The eastern coast of the Caspian Sea which state. Rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea: list, description, characteristics. Main directions of economic activity

, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Azerbaijan

Geographical position

Caspian Sea - view from space.

The Caspian Sea is located at the junction of two parts of the Eurasian continent - Europe and Asia. The length of the Caspian Sea from north to south is about 1200 kilometers (36 ° 34 "-47 ° 13" N), from west to east - from 195 to 435 kilometers, on average 310-320 kilometers (46 ° -56 ° c. d.).

The Caspian Sea is conventionally divided by physical and geographical conditions into 3 parts - the North Caspian, the Middle Caspian and the South Caspian. The conditional border between the North and Middle Caspian runs along the line about. Chechnya - Cape Tyub-Karagan, between the Middle and South Caspian - along the line of about. Residential - Cape Gan-Gulu. The area of ​​the North, Middle and South Caspian is 25, 36, 39 percent, respectively.

Caspian Sea coast

Coast of the Caspian Sea in Turkmenistan

The territory adjacent to the Caspian Sea is called the Caspian region.

Peninsulas of the Caspian Sea

• Ashur-Ada
• Garasu
• Zyanbil
• Hara-Zira
• Sengi-Mugan
• Chygyl

Bays of the Caspian Sea

• Russia (Dagestan, Kalmykia and the Astrakhan region) - in the west and north-west, the length of the coastline is about 1930 kilometers
• Kazakhstan - in the north, north-east and east, the length of the coastline is about 2320 kilometers
• Turkmenistan - in the southeast, the length of the coastline is about 650 kilometers
• Iran - in the south, the length of the coastline is about 1000 kilometers
• Azerbaijan - in the south-west, the length of the coastline is about 800 kilometers

Cities on the coast of the Caspian Sea

On the Russian coast there are cities - Lagan, Makhachkala, Kaspiysk, Izberbash and the most Southern City Russia Derbent. Port city The Caspian Sea is also considered Astrakhan, which, however, is not located on the shores of the Caspian Sea, but in the Volga delta, 60 kilometers from the northern coast of the Caspian Sea.

Physiography

Area, depth, volume of water

The area and volume of water in the Caspian Sea varies significantly depending on the fluctuations in the water level. At a water level of -26.75 m, the area is approximately 371,000 square kilometers, the volume of water is 78,648 cubic kilometers, which is approximately 44% of the world's lake water reserves. Maximum depth Caspian Sea - in the South Caspian depression, 1025 meters from its surface. In terms of maximum depth, the Caspian Sea is second only to Baikal (1620 m) and Tanganyika (1435 m). The average depth of the Caspian Sea, calculated according to the bathygraphic curve, is 208 meters. In the same time Northern part The Caspian Sea is shallow, its maximum depth does not exceed 25 meters, and the average depth is 4 meters.

Water level fluctuations

Vegetable world

The flora of the Caspian Sea and its coast is represented by 728 species. Of the plants in the Caspian Sea, algae predominate - blue-green, diatoms, red, brown, charovy and others, from flowering plants - zostera and ruppia. By origin, the flora belongs mainly to the Neogene age, however, some plants were introduced into the Caspian Sea by humans deliberately or on the bottoms of ships.

History of the Caspian Sea

Origin of the Caspian Sea

Anthropological and cultural history of the Caspian Sea

Finds in the Khuto cave off the southern coast of the Caspian Sea indicate that people lived in these parts about 75 thousand years ago. The first mentions of the Caspian Sea and tribes living on its coast are found at Herodotus. Around the V-II centuries. BC NS. the tribes of the Saks lived on the coast of the Caspian. Later, during the period of the settlement of the Turks, during the IV-V centuries. n. NS. Talysh tribes (Talysh) lived here. According to ancient Armenian and Iranian manuscripts, Russians sailed in the Caspian Sea from the 9th-10th centuries.

Exploration of the Caspian Sea

The exploration of the Caspian Sea was started by Peter the Great, when, on his order, in 1714-1715, an expedition was organized under the leadership of A. Bekovich-Cherkassky. In the 1720s, hydrographic research was continued by the expedition of Karl von Verden and F.I.Soimonov, and later by I.V. Tokmachev, M.I.Voinovich and other researchers. At the beginning of the 19th century, instrumental survey of the banks was carried out by I.F.Kolodkin, in the middle of the 19th century. - instrumental geographic survey under the direction of N. A. Ivashintsev. Since 1866, for more than 50 years, expeditionary research on the hydrology and hydrobiology of the Caspian has been conducted under the leadership of N.M. Knipovich. In 1897, the Astrakhan Research Station was founded. In the first decades of Soviet power in the Caspian Sea, geological research by I.M.Gubkin and other Soviet geologists was actively carried out, mainly aimed at finding oil, as well as research on the study of the water balance and fluctuations in the level of the Caspian Sea.

Economy of the Caspian Sea

Mining of oil and gas

Many oil and gas fields are being developed in the Caspian Sea. The proven oil resources in the Caspian Sea are about 10 billion tons, the 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 near Baku. In the second half of the 19th century, oil production began in industrial volumes on the Absheron Peninsula, then in other territories.

Shipping

Shipping is well developed in the Caspian Sea. Ferry services operate on the Caspian Sea, in particular, Baku - Turkmenbashi, Baku - Aktau, Makhachkala - Aktau. The Caspian Sea has a navigable connection with the Sea of ​​Azov through the Volga, Don and Volga-Don Canal.

Fishing and seafood production

Fishing (sturgeon, bream, carp, pike perch, sprat), caviar and seal fishing. More than 90 percent of the world's sturgeon catch is carried out in the Caspian Sea. In addition to industrial production, illegal production of sturgeon and their caviar is flourishing in the Caspian Sea.

Recreational resources

The natural environment of the Caspian coast with sandy beaches, mineral waters and curative mud in the coastal area creates good conditions for recreation and treatment. At the same time, according to the degree of development of resorts and tourism industry Caspian coast noticeably loses to the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. At the same time, in recent years, the tourism industry has been actively developing on the coast of Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan and Russian Dagestan. Azerbaijan is actively developing resort area in the Baku region. At the moment, a world-class resort has been created in Amburan, another modern tourist complex is being built in the area of ​​the village of Nardaran, recreation in the sanatoriums of the villages of Bilgah and Zagulba is very popular. A resort area is also developing in Nabran, in the north of Azerbaijan. but high prices, in general, the low level of service and the lack of advertising lead to the fact that on Caspian resorts there are almost no foreign tourists. The development of the tourism industry in Turkmenistan is hindered by a long-term policy of isolation, in Iran - by Sharia law, which makes it impossible for foreign tourists to spend mass vacations on the Caspian coast of Iran.

Environmental problems

Environmental problems of the Caspian Sea are associated with water pollution as a result of oil production and transportation on the continental shelf, the influx of pollutants from the Volga and other rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea, the vital activity of coastal cities, as well as flooding of certain objects due to the rise in the level of the Caspian Sea. Predatory hunting of sturgeon and their caviar, rampant poaching lead to a decrease in the number of sturgeons and to forced restrictions on their production and export.

International status of the Caspian Sea

Legal status of the Caspian Sea

After the collapse of the USSR, the division of the Caspian Sea for a long time was and still remains the subject of unresolved disagreements related to the division of the resources of the Caspian shelf - oil and gas, as well as biological resources. For a long time, negotiations were going on between the Caspian states on the status of the Caspian Sea - Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan insisted on dividing the Caspian along the median line, Iran - on dividing the Caspian Sea by one fifth between all the Caspian states.

With regard to the Caspian, the key is the physical and geographical circumstance that it is a closed inland water body that does not have a natural connection with the World Ocean. Accordingly, the norms and concepts of international maritime law should not be automatically applied to the Caspian Sea, in particular, the provisions of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. economic zone "," continental shelf ", etc.

The current legal regime of the Caspian Sea was established by the Soviet-Iranian treaties of 1921 and 1940. These treaties provide for freedom of navigation throughout the sea, freedom of fishing with the exception of ten-mile national fishing zones and a ban on ships flying the flag of non-Caspian states in its waters.

Negotiations on the legal status of the Caspian are currently ongoing.

Delimitation of sections of the seabed of the Caspian Sea for the purpose of subsoil use

The Russian Federation signed an agreement with Kazakhstan on delimiting the bottom of the northern part of the Caspian Sea in order to exercise sovereign rights to subsoil use (dated July 6, 1998 and the Protocol to it dated May 13, 2002), an agreement with Azerbaijan on delimiting adjacent sections of the bottom of the northern part of the Caspian Sea (dated September 23, 2002), as well as the trilateral Russian-Azerbaijani-Kazakh agreement on the junction point of the delimitation lines of adjacent sections of the seabed of the Caspian Sea (dated May 14, 2003), which established geographical coordinates dividing lines limiting the seabed areas within which the parties exercise their sovereign rights in the field of exploration and production of mineral resources.

The program of celebration of the Day of the Caspian Sea has begun in Astrakhan today. Such holidays are also celebrated in five Caspian states. Although the Caspian in modern conditions requires not so much festive events as respect from everyone who inhabits its shores and exploits its wealth.

"Caspian News", of course, cannot stand aside, because the attitude towards the Caspian Sea is in the very name and ideology of our portal. Our story about unique body of water- a kind of offering to the "hero of the occasion".

The uniqueness of the Caspian Sea lies, first of all, in the fact that it is not a sea at all, but a real drainless lake. The sea should have access to the World Ocean, which the Caspian does not have, on the other hand, it is salt Lake possesses all sea signs, starting with the ebb and flow and ending with real storms, about which the sailors say: "Anyone who has survived a storm in the Caspian is not afraid of any ocean storms." And the oceanic bottom topography is convincing evidence that initially the Caspian, together with the Black and The Azov seas belonged to a single ancient reservoir, that is, it was part of the World Ocean.

Where it is now Caspian lake, several tens of thousands of years ago, a depression formed in the earth's crust. Today it is filled with the waters of the Caspian. At the end of the 20th century, the water level in the Caspian Sea was 28 meters below the level of the World Ocean. About six thousand years ago, the waters of the Caspian gained independence, parting with the World Ocean. Another feature that distinguishes the Caspian from the sea is that the salinity of the water in it is almost three times lower than the salinity of the sea. This is because the rivers carry their fresh waters to the Caspian Sea. The Volga accounts for the largest contribution: it gives the sea-lake almost 80% of all waters. And it also connects the Caspian with the World Ocean through a system of canals. That is why this lake is still considered the sea!

In terms of its area and volume of water, the Caspian Sea-Lake has no equal on Earth. The volume of water in the Caspian Sea is 44% of all lake water reserves of the planet! If we talk about the depth of reservoirs, their area and volume of water, then the lake can compete with the Yellow, Baltic and Black Seas and surpasses the Aegean and Adriatic Seas in the same parameters.

Not every sea can boast of having so many names in its history as the Caspian Sea: as many as seventy! Every traveler, every expedition to the Caspian and the ancient peoples inhabiting its coast, gave him their names. The most famous names are: Dzhurdzhanskoe, Khvalynskoe, Shirvanskoe, Derbentskoe, Sarayskoe and finally, Khazarskoe. In Azerbaijan and Iran, the Caspian Sea is still called the Khazar Sea. BUT modern name the sea received because of the tribes of the Caspian horse breeders, who for a very long time inhabited the eastern parts of the Caucasus and the steppes of the Caspian territories.

The Caspian Sea is the hero of many legends and traditions in the epic of all peoples living on its shores. Legends, as a rule, tell about the love of the mighty and beautiful hero of the Caspian Sea for some of the beauties named Volga, Kura or Amu-Darya - the choice is huge, since about 130 large and small rivers flow into the sea, nine of which have a mouth in the form deltas. Fantasy on the theme of love is about the same for everyone.

The sea water area is divided into three areas: North, Middle and South Caspian. The North Caspian is shallow. The greatest depth of the Middle Caspian in the area of ​​the Derbent depression is about 788 m. The South Caspian begins behind the Absheron threshold, it is here that the sea is deepest: about 1025 m. For clarity, imagine three Eiffel towers, stacked on top of each other.

There are many secrets and mysteries associated with the Caspian Sea. In 1939, archaeologists-divers found a flooded ancient gostiny dvor (caravanserai) in the Baku bay. Many inscriptions have been preserved on the walls, indicating that the building was erected in the years 1234-1235. Perhaps these are leftovers ancient city Sabail. Ancient quarries have been discovered in the sea nearby. And in 1940, when laying a dam on the Absheron Peninsula, an ancient cemetery was discovered at the bottom of the sea. The burials date back to the 1st century BC. It can be assumed that the level of the Caspian in those days was about four meters lower than the present.

It is no coincidence that the inscription on geographic map compiled in 1320, reads: “The sea comes to one palm every year, and already many good cities flooded "

Instrumental measurement of the level of the Caspian Sea and systematic observations of its fluctuation have been carried out since 1837. The highest water level was recorded in 1882 (-25.2 m), the lowest in 1977 (-29.0 m), since 1978 the water level has been rising and in 1995 reached -26.7 m, since 1996 Years again began to decline, and since 2001 - again increased and reached the level of -26.3 m. The reasons for this "behavior" of the Caspian Sea - in climate change, as well as geological and anthropogenic factors.

Another mystery of the unique sea-lake remains the Caspian seal: scientists cannot answer the question of where the animal of northern latitudes came from in the Caspian Sea. In total, 1809 species of various groups of animals live in the Caspian Sea. The Caspian Sea is also famous for its valuable fish species, in particular sturgeon. Their reserves account for up to 80% of the world's resources. The most valuable caviar is not black, as many are accustomed to believe, but white. The albino beluga caviar "Almas" has a color from light gray to white. The lighter, the more expensive: the cost of 100 grams is $ 2,000. This fish is caught in the Caspian Sea off the coast of Iran.

Many oil and gas fields are being developed in the Caspian Sea. The first oil well was drilled on the Absheron Peninsula near Baku back in 1820. In 1949, for the first time, they began to extract oil from the bottom of the Caspian Sea. Salt, limestone, stone, sand and clay are also mined on the coast of the Caspian Sea and the Caspian shelf.

The Caspian Sea washes the shores of five countries: Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Iran and Russia. For several years now, the Caspian Day has been celebrated in every country, reminding that the Caspian is not just a drinker and breadwinner for the peoples inhabiting its shores, but a very fragile ecosystem.

By the way, in 1978, the World Maritime Day appeared in the calendar of world events, which belongs to the international days of the UN, designed to draw the attention of mankind to the problems of the hydraulic system. There is also an international day of the Black Sea: in 1996, representatives of Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey and Georgia signed a strategic action plan to save the Black Sea. In this series, the day of the Caspian Sea is also, rather, not a holiday, but a warning, a warning to people about how everything is interconnected in this world and how it is possible, mercilessly exploiting, to lose what is dear to everyone.

Marina Parenskaya

The Caspian Sea is the largest closed body of water on the planet Earth, located on the continent of Eurasia - in the border territories of the states of Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran and Azerbaijan. In fact, it is a giant lake left after the disappearance of the ancient Tethys ocean. Nevertheless, there is every reason to consider it as an independent sea (this is indicated by salinity, big square and a decent depth, the bottom of the oceanic crust and other signs). In terms of maximum depth, it is the third among closed bodies of water - after lakes Baikal and Tanganyika. In the northern part of the Caspian Sea (a few kilometers from the northern coast - parallel to it) there is a geographical border between Europe and Asia.

Toponymy

• Other names: in the entire history of mankind among different peoples, the Caspian Sea had about 70 different names... The most famous of them: Khvalynskoe or Khvalisskoe (took place during the time of Ancient Russia, arose by the name of the people praises who lived in the Northern Caspian Sea and traded with the Russians), Girkanskoe or Dzhurdzhanskoe (descended from alternative names the city of Gorgan, located in Iran), Khazar, Abeskun (by the name of the island and the city in the Kura delta - now flooded), Saraisk, Derbent, Sihai.
• Origin of name: according to one hypothesis, the Caspian Sea received its modern and most ancient name from a tribe of nomadic horse breeders Kaspiev living in 1st millennium BC on the southwest coast.

Morphometry

• Drainage area: 3,626,000 km².
• Mirror area: 371,000 km².
• Coastline length: 7,000 km
• Volume: 78 200 km³.
• Average depth: 208 m.
• Maximum depth: 1,025 m.

Hydrology

• The presence of a constant flow: no, drainless.
• Inflows:, Ural, Emba, Atrek, Gorgan, Heraz, Sefidrud, Astarchay, Kura, Pirsagat, Kusarchay, Samur, Rubas, Darvagchay, Uluchay, Shuraozen, Sulak, Terek, Kuma.
• Bottom: very diverse. At shallow depths, sandy soil with an admixture of shells is common, in deep-water places it is silty. Pebble and rocky places can be found in the coastal strip (especially where mountain ranges adjoin the sea). In the estuarine areas, the underwater soil consists of river sediments. The Kara-Bogaz-Gol bay is notable for the fact that its bottom is a thick layer of mineral salts.

Chemical composition

• Water: brackish.
• Salinity: 13 g / l.
• Transparency: 15 m.

Geography

Rice. 1. Map of the Caspian Sea Basin.

• Coordinates: 41 ° 59′02 ″ s. sh., 51 ° 03'52 ″ in. etc.
• Height above sea level:-28 m.
• Coastal landscape: due to the fact that the coastline of the Caspian Sea is very long, and it itself is located in different geographic zones, the coastal landscape is diverse. In the northern part of the reservoir, the shores are low, swampy, in places of the deltas of large rivers cut by numerous channels. Eastern shores mostly limestone - desert or semi-desert. The western and southern shores are adjacent to mountain ranges. The most indented coastline is observed in the west - in the area of ​​the Apsheron Peninsula, as well as in the east - in the area of ​​the Kazakh and Kara-Bogaz-Gol bays.
• Settlements on the banks:
  • Russia: Astrakhan, Derbent, Kaspiysk, Makhachkala, Olya.
  • Kazakhstan: Aktau, Atyrau, Kuryk, Sogandyk, Bautino.
  • Turkmenistan: Ekerem, Karabogaz, Turkmenbashi, Khazar.
  • Iran: Astara, Balboser, Bandar-Torkemen, Bandar-Anzali, Neka, Chalus.
  • Azerbaijan: Alat, Astara, Baku, Dubendi, Lankaran, Sangachaly, Sumgayit.

Interactive map

Ecology

The ecological situation in the Caspian Sea is far from ideal. Practically all large rivers flowing into it are polluted by wastewater from industrial enterprises located upstream. This could not but affect the presence of pollutants in the waters and bottom sediments of the Caspian - over the past half century, their concentration has significantly increased, and the content of some heavy metals has already exceeded the permissible limits.

In addition, the waters of the Caspian Sea are constantly polluted by domestic wastewater from coastal cities, as well as during oil production on the continental shelf, and during its transportation.

Fishing in the Caspian Sea

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• Artificial settlement: not all of the above fish species in the Caspian Sea are indigenous. About 4 dozen species came by accident (for example, through canals from the Black and Baltic Seas), or were deliberately inhabited by humans. An example is mullet. Three Black Sea species of these fish - striped mullet, ostronos and singil - were released in the first half of the 20th century. Loban did not take root, but the ostronos with the singil have successfully acclimatized, and by now they have settled practically throughout the entire water area of ​​the Caspian, having formed several commercial herds. At the same time, the fish feed faster than in the Black Sea, and reach larger sizes. In the second half of the last century (since 1962), attempts were also made to settle in the Caspian Sea such Far Eastern salmon fishes as pink salmon and chum salmon. In total, several billion fry of these fish were released into the sea for 5 years. Pink salmon did not survive in the new habitat, chum salmon - on the contrary - successfully took root and even began to spawn in the rivers flowing into the sea. However, she could not reproduce in sufficient numbers and gradually disappeared. So far, there are no favorable conditions for its full-fledged natural reproduction (there are very few places where spawning and development of fry could successfully occur). To ensure them, reclamation of rivers is needed, otherwise, without human help (artificial sampling of eggs and its incubation), fish will not be able to maintain their numbers.

Fishing spots

In fact, fishing is possible anywhere along the coast of the Caspian Sea, which can be reached by land or water. What species of fish will be caught at the same time depends on local conditions, but to a greater extent on whether rivers flow here. As a rule, in places where estuaries and deltas are located (especially large watercourses), the water in the sea is strongly desalinated, therefore freshwater fish (carp, catfish, bream, etc.) usually prevail in catches, and species characteristic of flowing rivers (barbel, shemaya). Of the marine species in desalinated areas, those for which salinity does not matter (mullet, some of the gobies) are caught. At certain times of the year, semi-anadromous and anadromous species can be found here, feeding in the sea, and spawning in rivers (sturgeon, some of herring, Caspian salmon). In places where there are no rivers flowing into it, freshwater species are found in slightly smaller numbers, but at the same time marine fish appear, usually avoiding desalinated areas (for example, sea pike perch). Away from the coast, fish that prefer salt water and deep-sea species are caught.

Conventionally, there are 9 places or sites that are interesting in terms of fishing:

1. North Shore (RF)- this site is located on the northern coast of the Russian Federation (from the Volga delta to the Kizlyar Bay). Its main features are insignificant salinity of water (the lowest in the Caspian Sea), shallow depth, the presence of multiple shoals, islands, highly developed aquatic vegetation. In addition to the Volga delta with its numerous channels, bays and eriks, it also includes the near-estuarine seashore, called the Caspian peals. These places are popular with Russian fishermen, and for good reason: the conditions for fish are very favorable here, and there is also a good food base. The ichthyofauna in these parts may not be distinguished by the richness of species, but it is distinguished by its multiplicity, and its individual representatives reach very considerable sizes. Typically, the main catches are freshwater fish typical for the Volga basin. Most often caught: perch, pike perch, roach (more precisely, its varieties, called roach and ram), rudd, asp, sabrefish, bream, goldfish, carp, catfish, pike. Bersh, silver bream, white-eyed, blue bream are somewhat less common. Representatives of sturgeon (sturgeon, stellate sturgeon, beluga, etc.), salmon (nelma, brown trout - Caspian salmon) are also found in these places, but their catch is prohibited.
2. Northwest coast (RF)- this section covers the west coast Russian Federation(from Kizlyar Bay to Makhachkala). The rivers Kuma, Terek and Sulak flow here - they carry their waters both along natural channels and artificial canals. There are bays in this area, some of which are quite large (Kizlyarsky, Agrakhansky). The sea in these places is shallow. Freshwater fish predominate in the catches: pike, perch, carp, catfish, rudd, bream, barbel, etc.
3. West Bank (RF)- from Makhachkala to the border of the Russian Federation with Azerbaijan. A site where mountain ranges adjoin the sea. The salinity of the water here is slightly higher than in previous places, therefore, in the catches of fishermen, marine species are more common (sea pike perch, mullet, herring). However, freshwater fish are by no means uncommon.
4. West Bank (Azerbaijan)- from the border of the Russian Federation with Azerbaijan along the Absheron Peninsula. Continuation of the site, where mountain ranges adjoin the sea. Fishing here is even more like a typical sea one, thanks to fish such as ostronos and singil (mullet) and several species of gobies, which are also caught here. In addition to them, there are kutum, herring, and some typically freshwater species, for example, the carp.
5. Southwest coast (Azerbaijan)- from the Absheron Peninsula to the border of Azerbaijan with Iran. Most of this site is occupied by the Kura River delta. The same fish species that were listed in the previous paragraph are caught here, but freshwater fish are more often caught.
6. North coast (Kazakhstan)- this section covers the northern coast of Kazakhstan. The Ural delta and state reserve"Akzhaiyk", therefore, fishing directly in the river delta and in some adjacent water area is prohibited. Fishing is possible only outside the reserve - upstream of the delta, or in the sea - at some distance from it. Fishing near the Ural delta has a lot in common with fishing at the confluence of the Volga - almost the same species of fish are found here.
7. North-east coast (Kazakhstan)- from the mouth of the Emba to Cape Tyub-Karagan. In contrast to the northern part of the sea, where the water is greatly diluted by the large rivers flowing into it, its salinity somewhat increases here, therefore those species of fish appear that avoid freshened areas, for example, sea pike perch, which is caught in the Dead Kultuk Bay. Also, other representatives of the marine fauna are often found in the catches.
8. East coast (Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan)- from Cape Tyub-Karagan to the border of Turkmenistan and Iran. Differs in almost complete absence of flowing rivers. The salinity of the water is at its maximum here. Of the fish in these places, marine species predominate, the main catch is mullet, sea pike perch and gobies.
9. South Coast (Iran)- covers the southern coast of the Caspian. Along the entire length of this section, the sea is adjacent to mountain range Elburs. Many rivers flow here, most of which are represented by small streams, there are also several medium and one large river. Among fish, in addition to marine species, there are also some freshwater, as well as semi-anadromous and anadromous species, for example, sturgeon.

Fishing features

The most popular and catchy amateur tackle, which is used on the Caspian coast, is a heavy spinning rod converted into a "sea donkey". Usually it is equipped with a strong reel, on which a rather thick line (0.3 mm and more) is wound. The thickness of the fishing line is determined not so much by the size of the fish as by the mass of a rather heavy sinker, which is necessary for ultra-long casting (in the Caspian it is generally believed that the further from the coast the casting point is, the better). After the sinker, there is a thinner line - with several leads. Shrimps and amphipods that live in coastal thickets of seaweed are used as a bait - if you intend to fish for sea fish, or an ordinary bait like a worm, May beetle larvae and others - if freshwater species are found in the fishing area.

At the mouths of rivers flowing in, other gear can be used, such as a float rod, feeder and traditional spinning rod.

kasparova2 majorov2006 g2gg2g-61.

Photo 8. Sunset in Aktau.

Caspian Sea is inland and is located in an extensive mainland depression on the border of Europe and Asia. The Caspian Sea has no connection with the ocean, which formally allows us to call it a lake, but it has all the features of the sea, since in past geological eras it had connections with the ocean.
Today Russia has access only to the North Caspian and the Dagestan part of the western coast of the Middle Caspian. The waters of the Caspian Sea wash the shores of countries such as Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan.
The sea area is 386.4 thousand km2, the volume of water is 78 thousand m3.

The Caspian Sea has a vast drainage basin, with an area of ​​about 3.5 million km2. The nature of the landscapes, climatic conditions and types of rivers are different. Despite the vastness of the drainage basin, only 62.6% of its area is in wastewater areas; about 26.1% - for closed drainage. The area of ​​the Caspian Sea itself is 11.3%. 130 rivers flow into it, but almost all of them are located in the north and west (and the eastern bank does not have a single river reaching the sea at all). The largest river in the Caspian basin is the Volga, which provides 78% of the river waters entering the sea (it should be noted that more than 25% of Russia's economy is located in the basin of this river, and this undoubtedly determines many hydrochemical and other features of the Caspian Sea waters), as well as rivers Kura, Zhaiyk (Ural), Terek, Sulak, Samur.

Physically and geographically and by the nature of the underwater relief, the sea is divided into three parts: northern, middle and southern. The conditional border between the northern and middle parts runs along the line of the Chechen island - the Tyub-Karagan cape, between the middle and the south - along the line of the Zhiloy island - Kuuli cape.
The shelf of the Caspian Sea is, on average, limited to a depth of about 100 m. The continental slope, which begins below the edge of the shelf, ends in the middle part at a depth of 500–600 m, in the southern part, where it is very steep, at 700–750 m.

The northern part of the sea is shallow, its average depth is 5–6 m, maximum depths of 15–20 m are located on the border with the middle part of the sea. The bottom relief is complicated by the presence of banks, islands, grooves.
The middle part of the sea is a separate basin, the area of ​​maximum depths of which - the Derbent depression - is shifted to the western coast. The average depth of this part of the sea is 190 m, the greatest is 788 m.

The southern part of the sea is separated from the middle Apsheron sill, which is a continuation of the Greater Caucasus. The depths above this underwater ridge do not exceed 180 m. The deepest part of the South Caspian depression with a maximum depth of 1025 m for the sea is located east of the Kura delta. Several underwater ridges rise above the bottom of the basin, up to 500 m high.

The shores The Caspian Sea is diverse. In the northern part of the sea, they are rather strongly indented. Here are the Kizlyarsky, Agrakhansky, Mangyshlaksky bays and many shallow bays. Notable peninsulas: Agrakhansky, Buzachi, Tyub-Karagan, Mangyshlak. Large islands in the northern part of the sea - Tyuleniy, Kulaly. In the deltas of the Volga and Ural rivers, the coastline is complicated by many islets and channels, which often change their position. Many small islands and banks are located on other parts of the coastline.
The middle part of the sea has a relatively flat coastline. On the western coast, on the border with the southern part of the sea, the Absheron Peninsula is located. To the east of it are the islands and banks of the Absheron archipelago, of which the largest is Zhiloy Island. The eastern coast of the Middle Caspian is more indented, here the Kazakh Gulf with Kenderli Bay and several capes stand out. The largest bay on this coast is Kara-Bogaz-Gol.

The islands of the Baku archipelago are located to the south of the Absheron Peninsula. The origin of these islands, as well as some banks off the eastern coast of the southern part of the sea, is associated with the activity of underwater mud volcanoes lying on the bottom of the sea. On the eastern coast there are large bays of Turkmenbashy and Turkmensky, and near the island of Ogurchinsky.

One of the most striking phenomena of the Caspian is the periodic variability of its level. IN historical time The Caspian Sea had a level lower than the World Ocean. Fluctuations in the level of the Caspian Sea are so great that for more than a century they have attracted the attention of not only scientists. Its peculiarity is that in the memory of mankind its level has always been below the level of the World Ocean. Since the beginning of instrumental observations (since 1830) over the sea level, the amplitude of its fluctuations was almost 4 m, from –25.3 m in the eighties of the XIX century. to –29 m in 1977. In the last century, the level of the Caspian Sea changed significantly twice. In 1929, it stood at about –26 m, and since it was close to this mark for almost a century, this level position was considered to be a mean annual or secular level. In 1930, the level began to decline rapidly. By 1941, it dropped by almost 2 m. This led to the drying up of vast coastal bottom areas. A decrease in the level, with its small fluctuations (short-term insignificant level rises in 1946-1948 and 1956-1958), continued until 1977 and reached -29.02 m, that is, the level took the lowest position in the last 200 years.

In 1978, contrary to all forecasts, the sea level began to rise. As of 1994, the level of the Caspian Sea was at -26.5 m, that is, in 16 years the level rose by more than 2 m. The rate of this rise is 15 cm per year. The increase in the level in some years was higher, and in 1991 it reached 39 cm.

The general fluctuations in the level of the Caspian Sea are superimposed on its seasonal changes, the mean multiyear of which reaches 40 cm, as well as on surges. The latter are especially pronounced in the North Caspian. For northwest coast characterized by large surges created by the prevailing storms of the eastern and southeastern directions, especially during the cold period of the year. A number of large (more than 1.5–3 m) surges have been observed here over the past decades. An especially large surge with catastrophic consequences was noted in 1952. Fluctuations in the level of the Caspian Sea cause great damage to the states surrounding its water area.

Climate. The Caspian Sea is located in temperate and subtropical climatic zones. Climatic conditions change in the meridional direction, since the sea stretches for almost 1200 km from north to south.
In the Caspian region, various systems of atmospheric circulation interact, however, during the year, the winds of the eastern points prevail (the influence of the Asian maximum). The position in rather low latitudes provides a positive balance of heat inflow, therefore the Caspian Sea serves as a source of heat and moisture for the passing air masses for most of the year. The average annual air temperature in the northern part of the sea is 8–10 ° С, in the middle - 11–14 ° С, in the southern part - 15–17 ° С. However, in the northernmost regions of the sea, the average January temperature is from –7 to –10 ° С, and the minimum during the invasions of the Arctic air is up to –30 ° С, which determines the formation of the ice cover. In summer, the entire region under consideration is dominated by rather high temperatures - 24–26 ° С. Thus, the North Caspian is subject to the sharpest temperature fluctuations.

The Caspian Sea is characterized by a very small amount of precipitation per year - only 180 mm, with most of it falling in the cold season of the year (from October to March). However, the North Caspian Sea differs in this respect from the rest of the basin: here the average annual precipitation is less (for the western part, only 137 mm), and the seasonal distribution is more even (10–18 mm per month). In general, we can talk about proximity climatic conditions to arid.
Water temperature. Distinctive features of the Caspian Sea (large differences in depths in different parts of the sea, the nature of the bottom topography, isolation) have a certain impact on the formation of temperature conditions. In the shallow North Caspian, the entire water column can be regarded as homogeneous (the same applies to shallow bays located in other parts of the sea). In the Middle and South Caspian, surface and deep masses can be distinguished, separated by a transitional layer. In the North Caspian and in the surface layers of the Middle and South Caspian, the water temperature varies over a wide range. In winter, temperatures change from north to south from less than 2 to 10 ° С, the water temperature near the western coast is 1–2 ° С higher than that of the east, in the open sea the temperature is higher than at the coasts: by 2–3 ° С in the middle part and by 3–4 ° С in the southern part of the sea. In winter, the temperature distribution is more uniform with depth, which is facilitated by the winter vertical circulation. In moderate and severe winters in the northern part of the sea and shallow bays on the eastern coast, the water temperature drops to freezing point.

In summer, the temperature changes in space from 20 to 28 ° C. The highest temperatures are observed in the southern part of the sea, and temperatures are also quite high in the well-warmed shallow North Caspian. The zone of distribution of the lowest temperatures is adjacent to the eastern coast. This is due to the rise of cold deep waters to the surface. Temperatures are also relatively low in the poorly warmed deep-water central part. In the open areas of the sea, in late May – early June, a layer of temperature jump begins, which is most pronounced in August. Most often it is located between the horizons of 20 and 30 m in the middle part of the sea and 30 and 40 m in the southern part. In the middle part of the sea, due to the drive off the east coast, the shock layer rises close to the surface. In the bottom layers of the sea, the temperature throughout the year is about 4.5 ° C in the middle part and 5.8–5.9 ° C in the southern part.

Salinity. Salinity values ​​are determined by factors such as river runoff, water dynamics, which mainly includes wind and gradient currents, the resulting water exchange between the western and eastern parts of the North Caspian and between the North and Middle Caspian, bottom topography, which determines the location of waters with different salinity, mainly along the isobaths, evaporation, providing a shortage of fresh water and the inflow of more saline ones. These factors collectively affect seasonal differences in salinity.
The North Caspian can be considered as a reservoir of constant mixing of river and Caspian waters. The most active mixing occurs in the western part, where both river and middle Caspian waters directly flow. In this case, horizontal salinity gradients can reach 1 ‰ per 1 km.

The eastern part of the North Caspian is characterized by a more uniform salinity field, since most of the river and sea (Middle Caspian) waters enter this sea area in a transformed form.

According to the values ​​of the horizontal salinity gradients, it is possible to distinguish in the western part of the North Caspian a river-sea contact zone with water salinity from 2 to 10 ‰, in the eastern part from 2 to 6 ‰.

Significant vertical salinity gradients in the North Caspian are formed as a result of the interaction of river and sea waters, with runoff playing a decisive role. The intensification of vertical stratification is also facilitated by the unequal thermal state of the water layers, since the temperature of the surface desalinated water arriving in summer from the seaside is 10–15 ° C higher than that of the bottom water.
In the deep-water basins of the Middle and South Caspian, salinity fluctuations in the upper layer are 1–1.5 ‰. The largest difference between the maximum and minimum salinity was noted in the Apsheron sill area, where it is 1.6 ‰ in the surface layer and 2.1 ‰ at the 5 m horizon.

The decrease in salinity along the western coast of the South Caspian in the 0–20 m layer is caused by the Kura river runoff. The influence of the Kura runoff decreases with depth; at the depths of 40–70 m, the range of salinity fluctuations is no more than 1.1 ‰. Along the entire western coast to the Absheron Peninsula, there is a strip of desalinated waters with a salinity of 10–12.5 ‰ coming from the North Caspian.

In addition, in the South Caspian, an increase in salinity occurs when saline waters are carried out from bays and bays on the eastern shelf under the influence of southeastern winds. Later, these waters are transferred to the Middle Caspian.
In the deep layers of the Middle and South Caspian, salinity is about 13 ‰. In the central part of the Middle Caspian, such salinity is observed at horizons below 100 m, and in the deep-water part of the South Caspian, the upper boundary of waters with increased salinity drops to 250 m. It is obvious that in these parts of the sea, vertical mixing of waters is difficult.

Surface water circulation. The currents in the sea are mainly wind-driven. In the western part of the Northern Caspian, the currents of the western and eastern quarters are most often observed, in the eastern - southwestern and southern ones. The currents caused by the runoff of the Volga and Ural rivers are traced only within the estuarine seashore. The prevailing current velocities are 10–15 cm / s, in the open regions of the Northern Caspian the maximum velocities are about 30 cm / s.

In the coastal areas of the middle and southern parts of the sea, in accordance with the directions of the wind, currents of the north-west, north, south-east and south directions are observed, along the east coast currents of the east direction often take place. Along the western coast of the middle part of the sea, the most stable currents are southeastern and southern. The velocities of the currents are on average about 20–40 cm / s, the maximum ones reach 50–80 cm / s. Other types of currents also play a significant role in the circulation of sea waters: gradient, seiche, inertial.

Ice formation. The North Caspian is covered with ice annually in November, the area of ​​the freezing part of the water area depends on the severity of winter: in severe winters, the entire North Caspian is covered with ice, in soft ice it is kept within the 2-3 meter isobath. The appearance of ice in the middle and southern parts of the sea occurs in December-January. On the east coast, ice is of local origin, on the west coast - most often brought from the northern part of the sea. In severe winters near the eastern coast of the middle part of the sea, shallow bays freeze, near the coast, coastlines and fast ice form, near the western coast, drifting ice in abnormally cold winters extends to the Absheron Peninsula. The disappearance of the ice cover is observed in the second half of February – March.

Oxygen content. The spatial distribution of dissolved oxygen in the Caspian Sea has a number of regularities. The central part of the Northern Caspian is characterized by a fairly uniform oxygen distribution. An increased oxygen content is found in the areas of the pre-estuarine seaside of the Volga River, and a lower one - in the southwestern part of the North Caspian. In the Middle and South Caspian, the highest oxygen concentrations are confined to coastal shallow areas and pre-estuarine coastal areas of rivers, with the exception of the most polluted areas of the sea (Baku Bay, Sumgait region, etc.). In the deep-water areas of the Caspian Sea, the main regularity remains in all seasons - a decrease in oxygen concentration with depth. Due to the autumn-winter cooling, the density of the waters of the North Caspian increases to a value at which it becomes possible for the North Caspian waters with a high oxygen content to flow along the continental slope to significant depths of the Caspian Sea. The seasonal distribution of oxygen is mainly associated with the annual course of water temperature and the seasonal ratio of production and destruction processes taking place in the sea. In spring, the production of oxygen in the process of photosynthesis very significantly overlaps the decrease in oxygen caused by a decrease in its solubility with an increase in water temperature in spring. In the areas of estuarine seaside rivers feeding the Caspian Sea, in spring there is a sharp increase in the relative oxygen content, which in turn is an integral indicator of the intensification of the photosynthesis process and characterizes the degree of productivity of the zones of mixing of sea and river waters. In summer, due to significant heating of water masses and activation of photosynthesis processes, the leading factors in the formation of oxygen regime in surface waters are photosynthetic processes, in bottom waters - biochemical oxygen consumption by bottom sediments. Owing to the high temperature of the waters, the stratification of the water column, the large influx of organic matter and its intense oxidation, oxygen is rapidly consumed with minimal input to the lower layers of the sea, as a result of which an oxygen deficiency zone forms in the North Caspian. Intensive photosynthesis in the open waters of the deep-water regions of the Middle and South Caspian covers the upper 25-meter layer, where oxygen saturation is more than 120%. In autumn, in the well-aerated shallow-water regions of the Northern, Middle and Southern Caspian, the formation of oxygen fields is determined by the processes of water cooling and the less active, but still ongoing process of photosynthesis. The oxygen content is increasing. The spatial distribution of nutrients in the Caspian Sea reveals the following regularities:

- increased concentrations of nutrients are characteristic of the areas of the estuarine seasides of rivers feeding the sea and shallow areas of the sea, subject to active anthropogenic influence (Baku Bay, Turkmenbashy Bay, waters adjacent to Makhachkala, Fort-Shevchenko, etc.);
- The North Caspian, which is a vast area of ​​mixing of river and sea waters, is characterized by significant spatial gradients in the distribution of nutrients;
- in the Middle Caspian, the cyclonic nature of the circulation contributes to the rise of deep waters with a high content of nutrients into the overlying layers of the sea;
- in the deep-water areas of the Middle and South Caspian, the vertical distribution of nutrients depends on the intensity of the convective mixing process, and their content increases with depth.

On the dynamics of concentrations nutrients During the year, the Caspian Sea is influenced by such factors as seasonal fluctuations in biogenic runoff in the sea, seasonal ratio of production and destruction processes, the intensity of exchange between soil and water mass, ice conditions in winter in the North Caspian, processes of winter vertical circulation in deep-water areas seas.
In winter, a significant water area of ​​the North Caspian is covered with ice, but biochemical processes are actively developing in sub-ice water and ice. The ice of the North Caspian, being a kind of accumulator of nutrients, transforms these substances entering the sea with river runoff and from the atmosphere.

As a result of the winter vertical circulation of waters in the deep-water regions of the Middle and South Caspian in the cold season, the active layer of the sea is enriched with nutrients due to their supply from the underlying layers.

Spring for the waters of the Northern Caspian is characterized by a minimum content of phosphates, nitrites and silicon, which is explained by the spring outbreak of phytoplankton development (silicon is actively consumed by diatoms). High concentrations of ammonium and nitrate nitrogen, characteristic of the waters of a large area of ​​the Northern Caspian during floods, are due to intensive washing by the river waters of the Volga delta.

In the spring season, in the area of ​​water exchange between the North and Middle Caspian in the subsurface layer, at the maximum oxygen content, the phosphate content is minimal, which, in turn, indicates the activation of the photosynthesis process in this layer.
In the South Caspian, the distribution of nutrients in spring is basically similar to their distribution in the Middle Caspian.

In summer, in the waters of the Northern Caspian, a redistribution of various forms of biogenic compounds is found. Here, the content of ammonium nitrogen and nitrates significantly decreases, at the same time, there is a slight increase in the concentrations of phosphates and nitrites and a rather significant increase in the concentration of silicon. In the Middle and South Caspian, the concentration of phosphates decreased due to their consumption in the process of photosynthesis and the difficulty of water exchange with the deep-water accumulation zone.

In the autumn in the Caspian Sea, due to the cessation of the activity of some types of phytoplankton, the content of phosphates and nitrates increases, and the concentration of silicon decreases, as there is an autumn outbreak of the development of diatoms.

More than 150 years on the shelf of the Caspian Sea oil.
Currently, large hydrocarbon reserves are being developed on the Russian shelf, the resources of which on the Dagestan shelf are estimated at 425 million tons of oil equivalent (of which 132 million tons of oil and 78 billion cubic meters of gas), on the shelf of the North Caspian - at 1 billion tons of oil ...
In total, about 2 billion tons of oil have already been produced in the Caspian Sea.
Losses of oil and products of its processing during extraction, transportation and use reach 2% of the total volume.
Main sources of income pollutants, including oil products, into the Caspian Sea - this is the outflow with river runoff, the discharge of untreated industrial and agricultural wastewater, municipal wastewater from cities and towns located on the coast, shipping, exploration and exploitation of oil and gas fields located at the bottom of the sea, transportation of oil by sea. Places of entry of pollutants with river runoff are 90% concentrated in the North Caspian, industrial effluents are mainly confined to the area of ​​the Absheron Peninsula, and increased oil pollution of the South Caspian is associated with oil production and oil exploration drilling, as well as with active volcanic activity (mud volcanism) in the zone of oil and gas structures.

From the territory of Russia, about 55 thousand tons of oil products are annually supplied to the North Caspian, including 35 thousand tons (65%) from the Volga River and 130 tons (2.5%) from the Terek and Sulak rivers.
Thickening of the film on the water surface up to 0.01 mm disrupts the processes of gas exchange, threatens the death of the hydrobiota. Toxic for fish is the concentration of oil products 0.01 mg / l, for phytoplankton - 0.1 mg / l.

The development of the oil and gas resources of the bottom of the Caspian Sea, the projected reserves of which are estimated at 12-15 billion tons of standard fuel, in the coming decades will become the main factor of anthropogenic pressure on the ecosystem of the sea.

Caspian autochthonous fauna. The total number of autochthons is 513 species or 43.8% of the entire fauna, which include herring, gobies, molluscs, etc.

Arctic species. The total number of the Arctic group is 14 species and subspecies, or only 1.2% of the entire fauna of the Caspian Sea (mysids, sea cockroach, white fish, Caspian salmon, Caspian seal, etc.). The basis of the Arctic fauna is made up of crustaceans (71.4%), which easily tolerate desalination and live at great depths of the Middle and South Caspian (from 200 to 700 m), since the lowest water temperatures are kept here throughout the year (4.9– 5.9 ° C).

Mediterranean views. These are 2 types of mollusks, needle-fish, etc. At the beginning of the 20s of our century, the mithielastr mollusk penetrated here, later 2 types of shrimp (with mullet, when acclimatized), 2 types of mullet and flounder. Some Mediterranean species entered the Caspian after the opening of the Volga-Don Canal. Mediterranean species play a significant role in the food supply of fish in the Caspian Sea.

Freshwater fauna(228 species). This group includes anadromous and semi-anadromous fish (sturgeon, salmon, pike, catfish, carp, as well as rotifers).

Marine species. These are ciliates (386 forms), 2 types of foraminifera. There are especially many endemics among higher crustaceans (31 species), gastropods (74 species and subspecies), bivalve molluscs (28 species and subspecies) and fish (63 species and subspecies). The abundance of endemics in the Caspian Sea makes it one of the most peculiar brackish water bodies of the planet.

The Caspian Sea provides over 80% of the world's catches sturgeon fish, most of which are in the North Caspian.
To increase catches of sturgeon, which sharply decreased during the years of falling sea level, a set of measures is being carried out. Among them - a complete ban on fishing for sturgeon in the sea and its regulation in rivers, an increase in the scale of factory sturgeon breeding.

The Caspian Sea is one of the most amazing enclosed bodies of water on Earth.

Over the centuries, the sea has changed more than 70 names. The modern came from the Caspians - tribes inhabiting the central and southeastern part of Transcaucasia 2 thousand years BC.

Geography of the Caspian Sea

The Caspian Sea is located at the junction of Europe with Asia and is geographically divided into the South, North and Middle Caspian. The middle and northern part of the sea belongs to Russia, the southern part belongs to Iran, the eastern part belongs to Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, the south-western part belongs to Azerbaijan. For many years, the Caspian states have been dividing the Caspian waters among themselves, and quite sharply at that.

Lake or sea?

In fact, the Caspian Sea is the world's largest lake, but it has a number of marine features. These include: large body of water, severe storms with high waves, ebbs and flows. But the Caspian does not have a natural connection with the World Ocean, which makes it impossible to call it a sea. At the same time, thanks to the Volga and artificially created channels, such a connection appeared. The salinity of the Caspian Sea is 3 times lower than the usual sea, which does not allow attributing the reservoir to the seas.

There were times when Caspian Seas really was part of the oceans. Several tens of thousands of years ago, the Caspian was connected with the Sea of ​​Azov, and through it with the Black and Mediterranean. As a result of long-term processes occurring in the earth's crust, Caucasus mountains, which isolated the reservoir. For a long time, the connection between the Caspian and Black Seas was carried out through the strait (Kumo-Manych depression) and gradually ceased.

Physical quantities

Area, volume, depth

The area, volume and depth of the Caspian Sea are not constant and directly depend on the water level. On average, the area of ​​the reservoir is 371,000 km², the volume is 78 648 km³ (44% of all world reserves of lake waters).

(Depth of the Caspian Sea in comparison with lakes Baikal and Tanganyika)

The average depth of the Caspian Sea is 208 m, the northern part of the sea is considered to be the shallowest. The maximum depth is 1025 m, noted in the South Caspian depression. In terms of depth, the Caspian is second only to Baikal and Tanganyika.

The length of the lake from north to south is about 1200 km, from west to east on average 315 km. The length of the coastline is 6600 km, with the islands - about 7 thousand km.

The shores

Basically, the coast of the Caspian Sea is low and smooth. In the northern part, it is heavily indented by the river channels of the Urals and Volga. The swampy local shores are very low. The eastern shores are adjacent to semi-desert zones and deserts, covered with limestone deposits. The most winding shores are in the west in the area of ​​the Absheron Peninsula, and in the east - in the area of ​​the Kazakh Bay and Kara-Bogaz-Gol.

Sea water temperature

(The temperature of the Caspian Sea at different times of the year)

The average water temperature in the Caspian in winter ranges from 0 ° С in the northern part to + 10 ° С in the south. In the water area of ​​Iran, the temperature does not drop below +13 ° C. With the onset of cold weather, the shallow northern part of the lake is covered with ice, which lasts for 2-3 months. The thickness of the ice cover is 25-60 cm, at especially low temperatures it can reach 130 cm. In late autumn and winter, drifting ice floes can be observed in the north.

In summer, the average sea surface temperature is + 24 ° C. Most of the sea warms up to + 25 ° C ... + 30 ° C. Warm water and beautiful sandy, occasionally shell and pebble beaches create excellent conditions for a good beach holiday. In the eastern part of the Caspian Sea, near the city of Begdash, anomalously low water temperature remains in the summer months.

The nature of the Caspian Sea

Islands, peninsulas, bays, rivers

The Caspian Sea includes about 50 large and medium-sized islands, with a total area of ​​350 km ². The largest of them are Ashur-Ada, Garasu, Gum, Dash and Boyuk-Zira. The largest peninsulas are: Agrakhansky, Apsheronsky, Buzachi, Mangyshlak, Miankale and Tyub-Karagan.

(Tyuleniy Island in the Caspian Sea, part of the Dagestan Reserve)

The largest bays of the Caspian include: Agrakhanskiy, Kazakhskiy, Kizlyarskiy, Dead Kultuk and Mangyshlakskiy. To the east is the salt lake Kara-Bogaz-Gol, which was previously a lagoon connected to the sea by a strait. In 1980, a dam was built on it, through which water from the Caspian goes to Kara-Bogaz-Gol, where it then evaporates.

130 rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, located mainly in its northern part. The largest of them are: Volga, Terek, Sulak, Samur and Ural. The average annual runoff of the Volga is 220 km³. 9 rivers have delta-shaped mouths.

Flora and fauna

The Caspian Sea is home to about 450 species of phytoplankton, including algae, aquatic and flowering plants. Of the 400 species of invertebrates, worms, crustaceans and molluscs predominate. There are many small shrimps in the sea, which are the object of the fishery.

More than 120 fish species live in the Caspian and the delta. The objects of fishing are sprat ("Kilkin fleet"), catfish, pike, bream, pike perch, kutum, mullet, roach, rudd, herring, white fish, goby, grass carp, burbot, asp. Stocks of sturgeon and salmon are depleted today, but the sea is the largest supplier of black caviar in the world.

Fishing in the Caspian Sea is allowed all year round, except for the period from late April to late June. On the coast there are many fishing bases with all the amenities. Fishing in the Caspian Sea is a great pleasure. In any part of it, including in large cities, the catch is unusually rich.

The lake is famous for a wide variety of waterfowl. Geese, ducks, loons, gulls, waders, eagles, geese, swans and many others arrive in the Caspian during migration or nesting. The largest number of birds - over 600 thousand individuals - is observed in the mouths of the Volga and Urals, in the bays of Turkmenbashi and Kyzylagach. During the hunting season, a huge number of fishermen come here not only from Russia, but also from countries of near and far abroad.

The only mammal lives in the Caspian Sea. This is the Caspian seal or seal. Until recently, seals swam close to the beaches, everyone could admire the amazing animal with round black eyes, the seals behaved very friendly. Now the seal is on the verge of extinction.

Cities on the Caspian Sea

The largest city on the coast of the Caspian Sea is Baku. The population of one of the most beautiful cities in the world is over 2.5 million people. Baku is located on the picturesque Absheron Peninsula and is surrounded on three sides by the waters of the warm and oil-rich Caspian Sea. Smaller cities: the capital of Dagestan - Makhachkala, Kazakh Aktau, Turkmen Turkmenbashi and Iranian Bender-Anzeli.

(Baku Bay, Baku - a city on the Caspian Sea)

Interesting Facts

Scientists are still debating whether to call a body of water a sea or a lake. The level of the Caspian Sea is gradually decreasing. The Volga delivers most of the water to the Caspian. 90% of black caviar is mined in the Caspian Sea. Among them, the most expensive is the albino beluga caviar "Almas" ($ 2,000 per 100 g).

Companies from 21 countries are taking part in the development of oil fields in the Caspian Sea. According to Russian estimates, offshore hydrocarbon reserves amount to 12 billion tons. American scientists claim that one-fifth of the world's hydrocarbon reserves are concentrated in the depths of the Caspian. This is more than the combined reserves of oil producing countries such as Kuwait and Iraq.