Caspian Sea

WHY IN NEWS?

A meeting of experts from the Caspian littoral countries to discuss the draft protocol on cooperation in the fight against illegal extraction of biological resources (poaching) in the Caspian Sea was held in Ashgabat.

The event was attended by representatives from relevant ministries and ministries of Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan. The parties noted that this protocol is being developed in accordance with the agreement on cooperation in the field of security of the Caspian Sea.

ABOUT CASPIAN SEA

• The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland body of water, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea.
• It is an endorheic basin (a basin without outflows) located between Europe and Asia, to the east of the Caucasus Mountains and to the west of the broad steppe of Central Asia.
• The sea has a surface area of 371,000 km2 (143,200 sq mi) (excluding the detached lagoon of Garabogazköl) and a volume of 78,200 km3 (18,800 cu mi). It has a salinity of approximately 1.2% (12 g/l), about a third of the salinity of most seawater.
• It is bounded by Kazakhstan to the northeast, Russia to the northwest, Azerbaijan to the west, Iran to the south, and Turkmenistan to the southeast.
• The Caspian Sea is home to a wide range of species and may be best known for its caviar and oil industries. Pollution from the oil industry and dams on rivers draining into the Caspian Sea have had negative effects on the organisms living in the sea. In the Caspian Basin, world’s first offshore wells and machine-drilled wells were made in Bibi-Heybat Bay, near Baku, Azerbaijan.

Prelims Question

Q. Which among the following countries border Caspian-sea:
1.Kazakhstan
2.Armenia
3.Tajikistan
4.Russia
5.Uzbekistan
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a)4 only
b)1 and 4
c)1, 2 and 3
d)All of the above

Answer to the Prelims Question