Scientists from the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, during a study of the Caspian Sea, found that its area has decreased by 7.4% since 1996, the institute told RIA Novosti.

“The study found that from 1996 to 2025, the surface area (the total area of the water surface — ed.) of the Caspian Sea decreased by 28,644 square kilometers — 7.4% of its 1996 area,” the institute said.

The scientists noted that although the amount of shoaling is comparable in size to the area of the Republic of Albania, it turned out to be quite modest relative to the rate of the sea level decline. According to the Institute of Oceanology, the level of the Caspian Sea has been falling since 1995 at a rate of about 10 centimeters per year.

“During this time, the level has fallen by almost three meters, which has led to negative consequences: for example, the shallowing of the Volga-Caspian maritime shipping canal and all ports on the Caspian hampers navigation, and the sea is retreating from populated areas,” the scientists said.

They indicated that, according to forecasts, by the end of the 21st century the level of the Caspian Sea may fall by another 20–21 meters.

“So far, we do not see any slowdown in the sea level decline, because, on the contrary, while in 2005–2019 the sea level was falling at an average rate of 8.16 centimeters per year, in 2020–2024 this rate increased to 22.7 centimeters per year,” said the study’s lead author, the institute’s chief researcher Andrei Kostianoy.