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Map of Caspian Sea

Satellite image of the Caspian Sea
Satellite image of the Caspian Sea.
Image: NASA

About the Caspian Sea


The Map is shows the Caspian Sea, a large inland sea at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. The Caspian Sea is considered by many to be the largest lake in the world. Lake or sea; it is the largest enclosed inland body of water on Earth with an area of 371,000 km² (without the Garabogazköl Bay). Compared, the Caspian Sea is somewhat larger than Germany or somewhat smaller than the US state of Montana.


Map of the Caspian Sea

Reference Map of the Caspian Sea
Map of Caspian Sea Region

The map shows the Caspian Sea and surrounding countries with international borders, national capitals and major cities.

You are free to use the above map for educational and similar purposes; if publishing, please credit Nations Online Project as the source.


More about the Caspian Sea.


Mud volcanoes in Azerbaijan
Mud volcanoes near the Caspian Sea in Azerbaijan. Many mud volcanoes exist on the shores of the Caspian Sea. Tectonic forces and large sedimentary deposits around the sea have created several fields of mud volcanoes, many of them emitting methane and other hydrocarbons.
Photo: shankar s.


The Caspian Sea is situated about 500 km east of the Black Sea. The vast lake lies between southeastern Europe and Western Asia, east of the Caucasus Mountains and south of the vast Eurasian Steppe. To the east the Karakum Desert reaches close to the eastern shores of the sea.



How many countries border the Caspian Sea?
Five countries border the Caspian Sea, Iran, Russia, and three former Soviet republics (until 1991), Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan.



Geology of the Caspian Sea region.
The Caspian Sea lies within a vast land depression, a remnant of the prehistoric Paratethys Sea, which once covered large parts of Eurasia. It is the largest enclosed inland body of water in the world and is often classified as both a sea and a lake due to its unique characteristics. The Caspian is the lowest natural point in Eurasia, with its surface lying approximately 21 meters (69 feet) below mean sea level. Geologically, the Caspian Sea is completely isolated, with no direct connection to the world's oceans. Its primary inflow comes from the Volga River. The longest river Europe's contributes about 80% of its total water volume. Other significant rivers that flow into the sea are the Ural, the Kura, the Terek and the Atrek rivers.
The Caspian Sea is an endorheic basin; it has no outflowing rivers; water leaves the basin solely through evaporation, making its water balance highly sensitive to climatic fluctuations.



What is the Caspian Sea known for?

A drilling rig in the Caspian Sea.
A drilling rig in the Caspian Sea. The Caspian Sea is one of the world's most important regions for energy production, hosting vast reserves of oil and natural gas both onshore and offshore. It has been a center of petroleum extraction for over a century, with some of the world's earliest oil fields located here.
Photo: Sek Keung Lo





Energy Resources
The Caspian Sea is one of the world's richest regions for oil and natural gas, with vast reserves located both offshore and onshore along its coastlines. All five littoral states (Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran, and Azerbaijan) exploit these resources in cooperation with international oil companies.

However, a significant portion of the Caspian's offshore oil and gas remains untapped due to ongoing disputes over maritime borders and resource distribution among the bordering nations. These conflicts have historically slowed exploration and development efforts, despite the region's strategic importance in global energy markets. [ERI]

Oil and gas fields
The Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG) oil field in Azerbaijan and the Kashagan oil field in Kazakhstan are two of the largest in the region.
The Shah Deniz gas field in Azerbaijan is one of the world's biggest natural gas fields.


Beluga
The Caspian Sea is known as the source for Beluga Caviar, which comes from the critically endangered beluga sturgeon. Russian and Iranian caviar are renowned for their quality and flavor.
Overfishing and pollution have put the sturgeon populations in danger, leading to strict regulations and conservation efforts.


Legal Status and Division of Resources
The legal status of the Caspian Sea has been a subject of prolonged dispute, particularly regarding its characterization as a 'lake' or 'sea,' which affects how resources are divided among the littoral states. [thri]



View of Baku City, the capital of Azerbaijan and the largest city at the Caspian Sea.
View of Baku City, the capital of Azerbaijan and the largest city at the Caspian Sea.
Photo: shankar s.


Major ports along the Caspian Sea

The Declining Caspian
The Caspian Sea is shrinking rapidly. Due to climate change and reduced river inflow (mainly the Volga River), its levels are dropping by up to 7 cm per year. Scientists predict that by 2100, the Caspian could shrink by more than 9 meters, drastically altering the coastline.


The map shows the location of following cities, towns:

Azerbaijan: Baku

Iran: Amirabad, Bandar Anzali, Rasht, Sari, Tabriz, Tehran.

Kazakhstan: Aktau, Atyrau, Fort-Shevchenko, Zhanaozen.

Russia: Astrakhan, Grozny, Makhachkala, Nalchik, Rostov-on-Don, Pyatigorsk, Sochi, Stavropol.

Turkmenistan: Ashgabat, Balkanabat, Turkmenbashi.



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