Which is correct: Caspian Sea or lake? Interesting facts about the Caspian Sea: depth, relief, coastline, resources Caspian Sea in Europe

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 its salinity, large area and considerable 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) there is a geographical border 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: Khvalynskoe or Khvalisskoe (took place during the times of 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, Heraz, Sefidrud, Astarchay, Kura, Pirsagat, Kusarchay, Samur, Rubas, Darvagchay, Ulluchay, Shuraozen, Sulak, Terek, Kuma.
• Bottom: very diverse. At shallow depths, sandy soil with an admixture of shells is common; in deep-sea areas, it is 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. The western and southern shores are 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

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• Artificial settlement: not all of the above fish species in the Caspian Sea are native. About 4 dozen species arrived by accident (for example, through canals from the basins of the Black and Baltic Seas), or were intentionally populated 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 sharpnose and the singil 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:

1. North Shore (RF)- this site is located on the northern coast of the Russian Federation (from the Volga delta to the Kizlyar Bay). Its main features are 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.
2. Northwestern coast (RF)- this section covers the western coast of the 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).
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, so marine species are more common in fishermen's catches (sea pike perch, mullet, herring). However, freshwater fish are by no means rare.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Northern coast (Kazakhstan)- this section covers the northern coast of Kazakhstan. The Ural delta and the Akzhaiyk state reserve are located here, so 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. South Bank (Iran)- covers the southern coast of the Caspian Sea. Throughout this section, the Elborz mountain range adjoins the sea. Many rivers flow here, most of which are small streams, there are also several medium-sized 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.

The Caspian Sea is located on the border of Europe and Asia and is surrounded by the territories of five states: Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. Despite its name, the Caspian Sea is the largest lake on the planet (its area is 371,000 km2), but the bottom, composed of oceanic crust, and salty water, together with its large size, give reason to consider it a sea. A large number of rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, for example, such large ones as the Volga, Terek, Ural, Kura and others.

Relief and depth of the Caspian Sea

Based on the bottom topography, the Caspian Sea is divided into three parts: southern (the largest and deepest), middle and northern.

In the northern part, the depth of the sea is the smallest: on average it ranges from four to eight meters, and the maximum depth here reaches 25 m. The northern part of the Caspian Sea is limited by the Mangyshlak Peninsula and occupies 25% of the total area of ​​the reservoir.

The middle part of the Caspian Sea is deeper. Here the average depth becomes 190 m, while the maximum is 788 meters. The area of ​​the middle Caspian Sea is 36% of the total, and the volume of water is 33% of the total volume of the sea. It is separated from the southern part by the Absheron Peninsula in Azerbaijan.

The deepest and largest part of the Caspian Sea is the southern one. It occupies 39% of the total area, and its share of the total water volume is 66%. Here is the South Caspian depression, which contains the deepest point of the sea - 1025 m.

Islands, peninsulas and bays of the Caspian Sea

There are about 50 islands in the Caspian Sea, almost all of them are uninhabited. Due to the shallower depth of the northern part of the sea, most of the islands are located there, among them the Baku archipelago belonging to Azerbaijan, the Tyuleni Islands in Kazakhstan, as well as many Russian islands off the coast of the Astrakhan region and Dagestan.

Among the Caspian Sea peninsulas, the largest are Mangyshlak (Mangistau) in Kazakhstan and Absheron in Azerbaijan, on which such large cities as the capital of the country Baku and Sumgayit are located.

Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay Caspian Sea

The coastline of the sea is very indented, and there are many bays on it, for example, Kizlyarsky, Mangyshlaksky, Dead Kultuk and others. The Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay deserves special mention, which is actually a separate lake connected to the Caspian Sea by a narrow strait, thanks to which it maintains a separate ecosystem and higher salinity of water.

Fishing in the Caspian Sea

Since ancient times, the Caspian Sea has attracted residents of its shores with its fish resources. About 90% of the world's sturgeon production is caught here, as well as fish such as carp, bream, and sprat.

Caspian Sea video

In addition to fish, the Caspian Sea is extremely rich in oil and gas, the total reserves of which are about 18-20 million tons. Salt, limestone, sand and clay are also mined here.

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The Caspian Sea is one of the largest salty bodies of water on Earth, located at the junction of Europe and Asia. Its total area is about 370 thousand square meters. km. The reservoir receives more than 100 water streams. The largest rivers flowing into the Volga, Ural, Emba, Terek, Sulak, Samur, Kura, Atrek, Sefidrud.

The Volga River - the pearl of Russia

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

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

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

Ural - river in Eastern Europe

The Ural, like the Volga River, flows on the territory of two states - Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation. Historical name - Yaik. It originates in Bashkortostan at the top of the Uraltau ridge. The Ural River flows into the Caspian Sea. Its pool is the sixth largest in the Russian Federation, and its area is more than 230 square meters. km. Interesting fact: the Ural River, contrary to popular belief, is an inland European river, and only its upper course in Russia belongs to Asia.

The mouth of the watercourse gradually becomes shallow. At this point the river divides into several branches. This feature is characteristic along the entire length of the channel. During floods, you can observe how the Ural overflows its banks, in principle, like many other Russian rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea. This is especially observed in places with a gently sloping coastline. Flooding occurs at a distance of up to 7 meters from the riverbed.

Emba - river of Kazakhstan

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

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

Terek - mountain water stream

Terek is a river of the North Caucasus. The name is literally translated from Turkic as “poplar”. The Terek flows from the glacier of Mount Zilga-Khokh, located in the Trusovsky Gorge 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 Arkhangelsk Bay. The length of the river is just over 600 km, the basin area is about 43 thousand square meters. km. An interesting fact is that every 60-70 years the flow forms a new transit branch, while the old one loses its strength and disappears.

The Terek, like other rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea, is widely used to satisfy human economic needs: it is used to irrigate the arid areas of the adjacent lowlands. There are also several hydroelectric power stations located on the water stream, the total average annual production of which is more than 200 million kWh. New additional stations are planned to be launched in the near future.

Sulak - water stream of Dagestan

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

Samur - the pearl of Southern Dagestan

Samur is the second largest river in Dagestan. The name is literally translated from Indo-Aryan as “abundance of water.” It originates at the foot of Mount Guton; It flows into the waters of the Caspian Sea through two branches - Samur and Small Samur. The total length of the river is just over 200 km.

All rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea are of great importance for the territories through which they flow. Samur is no exception. The main purpose of using the river is to irrigate land and provide residents of nearby cities with drinking water. It is because of this that the waterworks and a number of the Samur-Divichi canal were built.

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

Kura - the largest river in Transcaucasia

When wondering which rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, I would like to describe the Kuru stream. It flows on the land of three states at once: Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan. The length of the stream is more than 1000 km, the total area of ​​the basin is about 200 thousand square meters. km. Part of the basin is located on the territory of Armenia and Iran. The source of the river is in the Turkish province of Kars, flowing into the waters of the Caspian Sea. The path of the river is thorny, laid among hollows and gorges, for which it received its name, which translated from the Mingrelian language means “gnaw”, that is, the Kura is a river that “gnaws” itself among the mountains.

There are many cities on it, such as Borjomi, Tbilisi, Mtskheta and others. It plays an important role in meeting the economic needs of the residents of these cities: hydroelectric power stations are being built, and the Mingachevir reservoir created on the river is one of the main fresh water reserves for Azerbaijan. Unfortunately, the ecological state of the stream leaves much to be desired: the level of harmful substances is several times higher than the permissible limits.

Features of the Atrek River

Atrek is a river located on the territory of Iran and Turkmenistan. It originates in the Turkmen-Kharasan mountains. Due to active use for economic needs for irrigation, the river has become shallow. For this reason, it reaches the Caspian Sea only during flood periods.

Sefidrud - high-water river of the Caspian Sea

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

As can be seen from the presented material, the Earth's water resources are in unsatisfactory condition. The rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea are actively used by people to satisfy their needs. And this has a detrimental effect on their condition: watercourses are depleted and polluted. That is why scientists around the world are sounding the alarm and conducting active propaganda, calling for saving and conserving water on Earth.

The Caspian Sea is simultaneously considered both an endorheic lake and a full-fledged sea. The reasons for this confusion are brackish waters and a hydrological regime similar to the sea.

The Caspian Sea is located on the border of Asia and Europe. Its area is about 370 thousand km 2, its maximum depth is just over one kilometer. The Caspian Sea is conventionally divided into three almost equal parts: Southern (39% of the area), Middle (36%) and Northern (25%).

The sea washes simultaneously the Russian, Kazakh, Azerbaijani, Turkmen and Iranian shores.

Shore of the Caspian Sea(Caspian Sea) has a length of approximately 7 thousand kilometers, if you count it together with the islands. In the north, the low seashore is covered with swamps and thickets, and has multiple water channels. The eastern and western coasts of the Caspian Sea have a winding shape; in some places the shores are covered with limestone.

There are many islands in the Caspian Sea: Dash-Zira, Kur Dashi, Dzhambaisky, Boyuk-Zira, Gum, Chigil, Here-Zira, Zenbil, Ogurchinsky, Tyuleniy, Ashur-Ada, etc. Peninsulas: Mangyshlak, Tyub-Karagan, Absheron and Miankale. Their total area is approximately 400 km 2.

Flows into the Caspian Sea more than a hundred different rivers, the most significant are the Ural, Terek, Volga, Atrek, Emba, Samur. Almost all of them provide 85–95% of the annual water flow to the sea.

The largest bays of the Caspian Sea: Kaydak, Agrakhansky, Kazakh, Dead Kultuk, Turkmenbashi, Mangyshlaksky, Gyzlar, Girkan, Kaydak.

Climate of the Caspian Sea

The Caspian Sea is located in three climatic zones: subtropical climate in the south, continental in the north and temperate in the middle. In winter, the average temperature varies from -10 to +10 degrees, while in summer the air warms up to about +25 degrees. During the year, precipitation ranges from 110 mm in the east to 1500 mm in the west.

The average wind speed is 3–7 m/s, but in autumn and winter it often increases to 35 m/s. The most windy areas are the coastal areas of Makhachkala, Derbent and the Absheron Peninsula.

Water temperature in the Caspian Sea ranges from zero to +10 degrees in winter, and from 23 to 28 degrees in the summer months. In some coastal shallow waters the water can warm up to 35-40 degrees.

Only the northern part of the sea is subject to freezing, but in especially cold winters the coastal zones of the middle part are added to it. Ice cover appears in November and disappears only in March.

Problems of the Caspian region

Water pollution is one of the main environmental problems of the Caspian Sea. Oil production, various harmful substances from flowing rivers, waste from nearby cities - all this negatively affects the condition of sea water. Additional troubles are created by poachers, whose actions reduce the number of fish of certain species found in the Caspian Sea.

Rising sea levels are also causing serious financial harm to all Caspian countries.

According to conservative estimates, restoring destroyed buildings and taking comprehensive measures to protect the coast from flooding costs tens of millions of dollars.

Cities and resorts on the Caspian Sea

The largest city and port washed by the waters of the Caspian Sea is Baku. Other settlements in Azerbaijan located in close proximity to the sea include Sumgayit and Lenkoran. On the eastern shores is the city of Turkmenbashi, and about ten kilometers from it by the sea is the large Turkmen resort of Avaza.

On the Russian side, on the seashore there are the following cities: Makhachkala, Izberbash, Derbent, Lagan and Kaspiysk. Astrakhan is often called a port city, although it is located approximately 65 kilometers from the northern shores of the Caspian Sea.

Astrakhan

There are no beach holidays in this region: along the sea coast there are only continuous reed thickets. However, tourists go to Astrakhan not for lounging on the beach, but for fishing and various types of outdoor activities: diving, catamaran riding, jet skiing, etc. In July and August, excursion ships ply along the Caspian Sea.

Dagestan

For a classic seaside holiday, it is better to go to Makhachkala, Kaspiysk or Izberbash - this is where not only good sandy beaches are located, but also decent recreation centers. The range of entertainment on the seashore on the Dagestan side is quite wide: swimming, healing mud springs, windsurfing, kiting, rock climbing and paragliding.

The only disadvantage of this direction is the underdeveloped infrastructure.

In addition, among some Russian tourists there is an opinion that Dagestan is far from the most peaceful territory that is part of the North Caucasus Federal District.

Kazakhstan

A much calmer environment can be found in the Kazakh resorts of Kuryk, Atyrau and Aktau. The latter is the most popular tourist city in Kazakhstan: there are many good entertainment venues and well-maintained beaches. In summer, the temperature here is very high, reaching up to +40 degrees during the daytime, and dropping only to +30 at night.

The disadvantages of Kazakhstan as a tourist country are the same poor infrastructure and rudimentary transport links between regions.

Azerbaijan

The best places to relax on the Caspian coast are Baku, Nabran, Lankaran and other Azerbaijani resorts. Fortunately, everything is fine with the infrastructure in this country: for example, several modern comfortable hotels with swimming pools and beaches have been built in the Absheron Peninsula area.

However, in order to enjoy a holiday on the Caspian Sea in Azerbaijan, you need to spend a lot of money. In addition, you can only get to Baku quickly enough by plane - trains rarely run, and the journey from Russia itself takes two to three days.

Tourists should not forget that Dagestan and Azerbaijan are Islamic countries, so all “non-believers” need to adapt their usual behavior to local customs.

If you follow simple rules of stay, nothing will spoil your vacation on the Caspian Sea.

Caspian Sea

The Caspian Sea is the largest lake on Earth, located at the junction of Europe and Asia, called a sea because of its size. The Caspian Sea is an endorheic lake, and the water in it is salty, from 0.05% near the mouth of the Volga to 11-13% in the southeast. The water level is subject to fluctuations, currently approximately 28 m below sea level. The area of ​​the Caspian Sea is currently approximately 371,000 km2, maximum depth is 1025 m.

The length of the coastline of the Caspian Sea is estimated at approximately 6500 - 6700 kilometers, with islands - up to 7000 kilometers. The shores of the Caspian Sea in most of its territory are low-lying and smooth. In the northern part, the coastline is indented by water channels and islands of the Volga and Ural deltas, the banks are low and swampy, and the water surface in many places is covered with thickets. 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.

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

The Caspian Sea washes the shores of five coastal states:

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

Water temperature

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

The climate of the Caspian Sea is continental in the northern part, temperate in the middle and subtropical in the southern part. In winter, 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.

Animal world

The fauna of the Caspian Sea is represented by 1809 species, of which 415 are vertebrates. 101 species of fish are registered in the Caspian Sea, where most of the world's sturgeon stocks are concentrated, as well as freshwater fish 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.

Vegetable world

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

Mining of oil and gas

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

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

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