The largest state on the planet that does not have access to the World Ocean is the Republic of Kazakhstan. Its location in the middle part of the Eurasian continent does not allow the external seas to wash the coasts of the country, but the internal seas of Kazakhstan exist. There are only two objects in the list - the Caspian and the Aral, and both seas are unique geographic objects.
Geographical discoveries
The correct answer to the question which seas are in Kazakhstan is the definition of "lake". Strictly speaking, both the Caspian and the Aral Sea belong to this type of water bodies. The Caspian Sea has a fairly long coastline in Kazakhstan. It stretches for more than 2,300 km, while the local sector of the Caspian Sea is rich in oil no less than the sea in Azerbaijan. The surface area of the largest salt lake in the world is more than 370 thousand square meters. km, and its maximum depth at some points exceeds one kilometer. The water level in the Caspian Sea fluctuates greatly and scientists note its significant changes over the past hundred years.
Dying Aral
It may happen that the question of which sea washes Kazakhstan in the southwest will soon become impossible to answer. Unfortunately, the Aral Sea has dried up so quickly over the past fifty years that it remains only in old photographs and paintings by local artists. The drainless lake on the border with Uzbekistan is fed by the water of the rivers, the largest of which are the Amu Darya and Syrdarya. As a result of vigorous human activity, these rivers have been subjected to increased water intake in recent years, and therefore the water level in the Aral Sea began to drop critically.
Interesting Facts
- More than 20 million years ago, the Aral Sea was connected with the Caspian Sea.
- In the 80s of the last century, the Aral fell apart as a result of shallowing into two isolated lakes - North and South. The northern part is smaller in area, and the southern one is larger.
- Before the Aral began to lose its water level, it was the fourth largest lake in the world.
- The projects to restore the level of the Aral Sea require large economic costs and can entail serious consequences for the ecological situation in the Siberian region, since they are based on the idea of transferring water from the Ob river basin.
In recent years, a project has been implemented to regulate the Syrdarya channel, as a result of which it was possible to increase the water level in the Northern Aral. The design and construction of hydraulic structures for the revival of the sea of Kazakhstan continues.
