How many countries border the Caspian Sea?

Five countries border the Caspian Sea: Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran and Azerbaijan. The Caspian is the world’s largest enclosed inland body of water, lying between Europe and Asia.

Although called a sea, the Caspian has no natural connection to the world ocean. Its water level and salinity vary by region, and the northern portion is much shallower than the southern basin. The Volga River supplies most of its inflow.

The five states signed the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea in 2018. The agreement addressed navigation, resources and security, while also reflecting the unusual legal and geographic status of the basin. It is often confused with a lake because it is enclosed, but historical usage preserves the name “sea.”