Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: South Caucasus Region (Transcaucasia); Important places mentioned

South Caucasus Region (Transcaucasia)

Why in the News?

The 29th COP to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will begin on November 11, 2024, in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan.
- As global leaders gather near the Caspian Sea, the surrounding region of the South Caucasus faces significant climate challenges.

Key Areas at Risk:

Northern Armenia and southern Georgia
North-west Azerbaijan and north-east Georgia (Alazani/Ganykh river basin)

	Details
Location	South of the Greater Caucasus Mountains, bordered by Russia (north), Turkey and Iran (south), between the Black Sea (west) and Caspian Sea (east).
Countries	Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia; includes disputed territories like Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), Abkhazia, and South Ossetia.
Mountains	Lesser Caucasus Mountains (up to 3,000m); includes the Zangezur Range, Meskheti Range, and Armenian Highlands.
Seas	Between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea; Absheron Peninsula (Azerbaijan) extends into Caspian Sea, rich in oil.
Rivers and Lakes	Major rivers: Kura River (Georgia & Azerbaijan) and Aras River (Armenia & Azerbaijan). Key lake: Lake Sevan (Armenia).
Climate	Continental climate: hot summers and cold winters; Subtropical climate along Georgia’s Black Sea coast; Semi-arid to desert climate near Caspian Sea, especially Azerbaijan.
Natural Resources	Rich in oil and natural gas, particularly in Azerbaijan; critical hub for energy pipelines like the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline.
Geopolitical Importance	Strategic transit route for energy resources to Europe; region of geopolitical tensions due to conflicts (Nagorno-Karabakh, South Ossetia, Abkhazia).

[2014] Turkey is located between:

(a) Black Sea and Caspian Sea

(b) Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea

(d) Gulf of Aqaba and Dead Sea