Caspian Sea

The Caspian Sea

The Caspian Sea is the world’s largest inland body of water. It is 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.

This huge body of water covers an area of 371,000 km² (143,244 sq mi), about the size of Japan. It holds a lot of water, but its surface is below sea level. The Caspian Sea is less salty than regular seawater, with a salinity of around 1.2%.

The Caspian Sea is bordered by five countries: Kazakhstan, Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, and Turkmenistan. It stretches very far from north to south. The Northern part is very shallow, while the Southern part is very deep.

People know the Caspian Sea for its caviar and oil. The area has lots of oil and gas, which helps many countries. Scientists watch the sea because of changes in the land and global warming, which might change the sea’s depth.

The Caspian Sea is named after the Caspi people who lived near its southwest in Transcaucasia. Old writers, like Strabo, said the area was named for this tribe. Different cultures have different names for the Caspian Sea. In some Turkic languages, it uses the word "Caspi." Others call it the "Khazar sea." In Iran, it is known as the Mazandaran Sea. Old Russian texts used names like Khvalyn Sea, and ancient Greeks and Persians called it the Hyrcanian Sea.

Many cities are around the Caspian Sea. In Iran, you can find cities such as Bandar-e Anzali, Rasht, and Sari. In Azerbaijan, cities include Baku, Sumqayit, and Lankaran. In Kazakhstan, there are Atyrau and Aktau. In Russia, you can find Astrakhan and Makhachkala. In Turkmenistan, cities include Türkmenbaşy.

The Caspian Sea is linked to other important waterways by canals. The Volga River flows into the Caspian Sea and is connected by canals to the Black Sea, the Baltic Sea, and other waters. These links help ships travel between different areas. Regular ferry services cross the Caspian Sea, connecting cities such as Türkmenbaşy in Turkmenistan and Baku in Azerbaijan.