The location of the Caspian Sea and its area. Caspian states: borders, map. Which countries are washed by the Caspian Sea?

The Caspian Sea is one of the largest salty bodies of water on 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 streams. Most large rivers, flowing into the Volga, Ural, Emba, Terek, Sulak, Samur, Kura, Atrek, Sefidrud.

The Volga River - the pearl of Russia

The Volga is a river flowing on the territory of the Russian Federation, partially crossing Kazakhstan. Belongs to the category of the largest and long rivers on the ground. The total length of the Volga is more than 3,500 km. The river originates in the village of Volgoverkhovye, Tver region, located on the river. After that, it continues its movement through the territory Russian Federation.

It flows into the Caspian Sea, but does not have direct access to the World Ocean, so it is classified as internal drainage. The watercourse receives about 200 tributaries and has more than 150 thousand outlets. Today, reservoirs have been built on the river to regulate flow, which has sharply reduced fluctuations in water levels.

The river's fisheries are varied. In the Volga region, melon growing predominates: the fields are occupied by grains and industrial crops; is mined salt. Oil and gas deposits have been discovered in the Urals region. The Volga is the largest river flowing into the Caspian Sea, so it has great importance For Russia. The main transport structure that allows you to cross this stream is the longest in Russia.

Ural - 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 pool is the sixth largest in the Russian Federation, and its area is more than 230 square meters. km. Interesting fact: the Ural River, contrary to popular opinion, belongs to the internal European river, and only its upper course in Russia belongs to Asia.

The mouth of the watercourse gradually becomes shallow. At this point the river divides into several branches. This feature is characteristic along the entire length of the channel. During floods, you can observe how the Ural overflows 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 - river of Kazakhstan

Emba is a river flowing in the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The name comes from the Turkmen language, literally translated as “valley of food”. The river basin has an area of ​​40 thousand square meters. km. The river begins its journey in the Mugodzhary mountains and, as it flows, it gets lost among the swamps. When asking which rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, we can say that in high-flow years the Emba reaches its basin.

Along the river's coastline, such natural resources, like oil and gas. The issue of passing the border between Europe and Asia along the Emba watercourse, as in the case of the river. Ural, an open topic even today. The reason for this is natural factor: the mountains of the Ural range, which are the main landmark for drawing boundaries, disappear, forming a homogeneous terrain.

Terek - mountain water stream

Terek - river North Caucasus. The name is literally translated from Turkic as “poplar”. The Terek flows from the glacier of Mount Zilga-Khokh, located in the Trusovsky Gorge Caucasian ridge. passes through the lands of many states: North Ossetia, Georgia, Stavropol Territory, Kabardino-Balkaria, Dagestan and the Chechen Republic. It flows into the Caspian Sea and 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 branch, 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 areas of the adjacent lowlands. There are also several hydroelectric power stations located on the water stream, the total average annual production of which is more than 200 million kWh. New additional stations are planned to be launched in the near future.

Sulak - water stream of Dagestan

Sulak is a river connecting the Avar Koisu and Andean Koisu streams. It flows through the territory of Dagestan. It begins in the Main Sulak Canyon and ends its journey in the waters of the Caspian Sea. The main purpose of the river is to supply water to two cities of Dagestan - Makhachkala and Kaspiysk. Also, several hydroelectric power stations are already located on the river, and new ones are planned to be launched to increase the generated power.

Samur - the pearl of Southern Dagestan

Samur is the second largest river in Dagestan. The name is literally translated from Indo-Aryan as “abundance of water.” It originates at the foot of Mount Guton; It flows into the waters of the Caspian Sea through 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 purpose of using the river is to irrigate land and provide food for residents of nearby cities. drinking water. It is because of this that the waterworks and a number of the Samur-Divichi canal were built.

At the beginning of the twentieth century (2010), Russia and Azerbaijan signed an interstate agreement requiring both parties rational use resources of the Samur River. The same agreement introduced territorial changes between these countries. The border of the two states has been moved to the middle of the hydroelectric complex.

Kura - the largest river in Transcaucasia

When wondering which rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, I would like to describe the Kuru stream. 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 in the Turkish province of Kars, flowing into the waters of the Caspian Sea. The path of the river is thorny, laid among hollows and gorges, for which it received its name, which translated from the Mingrelian language means “gnaw”, that is, the Kura is a river that “gnaws” itself among the mountains.

There are many cities on it, such as Borjomi, Tbilisi, Mtskheta and others. She plays important role in meeting the economic needs of the residents 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 reserves fresh water for Azerbaijan. Unfortunately, ecological state flow leaves much to be desired: the level of harmful substances is several times higher than the permissible limits.

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 active use for economic needs for irrigation, the river has become shallow. For this reason, it reaches the Caspian Sea only during flood periods.

Sefidrud - high-water river of the Caspian Sea

Sefidrud is a major river of the Iranian state. Initially it was formed by the confluence of two water streams - Kyzyluzen and Shahrud. Now it flows out of the Shabanau reservoir and flows into the depths of the Caspian Sea. The total length of the river is more than 700 km. The creation of a reservoir became a necessity. It made it possible to minimize the risk of flooding, thereby protecting the cities located in the river delta. The waters are used to irrigate lands with a total area of ​​more than 200 thousand hectares of land.

As can be seen from the presented material, water resources The lands are in unsatisfactory condition. The rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea are actively used by people to satisfy their 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.

Caspian Sea

The Caspian Sea is the most big lake on Earth, located at the junction of Europe and Asia, called the sea because of its size. The Caspian Sea is an endorheic 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 approximately 28 m below sea level. The area of ​​the Caspian Sea is currently approximately 371,000 km2, maximum depth- 1025 m.

The length of the coastline of the Caspian Sea is estimated at approximately 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 channels and islands of the Volga and Ural deltas, the banks are low and swampy, and the water surface in many places is covered with thickets. On east coast Limestone coasts predominate, adjacent to semi-deserts and deserts. The most winding shores are on the west coast in the area Absheron Peninsula and on the east coast in the area of ​​the Kazakh Gulf and Kara-Bogaz-Gol.

130 rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, of which 9 rivers have a delta-shaped mouth. Large rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea are the Volga, Terek (Russia), Ural, Emba (Kazakhstan), Kura (Azerbaijan), Samur (Russian border with Azerbaijan), Atrek (Turkmenistan) and others.

The Caspian Sea washes the shores of five coastal states:

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

Water temperature

It is subject to significant latitudinal changes, most clearly expressed in winter, when the temperature varies from 0 - 0.5 °C at the ice edge in the north of the sea to 10 - 11 °C in the south, that is, the difference in water temperature is about 10 °C. For shallow water areas with depths less than 25 m, the annual amplitude can reach 25 - 26 °C. On average, the water temperature off the west coast is 1 - 2 °C higher than that on the east, and in the open sea the water temperature is 2 - 4 °C higher than on the coasts.

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

Animal world

The fauna of the Caspian Sea is represented by 1809 species, of which 415 are vertebrates. 101 species of fish are registered in the Caspian Sea, where most of the world's sturgeon stocks are concentrated, as well as freshwater fish, like roach, carp, pike perch. The Caspian Sea is the habitat of fish such as carp, mullet, sprat, kutum, bream, salmon, perch, and pike. The Caspian Sea is also home to a marine mammal - the Caspian seal.

Vegetable world

The flora of the Caspian Sea and its coast is represented by 728 species. Among the plants in the Caspian Sea, the predominant algae are blue-green, diatoms, red, brown, characeae and others, and among the flowering plants - zoster and ruppia. In origin, the flora is predominantly of Neogene age, but some plants were brought into the Caspian Sea by humans deliberately or on the bottoms of ships.

Mining of oil and gas

Many oil and gas fields are being developed in the Caspian Sea. Proven oil resources in the Caspian Sea amount to about 10 billion tons, total oil and gas condensate resources are estimated at 18 - 20 billion tons.

Oil production in the Caspian Sea began in 1820, when the first oil well was drilled on the Absheron shelf. In the second half of the 19th century, oil production began on an industrial scale on the Absheron Peninsula, and then in other territories.

In addition to oil and gas production, salt, limestone, stone, sand, and clay are also mined on the coast of the Caspian Sea and the Caspian shelf.

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

The area of ​​the Caspian Sea is about 371 thousand km 2. The sea, stretching from north to south, has a length of about 1200 km and an average width of 320 km. The length of the coastline is about 7 thousand km. The Caspian Sea is located 28.5 m below the level of the World Ocean and its greatest depth is 1025 m. There are about 50 islands in the Caspian Sea, mostly small in area. The large islands include such islands as Tyuleniy, Kulaly, Zhiloy, Chechen, Artem, Ogurchinsky. There are also many bays in the sea, for example: Kizlyarsky, Komsomolets, Kazakhsky, Agrakhansky, etc.

The Caspian Sea is fed by more than 130 rivers. Largest quantity water (about 88% of the total flow) is brought by the rivers Ural, Volga, Terek, Emba, which flow into northern part seas. About 7% of the flow comes from the large rivers Kura, Samur, Sulak and small ones that flow into the sea on the west coast. The rivers Heraz, Gorgan, and Sefidrud flow into the southern Iranian coast, bringing only 5% of the flow. IN eastern part Not a single river flows into the sea. The water in the Caspian Sea is salty, its salinity ranges from 0.3‰ to 13‰.

Shores of the Caspian Sea

The shores have different landscapes. The shores of the northern part of the sea are low and flat, surrounded by low-lying semi-desert and somewhat elevated desert. In the south, the shores are partly low-lying, they are bordered by a small coastal lowland, behind which the Elburz ridge runs along the coast, which in some places comes close to the shore. In the west, the Greater Caucasus ranges approach the coast. In the east there is an abrasion coast, carved out of limestone, and semi-desert and desert plateaus approach it. Coastline varies greatly due to periodic fluctuations in water levels.

The climate of the Caspian Sea is different:

Continental in the north;

Moderate in the middle

Subtropical in the south.

At the same time, there are severe frosts and blizzards on the northern coast, and blossoms on the southern coast. fruit trees and magnolia. In winter, strong storm winds rage at sea.

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

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

Vegetable world

The flora of the Caspian Sea and its coast includes 728 species. Basically, the sea is inhabited by algae: diatoms, blue-greens, red, characeae, brown and others, of the flowering ones - rupee and zoster.

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

The Caspian Sea is also a recreation area; on its shores there are holiday homes, tourist centers and sanatoriums.

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There are still disputes about the status of the Caspian Sea. The fact is that, despite its generally accepted name, it is still the largest endorheic lake in the world. It was called the sea because of the features of the structure of the bottom. It is formed by oceanic crust. In addition, the water in the Caspian Sea is salty. Just like at sea, there are often storms and strong winds raising high waves.

Geography

The Caspian Sea is located at the junction of Asia and Europe. In its shape, it resembles one of the letters of the Latin alphabet - S. From south to north, the sea stretches for 1200 km, and from east to west - from 195 to 435 km.

The territory of the Caspian Sea is heterogeneous in its physical and geographical conditions. In this regard, it is conventionally divided into 3 parts. These include the Northern and Middle, as well as the Southern Caspian.

Coastal countries

Which countries is washed by the Caspian Sea? There are only five of them:

1. Russia, located in the northwest and west. The length of the coastline of this state along the Caspian Sea is 695 km. Kalmykia, Dagestan and the Astrakhan region, which are part of Russia, are located here.
2. Kazakhstan. It is a country on the shores of the Caspian Sea, located in the east and northeast. The length of its coastline is 2320 km.
3. Turkmenistan. The map of the Caspian states indicates that this country is located in the southeast of the water basin. The length of the line along the coast is 1200 km.
4. Azerbaijan. This state, stretching 955 km along the Caspian Sea, washes its shores in the southwest.
5. Iran. A map of the Caspian states indicates that this country is located at southern shores endorheic lake. Moreover, the length of its sea borders is 724 km.

Is the Caspian Sea?

The dispute over what to call this unique body of water has not yet been resolved. And it is important to answer this question. The fact is that all countries on the Caspian Sea have their own interests in this region. However, the governments of five states cannot solve the question of how to divide this huge body of water. for a long time. The most important controversy revolved around the name. Is the Caspian Sea a sea or a lake? Moreover, the answer to this question is of no more interest to geographers. First of all, politicians need it. This is due to the application of international law.

Caspian states such as Kazakhstan and Russia believe that their borders in this region are washed by the sea. In this regard, representatives of the two indicated countries insist on the application of the UN Convention adopted in 1982. It concerns maritime law. The provisions of this document state that coastal states are allocated a twelve-mile water zone along it. In addition, the country is granted the right to economic maritime territory. It is located two hundred miles away. The coastal state also has rights to However, even the widest part of the Caspian Sea is narrower than the distance specified in the international document. In this case, the middle line principle can be applied. At the same time, the Caspian states that have greatest length coastal borders will receive a large maritime territory.

Iran has a different opinion on this matter. Its representatives believe that the Caspian Sea should be divided fairly. In this case, all countries will get twenty percent of the maritime territory. The position of official Tehran can be understood. With this solution to the issue, the state will manage a larger zone than when dividing the sea along the middle line.

However, the Caspian Sea changes its water level significantly from year to year. This does not allow us to determine its median line and divide the territory between states. Countries of the Caspian Sea, such as Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Russia, signed an agreement among themselves defining the bottom zones on which the parties will carry out their economic rights. Thus, a certain legal truce has been achieved in the northern territories of the sea. Southern countries The Caspian Sea has not yet come to a common decision. However, they do not recognize the agreements reached by their northern neighbors.

Is the Caspian a lake?

Adherents of this point of view proceed from the fact that the reservoir, located at the junction of Asia and Europe, is closed. In this case, it is impossible to apply a document on the norms of international maritime law to it. Proponents of this theory are convinced that they are right, citing the fact that the Caspian Sea does not have a natural connection with the waters of the World Ocean. But here another difficulty arises. If the lake is the Caspian Sea, the boundaries of states according to what international standards should be determined in its water spaces? Unfortunately, such documents have not yet been developed. The fact is that the issues of the international lake have not been discussed anywhere by anyone.

Is the Caspian Sea a unique body of water?

In addition to those listed above, there is another, third point of view on the ownership of this amazing body of water. Its supporters are of the opinion that the Caspian Sea should be recognized as an international water basin, belonging equally to all countries bordering it. In their opinion, the resources of the region are subject to joint exploitation by countries bordering the reservoir.

Solving security problems

The Caspian states are doing everything possible to eliminate all existing disagreements. And in this matter, positive developments can be noted. One of the steps towards solving problems related to the Caspian region was the agreement signed on November 18, 2010 between all five countries. It concerns issues of security cooperation. In this document, the countries agreed on joint activities to eliminate terrorism, drug trafficking, smuggling, poaching, laundering of illegal income, etc. in the region.

Environmental protection

Particular attention is paid to solving environmental issues. The territory in which the Caspian states and Eurasia are located is a region under the threat of industrial pollution. Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan dump waste from energy exploration and production into the Caspian waters. Moreover, it is in these countries that a large number of abandoned oil wells, which are not exploited due to their unprofitability, but nevertheless continue to have an adverse impact on the environmental situation. As for Iran, it dumps waste into sea waters Agriculture and drains. Russia threatens the ecology of the region with industrial pollution. It's connected with economic activity, which unfolded in the Volga region.

Countries on the Caspian Sea have made some progress in solving problems environment. Thus, since August 12, 2007, the Frame Convection has been in force in the region, with the goal of protecting the Caspian Sea. This document develops provisions on the protection of biological resources and regulation of anthropogenic factors affecting aquatic environment. According to this convection, the parties must interact when carrying out measures to improve ecological situation in the Caspian Sea.

In 2011 and 2012, all five countries signed other documents relevant to the protection of marine environment. Among them:

• Protocol on cooperation, response and regional preparedness in the event of oil pollution incidents.
• Protocol concerning the protection of the region against pollution from land-based sources.

Development of gas pipeline construction

Today, another problem remains unresolved in the Caspian region. It concerns the laying of this idea. This idea is an important strategic task of the West and the United States, which continue to look for alternative energy sources to Russian ones. That is why, when resolving this issue, the parties do not turn to countries such as Kazakhstan, Iran and, of course, the Russian Federation. Brussels and Washington supported the statement made in Baku on November 18, 2010 at the summit of the heads of the Caspian countries. He expressed the official position of Ashgabat regarding the laying of the pipeline. Turkmen authorities believe that the project should be implemented. At the same time, only those states on whose bottom territories it will be located must give their consent to the construction of the pipeline. And this is Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. Iran and Russia opposed this position and the project itself. At the same time, they were guided by the issues of protecting the Caspian ecosystem. To date, construction of the pipeline is not underway due to disagreements between project participants.

Holding the first summit

Countries on the Caspian Sea are constantly looking for ways to solve the problems that have arisen in this Eurasian region. For this purpose, special meetings of their representatives are organized. Thus, the first summit of the heads of the Caspian states took place in April 2002. Its venue was Ashgabat. However, the results of this meeting did not live up to expectations. The summit was considered unsuccessful due to Iran's demands to divide the sea area into 5 equal parts. Other countries categorically opposed this. Their representatives defended their own point of view that the size of national waters should correspond to the length of the state’s coastline.

The failure of the summit was also provoked by a dispute between Ashgabat and Baku over the ownership of three oil fields located in the center of the Caspian Sea. As a result, the heads of five states did not develop a consensus on any of all the issues raised. However, an agreement was reached to hold a second summit. It was supposed to take place in 2003 in Baku.

Second Caspian Summit

Despite the existing agreements, the planned meeting was postponed every year. The heads of the Caspian states gathered for the second summit only on October 16, 2007. It was held in Tehran. Discussed at the meeting current issues regarding the definition legal status unique body of water, which is the Caspian Sea. The borders of states within the division of the water area were previously agreed upon during the development of the draft of the new convention. Problems of security, ecology, economics and cooperation of coastal countries were also raised. In addition, the results of the work that the states carried out after the first summit were summed up. In Tehran, representatives of the five states also outlined ways for further cooperation in the region.

Meeting at the third summit

IN Once again The heads of the Caspian countries met in Baku on November 18, 2010. The result of this summit was the signing of an agreement to expand cooperation regarding security issues. During the meeting, it was pointed out that which countries are washed by the Caspian Sea, only those should ensure the fight against terrorism, transnational crime, weapons proliferation, etc.

Fourth summit

Once again, the Caspian states raised their problems in Astrakhan on September 29, 2014. At this meeting, the presidents of the five countries signed another statement.

In it, the parties recorded the exclusive right of the coastal countries to station armed forces in the Caspian Sea. But even at this meeting the status of the Caspian Sea was not finally regulated.

Where Europe meets Asia, there is one of the unique bodies of water, which is officially called a sea, and unofficially called a lake - the Caspian Sea, which washes the shores of several countries with its waters. , or rather, its northeastern part, overlooks the Caspian coast. What mysteries does the Caspian Sea hold, how big a role does it play in the life of the country, and how can people benefit the sea itself?

Geography of the Caspian Sea

Researchers are still arguing about what the Caspian Sea really is – a lake or a sea. The fact is that this reservoir is the largest of all drainless ones. These are those that have no connection with the World Ocean.

All rivers of the Caspian Sea originate on land, but do not reach the ocean shores. Thus, it is closed and can well be called a lake. However, the Caspian Sea is quite large, and its bottom is the earth’s crust, which is of the oceanic type. This indicates that the sea appeared here millions of years ago.

The fact that once upon a time on the planet, or rather, on the territory where Europe and Asia are located today, a huge prehistoric Sarmatian Sea splashed - this is the name scientists gave it. This was 12 million years ago. Water covered the entire area of ​​the current landmass.

The Caucasus and Crimea were islands in this incredibly large sea. However, it gradually desalinated and dried out due to the slow rise of land. As a result, in place of the Sarmatian Sea, peculiar “puddles” were formed - the Caspian, Black, Aral, and Azov seas.

Find the Caspian Sea today on geographical map simple enough. It is located in the region of Asia Minor and is separated from the Black Sea by the Caucasus, which acts as a kind of isthmus between these two bodies of water. It has outlines elongated from north to south. Its coordinates are 36°34"–47°13" northern latitude and 46°–56° East longitude. Modern borders– these are the coasts of five states:

1. Russia.
2. Azerbaijan.
3. Turkmenistan.
4. Kazakhstan.
5. Iran.

Geographers divide the sea's territory into the Northern, Middle and Southern Caspian, with the southern part occupying about 40% of the area, and the northern part making up only 25%. There are also boundaries to these divisions. Thus, the Middle Caspian is separated from the North by a conventional line drawn from Cape Tyub-Karagan to the island of Chechen. And the border between South and Middle runs along Cape Gan-Gulu and Chilov Island.

Area and depth

Many people are interested in the area of ​​the Caspian Sea, but these parameters change periodically. It all depends on seasonal variations in depth. So, if the water level in the sea is about 27 meters, the reservoir can reach over 370 thousand square kilometers. During these periods, it becomes full-flowing, and holds almost 45% of the total volume of fresh lake water on the planet.

The Caspian Sea is heterogeneous in depth parameters. Thus, the shallowest part is the northern one, its average depth does not exceed 4 meters, and the maximum is 25 meters. South part the deepest, in the area of ​​the South Caspian depression, is 1025 meters. Overall, the researchers found that the average depth of the reservoir is 208 meters according to the bathygraphic curve.

The Caspian Lake is third in depth after lakes Baikal and Tanganyika. As for sea level, it fluctuates significantly. Scientific measurements of the reservoir began in 1837. Scientists based on historical documents and archaeological research claim that the most high level water levels were observed at the turn of the 13th-14th centuries, then the decline began.

Over the course of three thousand years of our civilization, the water level in the Caspian Sea has changed by 15 meters. The reasons can be very different. First of all, these are geological changes in the state earth's crust, as well as climate variations in the region and human actions.

Temperature and climate

Since today the Caspian basin is home to not only industrial enterprises, but also resorts, the temperature of the Caspian Sea is of keen interest to many. This indicator is also subject to seasonal changes, and they are quite significant.

In winter, the difference in temperature fluctuations is within 10 degrees. In the southern part of the reservoir the water is winter time year has an average temperature of 11 degrees, while in the northern part of the sea this temperature is no more than 0.5 degrees, and sometimes even slight glaciation is observed. The northern regions, as the shallowest waters, warm up faster in summer and can reach temperatures of up to 26 degrees. At the same time, the water temperature in the western part of the reservoir is permanently higher than in the eastern part.

The summer period, lasting from June to September, makes temperature indicators more uniform throughout the sea. At this time in upper layers the water warms up to 26 degrees, and in the southern part it can increase to 28 degrees. TO velvet season in shallow areas the water can warm up even more and reach 32 degrees.

In addition, in summer there is a phenomenon such as the rise of deep water layers to the surface. This is the so-called upwelling, but scientists do not observe it throughout the entire water area, but mainly only in the east; sometimes deep waters rise in the southern part of the reservoir. As a result, the water temperature on average can be understood by 10 degrees.

As in others sea ​​waters Oemakh, in the Caspian Sea the water is salty. However, the level of salt saturation may vary depending on individual areas. The salt concentration is highest in the western and southern parts of the reservoir. In the northern regions, sea water is constantly diluted with fresh water from rivers. However, throughout the sea, salt concentrations vary depending on the season of the year.

In addition, winds are the reason why water becomes saltier or fresher. For example, in the Southern and Middle Caspian these fluctuations are weakly expressed, in contrast to the Northern.

The climate of this maritime region also varies. The southern part of the sea has a subtropical climate, the middle part has a temperate climate, and the northern part has a continental climate. As a result, the air temperature on the coast varies.

It is worth noting that it is hottest in the south and southeast of the reservoir. Here the temperature can sometimes reach 44 degrees in summer, and the average temperature is 26-27 degrees. The north of the reservoir also cannot complain about the cold in summer - air temperatures up to 25 degrees are recorded here. As for winter, the air temperature in the north can reach -10 degrees, and in the south – up to +10 degrees.

Pool Features

There is no need to assume that the Caspian Sea is just a closed body of water limited by its shores. On the map, the sea has fairly smooth shores, but in reality its borders are indented by small capes and peninsulas, as well as channels and river mouths. The coastline is about 7 thousand kilometers (if you take into account the islands).

The coast of the lake in its northern part looks low, there is some swampiness due to the presence of many channels. From the east, the Caspian coast is mainly limestone, and the territories smoothly turn into semi-desert lands. The tortuosity of the coastal edges is highest in the east and west.

Any large body of water cannot do without islands, and the Caspian Sea is no exception. The islands of the Caspian Sea are diverse, their total number is almost 50 islands of different sizes. The largest include:

• Boyuk-Zira;
• seal;
• Chechen;
• Ashur-Ada;
• Ogurchinsky;
• Cure-Dashi;

The coast of the Caspian Sea is also rich in peninsulas, among which Mangyshlak, Apsheronsky, and Tyub-Karagan stand out. Finally, the geography of the Caspian Sea includes many large and small bays. The most famous of them are:

• Kizlyarsky;
• Kara-Bogaz-Gol;
• Mangyshlaksky;
• Gizilagac;
• Turkmenbashi;
• Astrakhan (Astrakhansky);
• Hyrcanus.

Of these bays, one can especially highlight Kara-Bogaz-Gol, which is located in the eastern part of the sea and today belongs to Turkmenistan. Until the end of the twentieth century, it was a kind of Caspian lagoon, which was connected to “ big water" Strait. In the 1980s, back during the Soviet era, a dam and then a dam were built here, as a result of which the water level in the bay was reduced.

Today the situation has returned to its original point, since the strait was restored. Water enters the bay in volumes of 10-17 cubic kilometers annually. However, due to the hot climate, it evaporates, so the Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay is extremely salty.

The Caspian Sea, like other similar bodies of water, has rich flora and fauna. A variety of algae predominate here, and researchers believe that most of The Caspian is of local origin. However, it is also possible that some algae were brought here artificially - for example, on the bottoms of merchant ships from other seas.

The Caspian Sea is quite diverse. There are more than 100 species of fish. This is where the famous sturgeon and other fish of the same family are found. Basically, the fish of the Caspian are those that live in fresh or low-salt waters: pike, carp, salmon, mullet, perch, carp, some of which are listed in. You can find seals in the sea.

Development of waters and seabed

Who among us doesn't remember famous phrase from geography textbooks: “The Volga flows into the Caspian Sea.” This river is the largest of those whose mouth is the Caspian Sea. Every year it delivers up to 224 cubic kilometers of fresh water to the sea. But there are others, smaller ones, who also flock here. In addition to Volga, these are:

1. Terek.
2. Ural.
3. Samur.
4. Sulak.

These rivers flow through the territory of Russia, and in addition to them, the waters of the Atrek (Turkmenistan), Kura (), Sefidrud (Iran), and Emba (Kazakhstan) rivers flow into the Caspian Sea. In total, out of 130 different rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea, the mouths of nine water streams are formed in the form of a delta.

The development of the lake took place over many centuries. Today, the ports of the Caspian Sea connect the shores of the reservoir with trade routes. Of the Russian ports, the most important are Makhachkala and Astrakhan, from which ships are constantly sent to the Kazakh Aktau, the Azerbaijani Baku and other coastal shores of the Caspian Sea. In addition, it is connected to the Sea of ​​Azov, which is reached through the Don and Volga rivers, as well as through the Volga-Don Canal.

An important direction in the economic development of the Caspian basin and the sea itself is oil production. The oil resources of the sea currently amount to approximately 10 billion tons - these are the estimates given by researchers. If we add gas condensate to this, then the reserves double.

Oil production is the most important sector of the economy of the countries of the Caspian region, therefore, for many years, disagreements regarding the use of the resources of the sea have been unresolved. During the existence of the USSR, the territory of the Caspian Sea belonged to Soviet Union and Iran.

Legal documents on the division of the reservoir and the use of its shelf, which were concluded between Iran and the USSR, are still in force. At the same time, disputes regarding the legal division of territories continue. Thus, Iran proposes to divide equally between five countries, and the three former Soviet republics insist that the reservoir be divided along the median demarcation line.

This issue remains very serious, because depending on where the sea should be divided, not only the volume of oil production for each Caspian state depends, but also the use of other resources of the reservoir. Here we can talk, first of all, about fisheries, because the sea is very generous with fish stocks.

They harvest not only fish, but also the famous caviar, as well as seal. However, the reproduction of the fish stock today would be much more effective if it were not for the poachers of the Caspian Sea, who organize illegal sturgeon fishing and illegally extract caviar.

Moreover, they exist in almost all Caspian countries, so the fight against them is common to neighboring countries Caspian basin. As a result, the export of sturgeon to last years limited, since both Russia and other Caspian countries are interested in preserving this natural wealth region.

Poaching is a serious problem, and today Russia, together with Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, are developing measures aimed at legally limiting illegal fishing.

However, there is another a big problem The Caspian Sea is pollution of sea waters. The reason is oil production, as well as oil transportation by sea. We should not forget that big cities located on the shores of a reservoir are a constant source of water pollution. In addition, industrial enterprises, despite strict prohibitions, sometimes still discharge waste into rivers, which then end up in the sea.

Environmental violations lead not only to general pollution of the Caspian waters, but also to changes in the boundaries of the reservoir itself (swamping, drying out, and so on). But it’s not even worth talking about the importance of the Caspian Sea for the entire region.

Holidays at the resorts of the Caspian Sea

In order to understand what human civilization can lose by losing the Caspian Sea, you can look at its photo. This body of water is an amazing place for a good rest, and the sea landscapes invariably impress everyone who comes here. A vacation spent on the Caspian Sea turns out to be no worse than on the Black Sea shores. Fresh air, mild climate and comfortable beaches - this is what it can give to tourists.

If you decide to go to the Caspian Sea, the prices for holidays will pleasantly surprise you. Tourism is valued largely because it turns out to be inexpensive compared to what awaits tourists going to resorts in other regions of the planet. Residents of Russia can relax very cheaply within their country and at the same time receive excellent service, no different in level from the Mediterranean.

There are several resorts in Russian cities (most of which are in), which are particularly popular with tourists. This:

• Astrakhan;
• Dagestan Lights;
• Kaspiysk;
• Izberbash;
• Lagan.

If tourists go to Derbent, first of all, to see its ancient sights, and to Astrakhan - to enjoy fishing, then vacation spots in Makhachkala are among the most comfortable and cozy beaches of the Caspian Sea.

This resort attracts not only a comfortable holiday, but also the opportunity to improve your health, because there are thermal and mineral springs here. Among the foreign resorts, we can note the Kazakh Aktau, the Azerbaijani Sumgait and the Turkmen recreation area Avaza.

Today the Caspian Sea is one of the most important world regions in economically. Without it, it is impossible to imagine modern Eurasia and, especially, the history of Russia. This means that the state of this reservoir must be protected by the state.