The Mountain Between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea: Geography and Key Ranges

The mountain range that separates the Black Sea from the Caspian Sea is the Greater Caucasus, a largely east-west ridge forming the main watershed between the Black Sea basin and the Caspian basin. In the west, the Caucasus Mountains extend toward the Black Sea coast near Sochi, Russia, while in the east they run toward the Caspian coast in Dagestan. These peaks capture moisture from Black Sea winds, feeding rivers that flow only westward into the Black Sea and not eastward into the Caspian, underlining the ridge’s role as a continental divide. Below are key attributes and implications of this divide.