The Caspian Sea, located between southeastern Europe and Western Asia, is noted for its vast size and unique characteristics. It is the largest inland body of water in the world, covering approximately 371,000 square kilometers, and accounts for a significant portion of the total lake waters on Earth. Its location on the border of Europe and Asia, surrounded by the Caucasus Mountains and the Central Asian steppe, gives it a diverse and rich biological environment. It serves as the world's largest spawning grounds for the sturgeon fish and contains a high level of biological diversity. Though technically classified as a sea, its size and depth make it more similar to a lake.