home Folk remedies Geographical features of the Azov Sea. Azov recreational area

Geographical features of the Azov Sea. Azov recreational area

higher professional education

"SOUTH FEDERAL UNIVERSITY"

Faculty of Sociology and Political Science
Department of Sociology
Essay
in the course “Sociology of International Relations”
on the topic: “Socio-economic characteristics of the Azov region and the city of Azov”
Completed by: 5th year OZ student
Fomenko T. S.
Checked: teacher. Gugueva D.A.
Rostov-on-Don
2012

Socio-economic characteristics of the city of Azov
Geography
Azov is located in the southwest of the Rostov region, at the mouth of the Don River on the left bank, 42 km from Rostov-on-Don.
Occupied area 67.5 sq. km
Story
The first fortified settlements were formed on the Azov land more than two thousand years ago. Officially, the city dates back to 1067, when the Polovtsy captured the Don River delta and gave the settlement the name Azak. The Azov fortress was located on the way from Europe to Asia, it gave access to the sea, so there was a constant struggle for it and the fortress changed hands more than once, it was often subjected to devastating defeats.
There are many bright pages in the history of the city. One of them is the famous Azov siege, when in 1641 a fortified Cossack fortress with five thousand Cossacks withstood the onslaught of a 250,000-strong Turkish army for 93 days and nights. And not only did she survive. The Turks were forced to lift the siege and move away. The campaigns of Peter I near Azov, undertaken in 1695-96 and culminating in the capture of the Turkish fortress, opened the “gate” to the southern seas for the Russian State.
The city of Azov was the center of the Azov province (1775-1782). In the 19th century, Azov was a suburb of the Yekaterinoslav province. Only in 1926 did Azov again become a city.
During the Great Patriotic War, the city was occupied by the Nazis for more than six months. About 600 people were shot. More than 5,000 Azov residents were deported to Germany. The city suffered significant damage.
Azov received its modern main development in the 60-80s of the 20th century thanks to the intensive development of industry.
Administrative-territorial division
The city of Azov is a city of regional subordination, an independent municipal entity.
The city is also the center of the Azov region.
Population and labor resources
Population more than 82 thousand people. More than 20 nationalities live in the city. The most numerous are: Russians - 94%, Ukrainians - 3.1%, Belarusians - 0.5%. About 55% of the population is of working age. The number of people employed in the economy is total: 34.0 thousand people. Of these, 23.8 thousand people are in material production, and 10.2 thousand are in the non-production sphere.
Industry
The city's economy is based on mechanical engineering (7 enterprises) and the food industry (6 enterprises). The development of the food industry is due to local natural resources, which are favorable for the production of agricultural products that require processing: the production of bakery and confectionery products, elevators, meat and dairy production, and the production of canned fish. The products of the Azov Garment Factory are in steady demand.
On the territory of Azov there are 27 large and medium-sized industrial enterprises. More than half of enterprises, including the largest industrial units, have a mixed form of ownership, mainly open joint-stock companies (OJSC). There are 9 small enterprises that are privately owned. The state form of ownership was retained by one of the largest industrial enterprises in the city - the production association "Azov Optical-Mechanical Plant" (FSUE "AOMZ"). Another enterprise, the training and production enterprise “Svetotekhnika” of the All-Russian Society of the Blind, is owned by public associations.
Small and medium businesses
At the beginning of the third millennium, more than 400 small enterprises and about 4,000 entrepreneurs were registered in Azov.

Transport
Thanks to its favorable geographical location, today the city of Azov is a developing international seaport with all the necessary infrastructure, processing about 1 million tons of various cargoes per year, arriving both by sea and by inland routes on vessels with a carrying capacity of 3000 tons - 5000 tons of the "river" type -sea" with a draft of up to 4 meters. In addition to the already existing 7 berths, in 2002 the construction of several grain terminals, a port elevator, terminals for transshipment of timber and industrial alcohol, and a terminal for bunkering of ships began.
The Azov railway station is located 30 km from the Bataysk junction station. You can get from the regional center to Azov by electric train or bus in one hour, by minibus - in 40 minutes, by boat - in 30 minutes.
Culture and art
The network of cultural institutions includes a palace of culture, a city park, a youth cultural center, and 7 libraries.
The Don Cossack Song and Dance Ensemble, the “Walk, Russians” ensemble, and the “Nadezhda” ballroom dance ensemble perform concerts both in the cities of our country and far beyond its borders. Young Azov residents study at a children's art school and a children's music school.
Education
In the city there are the Azov Technological Institute of the Don State Technical University, the Azov Institute of Management, Business and Law of the Rostov State Economic Academy, a branch of the Rostov State University, branches of universities from other cities of Russia, a music and pedagogical college, a humanities and technical college, three vocational schools , as well as secondary, special and preschool educational institutions.
Monuments and museums
Azov is included in Russian and international tourist routes. Its historical monuments are of international importance.
The ramparts of the Turkish fortress with the Alekseevsky Gate of the 18th century, a powder magazine, the ruins of the Genoese wall on the site of the medieval Tana faction. There is a local history museum and a museum of the first director of the Arctic Institute, a native of Azov, R.L. Samoilovich. For the tercentenary of the Russian fleet in 1996, a monument to Peter I was erected.
The Azov Museum of Local Lore contains unique paleontological, archaeological and historical exhibits:

Hotels
Guests of the city of Azov can stay in the Azov and Solnechnaya hotels, located a few tens of meters from the staircase descent to the suspension bridge over the Azovka River.

Socio-economic characteristics of the Azov region

The area is located in the southwest of the Rostov region in the delta of the Don River. In the north-west, the territory of the region is washed by the waters of the Taganrog Gulf of the Azov Sea.
In close proximity to the region are the cities of Rostov-on-Don and Bataysk, short distances separate it from the cities of Novocherkassk and Taganrog. Due to its geographical location, the Azov region is provided with a developed transport infrastructure, including an extensive network of roads and railways, including federal highways connecting the central part of Russia with the North Caucasus.
Favorable natural and climatic conditions have long contributed to the development of agriculture in the Azov region. The Azov region is traditionally one of the region's leaders in terms of a whole range of crop and livestock production indicators, for example, grain yields.
The region's labor potential is significant.
In terms of population, it is one of the largest in the region: on an area of 2862 km? 91.1 thousand people live, including 50.9 thousand working-age population.
The unique natural conditions of the Don Delta and the coast of the Taganrog Bay, the rich history of the Azov region are the basis for transforming the region into one of the leading tourist centers of the southern region.

Geographical position

The Azov region is located in the southwest of the Rostov region in the delta of the Don River. The northwestern part of the region is washed by the waters of the Taganrog Bay of the Sea of Azov.
The geographical location of the region is extremely advantageous, which is primarily due to its proximity to the largest cities in the region. In the north it borders with the Neklinovsky and Myasnikovsky districts and Rostov-on-Don, in the east - with Bataysk and Kagalnitsky district, in the south and west - with the Krasnodar Territory. The distance from the administrative center of the Azov region to Rostov-on-Don is 25 km, to Taganrog – 92 km. Bataysk is located 28 km from Azov, Novocherkassk – 66 km.
The area of the Azov region is 2862 km?. Population density – 30.9 people/km².
The distance from Azov to Krasnodar is 257 km, to Volgograd – 500 km, to Moscow – 1115 km.

Transport

Developed transport infrastructure is the most important distinctive feature of the Azov region and one of the components of its economic well-being. The territory of the district is crossed by several transport highways of national importance. The main ones are the M-4 Don highway and the Moscow-Baku railway line, connecting the center of the European part of Russia with the North Caucasus.
The M-4 Don federal highway crosses the eastern part of the Azov region from north to south. The administrative center of the district, Azov, is connected to it by a 21-kilometer highway of regional importance. In addition, there are five roads of regional importance in the area: “Azov – Aleksandrovka – Starominskaya (to the border of the Krasnodar Territory)”, “access from Rostov-on-Don (from the M-4 Don highway) – Azov to Bataysk”, eastern bypass of Azov, "Azov - Vasilyevo-Petrovskoye - Samara", "Rostov-on-Don - Rogozhkino".
The total length of the network of highways of various forms of ownership in the Azov region is 1151.3 km. Of these, federal property (M-4 Don) - 31.4 km, roads of regional importance - 264.3 km, roads run by rural settlements - 663.2 km, including the length of public roads of local importance with hard surfaces - 433 km; municipal (Azov region) - 192.4 km, 95% are paved roads.
The railway line connects the city of Azov with the city of Bataysk, one of the largest transport hubs in the south of Russia. In addition to the Moscow-Baku line, a railway line runs through the region, connecting the city of Bataysk and, accordingly, the city of Rostov-on-Don, with the village of Starominskaya and the city of Yeisk, Krasnodar Territory.
There is an international seaport in the city of Azov. The distance to the river port and airport of Rostov-on-Don is 25 km, the international seaport of Taganrog is 92 km.

Natural conditions and resources

The territory of the Azov region is a combination of various natural landscapes: the southern Russian steppe, coastal areas, protected areas of the Don delta. Since 1884, the Alexander Forest (former Ataman Forestry) has existed on its territory.
The area is rich in a variety of mineral resources. However, not all deposits discovered in the area are active. Thus, to the north of the Obukhovka farm there is a large oil and gas field, the main part of which lies in the neighboring Myasnikovsky district. The deposit is assessed as promising, but its development requires significant funds. The right bank of the Taganrog Bay is rich in dense shell rock, which serves as a good material for filling roads in villages and hamlets of the Don Delta. However, the shell ridge comes out in a thin twenty-centimeter layer, which excludes the possibility of extracting shell rock on an industrial scale and its subsequent widespread practical use. The main wealth of the area is the active sand deposits near the villages of Kagalnik, Kuleshovka, Samara, Pavlovka, Novomargaritovo and Port Katon. The oldest of them, Azov, was explored in the middle of the twentieth century and has an estimated reserve of about 10 thousand tons. In addition, there are deposits of clay, marl, and hydrogen sulfide mud in the area.
The coast of the Taganrog Bay and the Don Delta are very attractive areas for tourism development. The duration of the swimming period on the Azov coast is 120-140 days. The most favorable months for swimming are July and August, when the water temperature is above 22°C. The thalassotherapy season ends at the end of September. The beaches of the area are composed of sand and shell rock. The Lower Don Valley is also famous for its beaches.

Economic situation

The main sector of the economy of the Azov region is agriculture.
In the Azov region there are 243.4 thousand hectares of agricultural land, including 236.9 thousand hectares of farmland, of which 190.7 thousand hectares are arable land.
The Azov region is one of the largest producers of agricultural products.
In different years, the gross harvest of grain crops is 300 thousand tons or more. In 2008, this figure was 369.0 thousand tons with an average yield of 41.2 c/ha, in 2009 - 327.0 thousand tons and 39.2 c/ha, respectively, in 2010 - 353.3 thousand. tons with an average yield of 39 c/ha. On some farms, grain yield is 55-60 c/ha.
Over the past three years, the region has ranked first in the Rostov region in terms of productivity of early grain and leguminous crops; sunflower is also grown here. Every year, sunflower areas are decreasing, but gross production is increasing. In 2005, gross production was 60.0 thousand tons, yield 15.8 c/ha; in 2009 - 65.0 thousand tons and 17.3 c/ha.
In 2009, individual agricultural enterprises and farms, using modern technologies and seeds of high-yielding hybrids, received 29-34 c/ha of oilseeds.
The area is seriously involved in the cultivation of sugar beets. In 2009, 4.0 thousand hectares were sown. An average yield of 350.0 c/ha was obtained. 16 new complexes for cultivating and harvesting sugar beets were purchased. In 2009, the sugar beet harvest amounted to 113.2 thousand tons, in 2010 - 140.8 thousand tons.
The Azov region has 15 thousand hectares of artificially irrigated land and therefore vegetable crops and potatoes occupy an important place in the production structure.
In 2009, the gross harvest of vegetable crops amounted to 100.0 thousand tons with an average yield of 263.2 c/ha, in 2010 - 103.7 thousand tons, with an average yield of 246.5 c/ha. On an area of about 1,500 hectares, vegetables are grown using drip irrigation. For five years in a row, the Azov region ranks first in the region among 43 districts in terms of gross production of vegetable crops and yield. In addition to vegetable growing in open ground, the region began to cultivate vegetables in protected ground. In the village of Samarskoye, the first stage of the greenhouse complex “APK XXI Century” worth 160 million rubles was built, where vegetables are grown all year round and the most modern growing technologies are used. In 2009, 1.5 thousand tons of tomatoes and cucumbers were produced indoors.
Gross production of ware potatoes in 2009 increased to 40.0 thousand tons, with a yield of 132.3 c/ha. In 2010, the district has been cultivating potato chip varieties. The Frito Lay Manufacturing company in the city of Azov commissioned a plant for the production of potato chips in 2009. This plant will process 200 tons of potatoes per day. A guaranteed market for the sale of potato chips on mutually beneficial terms has opened for agricultural producers.
The fruit industry has been preserved in the area. In 2010, 1038 tons of fruits were produced. Every year, old-growth and perennial plantings are uprooted and young gardens and berry fields are planted.
The average annual production of pome, stone fruit and berries is 5.1 thousand tons, the area of perennial plantings in 2009 was 70 hectares. An increase in the production of all agricultural crops in the region is achieved through the introduction of surface moisture-saving soil cultivation technology, the use of new promising varieties and hybrids.
A lot of work is being done in the region to introduce new technologies in livestock farming, reconstruct livestock buildings, update the breeding stock with more productive breeds and crosses, and purchase high-performance livestock equipment.
In the next three years, the Azov region will further develop the agricultural industry and increase the production of all types of agricultural products by increasing crop yields and animal productivity, increasing the number of livestock and poultry in all categories of farms, and improving other quality indicators.
It is planned that by 2013, grain production for all categories of farms will amount to 338.5 thousand tons, an increase of 63.6% by 2007; sunflower 66.8 thousand tons, growth 44.8%; sugar beets 147.4 thousand tons, an increase of 1.8%; potatoes 52.7 thousand tons, growth 1.2%; vegetables 109.2 thousand tons, growth 17.4%; fruits and berries 9.1 thousand tons, growth 60.6%. The livestock industry will further develop. Meat production will increase by 29% and amount to 18.0 thousand tons in 2013, milk by 17.1% and amount to 59.6 thousand tons, eggs by 17.4% and amount to 60.0 million. things. The marketability of crop and livestock products will increase.
Investment activities
Azovsky district is one of the municipalities of the Rostov region that have the highest investment potential
The agro-industrial complex plays a dominant role in the development of production in the region - this is largely due to favorable natural and climatic conditions.
Prospects for the development of the Azov region are associated with the creation of the Novoaleksandrovsky industrial park, where investment projects of such companies as Coca-Cola HBC Eurasia (plant for the production of soft drinks), Bol Packaging Europe (production of aluminum beverage cans), Danone-Unimilk are being implemented (dairy plant), Aston (production of starch products and glucose-fructose syrups), Rostov Champagne Plant (production of alcoholic beverages), Regatta (production and logistics complex).
In 2010, the Coca-Cola plant reached a volume of shipped products of its own production of 986.6 million rubles, which amounted to 72% of the total volume of shipments of large and medium-sized enterprises. The monthly output of shipped products from the plant is more than 100 million rubles. In 2011 it is planned to produce three times more products.
The Azov region is an active participant in the priority national project “Development of the Agro-Industrial Complex”. The implementation of the largest project is carried out by OJSC Batayskoye. Currently, pig barns have been completely built within the project, and 565 million rubles have been disbursed.
Investment attractiveness for the development of the area is the development of the territory along the M-4 Don federal highway, the implementation of projects in the field of construction industry, housing construction, and energy. It is also planned to build a port for transshipment of mixed cargo.
The positive dynamics of housing commissioning continues in the region. In 2009, 443 residential buildings with a total area of 46.3 thousand square meters were put into operation, in 2010 - 460 houses with a total area of 47.8 thousand square meters. With the development of the Novoaleksandrovsky Industrial Park, there is a need for large-scale construction of housing and social infrastructure. For this purpose, housing settlements “Belovodye”, “Yuzhny”, “Priazovye” are being built in the Azov region.
There are about 500 trade enterprises and over 100 public catering enterprises in the Azov region. Retail trade turnover in 2009 amounted to 3177.8 million rubles, in 2010 - 3860 million rubles, public catering turnover - 232.9 million rubles.
The average monthly salary at enterprises in the region in 2010 was 11,254 rubles, including in agricultural production - 10,518 rubles, in manufacturing (food production) - 25,484 rubles.

Engineering infrastructure

Since 1998, a gasification program for populated areas has been actively implemented in the Azov region. By the beginning of 2011, 71.2% of the territory was gasified.
Gasification work continues. In 2009, 6 settlements were gasified (36.8 km of gas networks). (For reference: 2007 - 12 settlements, 68 km of gas networks, 2008 - 3 settlements, 44.06 km of gas networks). In 2010, 57.6 km of gas networks were laid, 10 settlements were provided with gas, 4 supply gas pipelines and one intra-village pipeline were built.
100% of the district's territory is provided with telephone communications.

Labor potential

The Azov region is one of the largest in terms of population in the region. Currently, it is home to 91.1 thousand people, including 50.9 thousand working-age population.

Population of the Azov region, thousand people.

Among the working-age population of the region, workers in agriculture, manufacturing and social institutions predominate. The level of registered unemployment in the region at the end of 2009 was 1.46%, in 2010 - 1%.
Migration remains the main source of population growth.
Representatives of more than 20 nationalities live in the area. There are three large compactly living national groups: Turks (599 people), Koreans (544 people) and Azerbaijanis (179 people).

Social sphere

The education system of the Azov region is one of the most developed in the region. It unites 44 secondary schools, 25 branch schools, 4 institutions of additional education for children, 38 municipal preschool educational institutions, etc. The teaching staff of the district has about 1,100 employees, 4 of them have the title “Honored School Teacher of the Russian Federation.”
As part of the implementation of the national priority project “Education”, 4 teachers became winners of the “Best Teacher of Russia” competition. The region has accumulated a wealth of experience in military-patriotic education of youth. Every year, the military sports game “Zarnitsa” is held in the Alexander Forest.
The network of healthcare institutions in the Azov region includes 2 district hospitals, 4 district hospitals, 8 medical outpatient clinics, 50 first aid stations. In terms of performance indicators of healthcare institutions in 2009, the Azov district took 2nd ranking place out of 43 districts of the region.
For three years, the district has been considered the best in the implementation of the national Health project.
The district's cultural institutions are represented by 51 cultural centers and clubs, 44 libraries, 6 art schools, and a music school. More than 10.5 thousand cultural and leisure events are held annually for residents of the area. Creative groups of the district are regular participants in regional and All-Russian festivals, shows, competitions, where they take worthy prizes.
Physical education and sports are actively developing in the region. There are 205 sports facilities on the territory, of which 37 are gyms, there is a swimming pool, as well as the Azov regional children's and youth sports school.
In 2010, five athletes from the Azov region were awarded the title “Master of Sports of Russia”, and five candidates for Master of Sports were trained. A new modern sports center is being built in the village of Kuleshovka.
The nature and climate of the Azov region contribute to the development of tourism. The Azov region is one of the rarest municipalities, the lands of which are located on two continents at once. The Don River divides it into “European” and “Asian” parts. The territory of the Azov region has long attracted the attention of nomadic peoples: Cimmerians, Scythians, Sauromatians, Meotians... In the 11th century, the Great Silk Road began here.
The Azov region is one of the territories about which they say: “here there is history at every step.” Household items from the Chalcolithic era were found on its territory. The Iron Age era is represented by unique finds near the village of Elizavetinskaya, where a magnificent monument of the ancient era is currently located - the Elizavetovo settlement. Some of the exhibits found on the territory of the Azov region are stored in the Azov Museum of Local Lore, the paleontological collection of which includes 2,739 items. The central place in the exhibition is occupied by the skeleton of the trogonterian elephant Mammuthus trogonterii (199 bones), discovered in the Kagalnitsky quarry. Its age is about 600 thousand years.
The Azov region is rich in its natural landscapes. The southern Russian steppe, coastal areas, and protected areas of the Don delta coexist here. On the territory of the district there is a natural park “Donskoy”, its section “Don Delta”. The territory of the district is also represented by forest vegetation - this is the Alexander Forest, which was planted back in 1884. In the area of the village of Platono-Petrovka there is Lake Pelenkino, famous for its healing mud. In the summer months in the Azov region you can meet vacationers from all regions of Russia: warm climate, long beach season, sandy bottom of the Taganrog Bay of the Sea of Azov - an ideal place for a beach holiday

Don industrial parks

The Rostov region is one of the best places in the Russian Federation for locating new plants and factories. Multinational companies such as Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Guardian, Fondital, Alcoa and others have already chosen the Rostov region to implement their industrial projects.
The region has both active and virtual industrial parks (areas specially selected for the location of industrial projects, to which it is possible and cheapest to connect engineering communications in the shortest possible time, where there is complete clarity regarding the cost of engineering and land).
Reasons for choosing Don industrial parks:

Currently, there are 5 local industrial parks in the Rostov region.

Novoaleksandrovsky Industrial Park

Azov Industrial Park

Krasnosulinsky Industrial Park

Krasnosulinsky Industrial Park is located in the “golden triangle” of Eastern Donbass, between the cities of Shakhty, Novoshakhtinsk and Krasny Sulin.

Grushevsky Industrial Park (Aksai district)

Oktyabrsky Industrial Park
The total volume of investments in projects implemented here is over $450 million

etc.................

Geographical features of the Sea of Azov

Sea of Azov located between 45 and 47 degrees north latitude and between 33 and 39 degrees east longitude. From west to east, the maximum length of the Sea of Azov is 343 kilometers. From north to south - 231. The surface area of the Sea of Azov is 37,605 square kilometers. Interestingly, the islands and spits of the Azov Sea have a total area of about 108 square kilometers. For a person planning a vacation on the Sea of Azov, it will be interesting to know that the length of the coastline is as much as 1,472 kilometers, most of which are beautiful sandy beaches. The maximum depth of the Azov Sea is 14.4 meters. Of course, this figure may seem quite large to you, but do not worry, such depths are found mainly in the central part of the Azov Sea. The average depth level of 5 meters is located 2 kilometers from the shore. To summarize, we can add that the average depth of the Azov Sea is within 6-8 meters.

The bottom of the Sea of Azov is a shallow plain, the maximum depth of which in its central part reaches 15 m. The leveling of the relief was achieved as a result of the burial of uneven roofs of continental Upper Pleistocene loams under a layer of marine sediments (thickness 30-40 m). Only in the western part of the sea, in the area of the sea banks, and in the east between the Elenina Spit and the Zhelezinskaya Bank, the flat surface of the sea bottom is broken by small local uplifts, which rise relative to the surrounding areas by 3-4 m.

Based on the nature of modern sedimentation in the Sea of Azov, an area of intense sediment accumulation, a zone of material transit and weak accumulation, and a zone of stable erosion are distinguished.

The area of intensive accumulation is located in the eastern and southeastern parts of the Taganrog Bay, where the river carried out is deposited. The bottom is suspended material, and in the central part of the Azov Sea, characterized by intense subsidence in the Quaternary Holocene.

The Sea of Azov is shallow. Its maximum depth is 15 m. Depths in the open part of the sea are 10-13 m. The greatest depth at the entrance to Taganrog Bay is 9.6 m; from the entrance towards the top of the bay, the depths gradually decrease and at its top do not exceed 5 m.

The bottom of the sea is very flat, only shallows extend from the spits.

The soil is mostly soft. Along the coast there is a wide strip of sandy soils with an admixture of shells. The bottom of the central part of the sea is covered with soft silt. Rocky soil is found only near the southern coast of the sea.

The softness of the soil determines the intensity of sedimentation in channels and fairways. Therefore, every time you intend to enter a port, you should definitely inquire about the depth of the channel or fairway leading to it.

The area of weak accumulation and transit of material corresponds to the zone of wind currents encircling the sea in a ring. This area is located at a depth of 6-10 m. Here, thin material agitated by wave movements and fragments of shells are moved by wind currents.

The zone of stable erosion covers the coastal strip of the sea to a depth of 6-7 m on average. In the northern and western parts it is confined to the eastern shores of accumulative forms and the Arabat Spit, in the eastern part - to the Yeisk Peninsula, Akhtarsky and Beysugsky estuaries. In this zone, the dynamics of sediment is determined by the formation of abrasion material due to the activity of the surf flow in the coastal zone, the movement of destruction products along the coast, the total effect of the surf flow and alongshore currents, as well as the movement of particles from the coast and their deposition in the accumulation zone. The total area of the zone of stable erosion reaches 20% of the seabed surface.

A feature of the modern dynamics of the shores of the Azov Sea is the predominance of abrasion and the local nature of accumulation. Not only the primary shores, but also the accumulative forms are subject to erosion.

The main sources of terrigenous material forming bottom sediments in the Sea of Azov are products of abrasion of the sea coast and river alluvium. Thus, as a result of the active abrasion destruction of the coast, 16-17 million tons of terrigenous material enter the sea annually. River alluvium comes from the runoff of the Don and Kuban rivers, as well as rivers on the northern coast of the sea. The volume of sedimentary material introduced annually by rivers is about 19 million tons.

Bottom sediments are mainly composed of clayey silt, silty silt, silty sand and sand. Sands in the Sea of Azov are distributed to a depth of 7 m. On the western coast, sands are limited to an isobath of 4-5 m, and on the eastern coast - to depths of up to 2 m. Clayey silts (fraction less than 0.01 mm) are most widespread. They occupy almost the entire central part of the sea, an area with depths of more than 9-10 m. The rest of the seabed is occupied by silty silt.

In the north-eastern part, the sea forms the shallow, desalinated Taganrog Bay, which protrudes far into the land, and in the west, the highly salty, shallow-water Sivash Bay, separated from the sea by a sand-shell embankment - the Arabat Spit - and connected to the sea by the Tonkiy Strait.

The eastern coast of the sea south of the Beysugsky estuary is a vast floodplain with a large number of estuaries interconnected by a complex network of channels of the river delta. Kuban.

The northern coastal part of the sea is divided by sand spits extending far into the sea into areas isolated from each other. The sand spits here extend in a southwestern direction and end in the sea with a number of sandbanks.

There are very few natural landmarks on the shores of the Azov Sea. Only on the southern coast are several capes, hills and mountains noticeable.

The western and eastern shores of the Sea of Azov are mostly flat and monotonous. In many places, especially near river mouths, there are floodplains. Most of the coast is bordered by sand and shell beaches. The southern part of the eastern coast, approximately from the northern branch of the Kuban River delta to the top of Yasensky Bay, is the so-called Priazovskie plavni, crossed by a large number of branches and eriks. N from the top of Yasensky Bay, the eastern shore is high and steep. There are no forests either on the western or eastern shores of the sea, only here and there there are thickets of bushes and groups of trees. In the west, the Arabat Strelka spit separates the vast but shallow Sivash Bay from the Sea of Azov.

The southern coast of the Sea of Azov, formed by the northern sides of the Kerch and Taman peninsulas, is hilly and steep; In some places, rocky headlands jut out from it. The vast Temryuk Bay juts into the eastern part of the southern coast, and the Kazantip and Arabat bays into the western part.

The banks of the Kerch Strait are high. It contains Kamysh-Burunskaya and Kerch bays, as well as the vast Taman Bay. In some places, sand spits protrude from the shores of the strait, of which the largest are the Tuzla and Chushka spits.

The northern coast of the sea drops steeply into the sea almost along its entire length. Mounds rise on it; in many places it is cut through by beams. A characteristic feature of the northern coast is the presence of low and long shallow spits. The largest of them are the Fedotov, Obitochnaya and Berdyansk spits. The coast between the spits is intensively eroded and receding, as a result of which extensive bays have formed: the Utlyuksky estuary, bounded to the SE by the Fedotov Spit and its continuation - the Biryuchy Island Spit; Obitochny Bay, located between the Fedotova and Obitochnaya spits; Berdyansk Bay between the Obitochnaya and Berdyansk spits.

The northeastern part of the sea is the vast but shallow Taganrog Bay, stretching eastward for almost 75 miles. Several small shallow bays, bounded by spits, jut into its shores. On the southern side of the bay is the shallow Yeisk estuary.

The only large strait in the described area is the Kerch Strait. The strait is shallow, so a canal has been dug along almost its entire length, the safety of navigation through which is ensured by means of navigation equipment. Branching off from the main channel are channels, recommended paths and fairways leading to ports, ports and populated areas of the strait.

The narrow strait of Thin Bay Sivash connects with the Sea of Azov.

There are no large islands in the Sea of Azov. There are only small low islands: Lyapina Island - near the coast east of the port of Mariupol; artificial island Turtle - on the approach to the port of Taganrog; Sandy Islands - on the approaches to the port of Yeisk.

The waters of the Sea of Azov have low salinity due to difficult water exchange with the Black Sea and a large influx of river water. This is another argument in favor of relaxing on the shores of the Azov Sea - the low salinity of the water is less irritating to the skin, which encourages long swims and is useful for children's recreation. The combination of low salinity of water and its saturation with minerals gives every bath an excellent cosmetic effect. Due to the low salinity, the waters of the Azov Sea easily freeze in winter. Interestingly, before the Don River was regulated, the water was even fresher. The minimum water salinity is at the mouth of the Don, the maximum is near the Kerch Strait.

The climate of the Sea of Azov belongs to the continental climate of temperate latitudes. It is characterized by moderately mild, short winters and warm, long summers.

Seasonal weather changes in the Sea of Azov are formed under the influence of large-scale synoptic processes. In autumn-winter, the Sea of Azov is affected by the spur of the Siberian anticyclone. This causes a pronounced predominance of northeastern and eastern winds with an average speed of 4-7 m/s. The increasing intensity of this spur causes strong, up to stormy, winds, accompanied by a sharp cooling. The average monthly air temperature in January is -2... -5°С, but during northern and northeastern storms it drops to -25°С and lower. In spring and summer, the Azov Sea is affected by the spur of the Azores High. This period is characterized by the predominance of low wind, cloudless and warm weather. The winds are unstable in direction, their speed is insignificant (3-5 m/s). There is often complete calm. In spring, Mediterranean cyclones are observed over the sea, which are accompanied by southwestern winds at a speed of 4-6 m/s. The passage of atmospheric fronts causes thunderstorms and short-term showers. In summer, the air over the sea warms up greatly; in July, the average monthly air temperature is 23-25 °C.

The average monthly isotherms of the cold period of the year are elongated zonally. During the warm period, the distribution of air temperature over the sea is significantly different. In summer (June-August) the field of average monthly air temperatures is very uniform. During transition seasons, isotherms over the sea look like closed rings. In April-May, the minimum air temperature is observed over the central part of the sea and increases towards the coast. In September-October the temperature distribution is reversed. The maximum (up to 43 °C) air temperature is observed in July-August, the minimum (up to -33 °C) in January-February. The average monthly temperature varies from -1... -5 °C in January-February to 23-24 °C in July-August.

In the daily variation of air temperature, there is one maximum in the middle of the day and one minimum before sunrise. The maximum daily fluctuations in air temperature (up to 10°C) were observed in July-August on the northeastern coast of the sea.

The frosty period usually lasts from December to March and is accompanied by frequent thaws. The number of days with negative air temperatures is approximately 105-110 days in the northern part and 75-80 days in the southern part. The duration of the frost-free period varies from 200 days in the northern part to 300 days in the southern part.

On average, over a long-term period, 418 mm of precipitation per year falls on the surface of the Sea of Azov. The distribution of precipitation over the sea area is uneven. The greatest amount falls in the northeastern (Taganrog Bay) and eastern (Primorsko-Akhtarsk) regions of the sea. Moreover, throughout the year, the amount of precipitation falling on the coast exceeds the amount of precipitation falling on the surface of the sea.

In the seasonal course of precipitation, there is a winter maximum, amounting to 28-39% of the annual amount, and a summer (June-July) maximum, amounting to 21-29%. Summer precipitation has the least frequency, and winter precipitation has the greatest frequency. The average intensity of summer precipitation is 3-4 times greater than winter.

The distribution of precipitation over the sea by season shows the following features: from April to October the least amount falls in the central regions of the sea; from November to March the least precipitation is observed in the western and southwestern regions of the sea.

Large precipitation anomalies are local in nature and mainly relate to summer rainfall. Showers are observed relatively rarely and on average account for about 20-25% of the number of days with precipitation.

Solid precipitation on the coast of the Azov Sea can be observed from October to April. Snow cover on the coast is established from December to March. On average, snow cover in the southern regions of the coast lasts for 20-30 days, and in the northern regions - 50-70 days and can reach a thickness of 50 cm.

The hydrological and hydrochemical regime of the sea is formed under the influence of river flow, water exchange with the Black Sea and climatic factors. The shallowness of the sea also plays a significant role. Excess fresh water (river flow plus precipitation), limited supply of Black Sea waters through the Kerch Strait cause low salinity of sea waters, which is approximately 1.5 times lower than the salinity of Black Sea waters and almost 3 times lower than ocean waters. The spatial distribution of salinity is characterized by significant horizontal gradients in the Taganrog Bay, especially in its eastern part, and on the Kuban coast, a low-gradient field in the central part of the sea and increased salinity in the area adjacent to the Kerch Strait.

Due to the small volume of the sea and the large temporal variability of river flow, interannual changes in salinity can reach 1%0 or more, and long-term changes - over 4%0.

Due to the large amount of incoming solar radiation, the Sea of Azov has a fairly high average annual water temperature of 11.5°C. In July-August, the water temperature reaches 24-25°C, and off the coast it can exceed 30°C. In winter, the water temperature is at or close to freezing. During the periods of greatest cooling (January-February) and greatest warming (July-August), the water temperature fields are of low contrast. In the spring transition season (April-May), due to the influence of depths on the heating of water, its temperature increases noticeably from the central regions of the sea to the coastal ones. In autumn (October-November), due to differences in heat reserves at different depths, the opposite picture is observed - the water temperature decreases from the open sea to the coastal areas. Intense wind-wave mixing of waters at shallow sea depths helps equalize temperatures from the surface to the bottom. The temperature difference throughout the entire water column does not exceed 1°C on average.

Ice appears on the Sea of Azov every year. Ice phases are highly variable in time and space. Thus, the earliest appearance of the initial types of ice in the Taganrog Bay was noted at the end of October, and in the Kerch Strait - at the end of December. The latest clearing of ice occurs first in the coastal areas of the northern part of the sea, Temryuk Bay and the Kerch Strait (3rd ten days of April), then in the southwestern part of the sea, where floating ice is driven by the prevailing winds (beginning of May). During severe winters, most of the ice season the sea is covered with continuous or very compact floating ice. During mild winters, most of the open sea usually remains ice-free and only in February is covered with floating ice with a concentration of 7-8 points.

Fauna of the Sea of Azov

Along the banks of rivers and reservoirs, on the spits of the Azov Sea there are a lot of waterfowl - geese, ducks, steppe waders, lapwings, red-breasted geese, mute swans, curlews, black-headed gulls, laughing gulls, quacks. The steppe reservoirs are inhabited by the marsh turtle, lake frog, pond frog, some mollusks - reel, pond snail, meadow, crayfish and about 30 species of fish. The fauna of the Azov Sea includes about 80 species of fish. The most important species are bream, pike perch, beluga, herring, ram, anchovy, large flounder, and goby.

o Fish catch per hectare of surface in the Sea of Azov is 80 kilograms, for comparison in the Black Sea - 2 kilograms, in the Mediterranean - 0.5 kilograms.

It is interesting to see how the number of Mediterranean species of animals and plants decreases from west to east. More than 6,000 species of organisms are found in the Mediterranean Sea, 1,500 in the Black Sea, 200 in the Azov Sea, 28 in the Caspian Sea, and only 2 species of Mediterranean organisms in the Aral Sea. This suggests that these seas gradually separated from the Mediterranean Sea in the distant past.

Mullet, herring and anchovies (anchovies) move from the Black Sea to the Azov Sea in the spring to feed. In autumn, when the water temperature drops to 6 degrees, the fish return back to the Black Sea. Sturgeon fish spawn in the Don, Kuban, and Dnieper rivers.

Belugas, in addition to their large weight, are also distinguished by their longevity. They live 70 - 80 years. True, compared to the pike, which lives up to 200 years, and the sea turtle, which lives 400 - 500 years, the beluga's lifespan is short, but compared to the lifespan of other marine fish, it is still significant. Probably not many people know that the age of fish is determined by their scales and cut bones. These parts of the fish's body have annual rings, just like those on trees. There is an expression “roars like a beluga,” but strangely enough, it has nothing to do with beluga. It is not the beluga who roars, but the beluga whale - a northern sea animal. Beluga spawns in the same rivers as other sturgeon. Their caviar is highly valued. However, there are cases when the dangerous bacterium botulinus settles in sturgeon meat, the poison of which is dangerous to humans.

Interesting flounder. This fish, flat and often lying on the ground, is distinguished by its ability to quickly change color to match the color of the underlying surface. In the skin of a flounder there are individual colored cells that, when moving, change its color. Scientists put colored glasses on flounders, and the fish tried to copy the color of their glasses. Interestingly, blind flounders are always black. They seem to see darkness in front of them and change body color accordingly. For some reason, flounder is considered one-eyed. This is not true, she actually has two eyes. Flounder weighs up to 15 kilograms and lives up to 25 years. Interestingly, its fry have a body shape that is flattened in a vertical plane; Gradually, one side of the fish’s body begins to develop faster than the other, and the flounder seems to lie on its side.

Fish and sea animals hear perfectly. In relation to fish, it would be more correct to say that they do not hear, but feel, since they perceive the vibrations of water that arise when sounds pass through the surface of their body, especially the lateral line. Fish also have some semblance of an inner ear, auditory ossicles that perceive sounds. It should be recalled that sound travels faster and further in water than in air. Our method of catching mullet in the Black and Azov Seas is based on this property of fish: they are scared away by noise. Fish not only hear sounds, but some of them can make them. For example, scienae, dark croakers, gurnards and other fish found in the Black Sea “talk” to each other by squeezing sounds from their swim bladder (playing it like a drum). What do these sounds sound like? The gurnard "grinds its teeth" if it is dissatisfied, and when pleased it makes more melodic sounds, croakers "croak", herring "whisper", and horse mackerel "bast" loudly. Dolphins pulled out on deck “grunt”, “meow”, “croak”. Some fish make very loud sounds, such as the dark croaker. When a flock of croakers is at a depth of 40 meters, you can hear them “talking” on the surface of the water. Military sailors believe that during the war, some acoustic mines exploded not from the noise of the ship's propellers, but from the screams of the loudest fish. From this it is clear that the popular expression “dumb as a fish” is not always true.

In addition to the sounds that we can hear, fish produce ultrasounds. With their help, they detect food or danger; this largely replaces their vision. It is not surprising, therefore, that blind fish can find food and spawning places just like sighted ones.

How fast do fish swim? Which fish are considered the best swimmers? Can a person match the swimming speed of a fish? However, the majority will probably answer the last question in the negative. And perhaps only hydrobiologists can answer the first two questions. This is what they say. The speed of small fish is from 2 to 12 kilometers per hour. The larger the fish, the faster, as a rule, their speed. A shark and a dolphin can easily outrun a passenger ship, and a swordfish can reach speeds of up to 130 kilometers per hour. Man is a very weak swimmer compared to fish. The world champion swimmer cannot reach a speed of more than 6 - 7 kilometers per hour, that is, he swims twenty times slower than the fastest fish.

Shores of the Sea of Azov in Russia

The territory of the Russian Federation includes the following geographical units washed by the Sea of Azov:

In the northeast: Miussky Estuary, Taganrog Bay, Yeisk Estuary, Beglitskaya Spit, rivers: Eya, Kagalnik, Sambek, Mokry Elanchik, Mokraya Chuburka, Don, Mius;
In the east: Glafirovskaya Spit, Beisugsky Estuary, Yasensky Bay, Akhtarsky Estuary, Cape Chumbursky, Yasenskaya Spit (Beisugsky Estuary), Long Spit, Kamyshevatsky Spit, Achuevskaya Spit (Akhtarsky Estuary);
In the southeast: Cape Achuevsky, Temryuk Bay, Cape Kamenny, rivers: Kuban, Protoka;
On the territory of the Kerch Strait: Chushka Spit.

After the annexation of Crimea to Russia in 2014, the Arabat Spit and the Sivash Bay (Rotten Sea) became the de facto administrative borders of the Republic of Crimea and the Kherson region. They partially belong to both countries, but the Ukrainian side considers this zone temporarily occupied by Russia.

The shores of the Azov Sea in Ukraine

The coastline of the Sea of Azov on the territory of Ukraine is represented by saddle geographical objects:

In the north-west: Molochny Estuary, Obitochnaya Bay, Berdyansk Bay, Utlyuksky Estuary, Biryuchy Island Spit, Berdyansk Spit, Obitochnaya Spit, Fedotova Spit, many small rivers: Berda, Obitochnaya, Lozovatki and many others;
In the northeast: Krivaya Spit, Belosarayskaya Spit.

Cities on the Sea of Azov in Russia

The list of Russian cities washed by the Sea of Azov includes the following settlements in the Southern Federal District:

Republic of Crimea (Leninsky district, Kerch urban district);
Rostov region (Neklinovsky district, Azov district);
Krasnodar region (Kanevsky district (facing the Beisugsky estuary), Slavyansky district, Yeysky district, Primorsko-Akhtarsky district, Temryuksky district, Shcherbinovsky district);
Taganrog urban district.

Cities on the Sea of Azov in Ukraine

(Berdyansk, Zaporozhye part of Ukraine)

On the territory of Ukraine, the Sea of Azov washes the borders of the following administrative units:

Kherson region (Ghenichesk district);
Zaporozhye region (Melitopol district (top of the Molochny estuary), Priazovsky district, Akimovsky district, Primorsky district, Berdyansky district)
Donetsk region (Mangush district)
Mariupol City Council (Volnovakha district, Levoberezhny district, Primorsky district, Novoazovsky district).

Questions and tasks

1. Establish chains of cause and effect: the peculiarities of the geographical location of the European South → the peculiarities of nature → the peculiarities of economic development.

The advantageous geographical position of the European south from the point of view of its economic development is due to its mountainous position - a resort economy and flatland in terms of the use of fertile chernozem soils of the region. On the Stavropol Upland, mineral waters come to the surface in many places. Favorable agroclimatic resources and mineral springs contribute to the development of recreational agriculture here.

The European South is the southernmost region in Russia, which is divided into mountainous and flat parts and has a coastal position: in the east it is washed by the Caspian Sea, and in the west by the Black and Azov Seas. The North Caucasus borders in the north with Ukraine, the Central Black Earth region and the Volga region, and in the south with Georgia, Azerbaijan, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The transport network is well developed in the flat part; there are no railways in the mountains; they run only along the coast: Tuapse, Sochi, Sukhumi, Makhachkala, Derbent, Baku. A road to Tbilisi, the former Georgian Military Road, was laid across the main ridge.

3. Make a comprehensive description of one of the seas washing the European South: its geographical location, features of nature, resources, economic development.

The Sea of Azov is located in the south of European Russia. It is connected by the narrow (up to 4 km), shallow (4–5 m) Kerch Strait with the Black Sea. The border between the seas runs along the line between cape Takil and cape Panagia.

The Sea of Azov is the shallowest and one of the smallest seas in the world. Its area is 39 thousand km², the volume of water is 290 km³, the average depth is 7 m and the greatest depth is 13 m. The sea has a relatively simple outline. The northern coast is flat, steep, with alluvial sand spits. In the west, the Arabat Strelka spit separates the Sivash Bay from the sea*, which is connected to the sea by the Genichesk Strait. In the southeast, the Kuban delta stretches for 100 km with extensive flood plains and numerous channels. The Kuban flows into the top of the open Temryuk Bay. In the northeast, the largest bay of the sea, Taganrog Bay, protrudes into the land for 140 km, the top of which represents the Don delta. The shallow shores of the sea turn into a smooth, flat bottom. Depths gradually increase with distance from the coast. The greatest depths are in the central part of the sea, the depths in the Taganrog Bay are from 2 to 9 m. Mud volcanoes are known in the Temryuk Bay.

Ice forms on the Sea of Azov every year, and ice cover (the area occupied by ice) strongly depends on the nature of winter (severe, moderate, mild). In moderate winters, ice forms in the Taganrog Bay by early December. During December, fast ice is established along the northern coast of the sea, and a little later - along the remaining coasts. The width of the fast ice strip is from 1.5 km in the south to 7 km in the north. In the central part of the sea, only at the end of January – beginning of February does floating ice appear, which then freezes into ice fields of high concentration (9–10 points). The ice cover reaches its greatest development in the first half of February, when its thickness is 30–40 cm, in the Taganrog Bay – 60–80 cm.

Under natural water conditions until the early 50s. The Sea of Azov was distinguished by exceptionally high biological productivity. A large amount of nutrients entered the sea with river runoff, and 70–80% was introduced with the spring flood. This ensured the abundant development of phytoplankton, zooplankton and benthos. The area of catchment and estuary spawning grounds in the lower reaches of the Don and Kuban reached 40–50 thousand km². These factors, as well as good warming of the sea, low salinity, sufficient saturation of water with oxygen, a long growing season, and rapid turnover of nutrients, determined favorable conditions for the life of ichthyofauna, numbering 80 species.

I stand enchanted over your abyss,

You are alive; you breathe; confused love,

You are filled with anxious thoughts.

Silent sea, azure sea,

Reveal to me your deep secret.

V. Zhukovsky

The plot of land on which the Sea of Azov is located has undergone many changes and transformations over the multimillion-year history of its geological development. The Sea of Azov has its own, unique features and characteristics. First of all, the unique dimensions of this smallest sea. It is smaller than the Aral Sea - 1.5 times, the Caspian Sea - 10 times, the Black Sea - 11 times.

Its area is 39.1 thousand square kilometers. Of the 2,686 km of coastline, most of it is in Ukraine. The Sea of Azov is a shallow basin: the average depth is 8 - 10 m, and the greatest - 14 m. The surface of its bottom is flat, the shores are low, with numerous sand spits (Arabatskaya Strelka, Belosarayskaya, Berdyanskaya, Obitochnaya), the coastal strip has a depth of up to 5 m. The largest bays* of the Azov Sea are Temryuk and Taganrog. In the southern part, the sea forms the Arabat and Kazantip bays, and the shallow Sivash adjoins it from the west.

The climatic conditions of the Azov Sea, unlike the Black Sea, have continental features. In winter, polar air with northeastern winds dominates over it; in summer, western and northwestern winds predominate. The water temperature in the sea in summer, thanks to good heating, reaches 24-25 0 C, and in the coastal zone sometimes the water warmed up even to 32 0 C. In winter, the water gradually cools to +3 - -3 0 C. From December, the Sea of Azov begins to gradually freeze, but By the end of February - beginning of March the ice has already thawed. Water salinity* was always no higher than 10.9‰ (ppm)* .

Diagram comparing sea areas

Productivity of the Azov Sea

The physical and geographical conditions of the Sea of Azov give grounds to assert the existence of large fish reserves in it. Until relatively recently, the fish stocks of the sea, despite their small size and shallow waters, were unusually large, as evidenced by Professor A.A. Zenkevich : “No sea body of water on the globe known to us can compare with the Sea of Azov in terms of the extreme intensity of production processes and the relative efficiency of fishing.”

In the Sea of Azov there are many species of fish, among which commercially important are sprat, anchovy, pike perch, flounder, bream, ram, herring, stellate sturgeon, sturgeon, goby, and mullet. Spawning grounds* in the lower reaches of the Don and Kuban occupied 400 sq.m. Until the 40s of the 20th century, the Sea of Azov provided 20% of the all-Union (in the former USSR) fish catch and 31% of the catch in inland waters . In terms of its productivity (70 - 80 kg per hectare), it had no equal in the world. From each hectare of its area, fish were caught 6 times more than in the Caspian Sea, 8 times more than in the Baltic Sea and 25 times more than in the Black Sea

In some years, catches reached 300 thousand tons, of which 160 thousand tons, i.e. half of the fish caught were fish of valuable species.

What are the reasons for such high productivity of the sea?

The reason for such biological productivity* of the sea was that extremely favorable natural conditions formed here:

Firstly, The Azov Sea is shallow, which facilitates the easy return of nutrients from the bottom into the water and their good mixing. Mixing of water occurs in both vertical and horizontal directions.

Secondly, In summer, the sea quickly warms up - up to 30-32 0 C near the coast, up to 25-30 0 C in the middle part, while the entire water column is illuminated.

Third, 20 rivers flowing into the Sea of Azov (the largest are Don and Kuban) bring here a lot of organic and mineral substances. Thanks to this, huge masses of benthos* and plankton* develop in the Azov Sea, most of which go to feed fish. The average autumn biomass* of its benthos is 418 g/m3. In addition, the growth rate of animals in the Sea of Azov is 6-8 times higher than in the Barents Sea.

Fourthly, due to the fact that the Azov Sea was less salty than the Black Sea, there were no jellyfish and rapana gastropods, greedily eating food intended for fish and their fry.