Southern coast of the Caspian Sea. Why is the Caspian Sea considered a lake? Solving security problems

There are still disputes about the status of the Caspian Sea. The fact is that, despite its generally accepted name, it is still the largest endorheic lake in the world. It was called the sea because of the features of the structure of the bottom. It is formed by oceanic crust. In addition, the water in the Caspian Sea is salty. As at sea, there are often storms and strong winds that raise high waves.

Geography

The Caspian Sea is located at the junction of Asia and Europe. In its shape, it resembles one of the letters of the Latin alphabet - S. From south to north, the sea stretches for 1200 km, and from east to west - from 195 to 435 km.

The territory of the Caspian Sea is heterogeneous in its physical and geographical conditions. In this regard, it is conditionally divided into 3 parts. These include the Northern and Middle, as well as the Southern Caspian.

Coastal countries

Which countries is washed by the Caspian Sea? There are only five of them:

Russia, located in the northwest and west. Length coastline of this state along the Caspian Sea is 695 km. Kalmykia, Dagestan and the Astrakhan region, which are part of Russia, are located here.
Kazakhstan. It is a country on the shores of the Caspian Sea, located in the east and northeast. The length of its coastline is 2320 km.
Turkmenistan. The map of the Caspian states indicates that this country is located in the southeast of the water basin. The length of the line along the coast is 1200 km.
Azerbaijan. This state, stretching 955 km along the Caspian Sea, washes its shores in the southwest.
Iran. A map of the Caspian states indicates that this country is located at southern shores endorheic lake. At the same time, its length maritime boundaries is 724 km.

Is the Caspian Sea?

The dispute over what to call this unique body of water has not yet been resolved. And it is important to answer this question. The fact is that all countries on the Caspian Sea have this region own interests. However, the governments of five states have not been able to resolve the question of how to divide this huge body of water for a long time. The most important controversy revolved around the name. Is the Caspian Sea a sea or a lake? Moreover, the answer to this question is of no more interest to geographers. First of all, politicians need it. This is due to the application of international law.

Caspian states such as Kazakhstan and Russia believe that their borders in this region are washed by the sea. In this regard, representatives of the two indicated countries insist on the application of the UN Convention adopted in 1982. It concerns the law of the sea. The provisions of this document state that coastal states are allocated a twelve-mile water zone along it. In addition, the country is granted the right to economic maritime territory. It is located two hundred miles away. The coastal state also has rights to However, even the widest part of the Caspian Sea is narrower than the distance specified in the international document. In this case, the middle line principle can be applied. At the same time, the Caspian states, which have the greatest length of coastal borders, will receive a large maritime territory.

Iran has a different opinion on this matter. Its representatives believe that the Caspian Sea should be divided fairly. In this case, all countries will get twenty percent of the maritime territory. The position of official Tehran can be understood. With this solution to the issue, the state will manage a larger zone than when dividing the sea along the middle line.

However, the Caspian Sea changes its water level significantly from year to year. This does not allow us to determine its median line and divide the territory between states. Countries such as Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Russia have signed an agreement among themselves defining the bottom zones in which the parties will exercise their economic rights. Thus, a certain legal truce has been achieved in the northern territories of the sea. Southern countries The Caspian Sea has not yet come to a common decision. However, they do not recognize the agreements reached by their northern neighbors.

Is the Caspian a lake?

Adherents of this point of view proceed from the fact that the reservoir, located at the junction of Asia and Europe, is closed. In this case, it is impossible to apply a document on the norms of international maritime law to it. Proponents of this theory are convinced that they are right, citing the fact that the Caspian Sea does not have a natural connection with the waters of the World Ocean. But here another difficulty arises. If the lake is the Caspian Sea, the boundaries of states according to what international standards should be determined on it water spaces? Unfortunately, such documents have not yet been developed. The fact is that the issues of the international lake have not been discussed anywhere by anyone.

Is the Caspian Sea a unique body of water?

In addition to those listed above, there is another, third point of view on the ownership of this amazing body of water. Its supporters are of the opinion that the Caspian Sea should be recognized as an international water basin, belonging equally to all countries bordering it. In their opinion, the resources of the region are subject to joint exploitation by countries bordering the reservoir.

Solving security problems

The Caspian states are doing everything possible to eliminate all existing disagreements. And in this matter, positive developments can be noted. One of the steps towards solving problems related to the Caspian region was the agreement signed on November 18, 2010 between all five countries. It concerns issues of security cooperation. In this document, the countries agreed on joint activities to eliminate terrorism, drug trafficking, smuggling, poaching, money laundering, etc. in the region.

Environmental protection

Particular attention is paid to solving environmental issues. The territory in which the Caspian states and Eurasia are located is a region under the threat of industrial pollution. Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan dump waste from energy exploration and production into the Caspian waters. Moreover, it is in these countries that there are a large number of abandoned oil wells that are not exploited due to their unprofitability, but nevertheless continue to have an adverse impact on the environmental situation. As for Iran, it is dumping sea waters agricultural waste and runoff. Russia threatens the ecology of the region with industrial pollution. It's connected with economic activity, which unfolded in the Volga region.

Countries on the Caspian Sea have made some progress in solving problems environment. Thus, since August 12, 2007, the Frame Convection has been in force in the region, with the goal of protecting the Caspian Sea. This document develops provisions on the protection of biological resources and regulation of anthropogenic factors affecting the aquatic environment. According to this convection, the parties must interact when carrying out measures to improve the environmental situation in the Caspian Sea.

In 2011 and 2012, all five countries signed other documents significant for the protection of the marine environment. Among them:

Protocol on cooperation, response and regional preparedness in the event of oil pollution incidents.
Protocol concerning the protection of the region against pollution from land-based sources.

Development of gas pipeline construction

Today, another problem remains unresolved in the Caspian region. It concerns the laying of this idea. This idea is an important strategic task of the West and the United States, which continue to look for alternative energy sources to Russian ones. That is why when deciding this issue the parties do not turn to countries such as Kazakhstan, Iran and, of course, the Russian Federation. Brussels and Washington supported the statement made in Baku on November 18, 2010 at the summit of the heads of the Caspian countries. He expressed the official position of Ashgabat regarding the laying of the pipeline. Turkmen authorities believe that the project should be implemented. At the same time, only those states on whose bottom territories it will be located must give their consent to the construction of the pipeline. And this is Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. Iran and Russia opposed this position and the project itself. At the same time, they were guided by the issues of protecting the Caspian ecosystem. To date, construction of the pipeline is not underway due to disagreements between project participants.

Holding the first summit

Countries on the Caspian Sea are constantly looking for ways to solve the problems that have arisen in this Eurasian region. For this purpose, special meetings of their representatives are organized. Thus, the first summit of the heads of the Caspian states took place in April 2002. Its venue was Ashgabat. However, the results of this meeting did not live up to expectations. The summit was considered unsuccessful due to Iran's demands to divide the sea area into 5 equal parts. Other countries categorically opposed this. Their representatives defended their own point of view that the size of national waters should correspond to the length of the state’s coastline.

The failure of the summit was also provoked by a dispute between Ashgabat and Baku over the ownership of three oil fields located in the center of the Caspian Sea. As a result, the heads of five states did not develop consensus on none of all the issues raised. However, an agreement was reached to hold a second summit. It was supposed to take place in 2003 in Baku.

Second Caspian Summit

Despite the existing agreements, the planned meeting was postponed every year. The heads of the Caspian states gathered for the second summit only on October 16, 2007. It was held in Tehran. At the meeting, current issues related to determining the legal status of the unique body of water that is the Caspian Sea were discussed. The borders of states within the division of the water area were previously agreed upon during the development of the draft of the new convention. Problems of security, ecology, economics and cooperation of coastal countries were also raised. In addition, the results of the work that the states carried out after the first summit were summed up. In Tehran, representatives of the five states also outlined ways for further cooperation in the region.

Meeting at the third summit

Once again, the heads of the Caspian countries met in Baku on November 18, 2010. The result of this summit was the signing of an agreement to expand cooperation regarding security issues. During the meeting, it was pointed out that which countries are washed by the Caspian Sea, only those should ensure the fight against terrorism, transnational crime, weapons proliferation, etc.

Fourth summit

Once again, the Caspian states raised their problems in Astrakhan on September 29, 2014. At this meeting, the presidents of the five countries signed another statement.

In it, the parties recorded the exclusive right of the coastal countries to station armed forces in the Caspian Sea. But even at this meeting the status of the Caspian Sea was not finally regulated.

, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Azerbaijan

Geographical position

Caspian Sea - view from space.

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

The Caspian Sea is conventionally divided according to physical and geographical conditions into 3 parts - Northern Caspian, Middle Caspian and Southern Caspian. The conditional border between the Northern and Middle Caspian runs along the line of the island. Chechen - Cape Tyub-Karagansky, between the Middle and Southern Caspian Sea - along the line of the island. Residential - Cape Gan-Gulu. The area of the Northern, Middle and Southern Caspian Sea is 25, 36, 39 percent, respectively.

Coast of the Caspian Sea

Coast of the Caspian Sea in Turkmenistan

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

Peninsulas of the Caspian Sea

Ashur-Ada
Garasu
Zyanbil
Khara-Zira
Sengi-Mugan
Chygyl

Bays of the Caspian Sea

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

Cities on the Caspian Sea coast

On Russian coast The cities of Lagan, Makhachkala, Kaspiysk, Izberbash and the southernmost city of Russia, Derbent, are located. port city The Caspian Sea is also considered Astrakhan, which, however, is not located on the shores of the Caspian Sea, but in the Volga delta, 60 kilometers from north coast Caspian Sea.

Physiography

Area, depth, volume of water

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

Water level fluctuations

Vegetable world

The flora of the Caspian Sea and its coast is represented by 728 species. The predominant plants in the Caspian Sea are algae - blue-green, diatoms, red, brown, characeae and others, and 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.

History of the Caspian Sea

Origin of the Caspian Sea

Anthropological and cultural history of the Caspian Sea

Finds in the Khuto u cave south coast The Caspian Sea indicates that man lived in these areas approximately 75 thousand years ago. The first mentions of the Caspian Sea and the tribes living on its coast are found in Herodotus. Around the V-II centuries. BC e. Saka tribes lived on the Caspian coast. Later, during the period of settlement of the Turks, in the period of the 4th-5th centuries. n. e. Talysh tribes (Talysh) lived here. According to ancient Armenian and Iranian manuscripts, Russians sailed the Caspian Sea from the 9th-10th centuries.

Research of the Caspian Sea

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

Economy of the Caspian Sea

Mining of oil and gas

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

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

Shipping

Shipping is developed in the Caspian Sea. On the Caspian Sea there are ferry crossings, in particular, Baku - Turkmenbashi, Baku - Aktau, Makhachkala - Aktau. The Caspian Sea has a shipping connection with Sea of Azov through the Volga, Don and Volga-Don Canal rivers.

Fishing and seafood production

Fishing (sturgeon, bream, carp, pike perch, sprat), caviar production, as well as seal fishing. More than 90 percent of the world's sturgeon catch occurs in the Caspian Sea. In addition to industrial mining, illegal fishing of sturgeon and their caviar flourishes in the Caspian Sea.

Recreational resources

Natural environment of the Caspian coast with sandy beaches, mineral waters and healing mud in the coastal zone creates good conditions for relaxation and treatment. At the same time, according to the degree of development of resorts and the tourism industry Caspian coast noticeably loses to the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. At the same time, in recent years, the tourism industry has been actively developing on the coasts of Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan and Russian Dagestan. Azerbaijan is actively developing resort area in the Baku region. A world-class resort has now been created in Amburan, another modern tourist complex is being built in the area of the village of Nardaran, holidays in the sanatoriums of the villages of Bilgah and Zagulba are very popular. A resort area is also being developed in Nabran, in northern Azerbaijan. However high prices, in general, the low level of service and lack of advertising lead to the fact that there are almost no foreign tourists. The development of the tourism industry in Turkmenistan is hampered by a long-term policy of isolation, in Iran - Sharia laws, due to which mass holidays of foreign tourists on the Caspian coast of Iran are impossible.

Ecological problems

Environmental problems of the Caspian Sea are associated with water pollution as a result of oil production and transportation on the continental shelf, the flow of pollutants from the Volga and other rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea, the life of coastal cities, as well as the flooding of individual objects due to rising levels of the Caspian Sea. Predatory hunting of sturgeon and their caviar, rampant poaching lead to a decrease in the number of sturgeon and to forced restrictions for their production and export.

International status of the Caspian Sea

Legal status of the Caspian Sea

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

In relation to the Caspian Sea, the key is the physical-geographical circumstance that it is a closed inland body of water that does not have a natural connection with the World Ocean. Accordingly, the norms and concepts of international maritime law, in particular, the provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982, should not be automatically applied to the Caspian Sea. Based on this, in relation to the Caspian Sea it would be unlawful to apply such concepts as “territorial sea”, “exclusive economic zone", "continental shelf", etc.

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

Negotiations about legal status The Caspian Sea is currently ongoing.

Delineation of sections of the Caspian seabed for subsoil use

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

Caspian Sea- the most big lake on Earth, located at the junction of Europe and Asia, called the sea because of its size. Caspian Sea represents 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.
Square Caspian Sea currently - approximately 371,000 km2, maximum depth - 1025 m.

Length of coastline Caspian Sea is estimated at approximately 6,500 - 6,700 kilometers, with islands - up to 7,000 kilometers. Shores Caspian Sea Most of its territory is 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.

IN Caspian Sea 130 rivers flow in, 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.

Map of the Caspian Sea

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, the length of the coastline is 2320 kilometers
Turkmenistan - in the southeast, the length of the coastline is 1200 kilometers
Iran - in the south, coastline length - 724 kilometers
Azerbaijan - in the southwest, the length of the coastline is 955 kilometers

Water temperature

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

Climate of the Caspian Sea- continental in the northern part, temperate in the middle part and subtropical in the southern part. In winter average monthly temperature 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. IN Caspian Sea 101 species of fish are registered, and it contains the majority of the world's sturgeon reserves, as well as freshwater fish such as roach, carp, and pike perch. Caspian Sea- habitat for fish such as carp, mullet, sprat, kutum, bream, salmon, perch, pike. IN Caspian Sea also inhabited by a marine mammal - the Caspian seal.

Vegetable world

Vegetable world Caspian Sea and its coastline is represented by 728 species. From plants to Caspian Sea The predominant algae are blue-green, diatoms, red, brown, characeae and others, and flowering algae include zoster and ruppia. By origin, the flora belongs mainly to the Neogene age, however, some plants were brought in Caspian Sea by a person knowingly or on the bottoms of ships.

Mining of oil and gas

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

Oil production in 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, on the coast Caspian Sea Salt, limestone, stone, sand, and clay are also mined on the Caspian shelf.

Ecological problems

Ecological problems Caspian Sea associated with water pollution as a result of oil production and transportation on the continental shelf, the flow of pollutants from the Volga and other rivers flowing into Caspian Sea, the life activity of coastal cities, as well as the flooding of individual objects due to rising levels Caspian Sea. Predatory production of sturgeon and their caviar, rampant poaching lead to a decrease in the number of sturgeon and to forced restrictions on their production and export.

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, they 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. She occupies 39% 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 Seal Islands in Kazakhstan, as well as many Russian islands off the coast of the Astrakhan region and Dagestan.

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

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

The Caspian Sea has long attracted residents of its shores with its fisheries 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 the largest lake on planet Earth. It is called the sea because of its size and bed, which is built like an ocean basin. The area is 371,000 square meters, the depth is 1025 m. The list of rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea includes 130 names. The largest of them are: Volga, Terek, Samur, Sulak, Ural and others.

Caspian Sea

It took 10 million years before the Caspian Sea was formed. The reason for its formation is that the Sarmatian Sea, having lost contact with the World Ocean, was divided into two bodies of water, which were called the Black and Caspian Seas. Between the latter and the World Ocean there are thousands of kilometers of waterless route. It is located at the junction of two continents - Asia and Europe. Its length in the north-south direction is 1200 km, west-east - 195-435 km. The Caspian Sea is an internal endorheic basin of Eurasia.

Near the Caspian Sea, the water level is below the level of the World Ocean, and it is also subject to fluctuations. According to scientists, this is due to many factors: anthropogenic, geological, climatic. Currently, the average water level reaches 28 m.

The river network and wastewater are unevenly distributed along the coast. A few rivers flow into part of the sea from the northern side: Volga, Terek, Ural. From the west - Samur, Sulak, Kura. East Coast characterized by the absence of permanent watercourses. Differences in space in the flow of water that rivers bring to the Caspian Sea are important geographical feature of this reservoir.

Volga

This river is one of the largest in Europe. In Russia it ranks sixth in size. In terms of catchment area it is second only to Siberian rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea, such as the Ob, Lena, Yenisei, and Irtysh. The source from where the Volga begins is taken to be a spring near the village of Volgoverkhovye, Tver Region, on the Valdai Hills. Now at the source there is a chapel that attracts the attention of tourists who are proud to step over the very beginning of the mighty Volga.

A small fast stream gradually gains strength and becomes a huge river. Its length is 3690 km. The source is 225 m above sea level. Among the rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea, the largest is the Volga. Its path runs through many regions of our country: Tver, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Volgograd and others. The territories through which it flows are Tatarstan, Chuvashia, Kalmykia and Mari El. The Volga is home to millionaire cities - Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, Kazan, Volgograd.

Volga Delta

The main channel of the river is divided into channels. A certain shape of the mouth is formed. It's called delta. Its beginning is the place where the Buzan branch separates from the Volga river bed. The delta is located 46 km north of the city of Astrakhan. It includes channels, branches, and small rivers. There are several main branches, but only Akhtuba is navigable. Among all the rivers of Europe, the Volga has the largest delta, which is a rich fishing region in this basin.

It lies 28 m lower than ocean level. The mouth of the Volga is the location of the southernmost Volga city of Astrakhan, which in the distant past was the capital of the Tatar Khanate. Later, at the beginning of the 18th century (1717), Peter 1 gave the city the status of “capital of the Astrakhan province.” During his reign, the city's main attraction, the Assumption Cathedral, was built. Its Kremlin is made of white stone brought from the capital of the Golden Horde, Saraya. The mouth is divided by branches, the largest of which are: Bolda, Bakhtemir, Buzan. Astrakhan is southern city located on 11 islands. Today it is a city of shipbuilders, sailors and fishermen.

The Volga currently needs protection. For this purpose, a reserve was established in the place where the river flows into the sea. Volga Delta, largest river, flowing into the Caspian Sea, is replete with unique flora and fauna: sturgeon fish, lotuses, pelicans, flamingos and others. Immediately after the revolution of 1917, a law was passed on their protection by the state as part of the Astrakhan Nature Reserve.

Sulak River

It is located in Dagestan and flows through its territory. It is fed by the waters of melted snow that flow from the mountains, as well as by tributaries: Maly Sulak, Chvakhun-bak, Akh-su. Water also enters Sulak through a canal from the Aksai and Aktash rivers.

The source is formed by the confluence of two rivers that originate in the basins: Didoiskaya and Tushinskaya. The length of the Sulak River is 144 km. Its pool has a fairly large area - 15,200 square meters. It flows through a canyon with the same name as a river, then through the Akhetlinsky gorge and finally reaches the plane. Rounding the Agrakhan Bay from the south, Sulak flows into the sea.

The river provides Kaspiysk and Makhachkala with drinking water; hydroelectric power stations, urban settlements Sulak and Dubki are located on it, as well as small town Kizilyurt.

Samur

The river received this name not by chance. The name translated from the Caucasian language (one of them) means “middle”. Indeed, the waterway along the Samur River marks the border between the states of Russia and Azerbaijan.

The sources of the river are glaciers and springs originating in the spurs of the Caucasus Range on the northeastern side, not far from Guton Mountain. The height above sea level is 3200 m. Samur has a length of 213 km. The height at the headwaters and the mouth differs by three kilometers. The drainage basin has an area of almost five thousand square meters.

The places where the river flows are narrow gorges located between high mountains made of clayey shales and sandstones, which is why the water here is muddy. The Samur basin has 65 rivers. Their length reaches 10 km or more.

Samur: valley and its description

The valley of this river in Dagestan is the most densely populated area. Derbent is located near the mouth - ancient city peace. The banks of the Samur River are home to twenty or more species of relict flora. Endemic, endangered and rare species listed in the Red Book grow here.

In the river delta there is a relict forest, which is the only one in Russia. The liana forest is a fairy tale. Huge trees of the rarest and most common species grow here, intertwined with vines. The river is rich in valuable fish species: mullet, pike perch, pike, catfish and others.

Terek

The river received its name from the Karachay-Balkar peoples who lived along its banks. They called it “Terk Suu”, which means “swift water”. The Ingush and Chechens called it Lomeki - “mountain water”.

The beginning of the river is the territory of Georgia, the Zigla-Khokh glacier is a mountain located on the slope of the Caucasus ridge. It is located under glaciers all year round. One of them melts when sliding down. A small stream is formed, which is the source of the Terek. It is located at an altitude of 2713 m above sea level. The length of the river flowing into the Caspian Sea is 600 km. When it flows into the Caspian Sea, the Terek is divided into many branches, resulting in the formation of a vast delta, its area is 4000 square meters. In some places it is very swampy.

The riverbed in this place changed several times. The old branches have now been converted into canals. The middle of the last century (1957) was marked by the construction of the Kargaly hydroelectric complex. It is used to supply water to the canals.

How is the Terek replenished?

The river has a mixed supply, but for the upper reaches, water from melting glaciers plays an important role; they fill the river. In this regard, 70% of the flow occurs in spring and summer, that is, at this time the water level in the Terek is highest, and the lowest is in February. The river freezes if the winters are characterized by a harsh climate, but the ice cover is unstable.

The river is not clean and transparent. The turbidity of the water is high: 400-500 g/m3. Every year the Terek and its tributaries pollute the Caspian Sea, pouring into it from 9 to 26 million tons of various suspended matter. This is explained by the rocks that make up the shores, which are clayey.

Estuary Terek

The Sunzha is the largest tributary flowing into the Terek, the lower reaches of which are measured from this river. By this time, the Terek flows for a long time through the flat terrain, leaving the mountains located behind the Elkhotov Gate. The bottom here is made of sand and pebbles, the current slows down, and in some places stops altogether.

The mouth of the Terek River has unusual look: the bed here is raised above the valley, along appearance resembles a canal, which is fenced with a high embankment. The water level becomes higher than the land level. This phenomenon is due to natural causes. Since the Terek is a turbulent river, it brings sand and stones from the Caucasus ridge to large quantities. Considering that the current in the lower reaches is weak, some of them settle here and do not reach the sea. For residents of this area, sediment is both a threat and a blessing. When they are washed away by water, floods of great destructive power occur, this is very bad. But in the absence of floods, the soils become fertile.

Ural River

In ancient times (until the second half of the 18th century) the river was called Yaik. It was renamed in the Russian way by decree of Catherine the Second in 1775. Just at this time, the Peasant War, the leader of which was Pugachev, was suppressed. The name has been preserved to this day in the Bashkir language, and is official in Kazakhstan. The Urals are the third longest in Europe; only the Volga and Danube are larger rivers.

The Urals originate in Russia, on the slope of the Round Hill of the Uraltau ridge. The source is a spring flowing out of the ground at an altitude of 637 m above sea level. At the beginning of its journey, the river flows in a north-south direction, but after encountering a plateau along the way, it makes a sharp turn and continues to flow in a north-west direction. However, beyond Orenburg its direction changes again to the southwest, which is considered the main one. Having overcome a winding path, the Urals flows into the Caspian Sea. The length of the river is 2428 km. The mouth is divided into branches and tends to become shallow.

The Ural is a river along which the natural water boundary between Europe and Asia passes, with the exception of the upper reaches. This is an inland European river, but its upper reaches east of the Ural Range are Asian territory.

The importance of the Caspian rivers

The rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea are of great importance. Their waters are used for human and animal consumption, domestic, agricultural and industrial needs. Hydroelectric power stations are built on rivers, the energy of which is in demand by people for various purposes. River basins are full of fish, algae, and shellfish. Even in ancient times, people chose river valleys for future settlements. And now cities and towns are being built on their banks. The rivers are plied by passenger and transport ships, performing important tasks for transporting passengers and cargo.