Location

Between Asia and Europe.

Geographical Boundaries

East of the Caucasus Mountains, west of Central Asia's steppe.

Bordering Countries

Russia, Azerbaijan (west), Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan (north and east), Iran (south).

Historical Naming

Named after the Kaspi, ancient peoples who lived on its western shores.

Formation

Once part of the ancient Paratethys Sea, landlocked due to tectonic uplift and sea-level fall.

Geological Composition

Seafloor composed of oceanic basalt.

Salinity

Varies from fresh in the north to saltier in the south, average salinity about one-third that of oceans.

Rivers Flowing into Sea

Volga, Ural, Terek (from the north).

Additional Rivers: The Kura River from Azerbaijan, the Sefid-Rud River and Gorgan River from Iran, the Atrek River from Turkmenistan, and the Ural River passing through Kazakhstan.

Major Cities

Baku (Azerbaijan) largest port on the Caspian Sea, Resht and Ramsar (Iran), Makhachkala and Astrakhan (Russian Federation).

Other Important City

Nowshahr, Iran.

Energy Resources

Oil and natural gas reserves in offshore fields and onshore along the coast.

Caviar Production

Source of most of the world’s caviar (Caviar is unfertilized fish eggs, also known as fish roe. It is a salty delicacy, served cold. True caviar comes from wild sturgeon, which belong to the Acipenseridae family).

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q.Caspian Sea shares a border with which of the following counties?

1. Kazakhstan
2. Russia
3. Iran
4. Azerbaijan
5. Tajikistan

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1, 2,3 and 4 only

(b) 1,2 and 4 only

(c) 2, 3 and 5 only 

(d) 1,2,3, and 5 only

Answer: a

Explanation:

The coastlines of the Caspian are shared by Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan. The Caspian is divided into three distinct physical regions: the Northern, Middle, and Southern Caspian.