Countries Bordering the Caspian Sea: Five Nations Share the World's Largest Inland Water Body

The Caspian Sea, the world's largest enclosed inland body of water, is bordered by five countries:

• Azerbaijan – western shore, including the Absheron Peninsula and Baku.
• Iran – southern shore, with ports like Bandar Anzali.
• Kazakhstan – northeastern shore, shallow northern basin.
• Russia – northwestern shore, Volga River delta.
• Turkmenistan – eastern shore, including the Kara-Bogaz-Gol lagoon.

Legal status (sea vs. lake) affects resource rights; the 2018 Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea established a framework for seabed division while keeping surface waters shared. The Caspian holds vast oil/gas reserves and unique biodiversity (e.g., Caspian seal, beluga sturgeon).