Caspian Sea

The Absheron peninsula projects from the western shore towards the deep southern Caspian. Beneath the water, a ridge runs eastward from the peninsula towards Cheleken, dividing the middle and southern basins. Islands and shoals lie around Absheron, and farther south the waters open towards the green coasts of Gilan and Mazandaran. The peninsula and its approaches stand on a long-established maritime route linking the Caspian's shores.