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 is attractive and inexpensive place for rest and treatment. Beautiful nature and the early opening of the swimming seasons make the rest on the Caspian coast more tempting.
The Caspian Lake is the largest of all lakes on the planet. It is often referred to as the Caspian Sea because of its impressive size and slightly salty water. It is located at the crossroads of Asia and Europe on the territory of 5 countries: Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Russian Federation Azerbaijan and Iran.
Despite the fact that the tourist infrastructure is inferior to the Black Sea in terms of development, the Caspian coast is in demand among tourists. This is facilitated by the rapid warming up 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.
Benefits of resting on the Caspian Lake:
- clean sea sand;
- picturesque nature;
- nautical salubrious 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 a 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 more than one thousand rubles on vacation, housing and food without denying yourself anything.
You can get to the Caspian Sea in various ways, but you should decide in which coastal city area to plan your vacation.
In the Russian Federation, there are several resort towns:
Astrakhan is very popular among fishermen and lovers active rest associated with water, because there are many rivers in its vicinity, and the Caspian Lake is within easy reach - an hour by car.
Ancient city Derbent also enjoys a special love among tourists, because it is surrounded by attractions such as picturesque mountains, there are ancient fossils and legendary caves, overgrown with legends, and other interesting places to visit.
Such Dagestan resort towns as Izberbash, Kaspiysk, Makhachkala and Kalmyk Lagan are not deprived of attention either. Many tourists come to the Caspian Lake and stay in Azerbaijani cities (Baku, Lankaran, Sumgayit), Turkmen resorts Turkmentbashi and Avaza, Kazakh Aktau and Atyrau.
The origin of the Caspian lake and its names
Over 5 million years ago, the ancient sea was divided into several smaller ones, including the Caspian and the Black Sea. After this separation, the reservoirs repeatedly merged into one and split up, 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 of the hypotheses, it came from the name of the Caspian tribe, who lived in its southwest in the first millennium BC. 
Throughout the entire period of existence, the Caspian Lake had more than 70 different names among various peoples of the tribes, among which:
- Abeskunskoye - by the name of the island and the city, which were located before they were flooded by a reservoir in the XIV century in a low plain formed by the Kura Kura River.
- Saray.
- Khazar or Mazenderan - 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, came from the region of Hyrkania and the city of Gorgan, now belonging to Iran.
- Derbent - by the name of 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) excavated remains in sites older than 600 thousand years. Excavations on the southern coast point to 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 the writer Hecateus of Miletus (VI-V century BC) in his work "Description of the Earth" described the Caspian Sea as the Hyrcanian Sea. In the 5th century BC, an ancient Greek historian was one of the first to suggest that the Caspian is not connected with other seas or the ocean, 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 groundwater. The study of the relationship of the Caspian Sea with other large water bodies was carried out by Macedonian during 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 well-known ancient Greek geographer and historian Strabo in one of his 17 chronicles (books) "Geography" imagined the Caspian Lake stretched in an east-west direction.
Arab scientists of the 9th-13th centuries made a significant contribution to the exploration of the Caspian Sea, writing in their works information about coastal cities and states, islands, flowing rivers and oil, which 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 eminent Marco Polo (XIII century) also described a huge pond.
A very detailed, although sometimes erroneous, map of the Caspian Sea was compiled in the 17th century by the famous German scientist and traveler Adam Olearius. Peter I repeatedly traveled towards the Caspian Lake, and on the basis of the data provided by him, Russian hydrographers compiled very detailed maps of the Caspian Sea.
Since the 17th century, surveys of the Caspian Sea and its coastal environs have become systematic and versatile. Peter the Great in 1714 sent an exploratory expedition led by Bekovich-Cherkassky. A few years later, the research was continued by Verdun and Soimonov, 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, after several decades, geographical survey was carried out by an expedition led by N.A. For half a century, starting from 1866, regular hydrological and hydrobiological expeditions were carried out under the command of N.M. Knipovich.
During the first years of Soviet rule, the Caspian was actively explored by geologists, mainly in search of oil deposits, studying the water balance and fluctuations in the 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 ancient sea Tetris, which more than 50-55 million years ago united the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, being 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, a giant reservoir broke into small basins, which included the Caspian and the 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 is this time that is considered the beginning of its origin.
Throughout its history, the lake has repeatedly changed its coastline until it acquired its current form.
Physical and geographical characteristics of the Caspian Lake
The water surface of the lake is noticeably lower than the level of the World Ocean and is -27.5 ... -28.5 m. The area of the Caspian 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 is territorially divided into several parts with their own characteristics:
- North Caspian- 24% of the total area of \u200b\u200bthe reservoir falls on it. This part is small and 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.
- South Caspian- occupies 40% of the total area of the lake and it 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 mark of 7 thousand km. The maximum length of the lake slightly exceeds 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.
Depth map of the Caspian lake The coasts vary greatly in their landscape. The northern coast is gently sloping and low, around it there is a semi-desert in the lowlands, and a desert on a hill. The southern coastline is partly low and partly mountainous and consists of the Elbrus ridge. The mountains of the Caucasus come close to the western part.
The eastern line of the coast is a calcareous plateau of a desert and semi-desert type. The outlines of the coast change greatly depending on the water level, which fluctuates periodically.
Climate
The water temperature of the Caspian varies greatly depending on the 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 averaged data, the temperature in the western part of the lake is up to 2 °C higher than in the eastern one, and at a distance from the shore it rises 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 and is 4-7 °C.
The Caspian Lake is located three climatic zones: continental (north of the reservoir), temperate (middle) and subtropical (South Caspian). in winter average temperature ranges from -8 to -11 °С in the north and up to +8 to +11 °С in the south of the lake.
In summer, the northern part warms up to 24-25 °С with a positive mark, in the south the temperature rises to 26-27 °С. The highest temperature of +44 °С was noted in the east of the reservoir. 
The average amount of precipitation per year is about 200 mm. Moreover, on the arid eastern coast, at least 90-100 mm falls, in the south-west 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 large minus 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, storm winds prevail. In winter, only the northern shallow water freezes; in severe winter frosts, the Northern Caspian and coastal waters of the Middle Caspian are covered with ice.
Flora and fauna
The flora of the Caspian Sea and its coastal environs is more than 720 species of plants. The lake is dominated mainly by algae (diatoms, brown, etc.), from angiosperms - rupee and zoster. Most of the vegetation of the Caspian Lake comes from the Neogene period, but some got into the reservoir on the bottoms of ships or consciously, with the help of man.
Among the animal representatives of the Caspian Sea and its environs, there are more than 1800 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 largest flock of sturgeon in the world lives in the lake, and a lot of pike perch, carp and roach live in the waters of the sea. Up to 80% of the total world sturgeon catch and more than 90% of the world black caviar fishery falls on the Caspian Lake.
The main route of bird migration between Europe and Asia passes over the Caspian Sea (in spring - in a southerly direction, and in autumn - in a northerly direction). During seasonal flights, over 11.5 million birds fly over the lake, about 5 million individuals remain for the winter. More than 850 species of animals live in the lake itself, of which almost 80 are vertebrates. Of the plants in the lake, there are more than 500 species.
Islands
There are more than 50 islands of large and medium format in the Caspian Lake with with total area about 350 sq. km. 
| The state that owns the island | Island name |
| Azerbaijan | Jasper |
| Oil Stones | |
| Pelican | |
| Zenbil | |
| Sengi Mugan | |
| Boyuk Zira | |
| Baku archipelago | |
| Kichik Zira | |
| Kurinsky | |
| Chilov | |
| Ignat dasha | |
| Inner Stone | |
| Khyarya Zira | |
| Kara Su | |
| Dash Zira | |
| Novoivanovskiy | |
| Chikil | |
| Kurinskaya Spit | |
| Gil | |
| Babury | |
| Iran | Ashur-Ada |
| Kazakhstan | Seal Islands |
| Average | |
| Zyudev | |
| Konevsky Oseryodok | |
| Someonok | |
| Babiy | |
| somovy | |
| Turkmenistan | Ogurchinsky |
| Big Zyudostinskiy | |
| Marine Ivan-Karaul | |
| Net Banks | |
| Small Zyudostinskiy | |
| Birdie | |
| Egg | |
| Small Setnoy | |
| Jumpers | |
| Sandy | |
| Bazaar | |
| Konevsky | |
| Zelenenky | |
| Marine Biryuchok | |
| Batkachny | |
| nordic | |
| Small Pearl | |
| Big Setnoy | |
| pancakes | |
| Upper Oseredok | |
| Khokhlatsky | |
| Zyudev | |
| Lower | |
| Small | |
| Likhachev | |
| seals | |
| Seventh | |
| Sea Chapura | |
| Chechen |
Inflowing rivers
More than 130 rivers flow into the Caspian, of which 9 have a delta-shaped mouth. 95% of water enters the Caspian from rivers. Most of them flow into the lake in the northern and western parts of the reservoir; there are no rivers flowing into the east.
The largest and most significant rivers of the Caspian basin:
Approximately 88% of the total runoff falls on such rivers as the Volga, Terek, Ural and Emba, which flow into the north of the Caspian. 7% of the flow falls on such rivers as the Kura, Sulak, Samur and other smaller ones that flow into the western part of the Caspian. About 5% of the flow of the rivers Sefidrud, Kheraz and Gorgan falls into the Iranian part of the reservoir.
Ecological state
The state of the Caspian Lake and adjacent territories inspires concern among environmentalists.
The main causes of environmental problems are related to man and his activities:
- extraction and transportation of oil and gas products;
- intake of pollutants with runoff waters of rivers;
- poaching;
- waste from coastal cities;
- rapid jumps in the water level in the Caspian due to the irrigation of lands with the waters of the flowing rivers and the use of hydroelectric power stations.
How the Caspian Lake is used
The Caspian lake has been actively used by man for many centuries.
Main directions economic activity:
Recreational resources of the Caspian Lake
The climate and nature of the Caspian coast with its clean sandy beaches, healing mud and healing springs provide great potential and excellent conditions for sanatorium treatment and tourist holiday.
Although the development of the resort and tourist infrastructure is noticeably inferior to that of the Black Sea coast, it is actively expanding and improving the quality of service. The most noticeable surge in development in recent years has been noted in the Republic of Dagestan, Iran, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. 
Rest on the coast of the Caspian Sea in the Russian Federation and former countries LPG is notable for its low cost and, on average, in terms of quality in some places is inferior to that in the Black Sea, but in actively developing areas the level is quite high.
Popular recreation areas with developed infrastructure:
- Baku;
- Amburan;
- Makhachkala;
- Bilgah;
- Derbent.
- Dial;
- Lankaran;
- Nardaran.
The development of the Turkmen resort and tourism industry is hampered by an internal policy that isolates the state from the majority of tourists. And in Iran, mass recreation is difficult due to strict Sharia law.
There are 3 protected areas on the coast:
The Caspian Lake is located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia and is the largest lake in the world.
There are many interesting facts about the reservoir:
- It is larger than Japan, but smaller than Germany in area.
- In terms of depth, the Caspian is in third place, second only to Tanganyika and Baikal.
- Every 2.5 centuries a complete renewal of the waters takes place.
- On the Iranian coast, albino beluga is caught, whose caviar is the most expensive in the world. It has a white tint and is packaged in unusual jars made of real gold.
- The largest beluga weighed over 1200 kg and was caught in the 1920s. XX century on the Russian coast. In its dimensions, it is comparable to a large shark.
- Throughout the history of the lake, he had more than 70 different names.
- Scientists are still debating whether to consider the Caspian Lake a sea, justifying this by the fact that its area exceeds the size of some seas, and the bottom was created according to the oceanic type. But at the same time, the reservoir is drainless and does not connect with the ocean and other seas.
- The smallest length of the coastline of the five countries belongs to the Russian Federation.
- More than 80% of the waters enter the lake from the river. Volga.
The Caspian lake is rich in flora and fauna, it is distinguished by warm waters and a long swimming season. It is best known for its depth and size, oil, gas and sturgeon production, the reserves of which exceed those known throughout the world.
The lake is 95% supplied with runoff water to rivers. On its coast there are many resorts and sanatoriums, whose attractiveness can be assessed, and affordable prices.
Article formatting: Mila Fridan
Video about the Caspian Sea
Film about the Caspian Sea:
The Caspian Sea is one of the largest salt water bodies of the Earth, located at the junction of Europe and Asia. Its total area is about 370 thousand square meters. km. The reservoir receives more than 100 water flows. The largest rivers flowing into - Volga, Ural, Emba, Terek, Sulak, Samur, Kura, Atrek, Sefidrud.
The Volga River - the pearl of Russia
The Volga is a river that flows through the territory of the Russian Federation and partially crosses Kazakhstan. It belongs to the category of the largest and longest rivers on Earth. Total length The Volga is more than 3500 km. The river originates in the village of Volgoverkhovye, Tver region, located on the territory of the Russian Federation. After that, it continues its movement through the territory of the Russian Federation.
It flows into the Caspian Sea, but does not have a direct outlet to the World Ocean, so it is classified as an internal drain. The watercourse receives about 200 tributaries and has more than 150 thousand drains. Today, reservoirs have been built on the river, allowing to regulate the flow, due to which the fluctuations in the water level have been sharply reduced.
The fishery of the river is diverse. Melon growing prevails in the Volga region: the fields are occupied by grain and industrial crops; salt is mined. Oil and gas fields have been discovered in the Ural region. Volga is the most major river, which flows into the Caspian Sea, so it is of great importance for Russia. The main transport facility that allows crossing this stream is the longest one in Russia.
Ural - a river in Eastern Europe
The Ural, like the Volga River, flows on the territory of two states - Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation. Historical name - Yaik. It originates in Bashkortostan at the top of the Uraltau ridge. The Ural River flows into the Caspian Sea. Its basin is the sixth largest in the Russian Federation, and the area is more than 230 square meters. km. Interesting fact: the Ural River, contrary to popular belief, belongs to the inland European river, and only its upper course in Russia belongs to Asia.
The mouth of the stream gradually becomes shallower. At this point, the river splits into several branches. This feature is typical throughout the entire length of the channel. During floods, you can watch the Ural overflow its banks, in principle, like many other Russian rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea. This is especially observed in places with a gently sloping coastline. Flooding occurs at a distance of up to 7 meters from the riverbed.
Emba - the river of Kazakhstan
Emba is a river flowing on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The name comes from the Turkmen language, literally translated as "the valley of food." The river basin with an area of 40 thousand square meters. km. The river begins its journey in the mountains of Mugodzhary and, flowing along, is lost among the swamps. Asking which rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, we can say that in full-flowing years, the Emba reaches its basin.
Along the coastline of the river, such natural resources like oil and gas. The issue of passing the border between Europe and Asia along the Emba watercourse, as in the case of the river. Ural, an open topic today. The reason for this is a natural factor: the mountains of the Ural Range, which are the main reference point for drawing borders, disappear, forming a homogeneous area.
Terek - mountain water stream
Terek - river North Caucasus. The name literally translates from Turkic as "poplar". The Terek flows out of the glacier of Mount Zilga-Khokh, located in the Trusovsky Gorge of the Caucasus Range. passes through the lands of many states: North Ossetia, Georgia, Stavropol Territory, Kabardino-Balkaria, Dagestan and the Chechen Republic. It flows into the Caspian Sea and the Arkhangelsk Bay. The length of the river is just over 600 km, the basin area is about 43 thousand square meters. km. An interesting fact is that every 60-70 years the flow forms a new transit arm, while the old one loses its strength and disappears.
The Terek, like other rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea, is widely used to satisfy human economic needs: it is used to irrigate the arid territories of the adjacent lowlands. There are also several hydroelectric power plants on the water stream, the total average annual output of which is more than 200 million kWh. In the near future, it is planned to launch additional additional stations.
Sulak - water stream of Dagestan
Sulak is a river that connects the streams of the Avar Koisu and the Andi Koisu. It flows through the territory of Dagestan. It starts in the Main Sulak Canyon and ends its journey in the waters of the Caspian Sea. The main purpose of the river is the water supply of two cities of Dagestan - Makhachkala and Kaspiysk. Also, several hydroelectric power stations are already located on the river, it is planned to launch new ones to increase the generated capacity.
Samur - the pearl of South Dagestan
Samur is the second largest river in Dagestan. Literally, the name from the Indo-Aryan is translated as "an abundance of water." It originates at the foot of Mount Guton; It flows into the waters of the Caspian Sea in two branches - Samur and Small Samur. The total length of the river is just over 200 km.
All rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea are of great importance for the territories through which they flow. Samur is no exception. The main direction of using the river is irrigation of lands and providing residents of nearby cities with drinking water. It was because of this that a hydroelectric complex and a number of the Samur-Divichinsky canal were built.
At the beginning of the 20th century (2010), Russia and Azerbaijan signed an interstate agreement requiring both sides to rationally use the resources of the Samur River. The same agreement introduced territorial changes between these countries. The border between the two states has been moved to the middle of the hydroelectric complex.
Kura - the largest river of Transcaucasia
Asking the question which rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, I want to describe the flow of the Kuru. It flows on the land of three states at once: Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan. The length of the stream is more than 1000 km, the total area of the basin is about 200 thousand square meters. km. Part of the basin is located on the territory of Armenia and Iran. The source of the river is located in the Turkish province of Kars, flows into the waters of the Caspian Sea. The path of the river is thorny, laid among hollows and gorges, for which it got its name, which in Megrelian means “nibble”, that is, the Kura is a river that “gnaws” itself even among the mountains.
There are many cities on it, such as Borjomi, Tbilisi, Mtskheta and others. It plays an important role in meeting the economic needs of the inhabitants of these cities: hydroelectric power stations are located, and the Mingachevir reservoir created on the river is one of the main reserves fresh water for Azerbaijan. Unfortunately, the ecological state of the stream leaves much to be desired: the level of harmful substances exceeds the permissible limits by several times.
Features of the Atrek River
Atrek is a river located on the territory of Iran and Turkmenistan. It originates in the Turkmen-Kharasan mountains. Due to the active use in economic needs for irrigation of land, the river became shallow. For this reason, it reaches the Caspian Sea only during the flood period.
Sefidrud - the abundant river of the Caspian
Sefidrud is a major river of the Iranian state. It was originally formed by the confluence of two water streams - Kyzyluzen and Shakhrud. Now it flows out of the Shabanau reservoir and flows into the depths of the Caspian Sea. The total length of the river is over 700 km. The creation of a reservoir has become a necessity. It made it possible to minimize the risks of flooding, thereby securing the cities located in the river delta. The waters are used for irrigation of land with a total area of more than 200 thousand hectares of land.
As can be seen from the presented material, the Earth's water resources are in an unsatisfactory state. The rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea are actively used by man to meet his needs. And this has a detrimental effect on their condition: watercourses are depleted and polluted. That is why scientists around the world are sounding the alarm and conducting active propaganda, calling for saving and conserving water on Earth.
The Caspian Sea is the most big lake our planet, which is located in a depression on 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 the history of origin, in terms of its size, the Caspian Sea is a sea.
The area of the Caspian Sea is about 371 thousand km2. The sea, stretched 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. Large islands include such islands as Tyuleniy, Kulaly, Zhiloy, Chechen, Artem, Ogurchinsky. There are also many bays in the sea, for example: Kizlyarsky, Komsomolets, Kazakh, Agrakhansky, etc.
The Caspian Sea is fed by more than 130 rivers. The largest number water (about 88% of the total flow) is brought by the Ural, Volga, Terek, Emba rivers, which flow into the northern part of the sea. About 7% of the runoff is provided by the large rivers Kura, Samur, Sulak and small rivers flowing into the sea on the western coast. The Heraz, Gorgan, Sefidrud rivers flow into the southern Iranian coast, which bring only 5% of the flow. IN eastern part no river flows into the sea. The water in the Caspian Sea is salty, its salinity ranges from 0.3‰ to 13‰.
The shores of the Caspian Sea
The shores have a different landscape. The shores of the northern part of the sea are low and gentle, surrounded by low semi-desert and somewhat elevated desert. In the south, the shores are partially low-lying, they are bordered by a coastal lowland of a small area, behind which the Elburs ridge runs along the coast, which in some places comes close to the coast. In the west, the ridges of the Greater Caucasus approach the coast. In the east there is an abrasion coast, worked out in limestones, semi-desert and desert plateaus approach it. The coastline is very variable 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, severe frosts and snowstorms are raging on the northern coast, and fruit trees and magnolias bloom on the southern coast. In winter, strong storm winds rage on the sea.
On the coast of the Caspian Sea are located big cities, ports: Baku, Lankaran, Turkmenbashi, Lagan, Makhachkala, Kaspiysk, Izberbash, Astrakhan, etc. 
The fauna of the Caspian Sea is represented by 1809 animal species. More than 70 species of fish are found in the sea, including: herring, gobies, stellate sturgeon, sturgeon, beluga, white salmon, sterlet, pike perch, carp, bream, vobla, etc. Of the marine mammals in the lake, only the world's smallest Caspian seal is found, which not found in other seas. The Caspian lies on the main bird migration route between Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Every year, about 12 million birds fly over the Caspian during their migration period, and another 5 million usually winter here.
Vegetable world
The flora of the Caspian Sea and its coast is 728 species. Basically, algae inhabit the sea: diatoms, blue-green, red, char, brown and others, from flowering ones - rupee and zoster.
The Caspian Sea is rich in natural resources, many oil and gas fields are being developed in it, in addition, limestone, salt, sand, stone and clay are also mined here. The Caspian Sea is connected by the Volga-Don Canal with the 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, there are rest houses on its shores, tourist bases and sanatoriums.
Related content:
The Caspian Sea is located between Asia and Europe. This is the largest salt sea-lake located on the territory of Kazakhstan, Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkmenistan. At present, its level is 28 meters below the level of the World Ocean. The depth of the Caspian Sea is quite large. The area of the reservoir is 371 thousand square kilometers.
Story
Approximately five million years ago, the sea divided into small bodies of water, including the Black and Caspian Sea. After these events, they united and separated. About two million years ago, the Caspian Lake was cut off from the oceans. This period is considered the beginning of its formation. Throughout history, the reservoir has changed its contours several times, and the depth of the Caspian Sea has also changed.
Now the Caspian is the largest inland body of water containing about 44% of the lake waters of the planet. Despite the ongoing changes, the depth of the Caspian Sea did not change very much.
Once it was called Khvali and Khazar, and the tribes of horse breeders gave it another name - the Caspian. That was the name of the tribe living on the southwestern shore of the reservoir. In total, during its existence, the lake had more than seventy names, here are some of them:
- Abeskun.
- Derbent.
- Saray.
- Sihai.
- Dzhurdzhanskoe.
- Hyrcanian.
Depth and relief
Relief and features hydrological regime divide the sea-lake into northern, middle and southern parts. Throughout the entire area of the Caspian Sea, the average depth is 180-200 m, but the relief in different parts is different.
Northern part the reservoir is shallow. Here the depth of the Caspian Sea-lake is approximately 25 meters. In the middle part of the Caspian there are very deep depressions, continental slopes, and shelves. Here the average depth is 192 meters, and in the Derbent depression - about 788 meters.
The greatest depth of the Caspian Sea is in the South Caspian depression (1025 meters). Its bottom is flat, and there are several ridges in the northern part of the depression. It is here that the maximum depth of the Caspian Sea is noted.
Coastline Features
Its length is seven thousand kilometers. The northern part of the coastline is lowland, mountains are on the south and west, and highlands are on the east. The spurs of Elbrus and the Caucasus Mountains approach the shores of the sea.
The Caspian has large bays: Kazakh, Kizlyar, Mangyshlak, Kara-Bogaz-Gol, Krasnovodsk.
If you go on a cruise from north to south, then the length of the route will be 1200 kilometers. In this direction, the reservoir has an elongated shape, and from west to east, the width of the sea is different. It is 195 kilometers at its narrowest point and 435 kilometers at its widest. On average, the width of the reservoir is 315 km.
The sea has several peninsulas: Mangyshlak, Buzachi, Miankale and others. There are also several islands here. The largest are Chygyl, Kyur-Dashi, Gum, Dash, Seal Islands.
Reservoir nutrition
About one hundred and thirty rivers flow into the Caspian. Most of them flow in the north and west. Main river flowing into the sea is the Volga. Approximately ninety percent of the volume of runoff falls on three large rivers: the Volga (80%), the Kura (6%) and the Urals (5%). Five percent - to the Terek, Sulak and Samur, and the remaining four bring small rivers and streams of Iran.
Caspian resources
The reservoir has amazing beauty, a variety of ecosystems and a rich supply of natural resources. When there are frosts in its northern part, magnolias and apricots bloom in the south.
Relic flora and fauna have been preserved in the Caspian Sea, including the largest flock of sturgeons. As the marine flora evolved, it changed more than once, adjusting to salinization and desalination. As a result, there are many freshwater species in these waters, but few marine ones.
After the Volga-Don Canal was built, new types of algae appeared in the reservoir, which used to be found in the Black and Seas of Azov. Now there are 854 animal species in the Caspian Sea, of which 79 are vertebrates, and over 500 plant species. This unique sea-lake provides up to 80% of the world's sturgeon catch and about 95% of black caviar.
Five species of sturgeon are found in the Caspian Sea: stellate sturgeon, spike, sterlet, beluga and sturgeon. Beluga is the largest representative of the species. Its weight can reach a ton, and its length can reach five meters. In addition to sturgeon, herring, salmon, kutuma, vobla, asp and other types of fish are caught in the sea.
Of the mammals in the Caspian Sea, only the local seal is found, which is not found in other water bodies of the world. It is considered the smallest on the planet. Its weight is about a hundred kilograms, and its length is 160 centimeters. The Caspian region is the main migration route for birds between Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Every year approximately 12 million birds fly over the sea during their migration (south in spring and north in autumn). In addition, another 5 million remain in these places for wintering.
The greatest wealth of the Caspian Sea is the huge reserves of oil and gas. Geological exploration in the region has discovered large deposits of these minerals. Their potential puts local reserves in second place in the world after
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on the planet Earth, located on the continent of Eurasia - in the border area 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 reservoirs - after lakes Baikal and Tanganyika. In the northern part of the Caspian Sea (a few kilometers from the northern coast - parallel to it) passes geographical boundary between Europe and Asia.
Toponymy
- Other names: throughout the history of mankind, different peoples of the Caspian Sea had about 70 different names. The most famous of them are: Khvalynskoe or Khvalisskoe (it took place during Ancient Rus', arose on behalf of the people praise, who lived in the Northern Caspian and traded with the Russians), Girkan or Dzhurdzhan (derived from the alternative names of the city of Gorgan, located in Iran), Khazar, Abeskun (after the name of the island and city in the Kura delta - now flooded), Saray, Derbent, Sikhay .
- Origin of name: according to one of the hypotheses, the Caspian Sea received its modern and most ancient name from a tribe of nomadic horse breeders the Caspians 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
- Max Depth: 1025 m.
Hydrology
- The presence of a constant flow: no, it's pointless.
- Tributaries:, Ural, Emba, Atrek, Gorgan, Heraz, Sefidrud, Astarchay, Kura, Pirsagat, Kusarchay, Samur, Rubas, Darvagchay, Ulluchay, Shuraozen, Sulak, Terek, Kuma.
- Bottom: very varied. Common at shallow depths sandy soil with an admixture of shells, in deep-sea places - muddy. 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 powerful 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″ 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 is located in different geographical 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 they are indented by numerous channels. Eastern Shores mostly limestone - desert or semi-desert. The western and southern shores adjoin mountain ranges. The greatest indentation of the 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 coast:
- 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 the effluents of 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 increased markedly, 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
- Fish species:
- Artificial settlement: not all of the above fish species in the Caspian Sea are native. About 4 dozen species came by chance (for example, through channels from the Black and Baltic Seas), or have been intentionally inhabited by humans. An example is the mullet. Three Black Sea species of these fish - striped mullet, sharp-nosed mullet and golden mullet - were released in the first half of the 20th century. The striped mullet did not take root, but the blackfin with golden mullet have successfully acclimatized, and by the current moment they have settled in virtually the entire water area of the Caspian Sea, having formed several commercial herds. At the same time, fish feed 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 populate such Far Eastern salmon fish as pink salmon and chum salmon in the Caspian Sea. In total, several billion fry of these fish were released into the sea within 5 years. Pink salmon did not survive in the new range, but on the contrary, chum salmon successfully took root and even began to spawn in the rivers flowing into the sea. However, she could not reproduce in sufficient quantities and gradually disappeared. There are as yet 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, river reclamation is needed, otherwise, without human help (artificial sampling of eggs and its incubation), fish will not be able to maintain their numbers.
Fishing places
In fact, fishing is possible at any point on the coast of the Caspian Sea, which can be reached by land or water. Which 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 (especially large watercourses) are located, the water in the sea is strongly desalinated, therefore, freshwater fish (carp, catfish, bream, etc.) usually predominate in catches; rivers (barbels, shemaya). Of the marine species in desalinated areas, those for which salinity does not matter are caught (mullet, some of the gobies). In certain periods of the year, semi-anadromous and migratory species can be found here, feeding in the sea, and entering the rivers for spawning (sturgeon, some of the herring, Caspian salmon). In places where there are no flowing rivers, freshwater species are found in a slightly smaller number, but at the same time, marine fish appear, usually avoiding desalinated areas (for example, sea zander). Away from the coast, fish that prefer salt water and deep-sea species are caught.
It is conditionally possible to distinguish 9 places or areas that are interesting in terms of fishing:
- North Shore (RF)- this area is located on the northern coast of the Russian Federation (from the Volga delta to the Kizlyar Bay). Its main features are the insignificant salinity of the 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 erics, it also includes the estuarine seaside, 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 forage base. The ichthyofauna in these parts may not shine with a richness of species, but it is distinguished by its abundance, and some of its representatives reach a very considerable size. Usually the basis of 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. Bursh, silver bream, white-eye, blue bream are somewhat less common. There are also representatives of sturgeons (sturgeon, stellate sturgeon, beluga, etc.), salmonids (nelma, brown trout - Caspian salmon) in these places, but their catch is prohibited.
- Northwestern coast (RF)- this area covers West Coast Russian Federation (from Kizlyar Bay to Makhachkala). The Kuma, Terek and Sulak rivers flow here - they carry their waters both along natural channels and artificial channels. In this area there are bays, among which are quite large ones (Kizlyarsky, Agrakhansky). The sea in these places is shallow. Of the fish in the catches, freshwater species predominate: pike, perch, carp, catfish, rudd, bream, barbel, etc., marine species are also caught here, for example, herring (black-backed, shad).
- 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 somewhat higher than in previous places, therefore, marine species are more common in the catches of fishermen (sea pike, mullet, herring). However, freshwater fish are by no means uncommon.
- West Bank (Azerbaijan)- from the border of the Russian Federation with Azerbaijan to the Absheron Peninsula. Continuation of the section where mountain ranges adjoin the sea. Fishing here is even more similar to typical sea fishing, thanks to fish such as hart and golden mullet (mullet) and several types of gobies, which are also caught here. In addition to them, there are kutum, herring, and some typically freshwater species, for example, carp.
- Southwest coast (Azerbaijan)- from the Absheron Peninsula to the border of Azerbaijan with Iran. Most of this area is occupied by the delta of the Kura River. Here the same species of fish are caught that were listed in the previous paragraph, but freshwater ones are somewhat more common.
- North Shore (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 water area adjacent to it is prohibited. Fishing is possible only 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. In contrast to the northern part of the sea, where the water is greatly diluted by large rivers flowing into it, its salinity is slightly increased here, therefore, those fish species appear that avoid desalinated areas, for example, sea zander, which is caught in the 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. Differs in the almost complete absence of flowing rivers. The salinity of the water here is at its highest. Of the fish in these places, marine species predominate, the main catches are mullet, pike perch and gobies.
- South Shore (Iran)- covers South coast Caspian. Throughout this section, the Elburs mountain range adjoins the sea. Many rivers flow here, most of which are small streams, there are also several medium 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, sturgeons.
Features of fishing
The most popular and catchy amateur tackle that is used on the Caspian coast is a heavy spinning rod converted into a “sea bottom”. Usually it is equipped with a strong spool, on which a fairly thick 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 as by the mass of a rather heavy sinker, which is necessary for an ultra-long cast (in the Caspian it is widely believed that the farther from the shore the casting point is, the better). After the sinker comes a thinner fishing line - with several leashes. As a bait, shrimps and amphipods that live in coastal thickets of algae are used - if it is supposed to catch sea fish, or an ordinary bait like a worm, cockchafer larvae and others - if freshwater species are found in the fishing area.
In estuaries of inflowing rivers, other tackle such as float rod, feeder and traditional spinning can be used.
kasparova2 majorov2006 g2gg2g-61 .
Photo 8. Sunset in Aktau.
