Caspian Sea Faces Drying Threat Due to Climate Change

Description

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Context:

Caspian Sea on which Baku is located, is in danger of drying up due to human-induced climate change.

Details:

The scientists analyzed hydrological changes in the Volga and their repercussions on the Caspian Sea level from 1938 to 2020.
They found a strong correlation between high Volga River runoff and increased atmospheric precipitation in its basin until 2005.
However, in recent years (2005-2020), a significant decline in the runoff coefficient at the Verkhneye Lebyazhie hydrological station, attributable to climate warming surpassing global temperature anomalies, has been observed.
This warming’s impact on river flow and sea level was quantified, resulting in a 133 cm decrease in sea level from 1977 to 2020.

About Baku

Baku is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan and the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. It is the lowest-lying national capital in the world and also the largest city in the world below sea level.

It lies on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, on the Bay of Baku. Baku is situated on the western coast of the Caspian Sea.

In the vicinity of the city, there are a number of mud volcanoes (Keyraki, Bogkh-bogkha, Lokbatan and others) and salt lakes (Boyukshor, Khodasan, etc.).

About Caspian Sea

*Location*	Junction of Europe and Asia
*Bordering Countries*	Russia (northwest), Azerbaijan (west), Iran (south), Turkmenistan (southeast), Kazakhstan (northeast)
*Geographical Features*	Caspian Sea is Earth’s largest inland body of water by surface area; lies between Caucasus Mountains to the west and Central Asian steppes to the east.
*Economic Importance*	Rich in oil and natural gas, leading to significant geopolitical interest.
*Caspian Depression*	Flat lowland region to the north of the Caspian Sea; one of the lowest points on Earth.
*Classification*	Largest lake or considered a full-fledged sea.
*Endorheic Basin*	The Caspian Sea has no natural outlets.
*Primary Tributaries*	Volga River (provides 80% of inflow), Ural River (north), Kura River (west).
*Historical Identity*	Known as a sea since ancient times; referred to as a sea by bordering countries.
*Access*	Inland sea, can be accessed through Russia’s Volga River and connected canals to the Black Sea, Baltic Sea, and Sea of Azov.
*Salt-Water Connection*	Supplied by freshwater sources, with no connection to global saltwater seas.
*UN Group of Experts*	No legal status in determining geographical classification.