Russia is located in the east of Europe and in the north of Asia, occupying about 1/3 of the territory of Eurasia and 1/9 of the earth's land. The European part of the country (about 23% of the area) includes territories to the west of the Ural Mountains (the border is conventionally drawn along the Urals and the Kumo-Manych depression); The Asian part of Russia, occupying about 76% of the territory, lies to the east of the Urals and is also called Siberia (however, the exact definition of the boundaries of Siberia is a controversial issue) and the Far East. The total length of Russia's borders is 60,933 km (of which 38,808 km are sea borders); Russia's borders in the north and east are maritime, in the south and west - mostly land. Despite the fact that Russia is the largest country in the world in terms of area, climatic and soil conditions in most of its territory are not conducive to agriculture.
Russia is one of the richest countries in the world. The country has one of the world's largest reserves of fresh water. Surface waters occupy 12.4% of the territory of Russia, with 84% of surface waters concentrated to the east of the Urals; many densely populated areas of the European part of Russia experience a shortage of water resources. The structure of water use is dominated by production needs.
Russia has the deepest lake in the world (Baikal), the longest river in Europe (Volga) and the largest lake in Europe (Ladoga), the cold pole of the Northern Hemisphere (Verkhoyansk), as well as the highest peak in Europe (Elbrus) (when drawing the border between Europe and Asia along The Greater Caucasian ridge, and not along the rivers Kuma and Manych to the mouth of the Don).
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Russian lakes
There are over 2.5 million lakes in Russia. The largest lakes are Caspian, Ladoga, Onega, Baikal. The Caspian is the largest lake in the world, and the deepest is Baikal. The lakes are very unevenly distributed. There are especially many of them in the Vilyui Basin, in the West Siberian Plain and in the northwest of the European Plain - in Karelia. All these areas are in conditions of excessive moisture. To the south, in the steppe and semi-desert zone with their arid climate, the number of lakes decreases sharply, and many lakes have salty or brackish water. Saline are such large drainless lakes as the Caspian, as well as the Elton and Baskunchak lakes, where table salt is mined.
There are also countless smaller lakes located mainly in the poorly drained lowlands of the Russian and West Siberian plains, especially in the more northern regions. Some of them reach significant sizes, in particular, Lake Beloye (1.29 thousand square kilometers), Topozero (0.98 thousand square kilometers), Vygozero (0.56 thousand square kilometers) and Lake Ilmen (0.98 thousand sq. km.) in the European north-west of the country, and Lake Chany (1.4-2 thousand sq. km.) in the south-west of Siberia.
The lakes also differ in the origin of the basins. Lakes of tectonic origin are located in troughs and dips of the earth's crust. The largest tectonic lake Baikal is located in the graben and therefore reaches a depth of 1637 m.
Glacial-tectonic lake basins arose as a result of the processing of tectonic depressions of the earth's crust by a glacier: Imandra, Ladoga, Onega. In Kamchatka and the Kuril Islands, the lakes are mainly of volcanic origin. In the northwest of the European Plain, the origin of lacustrine depressions is associated with continental glaciations. Many depressions are located between the moraine hills: Seliger, Valdai.
As a result of landslides in the mountain valleys, dammed lakes arose: Sarez in the Pamirs, Ritsa in the Caucasus. Small lakes appear over karst dips. In the south of Western Siberia, there are many saucer-like lakes that have arisen as a result of the subsidence of loose rocks. When ice melts in permafrost areas, shallow saucer-shaped lakes are also formed. The oxbow lakes are located on the floodplains of flat rivers. On the shores of the Black and Azov Seas, there are estuary lakes.
All large and largest lakes in Russia are widely used in the national economy. They catch and raise fish in them. Especially a lot of fish, including the most valuable sturgeon, are caught in the Caspian Sea. There is omul fishing in Baikal. The lakes are also used for shipping. Various minerals are mined in the lake basins: oil and mirabilite in the Caspian, table salt in Elton and Baskunchak.
The largest lakes in Russia
Caspian Sea, area - 376,000 sq. Km, maximum depth - 1,025 meters.
Lake Baikal, area - 31,500 sq. Km, maximum depth - 1,620 meters.
Lake Ladoga, area - 17,700 sq. Km, maximum depth - 230 meters.
Lake Onega, area - 9,690 sq. Km, maximum depth - 127 meters.
Lake Taimyr, area - 4,560 sq. Km, maximum depth - 26 meters.
Lake Khanka, area - 4,190 sq. Km, maximum depth - 11 meters.
Lake Peipsi-Pskov, area - 3,550 sq. Km, maximum depth - 15 meters.
Lake Chany, area - 1 708-2 269 sq. Km, maximum depth - up to 10 meters.
White Lake, area - 1,290 sq. Km, maximum depth - 6 meters.
Topozero, area - 986 sq. Km, maximum depth - 56 meters.
Lake Ilmen, area - 982 sq. Km, maximum depth - up to 10 meters.
Lake Imandra, area - 876 sq. Km, maximum depth - 67 meters.
Khantayskoye lake, area - 822 sq. Km, maximum depth - 420 meters.
Segozero, area - 815 sq. Km, maximum depth - 97 meters.
Kulundinskoe lake, area - 728 sq. Km, maximum depth - 4 meters.
Lake Teletskoye, area - 223 sq. Km, maximum depth - 325 meters.
Russian rivers
Russia occupies a vast geographic area, and it is not surprising that numerous rivers stretch across its expanses, which have played an important historical role in the settlement and development of new lands. Almost all the largest cities in the country are located on the rivers. Within Russia, there are about 3 million rivers with a total length of almost 10 million km. Most of the rivers in Russia belong to the basin of the Arctic Ocean. It makes up over 66% of the country's area; within it, up to 80% of atmospheric precipitation falls. The rivers flowing into the northern seas are the longest and deepest in Russia. The longest river Lena is 4400 km. The most full-flowing river is the Yenisei (623 km3 per year). In terms of catchment area, the Ob takes the first place in the country (2975 sq. Km.). The rivers of the Arctic Ocean basin freeze over. In winter, a winter road is established along them for about four months - roads for the movement of cars and sledges.
The largest rivers of Siberia originate in the south of the country in the Altai, Sayan and Baikal mountains. The rivers in the Arctic Ocean basin are fed by snow and rain. In spring, due to the melting of snow on the rivers, the water rises. High water begins in the south, and in the north, ice hinders the flow of melt water to the ocean for a long time. Therefore, all rivers of the Arctic Ocean basin in the middle and lower reaches of the spring experience high water rises. In the southern parts of the Siberian river, they are swift and rapids. Large hydroelectric power plants have been built and are being built on these sections of the valleys: Krasnoyarsk and Sayano-Shushenskaya on the Yenisei, Novosibirskaya on the Ob, Bukhtarminskaya and Ust-Kamenogorskaya on the Irtysh, Irkutsk, Bratsk and Ust-Ilimskaya on the Vilyuyeny and Vitime and Mamakan hydroelectric power station. In the northern plains, the flow of these rivers is calm and smooth. In summer, they are used for rafting and shipping, connecting the southern and inland regions of the country with the Northern Sea Route and the Trans-Siberian Railway.
The rivers of the European part of the Arctic Ocean basin - Pechora, Mezen, Northern Dvina and Onega are much shorter than Siberian rivers. They flow completely over the plains and therefore have a calm flow.
About 19% of the country's area belongs to the Pacific Ocean basin. The main river of this basin is the Amur and its tributaries Zeya, Bureya and Ussuri. The rivers are mainly fed by rain. In the monsoon climate in the Pacific Ocean basin, little snow falls in winter, therefore there are no spring floods, but floods are very significant due to the summer monsoon rains. The water in the Amur and its tributaries rises by 10-15 m and fills vast areas. Catastrophic spills usually occur in early fall. At this time, sudden and stormy showers of cyclones - typhoons often fall on the Far Eastern regions of the country. River floods reach several tens of kilometers and cause enormous damage to agriculture, cities and towns.
The Amur and its tributaries have a large dip and are rich in hydropower. The Zeyskaya hydroelectric power station was built on the Zeya river. The Amur is the main river artery of the Far East, through which the communication of the inner remote regions with the seas is carried out. The state border of Russia with the People's Republic of China runs along the Argun, Amur and Ussuri rivers.
The rivers of Chukotka and the basin of the Sea of Okhotsk are mainly fed by snow. Therefore, they are full-flowing in late spring and early summer, which favors the movement of salmonids that rise to spawn up rivers and streams.
The Caspian basin is called closed-off, since the rivers carry their waters not into the World Ocean, but into an internal closed body of water - into the Caspian Sea. The basin covers the inner regions of the East European Plain, the South Urals, and the eastern part of the Caucasus.
The rivers Volga, Ural, Araks, Terek, Emba and others flow into the Caspian Sea. The largest river is the Volga. Its basin occupies 34% of the East European Plain. Most of the tributaries of the Volga are located in a temperate continental climate with sufficient moisture. The food is mainly snow. In the spring, when the snow melts, there is a significant rise in the water in the river. In summer, the main source of food is groundwater and rain. Some rise of water in the channel also occurs in autumn, when evaporation is significantly reduced. Below the mouth of a large left tributary of the Kama, the Volga flows through the steppe and semi-desert zones, where very little precipitation falls and therefore there are no significant tributaries. Below Volgograd, the Volga has no tributaries and is of a transit nature. It only carries water and partially evaporates it. From here the Volga splits into branches, the largest of which is Akhtuba. Below Astrakhan, the channel is divided into 80 branches, forming an extensive delta. Nowadays, almost the entire Volga has turned into a cascade of dams and reservoirs. On the Upper Volga, not far from Tver, there is the Ivankovskoe reservoir. From him begins the channel to them. Moscow, through which the Volga water is pumped for water supply to Moscow. Below, the entire Volga up to Volgograd has turned into a chain of interconnected reservoirs (Uglichskoe, Rybinskoe, Gorkovskoe, Cheboksarskoe, Kuibyshevskoe, Saratovskoe and Volgogradskoe). They trap a significant part of the spring flood water, which is used to generate electricity, water supply to cities, and irrigate drylands. Thanks to the reservoirs, the movement of large river vessels is possible. Now the river is connected by the Volga-Don navigable canal with the Black and Azov seas, the Volga-Baltic - with the Baltic and White seas. Half of all river cargo and passengers in the country are transported along the Volga. But the reservoirs flooded large areas of fertile floodplain lands. The dams led to a slowdown in the flow of the Volga. As a result, a large amount of pollutants began to accumulate in the reservoirs, which come here from the fields, as well as from industrial and domestic wastewaters. Therefore, the river is currently heavily polluted.
The Atlantic Ocean basin occupies the smallest area - about 5% of the entire territory of Russia. Rivers flow westward into the Baltic Sea and southward into the Black and Azov Seas. To the west flow the Western Dvina, Neman, Neva and others. To the south - the Dnieper, Don and Kuban. All rivers in the Atlantic Ocean basin are full-flowing all year round, since most of their catchments are located in an area of sufficient moisture. They are mainly fed by snow, and in the summer they are fed by underground and rain. For rivers flowing into the Baltic Sea, fluctuations in runoff are very small, since precipitation falls evenly throughout the year. There are only small spring floods and autumn floods. The Neva River occupies a special place. This short river (74 km long) carries a huge amount of water - 79.7 km3 per year, four times more than the Dnieper, which has a length of over 2 thousand km. The Neva originates in Lake Ladoga and therefore its flow is constant throughout the year.
But almost every year it floods part of St. Petersburg with its waters. Floods are caused by surges from the Baltic Sea, which dam up the Neva. As a result, the water in the river rises by 2 - 3.5 m and splashes out of the granite embankments onto the streets and squares of the city.
The rivers of the southern part of the Atlantic Ocean basin receive water from their branched headwaters. In the lower sections, they are of a transit nature, since here the rivers cross the steppe zone with an arid climate. The Dnieper and Don are mostly fed by snow, so they have high spring floods. A cascade of waterworks and reservoirs has been built on the southern rivers. The reservoirs are used both for generating electricity and for irrigating the arid lands of the south of the East European Plain. Rice and other agricultural crops are grown in the Azov and Northern Caucasus thanks to the waters of the Don and Kuban.
The largest rivers in Russia
Lena, length - 4320 km., Basin area - 2418 thousand sq. Km.
Yenisei (with Biy-Khem), length - 4012 km., Basin area - 2707 thousand sq. Km.
Ob (with Katun), length - 4070 km., Basin area - 2425 thousand sq. Km.
Volga, length - 3690 km., Basin area - 1380 thousand sq. Km.
Amur, length - 2824 km., Basin area - 1855 thousand sq. Km.
Ural, length - 2530 km., Basin area - 220 thousand sq. Km.
Kolyma, length - 2150 km., Basin area - 644 thousand sq. Km.
Don, length - 1950 km., Basin area - 422 thousand sq. Km.
Indigirka, length - 1790 km., Basin area - 360 thousand sq. Km.
Pechora, length - 1790 km., Basin area - 327 thousand sq. Km.
Northern Dvina (with Sukhona), length - 1300 km., Basin area - 411 thousand sq. Km.
Yana (with Dulgalah), length - 1070 km., Basin area - 318 thousand sq. Km.
Selenga (with Ider), length - 1020 km., Basin area - 445 thousand sq. Km.
Mezen, length - 966 km., Basin area - 76 thousand sq. Km.
Kuban, length - 906 km., Basin area - 51 thousand sq. Km.
Terek, length - 626 km., Basin area - 44 thousand sq. Km.
Onega, length - 416 km., Basin area - 58 thousand sq. Km.
Neva, length - 74 km., Basin area - 282 thousand sq. Km.
Russia occupies a vast geographic area, and it is not surprising that numerous rivers stretch across its expanses, which have played an important historical role in the settlement and development of new lands. Almost all the largest cities in the country are located on the rivers.
In total, there are about 3 million rivers on the territory of the Russian Federation, and all of them are an important component of the life of many people, animals and plants. Rivers provide us with food, water, electricity, places to rest, and also serve as transport routes connecting different settlements. It is an irreplaceable source of water for agriculture and industry.
In this article, you can get acquainted with the largest rivers in Russia, get their brief description and see the geographical location on the map of the country.
Rivers of the Russian Federation
Map of the largest rivers of Russia
The country's territory is divided into European and Asian parts. The dividing line, as a rule, is considered to be the Ural Mountains and the Caspian Sea. The rivers of the European part flow into the Arctic Ocean, the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. The rivers of the Asian part flow into the Arctic and Pacific oceans.
The largest rivers in European Russia are the Volga, Don, Kama, Oka and Northern Dvina, while some rivers originate in Russia but flow into other countries, such as the Dnieper and Western Dvina. The following large rivers flow through the Asian expanses of the country: Ob, Irtysh, Yenisei, Angara, Lena, Yana, Indigirka and Kolyma.
Of the five main drainage basins: the Arctic, Pacific, Baltic, Black Sea and Caspian, the first, located in Siberia and including the northern part of the Russian Plain, is the most extensive. To a greater extent, this basin is filled with the three largest rivers of Russia: the Ob (3650 km), which, together with its main tributary, the Irtysh River, forms a river system with a length of 5410 km, the Yenisei (3487 km), and the Lena (4400 km). The sum of their catchment areas exceeds 8 million km², and the total water consumption is about 50,000 m³ / s.
The large rivers of Siberia provide transport arteries from the interior to the Arctic Sea Route, although they are blocked by ice for a long period each year. The small slope of the Ob River makes it slowly meander along the huge floodplain. Due to the northward current, from the headwaters to the lower boundaries of the thaw, extensive flooding occurs quite often, leading to the development of huge swamps. The Vasyugan bogs in the Ob-Irtysh interfluve cover an area of more than 50,000 km².
The rivers of the rest of Siberia (about 4.7 million km²) flow into the Pacific Ocean. In the north, where the watershed is close to the coast, numerous small, fast rivulets flow down the mountains, but much of southeastern Siberia is drained by the Amur River. For a greater stretch of its length, the Amur forms the border separating Russia and China. Ussuri, one of the Amur tributaries, forms another significant border line between the countries.
Three large catchments are located in European Russia south of the Arctic Basin. The Dnieper, only the upper reaches of which are in Russia, as well as the Don and Volga, is the longest European river, originating in the northwest of the Valdai Upland and flowing into the Caspian Sea. Second only to Siberian rivers, the Volga basin covers an area of 1,380,000 km². The rivers of the East European Plain have long served as important transport arteries; in fact, the Volga river system provides two-thirds of the traffic of the entire Russian inland waterway.
10 largest and longest rivers in Russia
Many mighty rivers flow through the territory of the Russian Federation, but the size of some of them is truly impressive. Below is a list and maps of the country's largest rivers, both in length and in catchment area.
Lena
The Lena River is one of the longest rivers on the planet. It originates near Lake Baikal in southern Russia and flows to the west, and then, above Yakutsk, smoothly turns to the north, where it flows into the Laptev Sea (basin of the Arctic Ocean). Near its mouth, the river forms a huge 32,000 km delta, which is the largest in the Arctic and the most extensive protected wilderness area in Russia.
The Lena Delta, which floods every spring, serves as an important nesting and migration area for birds and also supports a rich fish population. The river is inhabited by 92 planktonic species, 57 species of benthos and 38 species of fish. Sturgeon, burbot, chum salmon, whitefish, nelma and albula are the most commercially important fish species.
Swans, dippers, geese, ducks, plovers, sandpipers, snipe, phalaropes, terns, skuas, birds of prey, sparrows and gulls are just some of the migratory birds that nest in the Lena's productive wetlands.
Ob
The Ob is the seventh longest river in the world, stretching over a distance of 3650 kilometers in the West Siberian region of the Russian Federation. This river, which is of great economic importance for Russia, arises at the confluence of the Biya and Katun rivers in Altai. It mainly passes through the country, although many of its tributaries originate in China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan. The Ob is connected to its largest tributary by the Irtysh River, about 69 ° east longitude. It flows into the Kara Sea of the Arctic Ocean, forming the Ob Bay. The river has a huge catchment area of about 2.99 million km².
The habitat surrounding the Ob consists of endless expanses of steppe and taiga flora in the upper and middle reaches of the river. Birch, pine, fir and cedar are some of the famous trees found in these areas. Thickets of willow, wild rose and bird cherry also grow along the watercourse. The river basin abounds in aquatic flora and fauna, including more than 50 species of fish (sturgeon, carp, perch, nelma and peled, etc.) and about 150 species of birds. Minks, wolves, Siberian moles, otters, beavers, ermines and other native mammals. In the lower reaches of the Ob, the arctic tundra is characterized by snow-covered landscapes for most of the year. Polar bears, arctic foxes, snowy owls and arctic hares represent the region.
Volga
The longest river in Europe, the Volga, which is often considered the national river of Russia, has a large basin covering almost two-thirds of European Russia. The Volga originates in the north-west of the Valdai Upland, and flows to the south, overcoming 3530 km, where it flows into the Caspian Sea. About 200 tributaries join the river along the entire route. Eleven large cities of the country, including Moscow, are based along the Volga basin, which covers an area of 1.36 million km².
The climate in the river basin changes along its course from north to south. The northern regions are characterized by a temperate climate with cold, snowy winters and warm, humid summers. The southern regions are characterized by cool winters and hot dry summers. The Volga Delta is one of the richest habitats, home to 430 plant species, 127 fish species, 260 bird species and 850 aquatic species.
Yenisei
The mouth of the Yenisei River is located near the city of Kazyl, where it merges with the Small Yenisei River, which originates in Mongolia and flows northward, where it drains a huge territory of Siberia, before flowing into the Kara Sea (Arctic Ocean), having made a path of 3487 km. The Angara River, which flows out of Lake Baikal, is one of the main tributaries of the upper reaches of the Yenisei.
The waters of the Yenisei are home to about 55 species of local fish, including Siberian sturgeon, flounder, roach, northern pike, Siberian gudgeon, tench and sterlet. Most of the river basin is surrounded by, mainly consisting of the following species of conifers: fir, cedar, pine and larch. In some areas of the upper reaches of the Yenisei, there are also steppe pastures. In the north, boreal forests give way to arctic ones. Musk deer, elk, roe deer and Japanese mouse are some species of mammals that live in the taiga forests along the river. Also, there are such birds as Siberian blue robin, Siberian lentils, wood grouse and wood snipe. Ducks, geese and swans are found in the lower reaches during the summer season.
Lower Tunguska
The Lower Tunguska is a right tributary of the Yenisei, flowing through the Irkutsk Region and the Krasnoyarsk Territory of Russia. Its length is 2989 km, and the basin area is 473 thousand km². The river stretches near the watershed between the Yenisei and Lena river basins and flows north and then west through the Central Siberian Plateau.
In the upper reaches, the river forms a wide valley with numerous shoals, but after turning to the west, the valley narrows, and numerous gorges and rapids appear. The vast Tunguska coal basin lies in the river basin.
Amur
Amur is the tenth longest river in the world, located in East Asia and forms the border between the Far Eastern District of the Russian Federation and Northeast China. The river originates at the confluence of the Shilka and Argun rivers. The Amur flows for 2825 km to the northwestern Pacific Ocean and empties into the Sea of Okhotsk.
The river has many vegetation zones in different parts of its basin, including taiga forests and swamps, Manchu mixed forests, Amur meadow steppes, forest-steppe, steppes and tundra. The wetlands along the Amur Basin are some of the most valuable ecosystems that are home to a huge variety of flora and fauna. It is an important home for millions of migratory birds, including white storks and Japanese cranes. The river basin is home to over 5000 species of vascular plants, 70 species of mammals and 400 species of birds. It is home to rare and endangered species such as the Amur tiger and the Far Eastern leopard - the most iconic mammalian species in the region. A wide variety of fish species live in the waters of the Amur: about 100 species in the lower reaches and 60 in the upper. Chum salmon, burbot and whitefish are some of the most commercially important northern fish species.
Vilyui
Vilyui is a river in Central and Eastern Siberia, flowing mainly through the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) in the east of Russia. It is the largest tributary of the Lena, 2,650 km long and a basin area of about 454 thousand km².
Vilyui originates on the Central Siberian Plateau and first flows eastward, then south and southeast, and again eastward to the confluence with the Lena (about 300 km northwest of the city of Yakutsk). The river and adjacent reservoirs are rich in commercial fish species.
Kolyma
With a length of over 2,100 kilometers and a basin area of 643 thousand km², the Kolyma is the largest river in Eastern Siberia, flowing into the Arctic Ocean. The upper reaches of this river system began to develop in the Cretaceous period, when the main watershed between the Sea of Okhotsk and the Arctic Ocean was formed.
At the beginning of its journey, Kolyma makes a path through narrow gorges with numerous rapids. Gradually, its valley expands, and below the confluence with the Zyryanka River, it flows through the wide swampy Kolyma Lowland, and then flows into the East Siberian Sea.
Ural
The Ural is a large river flowing in Russia and Kazakhstan, 2428 km long (1550 km on the territory of the Russian Federation), and a basin area of about 231 thousand km². The river originates in the Ural Mountains on the slopes of the Kruglaya Sopka and flows in a southerly direction. In the city of Orsk, it turns sharply to the west through the southern outskirts of the Urals, past Orenburg, and again turns south, heading towards the Caspian Sea. Its flow has a large spring maximum, and freeze-up lasts from late November to April. The river is navigated to the city of Oral in Kazakhstan. The dam and hydroelectric power station were built on the Iriklinsky reservoir, south of the city of Magnitogorsk.
The wetlands in the Ural Delta are especially important for migratory birds as the main refuge along the Asian flyway. The river is also important for many species of fish in the Caspian Sea that visit its deltas and migrate upstream for spawning. In the lower reaches of the river, there are 47 species from 13 families. The family of cyprinids accounts for 40% of the species diversity of fish, sturgeon and herring - 11%, perches - 9% and salmonids - 4.4%. The main commercial species are sturgeon, roach, bream, pike perch, carp, asp and catfish. Rare species include Caspian salmon, sterlet, nelma and kutum. About 48 species of animals live in the Ural delta and nearby areas, of which 21 species are taught to the detachment of rodents.
Don
The Don is one of the largest rivers in the Russian Federation and the 5th longest river in Europe. Its basin is located between the Dnieper-Donetsk depression in the west, the Volga basin in the east, and the Oka river basin (a tributary of the Volga) in the north.
The Don originates in the city of Novomoskovsk 60 km southeast of Tula (120 km south of Moscow), and flows about 1870 km to the Sea of Azov. From its source, the river goes southeast to Voronezh, and then southwest to its mouth. The main tributary of the Don is the Seversky Donets.
Table of the largest rivers of the Russian Federation
| River name | Length on the territory of Russia, km | Total length, km | Swimming pool, km² | Water consumption, m³ / s | Place of confluence (estuary) |
| R. Lena | 4400 | 4400 | 2.49 million | 16350 | Laptev sea |
| R. Ob | 3650 | 3650 | 2.99 million | 12492 | Kara Sea |
| R. Volga | 3530 | 3530 | 1.36 million | 8060 | Caspian Sea |
| R. Yenisei | 3487 | 3487 | 2.58 million | 19800 | Kara Sea |
| R. Lower Tunguska | 2989 | 2989 | 473 thousand | 3680 | R. Yenisei |
| R. Amur | 2824 | 2824 | 1.86 million | 12800 | Sea of Okhotsk |
| R. Vilyui | 2650 | 2650 | 454 thousand | 1468 | R. Lena |
| R. Kolyma | 2129 | 2129 | 643 thousand | 3800 | East-Siberian Sea |
| R. Ural | 1550 | 2428 | 231 thousand | 400 | Caspian Sea |
| R. Don | 1870 | 1870 | 422 thousand | 900 | Azov sea |
The rivers is a wonderful gift of nature.
Two large rivers (Kama and Chusovaya), 40 medium rivers and about 29 thousand small rivers flow through the territory of the Perm Territory. Large rivers are those that are more than 500 km long, and small rivers are less than 100 km long.
The most extended and abounding rivers of the Perm Territory:
The length of the Kama (1805 km) is the sixth river in Europe after the Volga, Danube, Ural, Don and Pechora.
|
Chusovaya |
529 km |
|
Sylva |
493 km |
|
Vishera |
415 km |
|
Colva |
460 km |
|
Yayva |
403 km |
|
Kosva |
283 km |
|
Scythe |
267 km |
|
Veslyana |
266 km |
|
Yinva |
257 km |
|
Collapse |
247 km |
The rivers of the Western Urals are very picturesque and varied in character. Some are typically flat (these are all the right tributaries of the Kama: Kosa, Urolka, Kondas, Inva, Obva and others: some left: Veslyana, Lupya, Yuzhnaya Keltma, Tulva, Saygatka). They have a calm current, a winding channel with numerous meanders, islands, channels, aquatic vegetation. Their floodplains abound with oxbows, lakes and are often swampy.
The left-bank tributaries of the Kama, originating in the Ural Mountains, in the upper reaches are typically mountain rivers with a fast flow. Outcrops of numerous stones and picturesque cliffs are often found along the banks of these rivers. The channel abounds with rifts, rapids and small waterfalls. Going out onto the plain, the rivers lose their mountainous character.
The total length of all rivers in the region exceeds 80,000 km. The total area of all rivers and lakes in our region is about 2% of its entire surface, much more than in neighboring regions. This is probably why the Kama region is called the water edge.
In addition to rivers, our region has about 800 lakes and more than 300 ponds, three large reservoirs: Kamskoye, Votkinskoye and Shirokovskoye.
Lakes poetically called "the blue eyes of the planet." In the Perm region there are a variety of types of lakes: deep and shallow, small and medium, flowing and closed, surface and underground, floodplain, karst, tectonic, natural and man-made, fresh and salty, overgrown, completely lifeless and rich in fish, with beautiful names and completely unnamed. However, most of the lakes are small, floodplain and unnamed. By the number of lakes, Prikamye is inferior to other Ural regions. The total area of lakes in the Perm Territory is only 0.1% of its area.
The most big lakes are located in the north of the region:
- Chusovskoe (19.4 sq. Km)
- Big Kumikush (17.8 sq. Km)
- Novozhilovo (7.12 sq. Km)
The most deep lakes (all of them are of karst origin):
- Rogalek (depth 61 m)
- White (depth 46 m)
- Bolshoye in Dobryansky district (depth 30 m)
Highest salinity of the surface lakes is the Igum Lake (25.6 g / l) in the Solikamsk region.
The largest underground at present, it is considered a lake in the grotto of Friendship of Peoples in the Kungur Ice Cave (about 1300 sq. m.). In total, over 60 lakes have been discovered in this cave. Lakes are also known in other karst caves - Pashiyskaya, Divya, Kizelovskaya.
Lake Blue- a burrow of an underground river.
Some lakes of the Kama region are protected by the state. The state reserve on Lake Chusovskoye was created to protect flocks of migratory birds of many thousands. The nature reserve on Lake Adovo is designed to preserve the nesting grounds of the whooper swan, which is rare in the region.
Ponds and reservoirs... Ponds were created in the Kama region for a variety of purposes: to regulate the flow of small rivers, for the needs of small-scale energy, timber rafting, fishing, water supply, irrigation, to decorate rural areas. The largest ponds:
Nytvensky (area 6.7 sq. Km) on the Nytva River
Seminsky (area 5.2 sq. Km) on the Zyryanka river
Ochersky (area 4.3 sq. Km) on the Travyanka river
The most ancient ones were created 150-200 years ago at the old Ural factories. Now about five dozen such veteran ponds as Ochersky, Nytvensky, Pashiysky, Pavlovsky, Yugo-Kamsky and others have become unique monuments of history and culture.
There are also reservoirs larger than ponds in the region - reservoirs created in connection with the construction of hydroelectric power plants: Kamskoye and Votkinskoye on the Kama, Shirokovskoye on Kosva.
|
Indicator |
Kamskoe |
Votkinskoe |
Shirokovskoe |
|
Normal retaining level, m above sea level |
108,5 |
89,0 |
296,0 |
|
Full volume, cubic km |
12,2 |
||
|
Surface area, sq. Km |
1910 |
1120 |
|
|
Depth at the dam, m |
|||
|
Reservoir length, km |
24,5 |
||
|
Year of filling |
1954 |
1961 |
1948 |
|
HPP capacity, thousand kW |
1000 |
Swamps in the Perm Territory are widespread, both riding and lowland. Swamps and lakes in the north of the region are traces of the former continental glaciation. Some of the bogs were formed as a result of natural processes in low-flow reservoirs. Often, human economic activity leads to waterlogging: intensive deforestation, the creation of reservoirs, the construction of dams, and the construction of roads.
There are over 800 swamps in the Perm Territory, the peat deposits of which may be of industrial importance. But the development of peat in many bogs is not recommended because of their role in water protection, biological and other valuable qualities. In addition, cranberries and cloudberries, rich in vitamins, grow in the swamps. Many marshes are good grasslands.
Most large swamps are located in the north of the region:
Bolshoye Kamskoye (area 810 sq. Km)
Dzhurich-Nyur (area 350 sq. Km)
Byzimskoe (area 194 sq. Km)
The groundwater... The variety of natural conditions of the region has created many of their types. Fresh waters with excellent drinking qualities are especially widely represented. Recently, several dozen types of mineral waters have been discovered in the Kama region, many of which are of interest for resort construction. So far, iodine-bromine and hydrogen sulfide waters are most widely used in the resorts of Ust-Kachka, Klyuchi and in the hydropathic institutions of the city of Perm.
Russia possesses a huge territory, when studying the relief of which more than 2 million rivers can be seen. They paint whimsical patterns and stretch out of the country. Some are small and do not exceed a few meters in size. Consider the longest rivers of Russia .
The longest rivers in Russia - Ob, Yenisei, Lena, Amur, Irtysh
Top 12 longest rivers in Russia
Ob - length 3650 km
It flows in Siberia and is 3,650 km. Formed by the confluence of Katun and Biya. It forms 5 410 km together with its tributary Irtysh, therefore it has the title of the longest river. This length is considered the second in all of Asia and the first in Russia. The Ob is fed mainly by snow. As for fish, there are about 50 species. Of industrial importance are: pike perch, perch, bream, pike. Valuable species include: sturgeon, wild boil, peled, sterlet.
Yenisei - length 3487 km
Yenisei... Like the Ob, it flows in Siberia and flows into the Kara Sea. Length 3 487 - is counted from the confluence of the Big Yenisei and Small. This body of water divides Siberia into Western and Eastern. Food is mixed: snow (prevailing), rain and underground. Many different rivers flow into the Yenisei, and their total length exceeds 300,000 km. The Yenisei is an important waterway of the Krasnoyarsk Territory.
Lena - length 4294 km
A long and full-flowing river. Falls into 10 significant rivers of the world. It flows in the Irkutsk region, as well as Yakutia. In Russia, it is considered the largest, provided that the basin of the reservoir is within the territory of the country. It flows into the Laptev Sea. The length is 4,294 km, the basin is 2,490 thousand square meters. km. The source of the Lena is a small lake near Lake Baikal. This river is the sea transport route of Yakutia. When the ice melts on the Lena in spring, it floods the coastal areas, so they are poorly populated, there are 6 cities.
Amur - length 2824 km
Amur... The river of the Far East, flows in Russia, China and Mongolia. The Chinese call Amur the Black Dragon River. It is formed by the Argun and Shilka rivers. They say that the source is a stream that flows into the Onon, which merges with the Ingoda River, after which Shilka is formed. Length - 2 824 km. The Amur will flow into the Amur estuary. Differs in a variety of ichthyofauna - about 108 fish species, of which 36 are important for fishing.
Irtysh - length 4248 km
Volga - length 3690 km
This is the largest river in Europe. In addition to Russia, it also takes place in Kazakhstan. The original length is 3,690 km, after repeated construction of reservoirs - 3,530 km. There are 4 large cities of Russia on the Volga: Volgograd, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod and Samara. It is considered the largest river in the world that does not flow into the oceans. The estuary is located in the Caspian Sea. Its basin is one third of the European territory of Russia. The Volga feeds on snow, rain and ground waters. There are 70 species of fish in the Volga, most of them are commercial.
Lower Tunguska - length 2989 km
Vilyui - length 2650 km
Kolyma - length 2129 km
Kolyma... The river is located on the territory of the Magadan region of Russia and Yakutia. The length of the Kolyma is 2,129 km, it is considered from the source of the Kenelichi (the right part of the Kulu River). It flows into the Kolyma Bay (East Siberian Sea). Kolyma is a navigable river with three major ports.
Ural - length 2428 km
Don - length 1870 km
Like the Volga it flows in Europe, but it is inferior in size, its length is 1,870 km. The source is in the Central Russian Upland, the mouth is the Sea of Azov (Taganrog Bay). The Don is important as a navigable river. Seversky Donets is the largest tributary. In the Don, there are up to 70 species of fish, but due to the ecological state, their stocks are decreasing.
Khatanga - length from the source of Kotuy 1636 km
Khatanga... The river of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Formed by the confluence of the Kheta and Kotui rivers. The length from the source of the latter is 1,636 km. It flows into the Khatanga Bay (Laptev Sea). There are 112 lakes in the basin of the reservoir, the total area of which exceeds 11 thousand square meters. km. Khatanga is navigable and is used for catching omul, nelma, vendace.
Everyone understands the long rivers of Russia in their own way. Some people want to hear about those that completely flow on the territory of the country, for others - the main thing is that most of them are “at home”.
The largest rivers in Russia by basin area
The rivers, which we considered earlier as the longest, will be included in this list, but we will add three more to them: the Dnieper, the Northern Dvina and the Indigirka. Consider the largest rivers in Russia and interesting facts about them.
The Ob basin is 2,990 thousand square meters. km. In the southern part there is the Novosibirsk reservoir. The Ob Sea serves as the basis for several sanatoriums and recreation centers. Many people from neighboring regions come here to relax.
The Yenisei basin - 2 580 thousand sq. km. The point where the Big Yenisei and Small Yenisei merge is considered the center of Asia. This prompted the establishment of the obelisk symbol. There is a ski complex near Krasnoyarsk.
The Lena basin occupies a relatively slightly smaller area than the Yenisei basin - 2,490 thousand square meters. km. On the coast is the village of Sottintsy with a population of about 2 thousand people. It houses the historical and architectural Lenin Museum "Friendship".
The area of the Amur basin is 1,855 thousand square meters. km. This river has the highest indicator of fish diversity - 108 species, but 36 species are of commercial importance.
The Volga basin is 1,361 thousand square meters. km. The ancient Romans called the river generous, and the Arabs called it great. Back in the 8th century, it was of great importance - it was used to transport gold, furs, honey, wax, and slaves.
Kolyma has a swimming pool with an area of two times less - 643 thousand square meters. km. On the right side, the river is still called Kulu, as the Evens called it. There are gold deposits in the basin. The Kolymskaya HPP is located on it - it provides electricity to the entire Magadan and the region.
The Don basin covers 422 thousand square meters. km. This river is every fisherman's dream. People come here to "hunt" 90 species of fish. Interestingly, there are two rivers with this name in England.
The area of the Khatanga basin is 364 thousand square meters. km. There are many islands in the river bed, the basin itself has 112 lakes.
The Yakutsk Indigirka River has a pool with an area of 360 thousand square meters. km. It is interesting to know that the north pole is located on this river - the village of Oymyakon. And also on it there is a city-monument, whose inhabitants died out from smallpox in the 19th century - Zashiversk.
The Northern Dvina flows in the north of Russia in its European part. Swimming pool with an area of 357 thousand sq. km. The old steamer "N. V. Gogol ”, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2011.
In large rivers of Russia we will also include the Dnieper with a swimming pool of 504 thousand sq. km. In addition to our country, it passes through Ukraine and Belarus. In Kiev, the Dnieper Day is celebrated annually in summer (1 Saturday in July). It is the third largest river in Europe, after the Danube and the Volga.
Rivers on the border of Russia
Russia is adjacent to eighteen countries, and only Japan and the United States are considered maritime borders. The rest are considered overland, but this does not prevent them from including rivers. Consider the border water bodies of Russia.
Let's start from the western border - the Barents Sea, and move towards the South. Between Norway and Russia we will see the Pasvik River. After her, the country borders on Finland. We see the Gulf of Finland in the Baltic Sea, which is located in the southwest. Further on is the Kaliningrad region. It borders Lithuania and Poland. Most of this border runs along the Neman, as well as its tributary Sheshupe.
Continuing the journey from the Gulf of Finland, we will see the border from the Narva River, as well as the Pskov and Peipsi lakes. Then Russia and its neighbors are separated by a land border. It is sometimes crossed by such rivers as the Western Dvina, Desna, Dnieper, Seim, Oskol and Seversky Donets. The plowed open spaces of the fields stretch right up to the Taganrog Bay of the Azov Sea. All this was the division of territories with Estonia, Latvia, Belarus and Ukraine.
The southern border begins in the Kerch Strait, which connects the Azov and Black Seas. We draw a line to the mouth of the Psou - the beginning of the border with Georgia, Azerbaijan. It runs along the river valley, and then along the ridges of the Greater Caucasus. Further, the border will turn north and go along the Samur River valley up to the Caspian Sea. Passing through it, it again becomes land and is laid across deserts and steppes. The border with Kazakhstan is not clearly fixed and runs along the course of the Irtysh. A small part of the border is fixed by the rivers: Ural, Ilek, Maly Uzen, Tobol and its multiple tributaries, including the Uy.
The eastern border clearly runs along the ridges separating two river basins: Katun and Bukhtarma. The border from Altai to the Pacific Ocean practically all stretches along the mountain belt. However, there are the "border" rivers Amur, Argun, Ussuri and its tributary Sungach. Rivers create the neighborhood with China almost everywhere. The Tumannaya River forms the border with North Korea and leads it to the Sea of Japan.
In the east, Russia is a neighbor of the United States and Japan. They are separated by a sea border: the Pacific Ocean with the Japanese, Okhotsk, Bering seas and numerous straits. The northern border is also maritime: the seas of the Arctic Ocean.
Now, looking at the map, you will see the borders that create the seas, rivers and lakes of Russia and neighboring states.
The main navigable rivers of Russia: description, economic importance and ecology
The main, of course, are the navigable rivers of Russia and those that play a significant role in the Russian economy. However, this exploitation leads to severe pollution of water basins. Let's consider the situation in more detail:
- About two dozen reservoirs of various volumes have been built on the Ob. And also in its basin oil production activities are carried out, which a priori cannot have a good effect on the state of its basin. A hydroelectric power station operates near Novosibirsk. Wastewater and swampy forests provoke even greater water pollution and environmental degradation throughout the country.
- The deepest rivers in Russia and the world, like the Lena, for example, are doomed to all kinds of exploitation. It is navigable and therefore of great importance, since the transport networks along its shores are not very developed. However, such intensive use adversely affects the quality of water and the state of the ichthyofauna. In its basin, enterprises for the extraction of gold and diamonds are carried out. And also there are 12 reservoirs and hydroelectric power plants.
- Part of the Amur basin belongs to China, as it is a border river. It has well-developed shipping, there are 37 reservoirs of various sizes. In addition, 29 more small reservoirs have been built on small rivers. The waters of the basin are polluted by sewage and emissions from engineering, electrical, mining and other industries.
- The Yenisei, like the Lena, belongs to the high-water rivers. There are 39 reservoirs and 3 hydroelectric power plants in its basin. Its enormous resources are capable of providing the Krasnoyarsk Territory even in the distant future. The river is considered very promising for other regions.
- The Volga is the largest river in Europe. It is famous for its navigable canals that connect it to four seas: Azov, Black, White and Baltic. There are about 12 reservoirs on the river, which are essential for transport, fisheries, energy and others.
- The Don is very important for the Volga-Don shipping channel. However, frequent ships provoke rapid pollution of its waters.
- The Urals basin is considered to be in short supply, but it is used for various types of industry. Especially for this, the Iriklinsky hydroelectric complex was built on the river.
- From all of the above, two conclusions can be drawn: good - the widest rivers in Russia are counted in many thousands of kilometers, which makes the state rich in natural water resources, bad - the country pollutes them heavily, which leads to inevitable environmental problems of a global nature.
Volga river - description, meaning and ecology
The Volga joins the list of the largest rivers in the whole world. It flows in the northern part of Russia, located in Europe. The source is located in the Valdai Upland, the mouth in the Caspian Sea. Its length today is 3530 km, but initially (before the construction of reservoirs and hydroelectric power plants) it was 3,690 km. Its pool area is 1,360,000 square meters. km, which is 8% of the vast territory of the country. Without flowing into the ocean, it becomes the largest in the internal flow. The Volga is fed by snow (60%), groundwater and rainwater (30 and 10%).
Today, about half of all industry and agriculture in Russia is concentrated in the river basin. Twenty percent of fish catch comes from the Volga. It has 9 reservoirs with hydroelectric power plants. The waterway connection with the Azov, Baltic, White and Black Seas is of great importance for shipping. The canal connecting the capital with the Volga is very important, as it provides navigation and water supply to Moscow.
Attention should be paid to the ecological problems of the river. 38% is an impressive indicator of polluted wastewater, which falls on the Volga from the all-Russian one. Such a strong pollution provokes the development of mutant fish, and poisonous algae, decomposing, emit about 2 hundred poisons, which are still unknown to science today. The progress indicators of her deterioration are more and more shocking every year.
The researchers noted that after the construction of dams, the river lost the ability to cleanse itself, which indicates the hopelessness of the situation if people do not intervene in stopping the environmental problem. The Volga is a river of enormous resources, which provokes the abuse of its reserves. This is what leads to the rapid deterioration of the ecological state of the water basin.
Lena river - description, meaning and ecology
Russia's northern rivers are the largest in the entire country. Lena is the tenth largest in the world. It can be considered the largest in the Russian Federation, since the basin is located entirely within the country. The main tributaries are: Mama, Vilyui, Aldan, Chaya, etc. Its source is located near Lake Baikal, and its mouth is in the Laptev Sea. The length of the river is 4,480 km, the basin area is 2,490,000 sq. km.
Lena's food is mainly due to melt and rainwater. The eternal cold and permafrost prevent it from being fed by groundwater. The river is of great importance in the transport sense, since many navigable routes pass through it. In its basin, work is underway for the extraction of gold and diamonds. In addition, there are more than a dozen reservoirs and hydroelectric power plants in operation.
In addition, its rich fauna is important. The fish resources in Lena are truly inexhaustible. Since no dams have been built on it, fish have a large amount of food, and this stimulates an even greater diversity of ichthyofauna. Siberian sturgeons (listed in the Red Book), sterlet, pike, and nelma are found in its waters.
It is worth saying that the Lena before the construction of reservoirs and the active exploitation of people was one of the cleanest rivers in the world. However, even today, in comparison with others, it is considered not so polluted. Perhaps because there are not too many settlements along it. This is due to the fact that it can overflow the coast.
With regard to environmental problems, then, of course, shipping and the extraction of precious metals have a negative impact. However, researchers today note the problem of global warming, which adversely affects the northern rivers of Russia. It provokes large floods that destroy the banks.
It is worth knowing that on the banks of the Lena there is a beautiful national park called "Lena Pillars".
The Ob river - description, meaning and ecology
The widest rivers in Russia cannot be imagined without the Ob. It flows in the western part of Siberia and is the longest in the territory of the Russian Federation. It should be noted that its size gives it the right to be the second in Asia. It forms the confluence of Biya and Katun. The length is 3,650 km, and the area of the basin is 2,990,000 sq. km (the largest figure in the country). In the north, the Ob flows into the Kara Sea, thereby forming a gulf - the Ob Bay. The river is considered to be the third in terms of fullness. The deepest rivers in Russia are Lena and Yenisei.
There is the Novosibirsk reservoir on the Ob. The dam was built for 11 years, starting in 1950. Local residents call this place the Ob Sea. There are resorts and sanatoriums here. Residents of many nearby regions come here to relax. Oddly enough, but the canal, built at the end of the 19th century, connecting the Ob with the Yenisei, is not used today and looks quite abandoned.
The main sources of the Ob are considered Tom, Charysh, Irtysh, Ket and Chulym. The river is fed mainly by snow. There are about 50 species of fish in its waters. Half of them are of commercial importance. Sterlet, sturgeon (their catch is punishable by a fine), peled and several other species are considered valuable. The target of the fishermen are: pike perch, ide, pike, roach, perch, crucian carp and others.
There are several cities on the Ob, but Novosibirsk and Barnaul are considered the largest in terms of population. As for economic use, cargo and passenger ships can be seen from time to time almost anywhere in the river. Extraction of minerals is carried out in the Ob. And also on the river there is the Novosibirsk hydroelectric power station. The river is used for water supply to all nearby settlements.
It is worth paying attention to the fact that the upper reaches of the Ob (the region of Biysk, Barnaul and Novosibirsk) are an excellent place for fishing. Fans of extreme sports can relax on the rafting of the tributaries of the river. In summer, you can come to rest and pamper yourself with the wonderful fruits that ripen in Siberia - grapes, melons, watermelons.
As for the ecological state, then, of course, such exploitation cannot have a positive effect on the Ob and its tributaries.
Hangara, video
Walk along the Ob River on a motor ship, video
Enisey, video
It can be said with great confidence that Russia is the country most provided with fresh water. There are more than 2.5 million rivers (both small and large) on the territory of the Russian Federation. They all belong to the three oceans. Let's talk with you about what are the most important rivers in Russia. The names of most of them have developed historically, so we will touch on the past a little. There are many amazing rivers and lakes on the territory of the Russian Federation.
Some general information
About 70% of the rivers that are in Russia belong to the Arctic Ocean. The longest and deepest rivers flow into the basin, such as the Yenisei, Oba, Lena, etc. Amur and Anadyr are referred to the Pacific Ocean basin. The features of the last two are relatively short length and rapid current. The Don belongs to the Atlantic Ocean basin. One important point should not be missed, which is that many rivers are located in several border states at once, for example, in Mongolia, Ukraine or Belarus.
As already noted a little above, there are more than 2.5 million rivers on the territory of Russia. This fact speaks of a huge supply of fresh water. This is also very important for agriculture and industry. For example, there is no such problem as drought on farmland due to sufficient water resources. It should also be said that the total length of all rivers in Russia is about 10 million km. You would probably think that our country ranks first in the world in terms of water resources? No, unfortunately, the second. The first is Brazil, where the volume of fresh river water is slightly larger.
The average long-term runoff is 4290 cubic meters per year. This is quite a lot, but given the uneven location of rivers in the country and various difficulties in organizing the rational use of water resources, the stable annual flow is only 1400 cubic meters. As for the amount of water per person, in the Russian Federation it is about 18 thousand cubic meters per year, while in the USA - 8 thousand cubic meters, in Finland - 23.9 thousand cubic meters for the same period.
Let's take a closer look at the main rivers of Russia. There are very different names - invented by both other peoples and indigenous people. Let's start with the fun part.
The main river of Russia - the Volga
Surface waters occupy 12.4% of the total territory of the country. Moreover, 84% is concentrated in the east of the Urals. On the territory of Russia there is one of the largest rivers in the whole world, and this is the Volga. Its basin occupies more than 30% of the European part of the Russian Federation. It flows through four regions and eleven republics.
If you list the rivers of Russia, the names of which are most often mentioned in history, then the Volga will be in first place. Its length is over 3,500 kilometers. This is the distance between Berlin and Moscow multiplied by two.
Of course, the Volga is simply of great economic importance, and for hundreds of years it has been used as a transport highway, as well as one of the main sources of hydropower.
If we talk about the industrial production of Russia as a whole, then about 45% of enterprises use the resource of the river in question. All this suggests that the Volga is of great importance. If it were not for this reservoir, then it would be much more difficult for us to live.
The names of large rivers in Russia, such as the Volga and others, should be remembered if only because we get more than 80% of all fish from them.
The Volga takes its origin in the Valdai Upland. Every year people come there to take a sip of the Volga water. In the indicated place, this river is a small fontanelle, which becomes wider and deeper with each meter. Here lotuses grow - beautiful flowers that we all associate with the East. Many songs and plays are dedicated to this great and ancient river. You can talk endlessly about the beauty and greatness of this river, but all this is not very impressive if you do not see the reservoir with your own eyes. You already know how many rivers there are in Russia, so let's talk about those that are of great importance for the development of the country.
Cupid, or "Black Dragon"
This giant is located in Transbaikalia. Crossing mountain ranges and plains, the Amur flows into the river spread over three states: Russia, Mongolia and China. Approximately three thousand kilometers of the border between Russia and China runs along the Amur. In China, it is a dragon. According to legend, for a very, very long time, two dragons lived here: the white one is evil, and the black one is kind. When the black dragon defeated evil, it remained to live at the bottom. The Chinese have stuck with this name.
It is noteworthy that on the border of the Amur basin one can observe an amazing sight - the change of four physical and geographical zones. There are steppe and semi-desert zones, as well as forest and forest-steppe zones. During the entire existence of the Amur, more than thirty peoples of the world and different ethnic groups have settled in these places. If you recall the name of the large rivers of Russia, then the Amur immediately comes to mind.
It is safe to say that the wetlands of the Far Eastern giant are considered a very valuable natural complex. The fact is that fish resources are reproduced here, and the river is also of great importance for the migration of hundreds of thousands of birds. It is on the Amur that almost 95% of the Far Eastern and also 50% of the Daurian and Japanese cranes nest. There are more than 5,000 species of various plants and about 400 species of birds, as well as 70 species of mammals. One of the rarest is the Amur tiger.
In recent years, the situation on the Amur has deteriorated significantly. This is due to active human intervention in the ecosystem of the river. The fact is that more than one hundred million people live in the Amur basin, and this is if we talk only about China. If we still know exactly how many rivers there are in Russia, then in a few years the Amur may not be there, and man will be to blame for everything.
Don is a witness to Russian history
According to the studies, scientists were able to name the approximate time of the emergence of this river. According to most scientists, the Don appeared about 23 million years ago. It is the largest river in the south. In Greek literature, there is such a name as Tanais. A long time ago, the legendary Amazons lived here - warriors, who were practically unparalleled. There are references to these women warriors in Russian stories, according to which they often fought with the heroes of Russia.
If you list the rivers of Russia, the names of which were given by other peoples, then the Don is one of them. Iranian peoples lived for some time in the places of the Northern Black Sea region, then these tribes gave the name to the river, which is still used today. Don translated into Russian means "river".
In many ways, the economy of the south depends on river transport. Most of them are carried out precisely along the Don. It is safe to say that about 85% of the main industry is located on the banks of the river. There are machine-building plants, food and chemical, as well as the tobacco industry. Not without energy. The Rostov nuclear power plant is located on the Don, as well as the Novovoronezh nuclear power plant.
It is worth drawing your attention to the fact that there are three Dons all over the world. The most important one is located on the territory of Russia, it is also the largest. The younger namesake runs in the Scottish county of Aberdeen. Another Don is located in York, England.
As you can see, the rivers located on the territory of Russia are very popular, and some are known even in foreign countries. We continue our story further, because there is still a lot of interesting things.
What is the longest river in Russia?
The answer to this question is certainly of interest to many. The Lena River is the longest in the territory of the Russian Federation. In the world, it ranks tenth in length and eighth in deep water. It originates in the mountains in the south of Siberia and flows into the Laptev Sea. The length of the river is 4,400 kilometers.
Lena originates on the slopes of the Baikal ridge. In those places it is a very small lake, which does not even have its own name. It is located at an altitude of about 930 meters above sea level, ten kilometers from Lake Baikal. Among the mountains, the Lena has no tributaries and flows along the bottom of a small valley. In winter, it almost completely freezes, and in summer it dries up almost completely.
Having received the first tributaries, the river becomes deeper and wider. Mountain currents are very fast and meandering. If you ask which long river in Russia is of great importance for the country, then this is undoubtedly Lena. The fact is that this reservoir is the main transport artery of Yakutia. Almost everything that is brought here from the north comes by river. This is due to the poor condition of the roads.
It is impossible not to consider the issue of population. Studies have shown that few people live on the banks of the Lena. Most of the settlements are located in Yakutsk, for the rest, we are talking only about
Today it is almost impossible to establish where the name came from. Scientists make assumptions that the origin of the name refers to the Tungus-Manchurian "Yelyu-Ene", which means "Big River".
The Russians discovered the reservoir in 1621. First, it was done by the explorer Pyanda, and then by the centurion Peter Beketov.
Borisfen, or Dnipro
This river flows through the territory of three countries: Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. Despite the fact that most of it is located in the Russian Federation, the Dnieper is of great importance for all the listed states. It is difficult to say exactly when this source of food and water for ancient peoples appeared. However, even Herodotus in his treatises mentioned a river called "Borisfen" and its great importance for the population. Then he said that this is one of the most profitable rivers in the whole world. Much has been said about the high quality of the water. It was transparent and tasty. A large number of fish living in the Dnieper contributed to the development of fishing villages.
Today, the river is approximately 2,201 kilometers long and is the third longest in Europe. The Dnieper is characterized by a slow and calm current. In fact, this is a typical flat river.
The Dnieper takes its origin on the Valdai Upland in the Smolensk region. It flows into the Black Sea, or to be more precise, into the Dnieper-Bug estuary.
If you list all the rivers flowing through the territory of Russia, then the Dnieper is one of the most fertile, as it has more than 400 tributaries and a lot of fish. It is home to catfish, pike perch, carp, perch, as well as about a hundred species of various birds, including a plover, a herbalist, a swan, a duck and many others.
You can talk endlessly about how beautiful the Dnieper is during sunset or dawn, but it's better to see all this once, and it doesn't matter where you are - in Russia, Ukraine or Belarus.
Yenisei is the real pride of the country
There are legends about the origin of this river. But all the stories are not supported by facts. It is unknown where the name came from. Someone says that from the Tungus peoples, from the word "Enesi", which means "big water". Another part of researchers and scientists is inclined to the Kyrgyz origin from the word "enee-say" - "mother river". But one thing is for sure: this is a unique river. The fact is that camels are found in the upper reaches of the Yenisei, and if you go downstream, then with a high probability you can meet whole families of polar bears hunting on the shores. It is noteworthy that the Siberian plains are located on the left bank of the river, and the taiga begins on the right. The Yenisei also has a certain influence on the Arctic Ocean. The fact is that Siberian rivers carry out a huge amount of heat, making the climate of the North less severe.
If we describe the large rivers of Russia, which carry out significant volumes of water from their channel, then the Yenisei is in the first place. Approximately 600 km 3 of water per year goes into Eto, several times more than the runoff of the Volga. The length of the reservoir is 3,487 km, so it rightfully ranks fifth in length in the Russian Federation. The Yenisei is very beautiful, especially in summer and winter, when it is covered with greenery or snow. Of course, there are other long rivers of Russia, which we will talk about now.
Oka and Ural
As you probably already noticed, the names of the largest rivers in Russia sometimes have nothing to do with the activities of Russian people in their native territory. Oka, for example, originates from the Finno-Ugric word "ioku", which means "river". Since ancient times, the Oka has been an important trade artery. After that it became the defensive line of the south of Russia. For our country, the river is very important, since all of central Russia lies on the banks of the Oka. Its basin area is slightly more than 240,000 km 2. In fact, this is the same as the whole of Great Britain. The length of the river is 1,500 kilometers.
Despite the fact that it is not the largest in Russia, it is more important than the Nile for the Egyptians. There are several important reserves on the Oka. One of them is located in the central stream - the Prioksko-Terrasny, the second - the Oksky State Biosphere Reserve - is located in the Ryazan region.
The Volga and Danube are the longest rivers in Europe. In third place is the Ural, which stretches for 2,428 kilometers. In ancient times, the river was called "Yaik", which in translation from the Turkic means "flooding, overflowing". During the reign of Catherine II in 1775, the river was renamed Ural, however, despite this, in Kazakhstan, most people use the previous name.
As you can see, the name of the big rivers of Russia quite often has a foreign origin. The peoples living on the territory of the country gave their names to the reservoirs.
The most surprising thing is that one coast of the Urals is in Europe, and the other is in Asia. Today, many tourists and fishermen can be seen along the river, but navigable interest has practically disappeared, so it is difficult to call the Urals an important trade and transport artery of Russia.
Everyone should know
It is safe to say that it is necessary to remember the great rivers of Russia, because this is our history. For example, the Volga - one of the largest rivers in the world - enchants with its grandeur. Here you can meet amazing representatives of flora and fauna. If you love nature, then be sure to go to the Urals. To be more precise, visit a part of it, located a little lower than Orsk.
The gorge of the Guberlin Mountains, as well as the Orsk Gate, have wonderful views. There are many geological and landscape monuments here, which, although not important for the infrastructure of Russia, are of interest to travelers. It is in the Urals that many fans of active fishing gather. Here you can also see a lot of tourists traveling along the stream.
The largest river in all respects is located in Siberia, and this is the Ob. It is formed by the merger of two currents, such as the Katun and Biya. The length is often considered from the very source of the Irtysh, in this case the river stretches for 5,410 kilometers. A large number of industrial bases are located on the Ob. This is due to the fact that more than fifty species of various aquatic inhabitants live in this reservoir. Approximately 25 fish species are of industrial importance, therefore shipping is very well developed here.
However, not everything is as cloudless as it seems at first glance. Ecology is a significant problem. The name of the rivers of Russia (we examined the list above) has long become something familiar to us, so it is important to take into account that some water bodies are endangered.
Conclusion
So we examined the name of the rivers of Russia. The list turned out to be impressive, but, in fact, it is only a few percent of the total water resource of the state.
A very important issue, which is raised more and more every year, is the ecological situation. A large number of dams and chemical plants on the banks of large rivers significantly worsen the living conditions of their inhabitants. As a result, fish production decreases, water quality suffers.
I would like to note that for Russia small rivers are no less important than such giants as the Lena, Volga, etc. The fact is that they form the tributaries of many large rivers. But, as practice shows, uncontrolled water intake from small sources leads to their narrowing, shallow water and even drying out. Today, irrevocable consumption is about 4% per year, which is quite a lot. At this rate, about 50% of small rivers will be lost in 12 years.
The situation can be slightly improved only in the following way: by reducing the amount of wastewater. But hardly anyone is going to deal with this issue. All ordinary residents can do is not to fish illegally and not to litter the water.
Small business also causes great damage to the rivers of the Russian Federation, but this is incomparable with the harm that the operation of hydroelectric and nuclear power plants entails. Do not forget that many rivers are located on the territory of several states at once. But if the population, for example, of Belarus is not so large, especially on the banks of rivers, then in China hundreds of millions of people live in the coastal zone, depleting a natural resource.
In any case, take care of nature, do not throw garbage into rivers, as this negatively affects the quality of the water we drink. In the end, all this affects our health with you.
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