Bodies of Water
The Caspian Sea
Also Known As Hyrcanian Sea The name used by classical Greek and Persian writers, after Hyrcania, an ancient region on the sea's southern shore.
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The Caspian Sea is the largest inland body of water on Earth by surface area, bordered by Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran, and Azerbaijan. It sits in a deep basin left behind by the ancient Paratethys Sea, carries brackish rather than fresh water, and has no natural outlet to any ocean.
Whether the Caspian is properly a sea or the world's largest lake is a genuine, unresolved classification dispute among geographers: its marine origin, tectonic basin and brackish water argue for sea, while its total enclosure and lack of any natural ocean outlet argue for lake, and the surrounding states have had to negotiate the question directly, since which label applies affects how its waters and seabed resources are divided among them.
Facts
Area (sq km) Maximum Depth (m)Depth given is for the South Caspian Basin; the sea grows dramatically shallower toward its northern end, which averages only a few meters deep. Elevation (m) Cross-Tradition Connections
Associated With
This source names Russia directly: "on Earth by surface area, bordered by Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran, and Azerbaijan."
Borders
On Continent
Europe, Continents The Caspian's northwestern shore, around the Volga delta and Kalmykia, sits on the European side of the conventional Europe-Asia boundary along the Caucasus crest; most of its coast is Asian.
Sources
1. National Geographic Atlas of the World
National Geographic Society, 2019
2. Caspian Sea (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationInfobox, Max. lengthQuote, Infobox, Max. length
1,030 km (640 mi)
2. Caspian Sea (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationInfobox, Surface elevationQuote, Infobox, Surface elevation
−28 m (−92 ft) below sea level
2. Caspian Sea (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationInfobox, Coordinates fieldQuote, Infobox, Coordinates field
42.0N 50.5E
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Caspian Sea (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationBorders: Kazakhstan, Lead sectionQuote, Borders: Kazakhstan, Lead section
It is bounded by Kazakhstan to the northeast, Russia to the northwest, Azerbaijan to the southwest, Iran to the south, and Turkmenistan to the southeast.
Caspian Sea (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationBorders: Russia, Lead sectionQuote, Borders: Russia, Lead section
It is bounded by Kazakhstan to the northeast, Russia to the northwest, Azerbaijan to the southwest, Iran to the south, and Turkmenistan to the southeast.
Caspian Sea (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationBorders: Azerbaijan, Lead sectionQuote, Borders: Azerbaijan, Lead section
It is bounded by Kazakhstan to the northeast, Russia to the northwest, Azerbaijan to the southwest, Iran to the south, and Turkmenistan to the southeast.
Caspian Sea (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationBorders: Iran, Lead sectionQuote, Borders: Iran, Lead section
It is bounded by Kazakhstan to the northeast, Russia to the northwest, Azerbaijan to the southwest, Iran to the south, and Turkmenistan to the southeast.
Caspian Sea (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationBorders: Turkmenistan, Lead sectionQuote, Borders: Turkmenistan, Lead section
It is bounded by Kazakhstan to the northeast, Russia to the northwest, Azerbaijan to the southwest, Iran to the south, and Turkmenistan to the southeast.
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