Caspian Depression

Caspian Depression
Caspian Depression
Depression
	Caspian Depression and north Caspian Sea from space. NASA photo
	Caspian Depression Caspian Depression
	Coordinates: 47°32′N 49°00′E / 47.53°N 49°E
Area
• Total	200,000 km2 (77,000 sq mi)

The Caspian Depression (

Aral-Caspian Depression around the Aral

and Caspian Seas.

The level of the Caspian sea is 28 metres (92 ft) below sea level, however several areas in the depression are even lower, and among them Karagiye near Aktau is the lowest at −132 metres (−433 ft).

Geography

The depression is in the northeastern part of the East European Plain and covers parts of Kazakhstan and Russia. In Kazakhstan it covers parts of Atyrau Region, West Kazakhstan Region, and Mangystau Region. In Russia it covers parts of Dagestan, Kalmykia, Saratov Oblast, Volgograd Oblast, Astrakhan Oblast, and Stavropol Krai. In the Horth it is bounded by Obshchy Syrt highland; in the West by Volga Upland, Yergeni, and Stavropol Upland [ru]; in the east by Ustyurt Plateau and Sub-Ural Plateau (a.k.a. Cis-Ural Plateau, Pre-Ural Plateau, Poduralskoe Plateau)^[2] It significantly overlaps with the Ryn Desert.

The

Baskunchak, Inder, Aralsor, Kamys-Samar Lakes, Elton and Botkul

.

The North Caspian depression is part of the

semi-arid desert biome

. The area receives 300 mm (12 in) of rain per year, on average, and less than 10% of the region is irrigated.

The Caspian Depression is below sea level, consisting of large areas of

tectonic forces. Some of them also believe that the North Caspian depression became separated from the open ocean in ancient times to form an enormous salt lake. Part of the ancient Silk Road ran through this region. The two largest cities in the depression are Astrakhan in Russia and Atyrau

in Kazakhstan. Today, the region is used mainly for livestock raising.

The depression is also noted for salt domes, particularly Volgograd salt. It increases dramatically as one travels from the Ryn Desert toward the Caspian Sea. Russian satellite photos have revealed huge deposits of salt domes (about 1,200), in the Caspian Depression in western Kazakhstan. One dome, called the Chelkar Deposit, covers an area of 3,237 km² (1,250 sq mi) and is nearly 8 kilometres (5 mi) deep.

The southern region of the depression, or the north coast of the Caspian Sea, is characterized by the large development of damp sites resulting from

agricultural

, and household discharges.

The highest point in the depression is Mount Bogdo [ru] (152m above the sea level).

References

^ "Caspian Sea » Background". Caspian Environment Programme. Archived from the original on 2006-04-08. Retrieved 2011-02-24.
^ Прикаспийская низменность, Great Russian Encyclopedia

Evaporites of North Border of North Caspian Depression – Internet Geology News Letter No. 178, January 13, 2003.
Space Today Online.

[1] "Caspian Sea » Background". Caspian Environment Programme. Archived from the original on 2006-04-08. Retrieved 2011-02-24.

[2] Прикаспийская низменность, Great Russian Encyclopedia

[2]

Geography

See also

References