One of the brightest bodies of water in the world is Caspian lake, which is located at the junction of Asia and Europe, and its shores and waters belong to 5 countries. The Caspian Sea is attractive and inexpensive place for rest and treatment. Beautiful nature and the early opening of the swimming seasons make holidays on the Caspian coast more tempting.
The Caspian Lake is the largest of all lakes on the planet. It is often called the Caspian Sea because of its impressive dimensions and slightly salty water. It is located at the junction of Asia and Europe on the territory of 5 countries: Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Russian Federation Azerbaijan and Iran.
Despite the fact that the tourism infrastructure is inferior in level of development to the Black Sea, the Caspian coast is in demand among tourists. This is facilitated by the rapid warming of the reservoir due to its shallow depth; often the swimming season can begin at the end of April and end in October. The average water temperature in summer is 20-22 °C.
Advantages of holidays on the Caspian Lake:
- clean sea sand;
- picturesque nature;
- nautical healing climate;
- mineral springs;
- healing mud;
- the presence of sanatoriums of various orientations;
- excellent fishing, especially in Astrakhan;
- active entertainment for every taste (diving, rafting, windsurfing, etc.);
- low cost of housing and entertainment with developed infrastructure;
- being on the territory of the Russian Federation, which saves a lot of time on paperwork;
- great service;
- warm water for six months;
- the opportunity to save thousands of rubles on vacation, housing and food without denying yourself anything.
You can get to the Caspian Sea in different ways, but it’s worth deciding in the area of which coastal city to plan your vacation.
In the Russian Federation on the Caspian Lake there are several resort towns:
Astrakhan is very popular among fishermen and lovers of outdoor activities related to water, because there are many rivers in its vicinity, and the Caspian Lake is just an hour away by car.
Ancient city Derbent also enjoys special love among tourists, because it is surrounded by such attractions as picturesque mountains, there are ancient fossils and legendary caves, overgrown with legends, and other interesting places to visit.
Such Dagestan resort cities as Izberbash, Kaspiysk, Makhachkala and Kalmyk Lagan are not deprived of attention. Many tourists come to the Caspian Lake and stay in Azerbaijani cities (Baku, Lankaran, Sumgait), Turkmen resorts Turkmentbashi and Avaza, Kazakh Aktau and Atyrau.
Origin of the Caspian Lake and its name
Over 5 million years ago, the ancient sea was divided into several smaller ones, including the Caspian and Black Sea. After this separation, the reservoirs repeatedly merged into one whole and were fragmented, but approximately 1.75-2 million years ago the reservoir was finally cut off from the waters of the World Ocean.
The modern name of the Caspian Lake is new. And according to one hypothesis, it came from the name of the Caspian tribe, who lived in its southwest in the first millennium BC. 
Throughout the entire period of its existence, the Caspian Lake had more than 70 different names among various tribal peoples, including:
- Abeskunskoye - after the name of the island and the city, which were located before their flooding by a reservoir in the 14th century in a low-lying plain formed by the Kura Kura River.
- Saraiskoe.
- Khazar or Mazandaran - an Iranian name in honor of the province of the same name of the country, located on the coast, is used in Iran to this day.
- Dzhurdzhansky (Hirkansky) - the ancient Greek name of the reservoir, comes from the region of Hyrcania and the city of Gorgan, now belonging to Iran.
- Derbentskoye is named after the ancient coastal town of the same name in Dagestan.
- Sihai.
- Khvaliyskoye is an ancient Russian name, derived from the name of the Khvalis people who lived in the north of the Caspian Sea.
Study and development of the Caspian Lake
Finds on the western coast of Dagestan indicate that people lived in this territory already 2 million ago. At the confluence of the river. Darvagchay (Dagestan) remains have been excavated at sites older than 600 thousand years. Excavations on the southern coast indicate human habitation in this area 75 thousand years ago. All these studies show that the climate and living conditions were suitable for humans.
The founder of geography and writer Hecataeus of Miletus (VI-V centuries BC) in his work “Description of the Earth” described the Caspian Sea as the Hyrcanian Sea. In the 5th century BC, the ancient Greek historian was one of the first to suggest that the Caspian is not connected with other seas or oceans, although scientists of those times argued that the reservoir was the northern bay of the World Ocean, which washed all known lands.
Aristotle in the 4th century BC was sure that the Hyrcanian reservoir was connected with the Black Sea by underground waters. Macedonsky studied the relationship of the Caspian Sea with other large bodies of water throughout his travels. In 323 BC, he sent the sailor and geographer Patroclus to explore the shores of the Caspian Sea. 
The navigator reached the Kara-Bogaz Bay and considered it a river that connects the Caspian Lake with the ocean. The famous ancient Greek geographer and historian Strabo, in one of his 17 chronicles (books) “Geography”, represented the Caspian Lake stretched in the east-west direction.
Arab scientists of the 9th-13th centuries made a significant contribution to the study of the Caspian Sea, recording in their works information about coastal cities and states, islands, flowing rivers and oil that was produced in Azerbaijan (Baku).
The expansion of the geography of trade relations made it possible for European, Persian and Turkish travelers to receive a lot of information about the Caspian Sea. And the famous Marco Polo (XIII century) also described a huge reservoir.
A very detailed, although sometimes erroneous, map of the Caspian Sea was compiled in the 17th century by the famous scientist and traveler, the German Adam Olearius. Peter I repeatedly traveled towards the Caspian Lake, and based on the data he provided, Russian hydrographers compiled very detailed maps of the Caspian Sea.
Since the 17th century, exploration of the Caspian Sea and its coastal environs has become systematic and versatile. Peter the Great in 1714 sent a research expedition under the leadership of Bekovich-Cherkassky. A few years later, research was continued by Verdun and Soimonov, and a little later by Tokmachev, Voinovich and other scientists.
IN early XIX century, instrumental survey of the coast was carried out by I.F. Kolodkin, several decades later, geographical survey was carried out by an expedition led by N.A. Ivashintsev. For half a century, starting from 1866, regular hydrological and hydrobiological expeditions were carried out under the leadership of N.M. Knipovich.
During the first years of Soviet power, the Caspian Sea was actively explored by geologists, mainly in search of oil product deposits, studying the water balance and fluctuations in water height in the lake.
History of the Caspian Lake
The Caspian Lake is located on the site of one of the giant reservoirs of antiquity. The origin of the Caspian Lake is inextricably linked with the most ancient sea Tetris, which more than 50-55 million years ago united the Quiet and atlantic oceans, located on the territory of the present Caspian, Azov, Black and Mediterranean seas.
After long, complex tectonic movements, Tetris was first cut off from Pacific Ocean, and a little later the Atlantic.
About 5-6.5 million years ago, the giant reservoir broke into small basins, which included the Caspian and Black Sea.
After that, they repeatedly united and moved apart.
1.8-2 million years ago the Caspian Sea was finally cut off from the waters of the World Ocean and it was this time that is considered the beginning of its origin.
Throughout its history, the lake has changed its shoreline many times until it acquired its current appearance.
Physiographic characteristics of the Caspian Lake
The water surface of the lake is noticeably lower than the level of the World Ocean and amounts to -27.5...-28.5 m. The area of the Caspian Sea varies depending on the level and water and is in the range of 380-390 km2, the total volume is 73.7-74.1 km3 .
The Caspian Sea is geographically divided into several parts with their own characteristics:
- Northern Caspian— it accounts for 24% of the total area of the reservoir. This part is small and its average depth does not exceed 6 m, the maximum reaches 25 m, the volume of water is less than 1%.
- Middle Caspian– 36% of the total area of the lake falls on it. This part of the lake is a kind of basin with a maximum depth of almost 800 m and an average depth of 190 m. It contains a third of the total volume of water.
- Southern Caspian– occupies 40% of the total area of the lake and accounts for the deepest part of the reservoir. It contains 2/3 of the volume of all water - 66%. The average depth is 340 m, and the deepest depression is 1025 m.
Length coastline almost reaches the 7 thousand km mark. The maximum length of the lake is slightly more than 1 thousand km, and the widest point is 435 km. The minimum width is considered to be a segment of 195 km. The average width is considered to be 317 km.
Map of the depth of the Caspian lake The shores vary greatly in their landscape. The northern coast is flat and low, around it there is semi-desert in the lowlands, and desert in the higher elevations. The southern coastline is partly lowland and partly mountainous and consists of the Elbrus ridge. The Caucasus Mountains come close to the western part.
The eastern coastline is a calcareous plateau of desert and semi-desert type. The outlines of the coast vary greatly depending on the water level, which fluctuates periodically.
Climate
The water temperature of the Caspian Sea fluctuates significantly depending on latitude. This amplitude is most noticeable in winter, when the water under the ice in the northern part has a temperature of 0.-0.5 °C above zero, while in the south at this time it is 10-11 °C.
According to average data, the temperature in the western part of the lake is up to 2 °C higher than in the eastern part, and when moving away from the shore it increases by 2-4 °C compared to the coastal zone. In summer, the water in the lake warms up to 23-29 °C, and in shallow water in the northern part it can reach 34-40 °C. Below 100 m, the temperature stabilizes at 4-7 °C.
The Caspian Lake is located three climatic zones: continental (north of the reservoir), temperate (middle) and subtropical (Southern Caspian). in winter average temperature ranges from -8 to -11 °C in the north and to +8 to +11 °C in the south of the lake.
In summer Northern part warms up to 24-25 °C with a positive mark; in the south the temperature rises to 26-27 °C. The highest temperature of +44 °C was recorded in the east of the reservoir. 
The average annual precipitation is about 200 mm. Moreover, on the arid eastern coast at least 90-100 mm falls; in the southwest these figures can reach 1700 mm. The average annual wind speed is in the range of 3-8 m/s, mainly winds from the north prevail. In autumn and winter, their speed increases and can reach 35-39 m/s.
When the thermometer shows high sub-zero values on the northern part of the lake, trees and flowers bloom on the southern coast. IN winter time The surface of the lake is unstable and stormy winds prevail. In winter, only the northern shallow waters freeze; during severe winter frosts, the Northern Caspian and the coastal waters of the Middle Caspian are covered with ice.
Flora and fauna
The flora of the Caspian Sea and its coastal environs consists of more than 720 plant species. The lake is mainly dominated by algae (diatoms, brown algae, etc.), and angiosperms - rupee and zoster. Most of the vegetation of the Caspian Lake originates from the Neogene period, but some entered the reservoir on the bottoms of ships or deliberately, with the help of humans.
Among the animal representatives of the Caspian Sea and its environs, there are more than 1,800 species, of which more than 400 are vertebrates, and more than 90 species are fish (sturgeon, carp, bream, mullet, beluga, etc.). Mammals are represented only by the Caspian seal, which is the smallest of the seal family and lives exclusively in the Caspian Lake.
The lake is home to the largest school of sturgeon in the world, and a lot of pike perch, carp and roach live in the sea waters. Up to 80% of the total world sturgeon catch and more than 90% of the world black caviar fishery come from the Caspian Lake.
The main migration route of birds between Europe and Asia passes over the Caspian Sea (in the spring - in the southern direction, and in the autumn - in the north). During seasonal migrations, over 11.5 million birds fly over the lake, about 5 million individuals remain for the winter. The lake itself is home to over 850 species of animals, of which almost 80 are vertebrates. More than 500 species of plants are present in the lake.
Islands
There are more than 50 large and medium-sized islands in the Caspian Lake with with total area about 350 sq. km. 
| State to which the island belongs | Island name |
| Azerbaijan | Jasper |
| Oil Rocks | |
| pelicanium | |
| Zenbil | |
| Sengi Mugan | |
| Boyuk-Zira | |
| Baku archipelago | |
| Kichik Zira | |
| Kurinsky | |
| Chilov | |
| Ignat Dashi | |
| Inner Stone | |
| Khyarya Zira | |
| Kara Su | |
| Dash Zira | |
| Novoivanovsky | |
| Chikil | |
| Kurinskaya braid | |
| Gil | |
| Baburiy | |
| Iran | Ashur-Ada |
| Kazakhstan | Seal Islands |
| Average | |
| Südev | |
| Konevsky Oseredok | |
| Somyonok | |
| Babiy | |
| Somovy | |
| Turkmenistan | Ogurchinsky |
| Bolshoi Zyudostinsky | |
| Marine Ivan-Karul | |
| Clean Jars | |
| Maly Zyudostinsky | |
| little birdie | |
| Egg | |
| Maly Setnoy | |
| Jumpers | |
| Sandy | |
| Bazaar | |
| Konevsky | |
| Green | |
| Sea Privet | |
| Batkachny | |
| Nordic | |
| Maly Zhemchuzhny | |
| Big Setnoy | |
| Blinov | |
| Upper Oseredok | |
| Khokhlatsky | |
| Südev | |
| Lower | |
| Small | |
| Likhachev | |
| Seal | |
| Seventh | |
| Sea Chapura | |
| Chechen |
Flowing rivers
More than 130 rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, 9 of which have a delta-shaped mouth. 95% of water enters the Caspian Sea from rivers. Most of them flow into the lake in the northern and western parts of the reservoir; there are no flowing rivers in the east.
The largest and most significant rivers of the Caspian basin:
Approximately 88% of the total flow comes from rivers such as the Volga, Terek, Ural and Emba, which flow into the northern Caspian Sea. 7% of the flow falls on rivers such as the Kura, Sulak, Samur and other smaller ones flowing into the western part of the Caspian Sea. About 5% of the flow of the Sefidrud, Kheraz and Gorgan rivers enters the Iranian part of the reservoir.
Ecological state
The condition of the Caspian Lake and surrounding areas causes concern among environmentalists.
Main causes environmental problems associated with a person and his activities:
- production and transportation of oil and gas products;
- influx of pollutants from river runoff waters;
- poaching;
- waste from coastal cities;
- rapid jumps in water levels in the Caspian Sea due to irrigation of lands with waters of inflowing rivers and the use of hydroelectric power stations.
How is the Caspian Lake used?
The Caspian Lake has been actively used by humans for many centuries.
Main directions of economic activity:
Recreational resources of the Caspian Lake
The climate and nature of the Caspian coast with its clean sand beaches, healing mud and healing springs provide great potential and excellent conditions for sanatorium treatment and tourist recreation.
The development of the resort and tourism infrastructure, although noticeably inferior to the similar industry on the Black Sea coast, is actively expanding and the quality of service is improving. The most noticeable surge in development in recent years has been observed in the Republic of Dagestan, Iran, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. 
Holidays on the Caspian coast in the Russian Federation and former countries The CIS is low in cost and on average the quality in some places is inferior to that in the Black Sea, but in actively developing places the level is quite high.
Popular recreation areas with developed infrastructure:
- Baku;
- Amburan;
- Makhachkala;
- Bilgah;
- Derbent.
- Nabran;
- Lankaran;
- Nardaran.
The development of the Turkmen resort and tourism industry is hampered by internal policies that isolate the state from the majority of tourists. And in Iran, mass recreation is difficult due to strict Sharia laws.
There are 3 protected areas on the coast:
The Caspian Lake is located at the junction of Europe and Asia and is the largest lake in the world.
There are many information about the reservoir interesting facts:
- Its size is larger than Japan, but its area is smaller than Germany.
- In terms of depth, the Caspian Sea is in third place, second only to Tanganyika and Baikal.
- Every 2.5 centuries the waters are completely renewed.
- Albino beluga sturgeon, whose caviar is the most expensive in the world, is caught on the Iranian coast. It is distinguished by a white tint and is packaged in unusual jars made of real gold.
- The largest beluga weighed more than 1200 kg and was caught in the 20s. XX century on the Russian coast. In its dimensions it is comparable to a large shark.
- Throughout the history of the lake, it has had more than 70 different names.
- Scientists are still debating whether to consider the Caspian Lake a sea, arguing that its area exceeds the size of some seas, and the bottom is created according to the oceanic type. But at the same time, the reservoir is endorheic and is not connected to the ocean or other seas.
- The smallest coastline of the five countries belongs to the Russian Federation.
- More than 80% of the water enters the lake from the river. Volga.
The Caspian Lake is rich in flora and fauna, distinguished by warm waters and a long swimming season. It is best known for its depth and size, production of oil, gas and sturgeon, the reserves of which exceed those known throughout the world.
The lake is 95% supplied with runoff water from rivers. On its coast there are many resorts and sanatoriums, whose attractiveness can be assessed by affordable prices.
Article format: Mila Friedan
Video about the Caspian Sea
Film about the Caspian Sea:
The Caspian Sea is the most big lake of our planet, which is located in a depression of the earth’s surface (the so-called Aral-Caspian Lowland) on the territory of Russia, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Iran. Although they consider it as a lake, because it is not connected with the World Ocean, but by the nature of the formation processes and 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 the northern part of the sea. 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. The coastline changes 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 snowstorms on the northern shore, while fruit trees and magnolias bloom on the southern shore. In winter, strong storm winds rage at sea.
On the coast of the Caspian Sea there are big cities, 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. Of the marine mammals, only the smallest in the world, the Caspian seal, is found in the lake. 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 reserves natural resources, many oil and gas fields are being developed in it, in addition, limestone, salt, sand, stone and clay are also mined here. The Caspian Sea is connected by the Volga-Don Canal with Sea of Azov, shipping is well developed. A lot of different fish are caught in the reservoir, including more than 90% of the world's sturgeon catch.
The Caspian Sea is also a recreation area; on its shores there are holiday homes, tourist centers and sanatoriums.
Related materials:
The coastline of the Caspian Sea is estimated at approximately 6,500 - 6,700 kilometers, with islands - up to 7,000 kilometers. The shores of the Caspian Sea in most of its territory are low-lying and smooth. In the northern part, the coastline is indented by water streams and islands of the Volga and Ural deltas, the 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 western coast in the area of the Absheron Peninsula and on the eastern coast in the area of the Kazakh Gulf and Kara-Bogaz-Gol.
Peninsulas of the Caspian Sea
Large peninsulas of the Caspian Sea:
* Agrakhan Peninsula
* The Absheron Peninsula, located on the western coast of the Caspian Sea on the territory of Azerbaijan, at the northeastern end of the Greater Caucasus, on its territory the cities of Baku and Sumgait are located
* Buzachi
* Mangyshlak, located on the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea, on the territory of Kazakhstan, on its territory is the city of Aktau.
* Miankale
* Tub-Karagan
There are about 50 large and medium-sized islands in the Caspian Sea with a total area of approximately 350 square kilometers.
Most large islands:
* Ashur-Ada
* Garasu
*Hum
* Dash
* Zira (island)
* Zyanbil
* Cure Dasha
* Khara-Zira
* Sengi-Mugan
* Chechen (island)
* Chygyl
Large bays of the Caspian Sea:
* Agrakhan Bay,
* Komsomolets (bay),
* Mangyshlak,
* Kazakh (bay),
* Turkmenbashi (bay) (formerly Krasnovodsk),
* Turkmen (bay),
* Gizilagach,
* Astrakhan (bay)
* Gyzlar
* Hyrcanus (formerly Astarabad) and
* Anzeli (formerly Pahlavi).
Rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea
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 largest river flowing into the Caspian Sea is the Volga, its average annual flow is 215-224 cubic kilometers. The Volga, Ural, Terek and Emba provide up to 88 - 90% of the annual runoff of the Caspian Sea.
Basin of the Caspian Sea
The area of the Caspian Sea basin is approximately 3.1 - 3.5 million square kilometers, which is approximately 10 percent of the world's closed land area. water pools. The length of the Caspian Sea basin from north to south is about 2500 kilometers, from west to east - about 1000 kilometers. The Caspian Sea basin covers 9 states - Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan, Turkey and Turkmenistan.
Coastal states
The Caspian Sea washes the shores of five coastal states:
* Russia (Dagestan, Kalmykia and Astrakhan region) - in the trap and north-west, the length of the coastline is 695 kilometers
* Kazakhstan - in the north, northeast and east, coastline length 2320 kilometers
* Turkmenistan - in the southeast, the length of the coastline is 1200 kilometers
* Iran - in the south, coastline length - 724 kilometers
* Azerbaijan - in the southwest, coastline length 955 kilometers
Cities on the Caspian Sea coast
The largest city and port on the Caspian Sea is Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, which is located in the southern part of the Absheron Peninsula and has a population of 2,070 thousand people (2003). Other major Azerbaijani Caspian cities are Sumgait, which is located in the northern part of the Absheron Peninsula, and Lankaran, which is located near the southern border of Azerbaijan. To the South-East of the Absheron Peninsula, the oil workers’ village of Neftyanye Kamni is located, the buildings of which stand on artificial islands, overpasses and technological sites.
Large Russian cities- the capital of Dagestan Makhachkala and the most Southern City Russia Derbent - located on the western coast of the Caspian Sea. port city Astrakhan is also considered to be part of the Caspian Sea, which, however, is not located on the shores of the Caspian Sea, but in the Volga delta, 60 kilometers from the northern coast of the Caspian Sea.
On the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea there is a Kazakh city - the port of Aktau, in the north in the Ural delta, 20 km from the sea, the city of Atyrau is located, south of Kara-Bogaz-Gol on the northern shore of the Krasnovodsk Bay - the Turkmen city of Turkmenbashi, former Krasnovodsk. Several Caspian cities are located on the southern (Iranian) coast, the largest of them is Anzeli.
Area, depth, volume of water
The area and volume of water of the Caspian Sea varies significantly depending on fluctuations in water levels. At a water level of −26.75 m, the area was approximately 392,600 square kilometers, the volume of water was 78,648 cubic kilometers, which is approximately 44 percent of the world's lake water reserves. The maximum depth of the Caspian Sea is in the South Caspian depression, 1025 meters from its surface level. In terms of maximum depth, the Caspian Sea is second only to Baikal (1620 m) and Tanganyika (1435 m). The average depth of the Caspian Sea, calculated from the bathygraphic curve, is 208 meters. At the same time, the northern part of the Caspian Sea is shallow, its maximum depth does not exceed 25 meters, and the average depth is 4 meters.
Water level fluctuations
The water level in the Caspian Sea is subject to significant fluctuations. According to modern science, over the past 3 thousand years the amplitude of changes in the water level of the Caspian Sea has been 15 meters. Instrumental measurements of the level of the Caspian Sea and systematic observations of its fluctuations have been carried out since 1837, during which time the most high level water level was registered in 1882 (-25.2 m), the lowest was in 1977 (-29.0 m), since 1978 the water level has increased and in 1995 reached −26.7 m, since 1996 Again, there was a tendency towards a decrease in the level of the Caspian Sea. Scientists associate the reasons for changes in the water level of the Caspian Sea with climatic, geological and anthropogenic factors.
Water temperature
Water temperature 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 western coast is 1-2 °C higher than that on the eastern coast, and in the open sea the water temperature is 2-4 °C higher than on the coasts. Based on the nature of the horizontal structure of the temperature field in the annual cycle of variability, three can be distinguished: time intervals in the upper 2-meter layer. From October to March, the water temperature increases in the southern and eastern regions, which is especially clearly visible in the Middle Caspian. Two stable quasi-latitudinal zones can be distinguished, where temperature gradients are increased. This is, firstly, the border between the Northern and Middle Caspian, and, secondly, between the Middle and Southern. At the ice edge, in the northern frontal zone, the temperature in February-March increases from 0 to 5 °C, in the southern frontal zone, in the area of the Absheron threshold, from 7 to 10 °C. During this period, the least cooled waters are in the center of the South Caspian Sea, which form a quasi-stationary core.
In April-May, the area of minimum temperatures moves to the Middle Caspian Sea, which is associated with faster heating of waters in the shallow northern part of the sea. True, at the beginning of the season in the northern part of the sea a large amount of heat is spent on melting ice, but already in May the temperature here rises to 16-17 °C. In the middle part the temperature at this time is 13-15 °C, and in the south it increases to 17-18 °C.
Spring warming of water evens out horizontal gradients, and the temperature difference between coastal areas and open sea does not exceed 0.5 °C. Warming up of the surface layer, starting in March, disrupts the homogeneity in the temperature distribution with depth. In June-September, horizontal homogeneity in the temperature distribution in the surface layer is observed. In August, which is the month of greatest warming, the water temperature throughout the sea is 24-26 °C, and in southern regions rises to 28 °C. In August, the water temperature in shallow bays, for example, in Krasnovodsk, can reach 32 °C. The main feature of the water temperature field at this time is upwelling. It is observed annually along the entire eastern coast of the Middle Caspian and partially penetrates even into the Southern Caspian.
The rise of cold deep waters occurs with varying intensity as a result of the influence of prevailing summer season northwest winds. The wind in this direction causes the outflow of warm surface waters from the coast and the rise of colder waters from the intermediate layers. Upwelling begins in June, but it reaches its greatest intensity in July-August. As a result, a decrease in temperature is observed on the surface of the water (7-15 °C). Horizontal temperature gradients reach 2.3 °C at the surface and 4.2 °C at a depth of 20 m.
The source of upwelling gradually shifts from 41-42° north. latitude in June, to 43-45° north. latitude in September. Summer upwelling is of great importance for the Caspian Sea, radically changing the dynamic processes in the deep-water area. In open areas of the sea, in late May - early June, the formation of a temperature jump layer begins, which is most clearly expressed in August. Most often it is located between horizons of 20 and 30 m in the middle part of the sea and 30 and 40 m in the southern part. Vertical temperature gradients in the shock layer are very significant and can reach several degrees per meter. In the middle part of the sea, due to the surge off the eastern coast, the shock layer rises close to the surface.
Since in the Caspian Sea there is no stable baroclinic layer with a large reserve of potential energy similar to the main thermocline of the World Ocean, then with the cessation of the prevailing winds causing upwelling and with the beginning of autumn-winter convection in October-November, a rapid restructuring of temperature fields to the winter regime occurs. In the open sea, the water temperature in the surface layer drops in the middle part to 12-13 °C, in the southern part to 16-17 °C. In the vertical structure, the shock layer is eroded due to convective mixing and disappears by the end of November.
Water composition
The salt composition of the waters of the closed Caspian Sea differs from the oceanic one. There are significant differences in the ratios of concentrations of salt-forming ions, especially for waters in areas directly influenced by continental runoff. The process of metamorphism of sea waters under the influence of continental runoff leads to a decrease in the relative content of chlorides in the total amount of salts sea waters, an increase in the relative amount of carbonates, sulfates, calcium, which are the main components in the chemical composition of river waters. The most conservative ions are potassium, sodium, chlorine and magnesium. The least conservative are calcium and bicarbonate ions. In the Caspian Sea, the content of calcium and magnesium cations is almost two times higher than in the Sea of Azov, and the sulfate anion is three times higher. The salinity of water changes especially sharply in the northern part of the sea: from 0.1 units. psu in the estuary areas of the Volga and Ural up to 10-11 units. psu on the border with the Middle Caspian.
Mineralization in shallow salty bays-kultuks can reach 60-100 g/kg. In the Northern Caspian, during the entire ice-free period from April to November, a salinity front of a quasi-latitudinal location is observed. The greatest desalination, associated with the spread of river flow across the sea, is observed in June. On the formation of the salinity field in the Northern Caspian Sea big influence exerts a wind field. In the middle and southern parts of the sea, salinity fluctuations are small. Basically it is 11.2-12.8 units. psu, increasing in the southern and eastern directions. With depth, salinity increases slightly (by 0.1-0.2 units psu).
In the deep-sea part of the Caspian Sea, in the vertical profile of salinity, characteristic deflections of isohalines and local extrema are observed in the area of the eastern continental slope, which indicate processes of bottom sliding of waters salinizing in the eastern shallow waters of the South Caspian. The magnitude of salinity also strongly depends on sea level and (which is interconnected) on the volume of continental runoff.
Bottom relief
The relief of the northern part of the Caspian Sea is a shallow undulating plain with banks and accumulative islands, the average depth of the Northern Caspian Sea is about 4-8 meters, the maximum does not exceed 25 meters. The Mangyshlak threshold separates the Northern Caspian from the Middle Caspian. The Middle Caspian is quite deep, the water depth in the Derbent depression reaches 788 meters. The Absheron threshold separates the Middle and Southern Caspian Seas. The Southern Caspian Sea is considered deep-water; the water depth in the South Caspian depression reaches 1025 meters from the surface of the Caspian Sea. Shell sands are widespread on the Caspian shelf, deep-sea areas are covered with silty sediments, and in some areas there is an outcrop of bedrock.
Climate
The climate of the Caspian Sea is continental in the northern part, temperate in the middle and subtropical in the southern part. In winter, the average monthly temperature of 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. The maximum temperature recorded on the east coast was 44 degrees.
The average annual precipitation is 200 millimeters per year, ranging from 90-100 millimeters in the arid eastern part to 1,700 millimeters along the southwestern subtropical coast. Evaporation of water from the surface of the Caspian Sea is about 1000 millimeters per year, the most intense evaporation in the area of the Absheron Peninsula and in the eastern part of the South Caspian Sea is up to 1400 millimeters per year.
On the territory of the Caspian Sea, winds often blow, their average annual speed is 3-7 meters per second, and northern winds predominate in the wind rose. In the autumn and winter months, winds become stronger, with wind speeds often reaching 35-40 meters per second. The most windy areas are the Absheron Peninsula and the environs of Makhachkala - Derbent, where the highest wave was recorded - 11 meters.
Currents
Water circulation in the Caspian Sea is related to runoff and winds. Since most of the drainage occurs in the Northern Caspian Sea, northern currents predominate. An intense northern current carries water from the Northern Caspian along the western coast to the Absheron Peninsula, where the current divides into two branches, one of which moves further along the western coast, the other goes to the Eastern Caspian.
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 world, where most of the world's sturgeon reserves are concentrated, as well as freshwater fish such as roach, carp, and 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. Since March 31, 2008, 363 dead seals have been found on the coast of the Caspian Sea in Kazakhstan.
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.
Origin of the Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is of oceanic origin - its bed is composed of oceanic-type crust. It was formed approximately 10 million years ago, when the closed Sarmatian Sea, which lost contact with the world's oceans approximately 70 million years ago, was divided into two parts - the "Caspian Sea" and the Black Sea.
Anthropological and cultural history Caspian Sea
Finds in the Khuto Cave off the southern coast of the Caspian Sea indicate that humans lived in these areas approximately 75 thousand years ago. The first mentions of the Caspian Sea and the tribes living on its coast are found in Herodotus. Around the V-II centuries. BC e. Saka tribes lived on the Caspian coast. Later, during the period of settlement of the Turks, in the period of the IV-V centuries. n. e. Talysh tribes (Talysh) lived here. According to ancient Armenian and Iranian manuscripts, Russians sailed the Caspian Sea from the 9th - 10th centuries.
Research of the Caspian Sea
Research of the Caspian Sea was started by Peter the Great, when, on his order, an expedition was organized in 1714-1715 under the leadership of A. Bekovich-Cherkassky. In the 1820s, hydrographic research was continued by I. F. Soyomov, and later by I. V. Tokmachev, M. I. Voinovich and other researchers. At the beginning of the 19th century, instrumental surveys of the shores were carried out by I. F. Kolodkin, in the mid-19th century. - instrumental geographical 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 Sea was carried out under the leadership of N. M. Knipovich. In 1897, the Astrakhan Research Station was founded. In the first decades of Soviet power, geological research by I.M. Gubkin and other Soviet geologists was actively carried out in the Caspian Sea, mainly aimed at searching for oil, as well as research into the study of water balance and level fluctuations in the Caspian Sea.
Mining of oil and gas
Many oil and gas fields are being developed in the Caspian Sea. Proven oil resources in the Caspian Sea are 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.
Shipping
Shipping is developed in the Caspian Sea. On the Caspian Sea there are ferry crossings, in particular, Baku - Turkmenbashi, Baku - Aktau, Makhachkala - Aktau. The Caspian Sea has a shipping connection with the Sea of Azov through the Volga, Don and Volga-Don Canal rivers.
Fishing and seafood production
Fishing (sturgeon, bream, carp, pike perch, sprat), caviar production, as well as seal fishing. More than 90 percent of the world's sturgeon catch occurs in the Caspian Sea. In addition to industrial mining, illegal fishing of sturgeon and their caviar flourishes in the Caspian Sea.
Natural environment of the Caspian coast with sandy beaches, mineral waters and therapeutic mud in the coastal zone creates good conditions for relaxation and treatment. At the same time, in terms of the degree of development of resorts and the tourism industry, the Caspian coast noticeably loses Black Sea coast Caucasus. At the same time, in recent years, the tourism industry has been actively developing on the coasts of Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan and Russian Dagestan.
Ecological 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 flow of pollutants from the Volga and other rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea, the life of coastal cities, as well as the flooding of individual objects due to rising levels of the Caspian Sea. Predatory production of sturgeon and their caviar, rampant poaching lead to a decrease in the number of sturgeon and to forced restrictions on their production and export.
Border dispute over the 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 resources of the Caspian shelf - oil and gas, as well as biological resources. For a long time, negotiations were ongoing 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 insisted on dividing the Caspian by one-fifth between all Caspian states. In 2003, Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan signed an agreement on the partial division of the Caspian Sea along the median line.
Coordinates: 42.622596 50.041848
The Caspian Sea is the largest closed lake on Earth, located at the junction of Europe and Asia, called a sea due to the fact that its bed is composed of oceanic-type crust. 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, according to 2009 data it was 27.16 m below sea level. 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 approximately 1200 kilometers, from west to east - from 195 to 435 kilometers, on average 310-320 kilometers. The Caspian Sea is conventionally divided according to physical and geographical conditions into 3 parts - the Northern Caspian, the Middle Caspian and the Southern Caspian. The conditional border between the Northern and Middle Caspian runs along the line of the island. Chechen - Cape Tyub-Karagansky, between the Middle and Southern Caspian Sea - along the line of the island. Residential - Cape Gan-Gulu. The area of the Northern, Middle and Southern Caspian Sea is 25, 36, 39 percent, respectively.
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. The east coast is dominated by limestone shores adjacent to semi-deserts and deserts. The most winding shores are on the western coast in the area of the Absheron Peninsula and on the eastern coast in the area of the Kazakh Gulf and Kara-Bogaz-Gol. The territory adjacent to the Caspian Sea is called the Caspian region.
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on planet Earth, located on the continent of Eurasia - in the border territory 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 the salinity, big square and a decent depth, a bottom made of oceanic crust and other signs). In terms of maximum depth, it is the third among closed reservoirs - after lakes Baikal and Tanganyika. In the northern part of the Caspian Sea (several kilometers from the northern shore - parallel to it) passes geographical boundary between Europe and Asia.
Toponymy
- Other names: throughout the history of mankind, the Caspian Sea has had about 70 different names among different peoples. The most famous of them: Khvalynskoye or Khvalisskoye (took place during the Ancient Rus', arose from the name of the people praises, who lived in the Northern Caspian region and traded with the Russians), Girkanskoe or Djurdzhanskoe (derived from alternative names for the city of Gorgan, located in Iran), Khazarskoe, Abeskunskoe (after the name of the island and city in the Kura delta - now flooded), Saraiskoe, Derbentskoe, Sikhai .
- Origin of name: According to one hypothesis, the Caspian Sea received its modern and most ancient name from a tribe of nomadic horse breeders Caspian Sea, who lived in the 1st millennium BC on the southwestern coast.
Morphometry
- Catchment 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
- Availability of permanent flow: no, drainless.
- Tributaries:, Ural, Emba, Atrek, Gorgan, Kheraz, Sefidrud, Astarchay, Kura, Pirsagat, Kusarchay, Samur, Rubas, Darvagchay, Ulluchay, Shuraozen, Sulak, Terek, Kuma.
- Bottom: very diverse. Common at shallow depths sandy soil with an admixture of shells, in deep-sea places - silty. In the coastal strip there may be pebble and rocky places (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: salty.
- Salinity: 13 g/l.
- Transparency: 15 m.
Geography
Rice. 1. Map of the Caspian Sea basin.
- Coordinates: 41°59′02″ n. latitude, 51°03′52″ e. d.
- 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 geographical zones, the coastal landscape is diverse. In the northern part of the reservoir, the banks are low, swampy, and in the deltas of large rivers, they are cut by numerous channels. The eastern shores are mostly limestone - desert or semi-desert. Western and southern coast adjacent to mountain ranges. The greatest ruggedness of the coastline is observed in the west, in the area of the Absheron Peninsula, and also 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, Bender-Torkemen, Bender-Anzeli, Neka, Chalus.
- Azerbaijan: Alyat, Astara, Baku, Dubendi, Lankaran, Sangachali, Sumgayit.
Interactive map
Ecology
The ecological situation in the Caspian Sea is far from ideal. Almost 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 Sea - over the past half century, their concentration has increased significantly, and the content of some heavy metals has already exceeded permissible standards.
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 on the Caspian Sea
- Types of fish:
- Artificial settlement: not all of the above fish species in the Caspian Sea are native. About 4 dozen species were found by chance (for example, through canals from the Black and Baltic seas), or were deliberately inhabited by humans. As an example, it is worth citing mullets. Three Black Sea species of these fish - mullet, sharpnose and singil - were released in the first half of the 20th century. The mullet did not take root, but the mullet and the singil have successfully acclimatized, and by now have settled virtually throughout the entire Caspian waters, forming several commercial herds. At the same time, the fish fatten up faster than in the Black Sea and reach larger sizes. In the second half of the last century (starting from 1962), attempts were also made to introduce such Far Eastern salmon fish as pink salmon and chum salmon into the Caspian Sea. In total, several billion fry of these fish were released into the sea over the course of 5 years. Pink salmon did not survive in the new habitat, chum salmon, on the contrary, successfully took root and even began to enter the rivers flowing into the sea to spawn. However, it was unable to reproduce in sufficient quantities and gradually disappeared. There are still no favorable conditions for its full natural reproduction (there are very few places where spawning and development of fry could successfully occur). To provide them, river reclamation is necessary, otherwise, without human help (artificial collection of eggs and their incubation), the fish will not be able to maintain their numbers.
Fishing spots
In fact, fishing is possible anywhere on the Caspian Sea coast, which can be reached by land or water. What types of fish will be caught depends on local conditions, but to a greater extent on whether the rivers flow here. As a rule, in places where estuaries and deltas are located (especially large watercourses), the water in the sea is greatly desalinated, so freshwater fish (carp, catfish, bream, etc.) usually predominate in the catches; species characteristic of the flowing rivers may also be found. rivers (usachi, shemaya). Of the marine species in desalinated areas, those for which salinity does not matter (mullet, some gobies) are caught. At certain periods of the year, semi-anadromous and anadromous species can be found here, feeding in the sea and entering rivers to spawn (sturgeon, some herrings, Caspian salmon). In places where there are no flowing rivers, freshwater species are found in slightly smaller numbers, but marine fish also 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, we can distinguish 9 places or areas that are interesting in terms of fishing:
- 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 low salinity of water (the lowest in the Caspian Sea), shallow depth, the presence of multiple shoals, islands, and highly developed aquatic vegetation. In addition to the Volga delta with its numerous channels, bays and eriks, it also includes the estuary coastal area, called the Caspian Peaks. These places are popular among Russian fishermen, and for good reason: the conditions for fish here are very favorable, and there is also a good food supply. The ichthyofauna in these parts may not shine with a wealth of species, but it is distinguished by its abundance, and some of its representatives reach quite considerable sizes. Typically, the bulk of the catches are freshwater fish typical of the Volga basin. Most often caught: perch, pike perch, roach (more precisely, its varieties called roach and ram), rudd, asp, sabrefish, bream, silver carp, carp, catfish, pike. Somewhat less common are black bream, silver bream, white-eye, and bluegill. Representatives of sturgeons (sturgeon, stellate sturgeon, beluga, etc.) and salmonids (nelma, brown trout - Caspian salmon) are also found in these places, but their fishing is prohibited.
- Northwestern coast (RF)- this area covers West Coast Russian Federation (from Kizlyar Bay to Makhachkala). The rivers Kuma, Terek and Sulak flow here - they carry their waters both through 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., and marine species are also caught here, for example, herring (blackback, bellyfish).
- West Bank (RF)- from Makhachkala to the border of the Russian Federation with Azerbaijan. An area where mountain ranges adjoin the sea. The salinity of the water here is slightly higher than in previous places, so marine species are more common in fishermen's catches (sea pike perch, mullet, herring). However, freshwater fish are by no means rare.
- West Bank (Azerbaijan)- from the border of the Russian Federation with Azerbaijan along the Absheron Peninsula. Continuation of the area where mountain ranges adjoin the sea. Fishing here is even more similar to typical offshore fishing, with fish such as razorback and mullet and several species of gobies also caught here. In addition to them, there are kutum, herring, and some typically freshwater species, for example, carp.
- Southwestern coast (Azerbaijan)- from the Absheron Peninsula to the border of Azerbaijan with Iran. Most of this area is occupied by the Kura River delta. The same types of fish that were listed in the previous paragraph are caught here, but freshwater ones are somewhat more common.
- Northern coast (Kazakhstan)- this area covers north coast Kazakhstan. Here are the Ural delta and state reserve“Akzhaiyk”, therefore fishing directly in the river delta and in some adjacent water areas is prohibited. Fishing can only be done outside the reserve - upstream from the delta, or in the sea - at some distance from it. Fishing near the Ural delta has much in common with fishing at the confluence of the Volga - almost the same species of fish are found here.
- Northeast coast (Kazakhstan)- from the mouth of the Emba to Cape Tyub-Karagan. Unlike the northern part of the sea, where the water is greatly diluted by large rivers flowing in, its salinity here increases slightly, so those species of fish appear that avoid desalinated areas, for example, sea pike perch, which is fished in Dead Kultuk Bay. Also, other representatives of marine fauna are often found in the catches.
- Eastern coast (Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan)- from Cape Tyub-Karagan to the border of Turkmenistan and Iran. It is distinguished by the almost complete absence of flowing rivers. The salinity of the water here is at its maximum. Of the fish in these places, marine species predominate; the bulk of the catches are mullet, sea pike perch and gobies.
- South Bank (Iran)- covers South coast Caspian Sea. Throughout this section, the Elborz mountain range adjoins the sea. Many rivers flow here, most of which are small watercourses, there are also several medium-sized ones and one large river. Of the 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 used on the Caspian coast is a heavy spinning rod, converted into a “sea bottom”. It is usually equipped with a durable reel on which a fairly thick fishing line (0.3 mm or more) is wound. The thickness of the fishing line is determined not so much by the size of the fish, but by the mass of a fairly heavy sinker, which is necessary for ultra-long casting (in the Caspian Sea it is widely believed that the farther from the shore the casting point is, the better). After the sinker comes a thinner line - with several leashes. The bait used is shrimp and amphipods that live in coastal algae thickets - if you plan to catch sea fish, or ordinary bait like a worm, chafer larvae and others - if there are freshwater species in the fishing area.
At the mouths of inflowing rivers, other gear can be used, such as a float rod, feeder and traditional spinning rod.
kasparova2 majorov2006 g2gg2g-61 .
Photo 8. Sunset in Aktau.
