Shared by Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan, the Caspian Sea is the largest lake in the world.
What is the Caspian Sea?
A lake to some and an inland sea to others, the Caspian is vast; 211 meters deep, and covers some 371,000 km2. Officially the worlds largest lake, the waters from the Caspian Sea lap onto the shores of Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan.
These five neighbouring countries all have navies that patrol the deep waters. All the more important for Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan as they are landlocked and have no other significant waterways.
What is the Caspian Famous For?
Aside from being the world’s largest lake, the Capsian has a few other claims to fame:
The Caspian is the home of caviar, once supplying 90% of the world’s appetite for this fishy black gold.
These days, the region is famed for its richness in fossil fuels; around 1.5 million barrels of oil come from the region daily. The Caspian also accounts for around 2% of the world’s natural gas. Unfortunately, this supply has affected the ecology of the area, with pollution taking a heavy toll on the sea.
For many inhabitants of the countries bordering the Caspian, this giant inland sea offers a great holiday destination, especially for those who live in Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, offering a great seaside destination where no ocean is available.
Geography of the Caspian Sea
Located between Europe and Asia, the Caspian is bound by Kazakhstan to the north, to the northeast by Russia, to the west by Azerbaijan, to the south by Iran, and to the southeast by Turkmenistan.
The Caspian Sea is an endorheic lake, meaning that it has no outflows. Sitting within a depression in the earth’s crust, it’s one of the lowest areas on planet Earth.
The Caspian shares its history with the Aral Sea, Black Sea, and Lake Urmia as they were once part of an ancient Paratethys Sea. The Paratethys Sea last existed in its entirety some 5.5 million years ago, but due to changes to the earth’s crust and natural weather patterns, its waters receded, forming the patchwork of lakes and seas found today.
The main rivers which feed the Caspian are the Volga, Ural, and Terek, accounting for around 88% of the water entering the Caspian; from the west, the smaller rivers Sulak, Samur, Kura add another 7%, with the remainder coming from Iranian waters.
The Caspian does experience tidal fluctuations of only a few centimetres and waves are visible, usually caused by wind action on the water’s surface. The water level is affected by the amount fed into it by the connecting rivers, and as it has no drainage. Evaporation accounts for all water loss.
Visiting the Caspian
Some want to say that they have seen the world’s largest lake, the world’s largest inland body of saltwater, or say they have seen the Caspian up-close. For such intrepid travellers, there are many options.
Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan all have stunning locations and places from which to view this watery marvel. From the kitsch, surreal, incredible, unique, and beautiful, these central Asian countries have something to offer. Find out the best places to visit the shores of the Caspian here.
Another reason for visiting the shores of the Caspian sea in Russia is that it is the best location to catch a sighting of the feared Caspian Sea Monster.