sea. There is a shoal along the coast. The sea shores are mostly flat and sandy, only on the southern coast there are hills of volcanic origin, which in some places turn into steep frontal mountains.

Climate and hydrological regime

The Sea of Azov is located deep in the mainland. Due to its small size, it is located entirely in the temperate zone. In this regard, it is characterized by continental features. They are most pronounced in the northern zone of the sea. There are cold winters, dry summers with fairly high temperatures. In the southern part of the sea, winter and summer are milder, and there is a large number of precipitation. The average temperature in January is about -5..-2 °С. In July, the air warms up to +23..+25 °С on average.

The average annual water temperature of the Sea of Azov in the north is +11 °C, and in the south is about +12 °C. In summer, the sea warms up very strongly and often near the coast the water temperature reaches +30..+32 °C, and in the middle part +24..+25 °C. In winter, when the water cools below zero, the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov is covered with ice. Due to the fact that the winter here is short and the frosts are changeable, the formation of ice is irregular. During the winter, the ice undergoes various changes: it appears and disappears again, drifts, and then freezes to a motionless state. The sea is completely free of ice only by mid-March - April. Water contains very little salt. For this reason, the sea freezes easily, and therefore, before the advent of icebreakers, it was unnavigable from December to mid-April.

Flora and fauna

The underwater world of the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov is very diverse, rich and fraught with many mysteries. Amazing, different creatures live under water, namely more than 120 species of various fish, mollusks (mussels) and vegetation.

Mammals in the Sea of Azov are represented by only one species - the harbor porpoise (dolphin azovka). This is the smallest cetacean animal. Azovka leads a herd life, which makes up a group of two to ten individuals. Their population is very small, so it is almost impossible to meet them near the coast. The predatory inhabitants of the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov include such fish as beluga, pike perch, sterlet. They feed on anchovy, sprat and young herring. But the main food is ordinary plankton.

Mussels, rapanas, needle fish, shrimps, crabs and many other representatives of marine fauna are also found in Azov.

Economic importance

Widely developed in the Sea of Azov economic activity human beings, especially fisheries. A large number of valuable fish species (especially sturgeon) and a large number of various marine products are harvested here. Commercial species that constantly live in this sea include: sturgeon, beluga, stellate sturgeon, mullet, ram, flounder, fish, goby, red mullet and, of course, the most numerous individual - sprat. Anchovy and herring also migrate from Black to Azov. Currently, the volume of fisheries is declining due to a decrease in the number and diversity of the marine fauna. There are oil reserves in the bowels of the Sea of Azov. The waters of the sea transport various goods.

On the coast of the sea there are resort areas for recreation. Since the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov is very shallow, the water in it remains warm for a long time. It is always several degrees warmer than, for example, in Chernoy. The mild climate and wonderful weather make resorts located on the coast optimal for recreation. The water of this sea is considered healing. Waters also have a large number of useful chemical elements that perfectly penetrate into the body through the surface of the skin during bathing. In addition, the sand also contains many substances that have a beneficial effect on the human body.

Ecology

The most significant factor that contributes to the pollution of the Sea of Azov is the rivers flowing into the reservoir, with which industrial waste and domestic water come. At one time, this sea was one of the most productive seas in the world, but today it has practically lost its main purpose - fishing.

The second, but no less significant factor that affects the pollution of the reservoir is oil products and oil itself. As a result of maritime transportation and vigorous activity of ports, thousands of tons of fuel oil, sulfur and oil are dumped into the Sea of Azov. This leads to unprecedented pollution of the bottom of the reservoir, coastal islands, as well as the death of a huge number of fish, mammals and birds, many of which are listed in the Red Book.

Although bottom trawling, which destroys bottom microorganisms, is universally prohibited, local fishermen continue to use trawls. These actions are dangerous because with such fishing, the bottom places where fish are found are exterminated, mollusks, which serve as a kind of filter and food for most fish, die. In addition, the turbidity rising from the bottom of the sea spreads over several kilometers and significantly reduces the transparency of the reservoir.

A significant danger to the ecology of the Sea of Azov is runoff from agricultural activities. They contain a huge amount of toxic substances and numerous pesticides that are used in the fight against harmful insects and mammals.

Continuous construction along the coast, which does not comply with environmental and sanitary standards, entails the destruction of the natural state of the beaches, the coastal forest park zone and the reduction of their healing abilities.

The Sea of Azov is located in the south of the European part of Russia, between 45°17` and 47°17` N. sh. and 34°49` and 39°18` E. e. It is a semi-enclosed inland water body, connected in its southern part with the Black Sea through the shallow Kerch Strait, and belongs to the system of the Mediterranean Sea of the Atlantic Ocean.

The main morphometric characteristics of the Sea of Azov

The area of the Sea of Azov is 39 thousand km2, the volume at the average long-term level is 290 km3, and its average depth is about 7 m. Maximum length sea from the Arabat Spit to the Don Delta is 360 km, and maximum width from north to south - 180 km.

Two rivers flow into the Sea of Azov major rivers- Don and Kuban, as well as about 20 small rivers, a significant part of which flows from the northern bank. The Don, which flows in from the northeast, forms a small multi-branched delta in the lower reaches, the area of which is 540 km2. The mouth of the Kuban, located in the southeastern part of the Sea of Azov, is a vast two-branched delta with an area of 4300 km2. The average total runoff of the Don and Kuban after its regulation is 28 km3/year.

The relief of the bottom of the Sea of Azov

The bottom of the Sea of Azov is a shallow plain, the maximum depth of which in its central part reaches 15 m. The evenness of the relief was achieved as a result of the burial of irregularities in the roof of continental Upper Pleistocene loams under the thickness of marine sediments (thickness 30-40 m). Only in the western part of the Sea of Azov, in the area of sea banks, and in the east between the Elenina spit and the Zhelezinskaya bank, the flat surface of the sea bottom is disturbed by small local uplifts that rise 3-4 m relative to the surrounding areas.

The Sea of Azov is shallow. Its maximum depth is 15 m. Depths in the open part of the Sea of Azov are 10-13 m. The greatest depth at the entrance to the Taganrog Bay is 9.6 m; from the entrance towards the top of the bay, the depths gradually decrease and at its top do not exceed 5 m.

The bottom of the Sea of Azov is very flat, only shallows extend from the spits.

The ground is mostly soft. Sandy soils with an admixture of shells lie in a wide strip off the coast of the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov. The bottom of the central part of the sea is covered with soft silt. Rocky soil is found only near the southern coast of the sea.

The zone of stable erosion covers the coastal strip of the Sea of Azov to an average depth of 6-7 m. In the northern and western parts it is confined to the eastern shores of accumulative forms and the Arabat Spit, in the eastern part - to the Yeysk Peninsula, the Akhtarsky and Beisugsky estuaries. In this zone, sediment dynamics is determined by the formation of abrasion material due to the activity of the surf flow in the coastal zone, the movement of destruction products along the coast, the total action of the surf flow and alongshore currents, as well as the movement of particles from the coast and their deposition in the accumulation zone. The total area of the zone of stable erosion reaches 20% of the surface of the bottom of the Sea of Azov.

The main sources of terrigenous material that forms bottom sediments in the Sea of Azov are abrasion products of the seashores and river alluvium. Thus, as a result of the active abrasion destruction of the coasts, 16-17 million tons of terrigenous material enters the sea annually. River alluvium comes from the runoff of the Don and Kuban rivers, as well as the rivers of the northern coast of the sea. The volume of sedimentary material brought in annually by rivers is about 19 million tons.

The shores of the Sea of Azov

The eastern coast of the Sea of Azov to the south of the Beisug estuary is a vast floodplain with a large number of estuaries, interconnected by a complex network of channels of the river delta. Kuban.

The northern coastal part of the Sea of Azov is divided by sandy spits extending far into the sea into separate regions. The sandbars here are elongated in a south-westerly direction and end in the sea with a whole series of sandbars. There are very few natural landmarks on the shores of the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov. Only on the south coast are several capes, hills and mountains noticeable.

The western and eastern shores of the Sea of Azov are predominantly flat and monotonous. In many places, especially near the mouths of rivers, there are floodplains. Most of the shores are bordered by sand and shell beaches. The southern part of the eastern shore, approximately from the northern one of the branches of the Kuban River delta to the top of the Yasensky Bay, is the so-called Azov floodplains, crossed by a large number of branches and eriks. To the north of the top of Yasensky Bay, the eastern shore is high and steep. There are no forests either on the western or eastern shores of the Sea of Azov, only in some places there are thickets of shrubs and groups of trees. In the west, the Arabatskaya Strelka Spit separates the vast but shallow Sivash Bay from the Sea of Azov.

The southern coast of the Sea of Azov, formed by the northern sides of the Kerch and Taman Peninsulas, is hilly and steep; in some places rocky headlands protrude from it. The vast Temryuk Bay protrudes into the eastern part of the southern coast, and the Kazantip and Arabat Bays into the western part.

The shores of the Kerch Strait are high. It contains the Kamysh-Burun and Kerch bays, as well as the vast Taman Bay. In places, sand spits protrude from the shores of the strait, of which the Tuzla and Chushka spits are the largest.

The northern shore of the Sea of Azov drops steeply into the sea for almost its entire length. Mounds rise on it; in many places it is cut by beams. A characteristic feature of the northern coast is the presence of low and long shallow spits. The largest of them are the Fedotov, Obitochnaya and Berdyansk braids. The coast between the spits is intensively eroded and recedes, as a result of which vast bays have formed: the Utlyuk estuary, bounded from the southeast by the Fedotov spit and its continuation - the spit Biryuchy Ostrov; Obitochny Bay, located between the Fedotov and Obitochnaya spits; Berdyansk Bay between Obitochnaya and Berdyansk spits.

The northeastern part of the Sea of Azov is the vast but shallow Taganrog Bay, which stretches eastward for almost 75 miles. Several small shallow bays, bounded by spits, protrude into its shores. On the southern side of the bay there is a shallow Yeisk estuary.

Islands and straits of the Sea of Azov