The longest river in Europe is the Volga

There is no other river in Russia, which would play such an important role in the history of the country. And no other does not enjoy so much love from Russians, like the Volga. Long since it was identified with Motherland, affectionately calling the Volga-mother. It has always been a symbol of freedom and greatness of spirit. And how many people have written about her songs and poems, tales and stories!

The Volga is not only the longest river in Europe, it is also the longest on the planet among the flowing into inland waters. Its length from the source to the mouth is 3530 km, it is almost a thousand kilometers more than the Danube. The Volga is almost 3.5 times larger than the Loire - the longest river in France.

Distinctive features

The longest river in Europe begins with a small spring in the Valdai Upland near the small Tver village of Volgo-Verkhovye. Crossing the Central Russian Upland, the Volga from a thin stream turns into a large stream. After reaching the foothills of the Ural Mountains, it turns south and along the Caspian lowland it calmly and importantly carries its waters to the Caspian Sea, into which it flows into the city of Astrakhan.

In the upper reaches, the longest river in Europe connects several small lakes. In the place of the source from Lake Volgo, in 1843 a dam was erected to regulate the flow of water, which is still in effect. Throughout the length of the Volga, it consists of three parts: Upper - from the beginning to the confluence with the Oka, Medium - from the Oka to the confluence of the Kama and the Lower - from the Kama to the Caspian.

The source is located at an altitude of 228 meters, and the estuary is in the basin 28 meters below the ocean level. The area of the basin is larger in size than some European countries and is 1360 thousand km ² . The river system includes more than 151 thousand watercourses. The Volga has about 200 tributaries, while the left is much more abundant and more numerous than the right.

Volga and man

The longest river in Europe is not only a symbol of Russia, but also an important water artery that performs the most important economic function. It has always benefited peoples living on the shores.

A convenient geographic location facilitated the use of the river and its tributaries as a connecting thread between East and West. As far back as the 13th century, the Volga trade route served as a road to Europe, through which eastern goods were regularly delivered, including Arab silver. In the Middle Ages on the Volga flourished fishing, rafted timber.

As a magic thread, it binds several dozen ancient cities in one necklace, including Rzhev, Tver, Uglich, Nizhny Novgorod, Yaroslavl, Kazan, Kostroma, Samara, Astrakhan.

Thanks to the channels created by man, the Volga has access to the seas washing the European shores of Russia. All the rivers of this part of the country are united in a single water system, the core of which is the longest river in Europe.

After the creation in the twentieth century of the grandiose Volga cascade of hydroelectric power stations, its economic importance increased many times. The river became more navigable, today regular navigation of large vessels is carried out to the very Tver. Half of all river cargo and passengers of Russia are transported along it.