Where is the Caspian lake on the world map. Caspian Sea (lake): rest, photo and map, coasts and countries where the Caspian Sea is located. Area, depth, volume of water

Caspandmaboutre(Caspian) - the largest enclosed body of water on Earth. In size, the Caspian Sea is much larger than such lakes as the Upper, Victoria, Huron, Michigan, Baikal. According to formal features, the Caspian Sea is an endorheic lake. However, given its large size, brackish waters and sea-like regime, this body of water is called the sea.

According to one hypothesis, the Caspian Sea (among the ancient Slavs - the Khvalyn Sea) got its name in honor of the Caspian tribes who lived before our era on its southwestern coast.

The Caspian Sea washes the shores of five states: Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan.

The Caspian Sea is elongated in the meridional direction and is located between 36°33' and 47°07' N latitude. and 45°43΄ and 54°03΄ E (without Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay). The length of the sea along the meridian is about 1200 km; the average width is 310 km. The northern coast of the Caspian Sea is bordered by the Caspian lowland, the eastern coast by deserts Central Asia; in the west, the mountains of the Caucasus approach the sea, in the south, near the coast, the Elburz ridge stretches.

The surface of the Caspian Sea is much lower than the level of the World Ocean. His modern level fluctuates around -27 ... -28 m. These levels correspond to the sea surface area of ​​​​390 and 380 thousand km 2 (without the Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay), the volume of water is 74.15 and 73.75 thousand km 3, the average depth is approximately 190 m

The Caspian Sea is traditionally divided into three large parts: the North (24% of the sea area), the Middle (36%) and the South Caspian (40%), which differ significantly in morphology and regime, as well as the large and isolated Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay. The northern, shelf part of the sea is shallow: its average depth is 5–6 m, maximum depths are 15–25 m, and the volume is less than 1% of the total water mass of the sea. The Middle Caspian is a separate basin with the area of ​​maximum depths in the Derbent depression (788 m); its average depth is about 190 m. In the South Caspian, the average and maximum depths are 345 and 1025 m (in the South Caspian depression); 65% of the water mass of the sea is concentrated here.

There are about 50 islands in the Caspian Sea with total area approximately 400 km 2 ; the main ones are Tyuleniy, Chechen, Zyudev, Konevsky, Dzhambaysky, Durneva, Ogurchinsky, Apsheronsky. The length of the coastline is approximately 6.8 thousand km, with islands - up to 7.5 thousand km. The shores of the Caspian Sea are diverse. In the northern and eastern parts, they are quite strongly indented. There are large bays Kizlyarsky, Komsomolets, Mangyshlaksky, Kazakhsky, Kara-Bogaz-Gol, Krasnovodsky and Turkmensky, many bays; off the western coast - Kyzylagach. The largest peninsulas are Agrakhansky, Buzachi, Tyub-Karagan, Mangyshlak, Krasnovodsky, Cheleken and Apsheronsky. The most common banks are accumulative; areas with abrasion shores are found along the contour of the Middle and South Caspian.

More than 130 rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, the largest of which is the Volga. , Ural, Terek, Sulak, Samur, Kura, Sefidrud, Atrek, Emba (its runoff enters the sea only in high-water years). Nine rivers have deltas; the largest are located at the mouths of the Volga and Terek.

The main feature of the Caspian Sea, as a drainless reservoir, is instability and large range long-term fluctuations in its level. This most important hydrological feature of the Caspian Sea has a significant impact on all its other hydrological characteristics, as well as on the structure and regime of river mouths, on coastal zones. In the Caspian Sea level varied in the range of ~200 m: from -140 to +50 m BS; in from -34 to -20 m BS. From the first third of the 19th century and until 1977, sea level dropped by about 3.8 m - to the lowest point in the last 400 years (-29.01 m BS). In 1978–1995 The level of the Caspian Sea rose by 2.35 m and reached -26.66 m BS. Since 1995, a certain downward trend has dominated - to -27.69 m BS in 2013.

During major periods, the northern shore of the Caspian Sea shifted to Samarskaya Luka on the Volga, and perhaps even further. At maximum transgressions, the Caspian turned into waste lake: excess water flowed through the Kuma-Manych depression into the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov and further into the Black Sea. In extreme regressions, the southern coast of the Caspian Sea was shifted to the Apsheron threshold.

Long-term fluctuations in the level of the Caspian Sea are explained by a change in the structure water balance Caspian Sea. The sea level rises when the input part of the water balance (primarily water runoff rivers) increases and exceeds the expenditure part, and decreases if the inflow of river waters is reduced. The total water flow of all rivers averages 300 km 3 /year; while the five largest rivers account for almost 95% (the Volga provides 83%). During the period of the lowest sea level, in 1942–1977, the river flow was 275.3 km 3 / year (of which 234.6 km 3 / year is the flow of the Volga), precipitation - 70.9, underground flow - 4 km 3 /year, and evaporation and outflow to the Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay - 354.79 and 9.8 km 3 /year. During the period of intensive sea level rise, in 1978-1995, respectively, 315 (Volga - 274.1), 86.1, 4, 348.79 and 8.7 km 3 / year; in the modern period - 287.4 (Volga - 248.2), 75.3, 4, 378.3 and 16.3 km 3 / year.

The intra-annual changes in the level of the Caspian Sea are characterized by a maximum in June–July and a minimum in February; the range of intra-annual level fluctuations is 30–40 cm. Surge-surge level fluctuations are manifested throughout the sea, but they are most significant in the northern part, where, with maximum surges, the level can rise by 2–4.5 m and the edge “retreat” by several tens of kilometers inland, and in case of surges - to drop by 1–2.5 m. Seiche and tidal level fluctuations do not exceed 0.1–0.2 m.

Despite the relatively small size of the reservoir in the Caspian Sea, there is strong excitement. The highest wave heights in the South Caspian can reach 10–11 m. Wave heights decrease from south to north. Storm waves can develop at any time of the year, but more often and more dangerously in the cold half of the year.

The Caspian Sea is generally dominated by wind currents; nevertheless, runoff currents play an appreciable role on the estuarine coasts of large rivers. Cyclonic water circulation prevails in the Middle Caspian, and anticyclonic circulation in the South Caspian. In the northern part of the sea, the patterns of wind currents are more irregular and depend on the characteristics and variability of the wind, bottom topography and coastlines, river runoff and aquatic vegetation.

The water temperature is subject to significant latitudinal and seasonal changes. AT winter period it varies from 0–0.5 o C at the ice edge in the north of the sea to 10–11 o C in the south. In summer, the water temperature in the sea averages 23–28 o C, and in shallow coastal waters in the Northern Caspian it can reach 35–40 o C. At depths, a constant temperature is maintained: deeper than 100 m it is 4–7 o C.

Only freezes in winter Northern part the Caspian Sea; in severe winter - the entire Northern Caspian and coastal zones Middle Caspian. Freezing in the Northern Caspian lasts from November to March.

The salinity of water changes especially sharply in the northern part of the sea: from 0.1‰ on the estuarine coasts of the Volga and Urals to 10–12‰ on the border with the Middle Caspian. In the Northern Caspian, the temporal variability of water salinity is also great. In the middle and southern parts of the sea, salinity fluctuations are small: it is mainly 12.5–13.5‰, increasing from north to south and from west to east. The highest water salinity is in the Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay (up to 300‰). With depth, the salinity of water increases slightly (by 0.1–0.3‰). The average salinity of the sea is about 12.5‰.

More than a hundred species of fish live in the Caspian Sea and the mouths of the rivers flowing into it. There are Mediterranean and Arctic invaders. The object of fishing is goby, herring, salmon, carp, mullet and sturgeon fish. The latter number five species: sturgeon, beluga, stellate sturgeon, spike and sterlet. The sea is capable of producing up to 500-550 thousand tons of fish annually if overfishing is not allowed. Of the marine mammals, the endemic Caspian seal lives in the Caspian Sea. Every year 5-6 million waterfowl migrate through the Caspian region.

The economy of the Caspian Sea is connected with oil and gas production, shipping, fishing, extraction of seafood, various salts and minerals (Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay), with the use of recreational resources. Explored oil resources in the Caspian Sea amount to about 10 billion tons, shared resources oil and gas condensate are estimated at 18–20 billion tons. Oil and gas production is carried out on an ever-increasing scale. The Caspian Sea is also used by water transport, including along the river-sea and sea-river routes. The main ports of the Caspian Sea: Astrakhan, Olya, Makhachkala (Russia), Aktau, Atyrau (Kazakhstan), Baku (Azerbaijan), Nowshahr, Bender-Enzeli, Bender-Torkemen (Iran) and Turkmenbashi (Turkmenistan).

The economic activity and hydrological features of the Caspian Sea create a number of serious environmental and water management problems. Among them: anthropogenic pollution of river and sea waters (mainly with oil products, phenols and synthetic surfactants), poaching and reduction of fish stock, especially sturgeons; damage to the population and coastal economic activity due to large-scale and rapid changes in the level of the reservoir, the impact of numerous hazardous hydrological phenomena and hydrological and morphological processes.

The total economic damage for all the Caspian countries associated with the rapid and significant recent rise in the level of the Caspian Sea, the flooding of part of the coastal land, the destruction of coasts and coastal structures, was estimated at 15 to 30 billion US dollars. It took urgent engineering measures to protect the coast.

A sharp drop in the level of the Caspian Sea in the 1930s–1970s. led to less damage, but they were significant. The navigable approach channels became shallow, the shallow seashore at the mouths of the Volga and the Urals became heavily overgrown, which became an obstacle to the passage of fish into the rivers for spawning. It was necessary to build fish passages through the seasides mentioned above.

Among the unresolved problems is the lack of an international agreement on the international legal status of the Caspian Sea, the division of its water area, bottom and subsoil.

The Caspian Sea is the object of many years of research by specialists from all the Caspian states. Such domestic organizations as the State Oceanographic Institute, the Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Hydrometeorological Center of Russia, the Caspian Research Institute of Fisheries, the Faculty of Geography of the Moscow state university and etc.

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) there is a geographical border between Europe and Asia.

Toponymy

• Other names: throughout the history of mankind different peoples The Caspian Sea had about 70 different names. The most famous of them are: Khvalynskoe or Khvalisskoe (it took place during Ancient Russia, 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, its modern and most ancient name, The Caspian Sea received 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. At shallow depths, sandy soil with an admixture of shells is common, in deep water places - silty. Pebble and rocky places can be found in the coastal strip (especially where mountain ranges adjoin the sea). In the estuarine areas, the underwater soil consists of river sediments. The Kara-Bogaz-Gol bay is notable for the fact that its bottom is a 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. The eastern shores are mostly limestone - desert or semi-desert. Western and south coast adjacent to 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 major rivers flowing into it are polluted with runoff. 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

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• 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 basins of the Black and Baltic Seas), or were deliberately populated 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). From marine species in desalinated areas, those for which salinity does not matter are caught (mullet, some of the gobies). AT certain periods year, semi-anadromous and migratory species can be found here, fattening in the sea, and entering rivers for spawning (sturgeons, some of herrings, 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:

1. 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.
2. Northwestern coast (RF)- this section covers the western coast of the 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).
3. 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, therefore, in the catches of fishermen, marine species are more common (sea pike, mullet, herring). However, freshwater fish are by no means uncommon.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. North Shore (Kazakhstan)- this section covers the northern coast of 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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 represented by small streams, there are also several medium ones and one major 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 living in coastal thickets of algae are used - if it is supposed to catch sea fish, or an ordinary bait like a worm, larvae Maybug and others - if freshwater species are found in the fishing area.

The Caspian Sea is rightfully the most big lake on the whole planet and this sea-lake is located at the junction of two significant parts of the world: Asia and Europe.

Until now, there are disagreements in the name of the Caspian Sea: is it a sea or a lake. And they call it the sea thanks to large sizes reservoir.

Origin of the sea

The Caspian Sea has an oceanic origin. It was formed approximately 10 million years ago as a result of the division of the Sarmatian Sea.

According to one of the legends, the Caspian reservoir received its modern name in honor of the Caspian tribes living on the southwestern shores. For all the time, the Caspian Sea has changed its name about 70 times.

currents

The water area of ​​the Caspian Sea can be divided into the following three parts:

• southern (39% of the area)
• medium (36% of the total area)
• northern part (25% of the area).

The currents of the reservoir are formed as a result of the following influences: general influence wind regime, differences in density in certain areas and the flow of inflowing rivers.

Off the western coast of the middle part of the Caspian, southern and southeastern currents predominate. For the middle and southern parts of the Caspian Sea, depending on the direction of the winds, the currents of the northern, northwestern, southern and southeast directions. Eastern currents prevail in the eastern part of the Caspian.

The following currents also play an important role in the Caspian water cycle:

• seiche;
• gradient;
• inertial.

Which rivers flow into the Caspian Sea

The bulk of the river waters enter the Caspian through the Volga River. In addition to the Volga, the following rivers flow into this reservoir:

• Samur, flowing on the border of Azerbaijan and Russia;
• Astarachay, flowing on the border of Iran and Azerbaijan;
• Kura located in Azerbaijan;
• Kheraz, Sefudrud, Tejen, Polerud, Chalus, Babol and Gorgan flowing in Iran;
• Sulak, Kuma, located in the territory Russian Federation;
• Emba and Ural flowing in Kazakhstan;
• Atrek located in Turkmenistan.

Sulak river photo

Where does the Caspian Sea flow into?

The Caspian reservoir has no connection with the ocean, since it is an endorheic reservoir. The Caspian Sea has dozens of bays. The largest of them can be distinguished: Komsomolets, Gyzlar, Kara-Bogaz-Gol, Mangyshlak, Kazakh, Krasnovodsk and others. Also in the waters of the Caspian Sea there are about 50 islands different sizes, with a total area of ​​more than 350 km2. Some of the islands are grouped into archipelagos.

Relief

In the relief of the bottom of the Caspian Sea, one can distinguish the following forms: deep-water depressions are located in the south of the reservoir; continental slope, starting just below the shelf boundary and descending to the southern part of the Caspian Sea up to 750m, and in the middle part of the Caspian Sea - up to 600m. shelf, the length of which from the depth to the coastline is 100 m and is covered with shell sands, and in deep water - with silty sediments.

Derbent photo

The coastline of the northern region of the sea is low-lying, quite indented, in some areas it is flat. The western shore of the reservoir is indented and mountainous. In the east, the coasts are distinguished by elevations. The southern coastline is mostly mountainous. The Caspian Sea is located in a zone of high seismicity. Also, mud volcanoes often erupt here, most of which are located in the southern part of the reservoir.

Cities

The following states have access to the waters of the Caspian Sea:

• Russia. A large city is Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan. Also in Dagestan are the cities of Kaspiysk and Izberbash. In addition to the above cities in the Russian Federation on the Caspian Sea, it should be noted Derbent, the most Southern City Russia located on the western coast of the Caspian Sea, Olya in the Astrakhan region.
• Azerbaijan: The port city of Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, is located in the southern part of the Absheron Peninsula. Another major city is Sugmait, located in the northern part of the peninsula. The resorts of Nabran and Lankaran should also be noted. The latter is located near the southern border of Azerbaijan.
• Turkmenistan with the port city of Turkmenbashi.
• Iran: Bandar-Torkemen, Anzeli, Nowshahr.

Makhachkala photo

Flora and fauna

Whole animal world The water areas of the Caspian Sea can be conditionally divided into the following groups:

• The first group consists of descendants of ancient organisms: representatives of herring (shad, Volga, Kessler and Brazhnikovskaya herring); representatives of the Caspian gobies (golovach, pugolovka, Berg, Baer, ​​Knipovich and Bubyr); sprats; a large number of crustaceans; some types of shellfish.
• The second group includes representatives of the fauna that entered the sea from the north in the post-glacial era of desalination of the reservoir: seal; fish species: perch, cyprinids, nelma, white salmon and trout; some representatives of crustaceans: sea cockroaches, mysid crustaceans and others.
• The third group includes species that came to the Caspian from mediterranean sea: the following types fish: golden mullet, flounder and needle fish; representatives of mollusks; representatives of crustaceans: shrimps, amphipods, crabs.
• The fourth group includes representatives of freshwater fish that entered the Caspian Sea from fresh rivers: stellate sturgeon, beluga, sturgeon, Caspian fish, red-lipped asp, barbel, pike perch, catfish.

sturgeon photo

The water area of ​​the Caspian Sea is the main and main habitat for sturgeon representatives on the entire planet. Almost 80% of all sturgeons in the world live in the sea. Sharks and various predatory fish, carrying any danger to humans, do not live in this reservoir.

More than 700 species represent the Caspian flora lower plants(phytoplankton), as well as 5 higher species (spiral and sea ruppia, comb pondweed, zoster, sea mollusk). Here you can meet various waterfowl. Some of them come here for wintering from the north (waders, loons, gulls, geese, swans, ducks, geese), some come from the south for nesting (eagles).

Characteristic

Let's get acquainted with the main characteristics of the Caspian Sea:

• The length from north to south was approximately 1200 km;
• The width of the basin from west to east is approximately 200-435 km;
• The total area of ​​the Caspian is approximately 390,000 km2;
• The volume of sea waters is 78000 km3.
• Maximum sea ​​depth- about 1025m.
• The salinity of the water is on average up to 13.2%.

Sea level is below the level of the oceans. The north of the Caspian is characterized by a continental climate. The middle Caspian is characterized by a temperate climate. southern part The sea is characterized by a subtropical climate. In winter, the average temperature in the north varies from 8 to 10 degrees of frost, and in the south from 8 to 10 degrees of heat. In summer, the average temperature in the north is 24-25 degrees above zero, and in the south 26-27 degrees of heat.

Caspian Sea. birds photo

• To this day, scientists are arguing: what status to give the Caspian sea or lake? After all, this reservoir is closed and drainless. At the same time, this reservoir prevails in size over some other seas.
• The bottom at the deepest point is separated from the water surface of the Caspian Sea by a distance of more than a kilometer. In the Caspian, the water level is unstable and tends to decrease.
• This reservoir had about 70 names that were given to it different tribes and peoples living on the banks.
• There is scientific theory, claiming that the Caspian and Black Seas were united into one sea in ancient times.
• The Volga River provides the Caspian with most of the river water.
• Since the Caspian is the main habitat for sturgeon fish on the planet, most of black caviar all over the world.
• The waters of the Caspian reservoir are constantly renewed every 250 years. The name of the reservoir, according to legend, comes from the name of the tribe that lived on its shores.
• The area of ​​the Caspian Sea exceeds the area of ​​Japan and slightly less than the area of ​​Germany.
• If this body of water is considered a lake: it will take the third place in terms of depth in the world, after Baikal and Tanganyika. Also the Caspian is the most large lake on the planet.
• The Caspian Sea is very rich in Natural resources. Oil, gas, limestone, salt, clay, stones and sand are mined here.
• The Caspian Sea has recently experienced the following environmental issues: Sea pollution. Oil is the main pollutant of the sea, suppressing the development of phytoplankton and phytobenthos. In addition to oil, phenols enter the Caspian Sea, heavy metals. All this leads to a decrease in oxygen production, resulting in death. big number fish and other organisms. Also, pollution leads to disease of living organisms in the sea. Poaching is one of the main reasons for the sharp decline in sturgeon catches. Changes in natural biogeochemical cycles. Construction on the Volga deprives fish representatives of their natural habitats.
• The Caspian Sea is very important object in the field of shipping and economics. This body of water is absolutely closed and isolated from the oceans. This is the distinctive uniqueness of the Caspian.

Expert answer

On Sunday, August 12, in Kazakhstan's Aktau, the presidents of Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan signed the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea. Previously, its status was regulated by the Soviet-Iranian treaties, in which the Caspian Sea was defined as a closed (inland) sea, and each Caspian state had sovereign rights to a 10-mile zone and equal rights to the rest of the sea.

Now, according to the new convention, each country has its own territorial waters (zones 15 miles wide). In addition, the provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea of ​​1982 will not apply to the Caspian Sea, the seabed will be delimited into sectors, as is done by neighbors on the seas, and sovereignty over the water column will be established on the basis of the principle that this is a lake.

Why is the Caspian considered neither a lake nor a sea?

To be considered a sea, the Caspian must have access to the ocean, this is one of essential conditions for which a body of water can be called a sea. But the Caspian has no access to the ocean, so it is considered a closed body of water, not connected to the oceans.

The second feature that distinguishes sea water from lake water is their high salinity. The water in the Caspian Sea is really salty, but in its own way salt composition it occupies an intermediate position between the river and the ocean. In addition, in the Caspian Sea, salinity increases towards the south. The Volga delta contains from 0.3‰ salts, and eastern regions In the South and Middle Caspian, salinity already reaches 13-14‰. And if we talk about the salinity of the World Ocean, then it averages 34.7 ‰.

Due to the specific geographical and hydrological characteristics, the reservoir received a special legal status. The summit participants decided that the Caspian Sea is an inland water body that has no direct connection with the World Ocean, and therefore cannot be considered a sea, and at the same time, due to its size, water composition and bottom features, it cannot be considered a lake.

What has been achieved since the signing of the Convention?

The new treaty expands the possibilities for cooperation between countries, and also involves limiting any military presence of third countries. According to political scientist, director of the Institute of Recent States Alexei Martynov, the main achievement of the last summit is that its participants managed to stop any talk about the possible construction of NATO military bases and infrastructure facilities in the Caspian Sea.

“The most important thing that has been achieved is to fix that the Caspian will be demilitarized for all the Caspian states. There will be no other military, except for those representing the countries that have signed the Caspian Agreement. This is fundamental and main question which was important to capture. Everything else, that is divided in proportion to the zone of influence, the zone of extraction of bioresources, the zone of extraction of shelf resources was not so important. As we remember, in the last twenty years, the military has been actively striving for the region. The US even wanted to build its own military base there,” says Martynov.

In addition to the distribution of the shares of each country in the oil and gas fields of the Caspian basin, the Convention also provides for the construction of pipelines. As stated in the document, the rules for their laying provide for the consent of only neighboring countries, and not all countries of the Caspian Sea. After the signing of the agreement, Turkmenistan, in particular, stated that it was ready to lay pipelines along the bottom of the Caspian Sea, which would allow it to export its gas through Azerbaijan to Europe. The consent of Russia, which previously insisted that the project could only be implemented with the permission of all five Caspian states, is no longer required. The gas pipeline is planned to be connected in the future to the Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline, through which natural gas will go through the territory of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey to Greece.

“Turkmenistan is not a foreign country to us, but our partner, a country that we consider very important for us on the territory post-Soviet space. We cannot be against them receiving an additional impetus for development through such pipeline projects. Gas has been coming from Turkmenistan and other countries through a different pipeline system for a long time, somewhere it even mixes with Russian gas, and there is nothing wrong with that. If this project works, then everyone will benefit, including Russia. In no case should the project be considered as a kind of competition. The European market is so big and insatiable, I mean the energy market, that there is enough space for everyone,” says Martynov.

Today, almost all Turkmen gas is supplied to China, where Russia also intends to supply natural gas. For this purpose, in particular, a large-scale project for the construction of the Power of Siberia gas pipeline is being implemented. Thus, the geography of gas supplies from both countries may expand - Turkmenistan will gain access to the European market, and Russia will be able to increase its gas supplies to China.

This is how the Mediterranean Sea was formed, which then included the current Azov, Black and Caspian Seas. On the site of the modern Caspian, a huge Caspian lowland was formed, the surface of which was almost 30 meters below the water level in the World Ocean. When the next rise of land began to take place at the place of formation Caucasus mountains, The Caspian Sea was finally cut off from the ocean, and in its place a closed drainless reservoir was formed, which today is considered the largest inland sea on the planet. However, some scientists call this sea a giant lake.
A feature of the Caspian Sea is the constant fluctuation of the level of salinity of its water. Even in different areas of this sea, the water has different salinity. This was the reason for the predominance of fish and crustaceans in the Caspian Sea, which more easily tolerate fluctuations in water salinity.

Since the Caspian is completely isolated from the ocean, its inhabitants are endermics, i.e. always live in its water area.

The fauna of the Caspian Sea can be conditionally divided into four groups.

The first group of animals includes the descendants of ancient organisms that inhabited Tethys about 70 million years ago. These animals include Caspian gobies (golovach, Knipovich, Berg, bubyr, pugolovka, Baer) and herring (Kessler, Brazhnikov, Volga, brazil, etc.), some mollusks and most crustaceans (long-sexed crayfish, orthemia crustacean, etc.). Some fish, mainly herring, periodically enter the rivers flowing into the Caspian to spawn, many never leave the sea. Gobies prefer to live in coastal waters, often found in estuaries.
The second group of animals of the Caspian Sea is represented by arctic species. penetrated into the Caspian Sea from the north in the postglacial period. These are such animals as the Caspian seal (Caspian seal), fish - Caspian trout, white salmon, nelma. Of the crustaceans, this group is represented by mysid crustaceans, similar to small shrimps, tiny sea cockroaches, and some others.
The third group of animals inhabiting the Caspian includes species that independently or with the help of humans migrated here from the Mediterranean Sea. These are molluscs mitisyaster and abra, crustaceans - amphipods, shrimp, Black Sea and Atlantic crabs and some types of fish: golden mullet (sharp nose), needle fish and Black Sea kalk (flounder).

And, finally, the fourth group - freshwater fish that penetrated into the Caspian Sea from fresh rivers and turned into marine or anadromous, i.e. periodically rising into the rivers. Some of the typical freshwater fish also sometimes go to the Caspian. Among the fish of the fourth group are catfish, pike perch, barbel, red-lipped asp, Caspian fish, Russian and Persian sturgeon, beluga, stellate sturgeon. It should be noted that the Caspian Sea basin is the main habitat sturgeon fish on the planet. Almost 80% of all sturgeons in the world live here. Barbels and fish are also valuable commercial fish.

As for sharks and other fish that are predatory and dangerous to humans, they do not live in the Caspian Sea-Lake.