Caspian Sea

The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland body of water, often called the world's largest lake. It sits between Europe and Asia, east of the Caucasus, west of the steppe of Central Asia, south of Southern Russia, and north of the Iranian Plateau. It covers an area of 371,000 km² (143,244 sq mi), about the size of Japan, and holds a volume of water of 78,200 km³ (19,000 cu mi).

This large body of water has a salinity of around 1.2%, which is about a third of regular seawater. It is bordered by Kazakhstan, Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, and Turkmenistan. The Caspian Sea stretches 1,200 km (750 mi) from north to south, with an average width of 320 km (200 mi). Its surface lies about 27 m (89 ft) below sea level.

The Caspian Sea is well-known for its caviar and oil industries. However, pollution from oil activities and dams on rivers flowing into it have harmed the environment. Scientists predict that because of global warming and desertification, the sea's depth may drop by 9–18 m (30–60 ft) during the 21st century.

Etymology

The Caspian Sea gets its name from the Caspi, an ancient group of people who lived near the sea's southwest in Transcaucasia. Writers from long ago, like Strabo, said the area around the sea was named after this tribe. Even today, many places keep this name.

Different cultures have their own names for the Caspian Sea. In some Turkic languages, it is called using the word "Caspi." Others call it the "Khazar sea," after an old empire that lived north of the sea. In Iran, it is known as the Mazandaran Sea, named after a province along its southern coast. Old Russian texts used names like Khvalyn Sea, and ancient Greeks and Persians called it the Hyrcanian Sea. Later maps from Europe had names such as Abbacuch Sea or Mar de Bachu.

Basin countries

Border countries

North

• Kazakhstan
• Russia

East

• Turkmenistan

West

• Azerbaijan

South

• Iran

Former border countries

North

•  Soviet Union

South

• Pahlavi Iran

West

• Ottoman Empire

Physical characteristics

The Caspian Sea is the world's largest lake and is landlocked, meaning it has no outlet to the ocean. It is found between Europe and Asia, east of the Caucasus and west of Central Asia. The sea covers an area of about 371,000 km² (143,244 sq mi), which is similar in size to Japan.

The Caspian Sea is divided into three main regions: the Northern, Middle, and Southern Caspian. The Northern part is very shallow, with an average depth of only 5–6 m (16–20 ft). The Middle Caspian is much deeper, averaging around 190 m (620 ft), and the Southern Caspian is the deepest, with depths over 1,000 m (3,300 ft). The Northern part can freeze in winter, and sometimes ice forms in the south during very cold winters.

Many rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, with the Volga River being the largest. The sea has several small islands, mostly located in the northern part. The climate around the Caspian varies, with colder conditions in the north and warmer, more humid conditions in the south. The water in the Caspian is not fresh; it is brackish, meaning it is slightly salty. The sea's level has changed many times over the centuries due to natural factors like rainfall and evaporation.

Flora and fauna

Flora

The rising water level of the Caspian Sea between 1995 and 1996 reduced habitats for rare water plants. This happened because new coastal areas did not have enough seeds to grow plants.

Many rare plants in Russia grow near the Volga Delta and Samur River areas. The shoreline also helps plants that grow in loose sand. However, changes in water level, water pollution, and land changes make it hard for plants to grow. These changes affect plants like Aldrovanda vesiculosa and Nelumbo caspica. Over a thousand plant types grow in the Samur River delta, including special forests that are very old. In 2018, Samursky National Park was created to protect this area. Since 2019, UNESCO has recognized the Hyrcanian forests in Mazandaran, Iran, as important natural areas.

Fauna

The Caspian turtle lives only in fresh water. The zebra mussel comes from the Caspian and Black Sea areas but has spread to other places. The Caspian seal is the only seal that lives in the Caspian Sea and is found only there. A century ago, there were over one million seals, but now there are fewer than ten percent left.

Studies of old rock art have shown pictures that might be of ocean animals like whales or dolphins. These pictures might show animals that lived in the Caspian Sea long ago because of connections to other oceans.

The Caspian Sea has many fish species, with over 60 groups. About 62% of these fish are found only in the Caspian Sea. The most common fish families include small fish called gobies, minnows, and herring-like fish. The sea is home to six kinds of sturgeon, with the beluga being the largest freshwater fish in the world. These sturgeons produce eggs called caviar. However, overfishing has greatly reduced their numbers, and some people think fishing sturgeons should stop until their numbers grow again. The high price of caviar makes it hard to enforce fishing rules, which further threatens the sturgeon population.

The area also has native reptiles like the spur-thighed tortoise and Horsfield's tortoise.

• The Asiatic cheetah used to live in areas around the Caucasus and Central Asia but is now mainly in Iran.
• The Asiatic lion once lived in the Trans-Caucasus, Iran, and possibly southern Turkestan.
• The Caspian tiger lived in northern Iran, the Caucasus, and Central Asia.
• The endangered Persian leopard can still be found in Iran, the Caucasus, and Central Asia.

History

Geology

The Caspian Sea's history has two main parts. The first part happened during a time called the Miocene, shaped by events that closed the Tethys Sea. The second part happened during the Pleistocene, known for its ice ages and changes in the Volga River. During the first part, the Tethys Sea turned into the Sarmatian Lake, formed from the Black Sea and the south part of the Caspian Sea. This happened when the Arabian peninsula moved into West Asia, pushing up mountains and changing the land. The Caspian Sea was often separated from the Black Sea. Later, a mountain range split the southern part of the sea into two lakes. Eventually, the sea grew much larger and connected again with the Black Sea and the Aral Sea. Then it shrank back to its current size.

Early settlement nearby

The oldest human remains near the Caspian Sea are from Dmanisi, about 1.8 million years old. These show early humans called Homo erectus or Homo ergaster lived there. Later, people lived in caves in Georgia and Azerbaijan. There is evidence of humans living south of the Caspian Sea from places like Ganj Par and Darband Cave. Neanderthals were also found in a cave in Georgia. In Iran, near the town of Behshahr in Mazandaran, people lived as early as 11,000 years ago, as found in Hotu and Kamarband caves. Ancient Greeks called the sea the Hyrcanian Sea.

Fossil fuel

The area around the Caspian Sea has lots of oil and gas. People were digging for oil as early as the 10th century to use for medicine, heating, and lighting homes. By the 16th century, Europeans knew about the oil and gas there. Traders described a lot of oil coming out of the ground near Baku, used for heating homes. Today, many oil and gas platforms are along the edges of the sea.

Geography, geology and navigation studies

During the time of Peter I the Great, an explorer named Fyodor Soimonov studied the Caspian Sea. He made detailed maps and wrote the first full report about the sea, called Pilot of the Caspian Sea, published in 1720 by the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Cities

Ancient

Some ancient cities and places near the Caspian Sea include Hyrcania in Iran, Sari in Mazandaran Province, Anzali in Gilan Province, Astara in Gilan Province, Astarabad in Golestan Province, Tamisheh in Golestan Province, Atil, Khazaria, Khazaran, Derbent in Dagestan, Russia, and Xacitarxan, which is now Astrakhan.

Modern

Today, many cities are located around the Caspian Sea. In Iran, you can find cities such as Ali Abad, Astane-ye Ashrafiye, Astara, Babolsar, Bandar-e Anzali, Bandar-e-Gaz, Bandar Torkaman, Behshahr, Chalus, Fenderesk, Gomishan, Gonbad-e Kavus, Gorgan, Juybar, Kordkuy, Lahijan, Langarud, Mahmudabad, Neka, Nowshahr, Nur, Ramsar, Rasht, Rudbar, Rudsar, Sari, Sorkhrud, Talesh, and Tonekabon.

In Azerbaijan, cities include Astara, Baku, Gobustan, Khudat, Khachmaz, Lankaran, Masallı, Nabran, Neftchala, Shabran, Siyazan, Oil Rocks, and Sumqayit.

In Kazakhstan, there are Atyrau and Aktau.

In Russia, you can find Astrakhan, Dagestanskiye Ogni, Derbent, Izberbash, Kaspiysk, and Makhachkala.

In Turkmenistan, cities include Türkmenbaşy (formerly Krasnovodsk), Hazar (formerly Çeleken), Esenguly, and Garabogaz (formerly Bekdaş).

Economy

Countries around the Caspian Sea, especially Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan, have economies that depend heavily on natural resources like oil and gas. These resources make up more than 10 percent of their total money from goods and services and 40 percent of what they sell to other countries. The oil and gas from this area have a big effect on the world's energy markets, making these countries very important and attracting lots of money from other countries to invest.

These countries also have lots of sunshine and potential for using solar power. They have less rain than the mountains in central Europe but have plenty of water power from rivers that can be used to make electricity. Iran has a lot of oil and natural gas, with enough oil to be fourth in the world and enough gas to be a key part of keeping the world's energy safe. Russia has huge amounts of mineral and energy resources, making it a top producer of oil and natural gas in the world.

The countries around the Caspian Sea work together to improve their roads, bring in tourists, and increase trade. They held their first big meeting about these ideas in Turkmenistan in 2019. They are also working together on technology and digital projects to help connect Asia and Europe better and interest investors from around the world.

Oil and gas

The area around the Caspian Sea helps supply oil to the world, though it is not the biggest supplier. In the early 2000s, the region produced about 1.4 to 1.5 million barrels of oil each day, which was about 2 percent of the world's total oil. Kazakhstan makes up most of this oil, and Azerbaijan makes about a fifth. Oil production was higher in the past but dropped after the Soviet Union broke apart.

The first wells for drilling oil were made a long time ago near Baku, in Azerbaijan. By the end of the 1800s, Baku had thousands of oil wells and was known as a major center for oil. After the Soviet Union took control, Azerbaijan's oil industry grew a lot, and by 1941, it was making a huge amount of oil for the whole country. In 1994, a big agreement was made to develop the oil fields more, and a major pipeline was built to carry oil to Turkey. In 2005, a big oil field was found in the Russian part of the Caspian Sea.

Transport

Baku is the main port for big ships like oil tankers in Azerbaijan. It is the biggest port on the Caspian Sea and can reach the oceans through canals. The Caspian Sea Shipping Company helps move goods and people and supports oil and gas work at sea. In the 1800s, when oil production grew a lot in Baku, new ships were needed to carry the oil.

Political issues

Some islands along the coast of Azerbaijan are important because of the oil fields near them. Since the Soviet Union broke apart, many international companies have started working in the area. Getting exact borders agreed upon by all countries around the Caspian Sea is a big problem that could affect future development.

There is a lot of discussion about building oil and gas pipelines that would let Western countries get oil and gas from Kazakhstan and other places more easily. Russia does not like this idea because it would mean Russia would lose money from moving these products and would no longer be the only way to get them to the west. Both Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan support these pipelines.

Some reports showed that a company did not tell people about a problem with gas in 2008 in Azerbaijan.

Territorial status

Five countries border the Caspian Sea along its 4,800 km (3,000 mi) coastline. These countries are Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Azerbaijan, and Russia.

For many years, these countries have discussed how to share the Caspian Sea. In 2018, they signed an agreement called the 'Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea'. This agreement decided that each country can control 24 km (15 mi) of water near its coast, with an extra 16 km (10 mi) for fishing. The rest of the water is shared by all countries. However, how the seabed is used is still being discussed between countries.

Coastline

Five states are located along about 4,800 km (3,000 mi) of the Caspian coastline. The length of the coastline of these countries:

1. Kazakhstan – 1,422 km (884 mi)
2. Turkmenistan – 1,035 km (643 mi)
3. Iran – 728 km (452 mi)
4. Azerbaijan – 813 km (505 mi)
5. Russia – 747 km (464 mi)

Negotiations

A 1931 treaty between Iran and the Soviet Union stated that the sea belonged to both nations. In 2000, negotiations as to the demarcation of the sea had been going on for nearly a decade among all the states bordering it. Whether it was by law a sea, a lake, or an agreed hybrid, the decision would set the demarcation rules and was heavily debated. Access to mineral resources (oil and natural gas), access for fishing, and access to international waters (through Russia's Volga river and the canals connecting it to the Black Sea and Baltic Sea) all rest on the negotiations' outcome. Access to the Volga is key for market efficiency and economic diversity of the landlocked states of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan. This concerns Russia, as more traffic seeks to use its inland waterways, which can become congested at certain points. If the body of water is, by law, a sea, many precedents and international treaties oblige free access to foreign vessels. If it is a lake there are no such obligations. Resolving and improving environmental issues rests on the sea's status and borders issue.

Caspian Summit

The Caspian Summit is a head of state-level meeting of the five littoral states. The fifth Caspian Summit took place on August 12, 2018, in the Kazakh port city of Aktau. The five leaders signed the 'Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea'.

Representatives of the Caspian littoral states held a meeting in the capital of Kazakhstan on September 28, 2018, as a follow-up to the Aktau Summit. The conference was hosted by the Kazakh Ministry of Investment and Development. The participants in the meeting agreed to host an investment forum for the Caspian region every two years.

Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea

Main article: Convention on the legal status of the Caspian Sea

The five littoral states build consensus on legally binding governance of the Caspian Sea through Special Working Groups of a Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea. In advance of a Caspian Summit, the 51st Special Working Group took place in Astana in May 2018 and found consensus on multiple agreements: Agreements on cooperation in the field of transport; trade and economic cooperation; prevention of incidents on the sea; combating terrorism; fighting against organized crime; and border security cooperation.

The convention grants jurisdiction over 24 km (15 mi) of territorial waters to each neighboring country, plus an additional 16 km (10 mi) of exclusive fishing rights on the surface, while the rest is international waters. The seabed, on the other hand, remains undefined, subject to bilateral agreements between countries. Thus, the Caspian Sea is legally neither fully a sea nor a lake.

While the convention addresses caviar production, oil and gas extraction, and military uses, it does not touch on environmental issues.

Crossborder inflow

UNECE recognizes several rivers that cross international borders which flow into the Caspian Sea. These are:

Transportation

The Caspian Sea is connected to other important waterways by canals. The Volga River, which flows into the Caspian Sea, is linked by canals to the Don River, the Black Sea, the Baltic Sea, the Northern Dvina, and the White Sea. These connections help ships travel between different parts of the region.

Regular ferry services cross the Caspian Sea. These ferries connect cities such as Türkmenbaşy in Turkmenistan and Baku, as well as Aktau and Kuryk in Kazakhstan with Baku. There are also ferry routes between cities in Iran and Russia, mostly for moving cargo.

Canals

Because the Caspian Sea has no natural outlet to the ocean, people have built canals to connect it to other waterways. Since medieval times, traders used paths called portages to move goods between rivers. In the early 1700s, simple canals were built linking the Volga Basin to the Baltic Sea.

Today, two major canal systems connect the Volga Basin — and the Caspian Sea — to the ocean: the Volga–Baltic Waterway and the Volga–Don Canal.

There were plans in the past to build a canal called the Pechora–Kama Canal to bring water from the Pechora River into the Volga River. This was meant to help with irrigation and keep the Caspian Sea’s water level stable.

In 2007, Kazakhstan’s president suggested building a new canal called the Eurasia Canal, also known as the Manych Ship Canal. This canal would connect the Caspian Sea to the Black Sea, helping Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries increase their trade. The canal would likely follow the Kuma–Manych Depression, where rivers and lakes are already linked by a canal. Another option would be to improve the existing Volga–Don Canal.