The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland body of water, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. It is an endorheic basin (a basin without outflows) located between Europe and Asia, to the east of the Caucasus Mountains and to the west of the broad steppe of Central Asia. The sea has a surface area of 371,000 km2 (143,000 sq mi) (excluding the detached lagoon of Garabogazköl) and a volume of 78,200 km3 (18,800 cu mi). It has a salinity of approximately 1.2% (12 g/L), about a third of the salinity of most seawater that is found in the region.
As the demand for television broadcasting and telecommunication grew in the early 1980s, the Astara TV Tower was built. The television tower was uniquely designed, as its pinnacle is guyed to a horizontal cross-like steel structure.[1][5]
Economy
Located next to the Iranian border, Astara attracts numerous visitors from Iran, going to Azerbaijan to purchase goods and services that may not be as readily available in Iran.[6]
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