Caspian Sea

At the northern end of the Caspian, the Volga divides into channels and islands before reaching the shallow sea. Its fresh water makes these northern reaches less salty than the basins farther south. Astrakhan, on the lower river, became a centre of maritime trade linking the Volga with Persia and the eastern shore. Boats leaving its delta had to make their way through a landscape of shoals and changing channels.