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How salty is the Caspian Sea on average?
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Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea and Karakum Desert.
The average salinity of the Caspian Sea is approximately 12.8 parts per thousand.12
However, this average value varies significantly across different regions of the sea:
- Near the Volga outlet: Salinity is as low as 1 part per thousand due to freshwater inflow.12
- Kara-Bogaz-Gol: Salinity can reach as high as 200 parts per thousand because of intense evaporation.12
In the open sea, the distribution of salinity is relatively uniform, increasing by only 0.1 to 0.2 parts per thousand from the surface to the bottom. Compared to the ocean, the Caspian's water composition is distinct, characterized by higher levels of sulfate, calcium, and magnesium carbonate, and lower levels of chloride.12