Flowing from the Ladoga Lake (near the Shlisselburg Bay), the Neva River has a total length of 74 km (32 of which pass within the city limits of St. Petersburg). The river flows into the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea (opposite the gate of the seaport of St. Petersburg near the Neva Bay).
The Neva begins with two sleeves around the small elongated island of Oreshek, famous for the fact that it is the Schlisselburg Fortress. In addition to it, there are two more islands on the river (not counting the delta): Factory - near the city of Shlisselburg, and Glavryba - in the Ivanovo rapids (between the meanders of the Mga and Tosno). The mouth of the river, which has 101 islands, as well as many branches and channels, forms a delta with a total area of about 50 square kilometers. The river flows into 26 small rivers, the largest of which are Mga, Izhora, Tosna, Ohta. The banks of the Neva, especially the left, are densely populated. Throughout the river there are four cities (St. Petersburg, Shlisselburg, Kirovsk, Otradnoe), as well as about thirty small settlements.
The Neva River is a deep and relatively fast river, suitable for shipping throughout its entire length. The average width of the river is from 400 to 600 meters. In the narrowest place (at the beginning of the Ivanov rapids, opposite Cape Svyatky), its width is only 210 meters, and in the delta - more than a kilometer. Throughout its length the Neva River has a depth of 8-10 meters. The deepest place (24 m) - in St. Petersburg, near the right bank, opposite the street. Arsenalnoy. The smallest (4 m.) - in the Ivanovo rapids. Despite the relatively small difference, about five meters, the flow of the river is quite rapid (5-8 km / h). The Neva freezes in mid-December and is released from the ice around mid-April. And after the first ice break on the river there is a second - the movement of ice from the Ladoga Lake, usually forming ice jams.
It is believed that the river Neva received its name from the Finnish word "Nevajoki" ("swampy river") for the reason that there were many swamps along its banks, especially at the mouth. The second option is derived from the Sami word "nawe" ("stubborn", "inter-oodal duct"). In both cases, the description of the river and its name fully coincide.
On its shores, there were many historical events: in July 1240, the famous battle of the Russian troops with the Swedes under the command of Prince Alexander Yaroslavovich (nicknamed subsequently Nevsky) took place here, in May 1703 Peter I decided to build the future capital of the Russian Empire, here there were bloody Battle of the breakthrough of the siege of Leningrad during the Great Patriotic War.
At all times, the Neva had an important economic significance. Today it is used as a source of water supply in St. Petersburg. Since ancient times, the Neva River has been the most important waterway since travel "from the Varangians to the Greeks" to the present day, being the most important link in the water system linking the central regions of the European part of Russia to the northern lands. Especially its importance has increased after in 1964 the Volga-Baltic waterway was put into operation. The Neva even began to call it "Nevsky Prospekt".