Caviar farming predominantly targets the reproducing females of the sturgeon species. There have been numerous bans on fishing in the region, but the practice continues illegally. Along the vast coastline of the Caspian Sea spanning 7, kilometres, 5 nations border it. In the North lies the countries of Russia and Kazakhstan. The longest border is with Kazakhstan at over km, followed by Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Russia, and lastly Iran at km.
The capital of Azerbaijan- Baku, lies on the coastline and derives much of its economy from fishing and maritime industries. The Iranian capital of Tehran is roughly km south of the shore. The coastline is dotted with numerous cities, including a large number of naval forts. The Caspian Sea lies at the junction of 2 continents- Europe and Asia, close to the Ural mountain ranges that divide both continents.
As a water body rich in natural resources, there has constantly been minor territorial skirmishes between the bordering 5 nations. Starting in , discussions have been going on regarding the demarcation of the Sea.
The main points of contention were the minerals, oil and gas deposits, fishing regions, and connectivity to other water bodies. The landlocked countries bordering the Sea are Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan. To connect with other nations through the Black and Baltic Seas, they are dependent on free passage through rivers in Russia, namely the Volga. This has been a major point of discussion in the ongoing summits. The current demarcation has divided the Sea into 2 zones- the Iran region and the Soviet region.
Despite the division, non-mineral resources such as fish were equally shared by the nations. However, mineral resources including oil and gas reserves had to be demarcated to prevent tensions over excess mining. The main conflicts are between Iran, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan. Azerbaijani research vessels claim to have come under fire from both parties during routine expeditions.
Iran has made repeated claims of illegal incursions, while Turkmenistan alleges that Azerbaijan has pumped more than the agreed share of oil from a common subsea deposit. For this reason, all 5 nations have naval fleets active in the region to safeguard their national interests. Most water bodies today have been classified into one of the broad groups- oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, streams, and pools further classified into above the ground, underground, etc. However, the Caspian Sea is unique as it has never been successfully classified.
Even as recent as , an inter-governmental effort to determine its status yielded no results. So why the confusion? A lake is a body of water that does not feed into an ocean and is generally landlocked on most of its boundaries. The Caspian Sea fits that description, since it is not connected to any ocean the nearest being several hundreds of kilometres away and is predominantly landlocked barring a few rivers flowing into it. At the same time, a sea is a large body of water in surface area and depth, but not as big as an ocean.
And the Caspian Sea suits these descriptors as well since it is an extremely large body of water covering , square kilometres with an average depth of meters and a maximum depth of over 1 kilometre. So, what is the implication of not being categorized as either a sea or a lake?
In the previous section, we had outlined how the landlocked countries of Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan are dependent on free passage through the Volga for trade to other countries. However, a lake can be claimed by a single or group of nations, and passage is not necessarily available to all. Furthermore, the exact division of resources has come under scrutiny, given that some nations have a longer coastline on the Sea compared to others. While there seems to be no end in sight to this dilemma, the discussions have been largely peaceful with a plan to achieve a solution within the next few years.
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The seabed is the 2nd lowest natural relief depression on Earth The seabed of the Caspian Sea is varied in depth and sub-surface features. More than rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, according to Natural History Magazine , none of which are in the east. The primary tributary is the Volga River in the north, which provides about 80 percent of the inflowing water. The Ural River, also in the north, and the Kura River in the west, are also significant tributaries. The inflowing fresh water from these rivers dilute the water.
Salinity changes from north to south, from 1. By contrast, the North Atlantic Ocean has a salinity of 37 ppt, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.
Because it has no outflow, the amount of rainfall in the regions of the rivers can greatly impact the water level of the Caspian Sea, according to GRID-Arendal , an environmental information center. Human-constructed dams built during the last two centuries have also changed water levels.
Scientists theorize that tectonic movement and sedimentation changes could be other factors. In recent years, climate change has played a major role. More extreme weather patterns have increased rainfall in Russia, which brings more water into the Volga River and Caspian Sea. But scientists have also seen evidence that overall warmer temperatures could cause the Caspian Sea to dry up.
Scientists estimate that human-caused factors, including oil spills, which limit evaporation by covering the water with a thin film, account for 3 to 5 percent of water level variation, according to Natural History Magazine. There are approximately 50 small, mostly uninhabited islands in the Caspian Sea, according to New World Encyclopedia. Most are in the north, but the largest island, Ogurja Ada, is in the south.
The Caspian Sea is next to the world's largest lagoon, according to Lakepedia. The 6,square-mile 18, square km Kara-Bogaz Gol lagoon is on the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea and is separated from it by sand bars. A dam was built between the Caspian Sea and Kara-Bogaz Gol in but it was removed in because of the changes it caused to water levels.
Despite its name, the Caspian Sea can be called either a lake or a sea. Kukral refers to it as a lake, as do many scholars. It has historically been considered a sea because of its size and its saline water, but it embodies many characteristics of lakes. Much of the confusion comes because there are no internationally agreed-upon definitions for seas or lakes. Seas are often defined by connection to the ocean or another sea via salt water, which the Caspian Sea is not.
Seas are usually partially enclosed by land, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , but the Caspian Sea is entirely enclosed by land.
Seas are typically salt water. While the Caspian Sea is not fresh water, its salty water is diluted by the inflow of fresh water, especially in the north. The question of whether it is a lake or a sea has political and economic ramifications, wrote Hanna Zimnitskaya in a Journal of Eurasian Studies article.
If the Caspian Sea is a lake, then the United Nations and international law have no control over its waters, she wrote. If it is a sea, international organizations can have input on its use.
This is especially important because its energy resources. If the Caspian Sea is a lake, it contains 40 percent of all lake water in the world. Following a shift in continental landforms, the Tethys Ocean was disconnected from the two oceans. Much of its water evaporated, leading to the formation of the Black Sea , the Aral Sea , and the Caspian. Archaeological evidence reveals that humans began settling along the Caspian Sea about 75, years ago.
Although oil was discovered around the 10th century, the Europeans began exploring the region for oil around the 16th century. In , the first offshore oil well was dug in the Caspian Sea. Between the 19th and 20th centuries, the water level fluctuated by about 12 feet. The Caspian Sea has also caused several floods, including the flood, which caused massive destruction. Several cities and towns are located along the Caspian Sea.
These cities are home to thousands of people, many of which depend on the sea for their survival. Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan , is the largest city on the Caspian. It is home to some 2. It is home to some rare and endemic species.
The shores also offer refuge for both plant and animal species. The shores have shallow saline pools that host small invertebrates, fish, and birds. Birds use the sea as a migratory route and refuge.
There are over 2, animals and species within the Caspian Sea region, of which are endemic species. Some of these endemic species are the spur-thighed tortoise, Caspian gull, Caspian salmon, Caspian white fish, and Caspian Seal. Other mammals found around the Caspian are the Asiatic lion, Asiatic tiger, and Caspian tiger. There are no sharks in the Caspian Sea. The population around the sea is a source of ecological threat not only to the flora and fauna but also to the people who depend on the sea.
Intensive oil exploration has caused serious pollution and harm to wildlife. The Caspian Sea is a significant crude oil supplier.
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