The Syvash nearly cuts the Crimean Peninsula off from the mainland, serving as a natural border between the Kherson region and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

To its west, the Isthmus of Perekop separates it from the Black Sea and connects Crimea to the mainland.

During the Russian Civil War, the Syvash became famous for a surprise crossing by the Red Army during the Perekop-Chongar Operation in November 1920.

[5] The large islands in the Central Syvash are mainly covered with steppes consisting of feather grass, tulips, tauric wormwood (Artemisia taurica), sage, crested wheat grass, fescue.

[5] The shores of the Syvash contain a large number of salt-tolerant vegetation, including glasswort, Tripolium, plantains, sea lavender (Limonium caspium), saltbush (Atriplex aucheri).