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Topic 285 · Geography & Places in News

Shrinking Caspian Sea and the Tehran Convention

10 MCQs · tap an option to check it · All answers

Revise the 12 points first Book 1 RATNA

Core Trigger: An Earth's Future study published on 5 June 2026 found the Caspian lost about 5.5% of its surface area since the mid-1990s.
Key Findings: The loss is roughly 24,000 sq km and 630 cubic km of water; levels fell about two metres.
Key People: Nima Shokri and Amir AghaKouchak co-authored the study; Mahir Aliyev coordinated the Tehran Convention in August 2026.
Key Species: The Caspian seal, found only in this sea, has been IUCN-listed Endangered since 2008.
Data: Evaporation explains only about 40% of the loss; the Volga supplies roughly 80% of inflow.
Stakeholders: The five littoral states are Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan.
India Link: India, Iran and Russia established the International North-South Transport Corridor on 12 September 2000.
Geography: The Caspian is Earth's largest enclosed body of water; its shallow northern part is drying fastest.
Founded: The Tehran Convention was adopted in 2003 and entered into force in 2006; Caspian Sea Day is 12 August.
Landmark: The Aktau Convention (2018) addresses the Caspian's legal status; the Aktau Protocol on oil pollution dates from 2011.
Statute: The Tehran Convention is the first legally binding regional agreement of all five littoral states.
Definition: An endorheic basin has no ocean outlet; water leaves only by evaporation.

Question 1 of 10

A June 2026 study found the Caspian lost about what share of surface area since the mid-1990s?

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Answer: (B) About 5.5%

Core Trigger: An Earth's Future study published on 5 June 2026 found the Caspian lost about 5.5% of its surface area since the mid-1990s.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 285, point 1

Question 2 of 10

By about how much did Caspian water levels fall?

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Answer: (A) About two metres

Key Findings: The loss is roughly 24,000 sq km and 630 cubic km of water; levels fell about two metres.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 285, point 2

Question 3 of 10

Nima Shokri co-authored the Caspian study with whom?

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Answer: (A) Amir AghaKouchak

Key People: Nima Shokri and Amir AghaKouchak co-authored the study; Mahir Aliyev coordinated the Tehran Convention in August 2026.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 285, point 3

Question 4 of 10

Since which year has the Caspian seal been IUCN-listed Endangered?

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Key Species: The Caspian seal, found only in this sea, has been IUCN-listed Endangered since 2008.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 285, point 4

Question 5 of 10

Which is/are correct? 1. Evaporation explains only about 40% of the loss. 2. The Volga supplies roughly 80% of inflow.

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Answer: (C) Both 1 and 2

Data: Evaporation explains only about 40% of the loss; the Volga supplies roughly 80% of inflow.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 285, point 5

Question 6 of 10

In which year did India, Iran and Russia establish the INSTC?

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Answer: (D) 2000

India Link: India, Iran and Russia established the International North-South Transport Corridor on 12 September 2000.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 285, point 7

Question 7 of 10

Which part of the Caspian is drying fastest?

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Answer: (B) Shallow northern part

Geography: The Caspian is Earth's largest enclosed body of water; its shallow northern part is drying fastest.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 285, point 8

Question 8 of 10

The Tehran Convention entered into force in which year?

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Answer: (A) 2006

Founded: The Tehran Convention was adopted in 2003 and entered into force in 2006; Caspian Sea Day is 12 August.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 285, point 9

Question 9 of 10

The 2018 Aktau Convention addresses which issue?

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Answer: (B) Legal status of the Caspian

Landmark: The Aktau Convention (2018) addresses the Caspian's legal status; the Aktau Protocol on oil pollution dates from 2011.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 285, point 10

Question 10 of 10

Which is/are correct? 1. An endorheic basin has an ocean outlet. 2. The Tehran Convention is the first legally binding regional agreement of all five littoral states.

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Answer: (B) Only 2

Statute: The Tehran Convention is the first legally binding regional agreement of all five littoral states.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 285, point 11

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