Top most interesting rivers in Russia (7 photos). Rivers and lakes of Russia What rivers are known in our region

In Africa, India, the Andes, Colombia, China, Tibet, many amazing rivers flow. There is the longest and shortest, the shallowest and deepest, and many more of the very best! Russia is no exception. Still would! Among the 2.8 million rivers that flow through the country, there is more than one unique one. About long and deep write everywhere. And we will talk about the winding, full-flowing, bifurcated, salty, changing its course, curious and humorous.

The most sinuous

Pyana, flowing through the Nizhny Novgorod region, is not just a beautiful river, it is the only one of its kind in Russia, and, according to some, in the world. The length of Piana is over 400 km. All the way it winds and wriggles, and in the middle it seems to fold in half. Half the way the river flows towards the west, then abruptly changes its mind, bends to the north and heads to the east. The mouth (the place where a river flows into another river, lake or sea) is located 50-60 km from the source. The exact origin of the river's name has not been established. There are several versions. One of them is alcoholic. The Russian writer, a native of Nizhny Novgorod, Melnikov-Pechersky, said: “... the river was nicknamed Drunk because it staggers in all directions, like a drunken woman. And having traveled five hundred miles in turns and tricks, she resorts to the source and, almost next to it, flows into Sura.

Forked

The phenomenon, when a river bifurcates on a certain section of the path and no longer connects, is called a bifurcation. Starting at the source as one river, the Kur in the Far East branches into two branches in the middle course. One branch flows into the Tunguska River, the second - into the Selgon. The distance between the mouths is 200 km.

famous

The most full. The Yenisei is the first in the list of the largest rivers in Russia, more than 5,000 rivers flow into it. He is also the leader of the slope - 37 cm per 1 km.
Unusual start. The Lena is the only river in Russia whose bed is located in the permafrost region.
with exotic fauna. During the migration period, pale pink flamingos nest on the Volga, and lotuses also grow on the river. The Volga is a popular Russian river, reflected in cinema, poetry, prose and painting.
The purest. The Irtysh still firmly holds the position of one of the few cleanest rivers in the world.
Uniting parts of the world. One bank of the Ural River territorially belongs to Europe, the second - to Asia. In 10 minutes by ferry you can travel from one part of the world to another.

Interesting

Changing current. The famous Shuya in Karelia changes course up to 20 times a year. Nevertheless, this is one of the most interesting rivers for rafting and catamaran rafting.
Salty. Each liter of water from the small Solyanka River, which flows into the Lena near Olekminsk, contains 21 grams of dissolved salt.
Fresh and salty. The small Berdyanka, flowing in the Orenburg region, is freshwater from the beginning to half. And approaching the mouth, it becomes salty. The fact is that in the lower reaches it erodes a layer of salt.
Flow pattern. From a bird's eye view, you can see that the right tributary of the Volga - the Sviyaga River - flows parallel to the Volga for 400 km, but only in the opposite direction.

Pride of the north

Picturesque. The Indigirka, flowing through the harsh taiga and forest-tundra of Yakutia, is on the list of the most beautiful rivers in the world. In its middle section, the river flows through a large 100-kilometer mountain gorge.
Wayward. The slow current of the Chirka-Kemi, which carries its waters through the territory of northern Karelia, is quickly replaced by fast, seething whirlpools. Famous for its rapids and rifts, it attracts Russian and foreign thrill-seekers to rafting. Like the Indigirka, it is on the list of unique picturesque rivers.

funny

With the same name. On the territory of the Voronezh region there are two separate rivers with the same name - Maiden. This is not the whole curiosity. Both rivers have tributaries with the same names - Rossoshka. But this is not the end either. Both of them fall into the Don!
With humor. The Elk River flows through Moscow. What is the name of its main tributary? Elk!
The role of rivers cannot be overestimated. They are transport routes, water resources for the life of people, animals and plants, "roads" for travelers and a magnificent decoration of the planet! If you are a fan of river recreation, extreme rafting or just an avid fisherman - welcome to Russia!

About 2.5 million rivers can be found on the territory of Russia. Most of the rivers are not very long and deep. Their length, as a rule, is no more than 100 kilometers. But if we talk about large rivers, they are truly huge and reach shocking sizes.

The Ob River is located in Siberia. It is obtained by the confluence of the rivers Biya and Katun. If you count from the source of the Irtysh, then its length is 5410 kilometers. Thanks to these figures, it has become the longest river in our country. The river flows in the North into the Gulf of Ob - a bay in the Kara Sea. The area of ​​the Ob basin is 2,990,000 square kilometers. Of course, more than 50 species of fish live in the waters of this river. Half of them are of industrial importance.

There is another river in Siberia - the Yenisei. It flows into the Kara Sea. From the sources of the Small Yenisei, the length of the river is 4287 kilometers. It flows on the territory of two countries - Mongolia and ours. The area is 2,580,000 square kilometers. Thanks to this, the Yenisei takes the second place in our rating.

The river originates in the mountains of Siberia. Further, it flows into the Laptev Sea. This pen is considered one of the largest Russian rivers. Its length reaches 4,480 kilometers. And the area, in turn, is 2,490,000 square kilometers. So Lena is in third place on our list. Some believe that the Russians first learned about this river in the 17th century, sending a detachment of Cossacks to search for it.

The Amur passes through the territory of three states: China, Mongolia and Russia. The basin area is 1,855,000 square kilometers. The length is 2824 kilometers. There are many points of view about the origin of Cupid. The most important of them is the basis of the Tungus-Manchu languages ​​"Amar" and "Damur".

The next river on our list originates from the Valdai plateau in the Tver region. On Earth, the river is considered one of the largest. And all because its length is 3530 kilometers. It is located on the territory of two countries - Kazakhstan and Russia. The area of ​​the basin is 1,361,000 square kilometers.

You will find this river in Yakutia. Its length is 2,129 kilometers. The river was formed by the confluence of the two rivers Kulu and Ayan-Yuryakh. Further, the Kolyma flows into the Kolyma Bay. As for the basin area, it is about 645,000 square kilometers. Kolyma was opened not only by Russians, but also by valiant Cossacks.

The Don River flows in Russia. It takes its beginning on the Central Russian Upland. The area of ​​the Don reaches 422,000 square kilometers, and the length is about 1870 kilometers. The Don is still considered one of the most ancient rivers in our country. Two million-plus cities were built on the Don: Rostov-on-Don and Voronezh.

The river basin is entirely located within the steppe and forest-steppe zones. The Don is also characterized by high spring floods and low low water; at other times, summer floods are very rare. The river freezes, as a rule, in late November - early December. Freeze can last from 140 days in the upper reaches and up to 30-90 days in the lower reaches.

You will see the river in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Its length is 1636 kilometers. Khatanga is obtained at the confluence of two rivers - Kheta and Kotui. Further, it flows into the Khatanga Bay. As for the area of ​​the basin, it is about 364,000 square kilometers. Mainly, the nutrition of Khatanga is snowy. The flood comes from the end of May to August. May freeze at the end of September. In the waters of the river, commercial fishing for omul, vendace, nelma, taimen and char takes place. The river is navigable.

The river originates on the slopes of the Halkan Range. The source consists of two rivers - Omekon and Kuidusun. As for the area, it is equal to 360,000 square kilometers. The length of the Indigirka is 1726 square kilometers. Since the river basin is located in the area of ​​development of permafrost rocks, it is characterized by the formation of large icings. There are several settlements along the river itself. It is also navigable from the mouth of the Moma River. The main marinas are Druzhina, Khonuu, Tabor and Chokurdakh.

The Northern Dvina originates in the Vologda Oblast. It turns out at the confluence of two rivers - the South and the Sukhona. The area of ​​the basin is 357,000 square kilometers. By the way, it was in these waters that the history of Russian shipbuilding began. In the upper reaches of the river there are the cities of Krasavino, Koryazhma, Kotlas and others. The river is navigable throughout.

In the middle of the 19th century there was even a plan to improve navigation along the Dvina in the Arkhangelsk region. These were handled by American engineer George Whistler. If you write about the origin of the name, then folk etymology explains it as a "double river". And all because of the confluence of Vychegda and Sukhona. By the way, it is here that the oldest paddle steamer in Russia operates, which could survive in our time.

Video: Top 10 largest rivers in Russia

Russia is a very large country with an impressive supply of fresh water. Within its territory there are about 2.5 million large and small rivers, which are 10 million km long. Among them there are truly great rivers that are the pride of Russia: the Ob, Yenisei, Lena, Amur, Volga.

general information

The vast expanses of the Russian state are shrouded in a dense web of rivers and lakes, which played an important role in the development of new lands. The largest cities are located at the mouths of the Russian rivers, and this is not surprising, because the rivers perform the most important functions:

• provide food and water;
• are a transport interchange;
• supply electricity;
• serve as a source of water for industry and agriculture.

As you know, the Russian Federation is located on two parts of the mainland: European and Asian. The Ural Mountains and the Caspian serve as a conditional border between them.

• The rivers located in the European part flow into the Black, Caspian and Baltic Seas, the basin of the Arctic Ocean. The deepest and deepest rivers of the European part of Russia are the Oka, Volga, Northern Dvina, Kama, Don. Meanwhile, there are rivers that originate in Russia and cross the border. For example, the Western Dvina and the Dnieper flow into the basins already in other countries.
• The rivers of the Asian part flow into the Pacific and Arctic oceans. These include such high-water and wide rivers as the Lena, Yenisei, Irtysh, Angara, Kolyma.

Rice. 1. Basin of the Arctic Ocean.

On the territory of Russia there are five main drainage basins, into which a variety of rivers flow. These are the Arctic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, the Caspian, Black and Baltic Seas.

About 70% of all rivers in Russia belong to the Arctic Ocean basin. Such rivers as the Ob, Lena, Yenisei flow into it.

The Pacific Ocean includes the Anadyr and Amur rivers. They are characterized by rapid flow and relatively short length.

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And a very small number of rivers belong to the Atlantic Ocean basin. They are characterized by a calm, flat nature of the current. The longest river flowing into the Atlantic basin is the Don.

Most rivers in Russia are characterized by a mixed type of nutrition. This means that their waters are renewed due to precipitation (rain, snow, ice melt) and groundwater. A sharp melting of the snow cover, prolonged heavy rains can lead to natural disasters - floods, which especially often occur on the rivers of the Far East.

Rice. 2. Floods.

The main rivers of Russia

The list of major rivers of the Russian Federation is quite impressive. Consider the most important water arteries of the country.

• Volga

This is one of the largest rivers in Russia, the length of which is 3530 km. It originates in the north-west of the Valdian Upland and flows into the Caspian Sea. Along the entire route of the river, about 200 tributaries join it. On the banks of the Volga there are 11 large cities of Russia, including Moscow. Unfortunately, this river is not only the longest, but also the dirtiest. She is in a critical condition and is no longer able to self-cleanse.

The cleanest river in Russia is the Voncha. This is a small river: its length is only 33 km, and its width is 3 m. It flows in the Republic of Mari El, in the protected area "Mari Chodra", far from large cities and factories. Repeated analyzes of water samples from Voncha have proven that this is the most transparent and crystal clear water in the country.

This is the longest river in Russia, located on the territory of Western Siberia. Its length is 3650 km, and together with the Irtysh it forms an impressive river system with a total length of 5410 km. A distinctive feature of this river is the high content of organic matter in the water and the low content of oxygen. This is one of the most polluted rivers in Siberia.

Rice. 3. Ob.

• Yenisei

The river flows on the territory of Siberia, dividing it into Eastern and Western parts. Its length is 3487 km, but together with large tributaries, the length increases to 5238 km. It originates in the Khangai mountains and flows into the Kara Sea. This is one of the most important shipping routes in the Krasnoyarsk Territory.

• Amur

The second name of the river is "Black Dragon". And this is no accident: meandering and crossing plains and mountain ranges, the Amur is located on the territory of Russia, Mongolia and China. Over the entire history of the existence of the river, about thirty different peoples and many ethnic groups settled on its banks.

• Lena

It is one of the longest rivers not only in Russia, but throughout the world. It originates not far from Lake Baikal, flowing into the Laptev Sea. Near its mouth, the Lena forms a huge delta, which is the largest protected area in Russia. It is an important migratory and nesting area for birds, as well as a place where a rich fish population is maintained.

What have we learned?

When studying the topic “Rivers of Russia”, we learned the general characteristics of the river system of Russia, found out which basins the main rivers of the country belong to. We also got acquainted with a brief description of the most important rivers of the Russian Federation.

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Russia is a country with rich water resources. These are rivers and rivulets, ponds, lakes, swamps, streams with which the map of Russia is streaked. They occupy the seventh part of the land in the state. In total, there are about 2.5 million rivers in our country. Most of them are known only to a limited circle of people. These are either local residents or tourists who prefer to rest on the banks of specific streams. There are also great rivers of Russia, known beyond its borders. They are even visible from space and are clearly depicted on the map. For more than one century, they have served as sources of fresh water, fish, and serve as transport routes.

It is difficult to say which are the widest and deepest rivers in Russia. Human intervention has done its job: some channels are blocked by dams, others have been straightened. In some water arteries, the tributary is longer than the main stream. If we take the length - of the longest, the longest rivers are located in the Asian part of the Russian Federation. There, the water arteries are really wide-ranging. Of the largest rivers in Russia, the list includes streams carrying water to the Arctic Ocean. The rivers of Russia were repeatedly sung by poets, mentioned in the works of domestic and foreign writers.

Ob

The widest river in Russia. The width of the Ob reaches 60 km; during high water, the channel in some places spreads up to 80 km. The length is in third place among the water arteries of the country. The length of the channel is 3650 km, if the Irtysh tributary is taken into account, the figure will be 5410 km. Conventionally, it is divided into three sections (according to the regime and climatic features). The time of opening, high water, low water and freeze-up depends on the site. With tributaries, the Ob leads in Russia in length. The water basin occupies about 3 million square meters. km.

The Novosibirsk hydroelectric power station and the dam of the same name were built on the Ob. The construction of the dam took place in the 50s of the USSR era. Human intervention was not in vain - settlements and some areas of Berdsk remained under water. Today the reservoir is called the Ob Sea. In the summer, it serves as a beach area for residents of Novosibirsk and neighboring settlements. Local authorities practice building up the coastal zone with sanatoriums and rest houses.

Commercial fish are found in the Ob. Pike perch, ide, roach, and crucian are caught and distributed throughout Russia.

Yenisei

The second largest river in Siberia. Coverage of the water area - 2.5 million square meters. km. The source begins near Kyzyl, it is considered the center of Asia. If we take into account the sources of the Big and Small Yenisei, the length of the channel is 4280 km. On the map of Russia, the channel is marked almost along the meridian from the southern border to the Arctic Ocean. The Yenisei is a natural border between Western and Eastern Siberia.

Mainskaya, Krasnoyarskaya and Sayano-Shushenskaya HPPs operate on the Yenisei. The water artery provides communication between cities located on both banks. The stream ends in the Yenisei Bay of the Kara Sea.

The Yenisei is recognized as the most beautiful river in the vast expanses of Siberia. The water stream is known for the spring ice drift. The spectacle is amazing, but the phenomenon is unfavorable for navigation and the water regime in general. The channel overflows its banks, settlements and agricultural lands are under water. The ice cover is formed in October, in the lower reaches - in September.

Lena

The longest river in Russia, starts its journey in the area of ​​the Baikal ridge and gives water to the Laptev Sea. The source is a high-altitude lake with a corresponding sign on the shore. The Lena flows in permafrost conditions, swamps and impenetrable taiga surround it for most of the way. The length of the channel is 4400 km, the water area occupies 2,490,000 square meters. km.

The channel is fed by snow and seasonal rains. Due to the sharply continental climate, Lena is ice-bound for 7-9 months. The formation of the cover begins in September-October. The river opens up in May. The navigation period is short, but during the summer months there is active shipping. These are cruise, passenger and cargo ships. There are extreme people on rafts and kayaks.

Lena preserved the natural purity of the water. Nature took care so that man could not defeat her. This is the longest river in Russia, on which there is not a single hydroelectric power station or dam. She also entered the list of the ten largest rivers in the world.

Lena attracts tourists with an unusual attraction - the Lena Pillars. Rocks up to 100 meters high hang over the water.

Amur

Translated from the Manchu dialect, the name means "big river", there is an excuse for this. If he asks what major rivers are in the Far East of Russia, there is only one answer - the Amur. Its waters wash the territories of Russia, China, Mongolia. On a long stretch, the Amur forms the border of the Russian Federation with China.

The river is rich in fish resources. About 139 species of representatives of the ichthyofauna live in its waters. The fourth part is caught on an industrial scale. The water artery attracts fishermen all year round - if you're lucky, you can get hold of sturgeon, chum salmon, grass carp.

The length of the channel is about 2800 km, it is included in the list of the 10 largest streams on the planet. The water area occupies 1.8 million square meters. km. The path of the water flow passes through four climatic zones of the Russian Far East. Amur is a river prone to a sharp change in water level. Floods occur in the spring and during the monsoon rains. In summer, the riverbed spills up to 25 km. Floods have been repeatedly recorded when the Amur overflowed its banks, washing away settlements and agricultural land.

Volga

River in the European part of Russia. The source is located on the Valdai Upland, washes the lands of 11 regions. The Volga is considered the cultural heritage of the Russian people. She was repeatedly mentioned in her work by writers, poets, singers. In past centuries, its shores were inhabited by Old Believers, as well as peoples who later became part of the Russian Federation as autonomous republics.

The Volga River in the 18th-19th centuries was an important trade route for Russia - it carried goods from the central part of the country to the west and vice versa. In the Volga region at that time, metallurgy, fishing were gaining momentum, factories and factories were opening. With the advent of Soviet power, industrialization began to work. Active construction of dams and construction of hydroelectric power stations began on the Volga.

The basin of the water artery occupies 1.3 million square meters. km. The length of the channel is 3500 km. The length of the Volga ranks first among the rivers of Europe. Today, there are 9 hydroelectric power stations on the river. Its waters are used for the needs of the population and enterprises, irrigation of agricultural land. The once beautiful and full-flowing river has turned into a cascade of reservoirs, in addition, the water has a high level of industrial waste pollution.

Kolyma

The river on the edge of Russia, flows through the territory of Yakutia and the Magadan region. Many people associate the name Kolyma with the whole region, because in the Magadan region under the USSR there was a high concentration of correctional camps. The first settlements in the river valley are recorded in the Middle Ages. The earth was inhabited by the Chukchi, Evenki, Tungus. They were engaged in fishing and hunting, bred sled dogs. The Russians discovered Kolyma in the middle of the 17th century.

The length of the Kolyma channel is 2129 km. The special value of the basin are large gold-bearing places. The Ust-Srednekanskaya and Kolyma hydroelectric power stations are also operating - the main sources of electricity for the population and social facilities of the Magadan region. Mouth of Kolyma - East Siberian Sea.

Don

The water artery is the oldest stream in Russia. Washes the Voronezh, Lipetsk, Volgograd and Rostov regions. The source is located on the Central Russian Upland, the mouth is the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov. The length of the channel is 1870 km, the water basin occupies 422,000 square meters. km. The width of the stream rarely exceeds 20 meters, the average depth is 10 meters. There are busy areas with rapids and rifts.

The path of the Don passes through the forest-steppe and steppe zones, the water regime differs from the northern streams. The channel is fed by melted snow and rain. High water is observed in spring, during active snowmelt. In summer, autumn and winter, low water is established. By December, a stable ice cover is established. The opening is in March.

The river has a flat character with a calm course, so in the old days the stream was called the “Quiet Don”. On the banks are Voronezh and Rostov-on-Don, regional centers and cities with a million people. Outside Rostov, the formation of the Don delta begins, where it breaks up into branches.

Khatanga

The river in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the channel stretched for 1636 km. The river basin includes many lakes and gravel islands. The valley is practically uninhabited. Small settlements are mainly river ports, where ships go in summer for loading and unloading. The navigation period is short. Already in October, the channel is hidden under the ice. The opening comes at the beginning of June.

On the river stands the village of the same name Khatanga with a population of 3,500 people. It is recognized as the northernmost settlement in Russia. Several centuries ago, local tribes of hunters, reindeer herders, and fishermen lived in the river valley.

The climate in the Khatanga valley is subarctic with cold winters (down to -50 degrees). In summer, during the daytime, the air can warm up to +40 degrees, but if you dig the ground a few centimeters - permafrost. Snow lies on average 250 days. A few tourists are attracted by the generous catch of fish, the low northern sky, which cannot be seen in other parts of Russia, and the vast expanses of the tundra.

Indigirka

A water artery in the north of Russia, in Yakutia, to which civilization has practically not reached. It starts its journey in the region of the Halkan Range. The length of the channel is 1726 km, the coverage of the water area is 360,000 km. The mouth is the East Siberian Sea. Most citizens know it only from geography textbooks or art books.

The Indigirka is recognized as the coldest river in Russia. In winter, the riverbed freezes through. Even in summer, frost forms on the surface of the water. The river makes its way through a gorge, surrounded by rocky mountains, and when viewed from above, the stream resembles a sparkling icy stream. They say the truth - the most beautiful rivers of Russia are in the north.

Tourists come to Indigirka for thrills during kayaking. Closer to the mouth is a terrible place, which the locals call the Indigirskaya pipe. Here the channel narrows to 200 meters, on both sides it is surrounded by high cliffs. The channel is winding, the current nails the boat to one or the other shore. There are rapids and rifts, landslides of sheer cliffs. The site is recognized as the most gloomy and dangerous, even the indigenous people do not always dare to go swimming.

The river is navigable, the only transport artery in the region. Most of the year the water is frozen. In view of the remoteness from civilization, valuable fish species have been preserved in Indigirka. Indigirka attracts locals and tourists with the prospect of getting hold of omul, sturgeon, chum salmon, pink salmon, and vendace.

Like other rivers in the European part of the Russian Federation, the Dvina originates in the north of the country. The place of origin is the Vologda region, near the city of Veliky Ustyug. It is there that the residence of Santa Claus is located, but that's not all. The river in the era of the XV-XVIII centuries was the main and only way of communication between the states of Western Europe and the Russian Empire.

The water area occupies 375,000 sq. km. The length of the channel is 744 km, it is still navigable. Large sea ships rise no higher than the port with the interesting name Economy (near Arkhangelsk). In summer, the excursion motor ship N.V. Gogol, built over 100 years ago.

Food is dominated by snow. In October, the formation of an ice cover begins on the water, which opens in April, in years with a long spring - in early May.

Ural and Irtysh

The map of the rivers of Russia in all directions is streaked with blue water arteries. The list of major streams includes the Urals, the largest waterway in Siberia. In ancient times, the river was named Yaik. Under this name, the stream is still mentioned in literary works. Today, reservoirs and hydroelectric power stations have been built on the river, providing for the needs of megacities.

The Irtysh is a tributary of the Yenisei, but its length of 4248 km exceeds the length of the main stream. The channel begins its journey in China.

The longest river in Russia on the map

The longest and deepest rivers are concentrated on the Asian side. Most of them give water to the Arctic Ocean basin. The sources of the longest rivers originate in Mongolia, in Valdai, in the Tula and Vologda regions. On the banks there are large cities of Siberia, the North and the European part of the country.

The rivers of Russia are the cultural heritage of the country. Historical events are connected with them, the oldest cities were built on them, civilizations of different peoples were born.

top 10 largest rivers in Russia, video

Natural springs, such as rivers, are not only a tourist attraction in Russia. This is a real treasure of our country rich in natural resources.

The world leadership in terms of river flow per year was recently revised, and Russia currently ranks second in this indicator.

The largest rivers in Russia

How many rivers are there in Russia? Famous among them, with a length of more than one and a half thousand kilometers, are the Amur, the Yenisei, the Lena and the Ob.

In total, there are more than two million such "arteries" of the earth on the territory of Russia. They are easy to find on the map of Russian rivers.

Map of Russian rivers (click to enlarge)

The table shows a list of rivers in descending order of length. Descriptions are given in alphabetical order in the text.

Amur

Along the southeastern Russian border with the country "where the sun rises" (China), lies the great Russian river. The "black dragon" (in Chinese Heilongjiang) is freely located.

It originates where the flow of Argun and Shilka ends. Having overcome two and a half thousand kilometers, the Amur flows into the Sea of ​​​​Japan (Okhotsk) Sea. Throughout the entire length - from Pokrovka to the Amur Estuary - there are deliveries of cargo and passengers.

Fish White Amur

Amur is the Russian leader in the diversity of ichthyofauna: up to 139 species and subspecies of fish live in the waters, including unique breeds of sturgeon and salmon.

The tributary of the Amur - the Zeya - is full-flowing. There is a similar situation between the Volga and Kama. Thus, the width and fullness are not always taken into account when determining tributary rivers.

Volga

Source of inspiration for poets. The object of beautiful paintings by the artist. The character of folk tales and myths. The famous river in the western part of Russia, the beauty of which cannot be compared with others.

The Volga occupies a special place in the soul of a Russian person. She was endowed with will and reason, making her a symbol of an unenslaved people. In Russia, she had a special name "Mother Volga".

The uniqueness is that the main water branch does not flow into the world's oceans, having an internal flow. Large cities (for example, Samara) stand on its banks.

The main navigable river in Russia. Its channel is so full-flowing and rich in tributaries that it is rightfully considered the central waterway, which is divided into three parts:

• lower;
• average;
• top.

This made navigation easier.

From the point of view of science (hydrology and history), the lower part of the Volga is a natural continuation of the Kama, the river of the Perm Territory. However, due to the unifying role for the Russian state, priorities have changed (the Kama is a tributary of the Volga, and nothing else).

The official source of the Volga is located in the Tver region. This is the Volgoverkhovye village, where a water spring breaks to the surface, to the delight of many tourists.

It carries its waters through the lakes Verkhit Small and Verkhit Bolshoy, a system of large lakes in the upper reaches, combines into a reservoir to the city of Rzhev.

The Volga is a river that unites four seas (Black, Azov, White and Baltic).

Vilyuy

The longest river is a tributary of the Lena. Its length is two thousand six hundred and fifty kilometers.

The Yakuts have been using fish resources and water for decades. The ecological state is gradually deteriorating due to the oil and gas industry. It is planned to build a hydrological power station.

The Vilyui basin is rich in fish resources and lakes, of which there are more than sixty-seven thousand. The source of the tributary is located on the plateau of the same name near Tunguska (Lower).

Gryazev

The shortest river carries its waters over a distance of ten kilometers. It starts a kilometer from the Mitovskaya station (Moscow railway).

Due to a historical inaccuracy that crept in, in the 20th century it changed places with Nakhabinka. The smallest river of the described.

Don

It takes its name from the languages: Scythians, Sarmatians and Aryans. From the cognate word dānu (translated as "river, drops or dew"). It flows from the Central Russian Upland to a distance of one thousand eight hundred and seventy kilometers to the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov.

Don is a winding river in the area of ​​the Great Bend (Donskaya Luka). The bends bring the channel closer to the Volga already described above for a distance of sixty kilometers.

The Don is navigable due to the calm (slow) current, which is typical for lowland rivers.

Northern Dvina

It was formed due to the union of two tributaries (Sukhona and Vychegda) with a delta of nine hundred square kilometers.

The commercial history of the river begins in the fifteenth century. Many cargoes were delivered to Europe.

The "status" changed in the nineteenth century, when the Dvina became an important military strategic object.

Yenisei

He is called "father" by analogy with the Volga-mother. The most full-flowing artery, which runs to the Arctic Ocean, crosses most of the climatic zones of Siberia along the way.

The mouth of the river (Yenisei basin) is fifty kilometers. On its banks you can meet a camel or a polar bear.

In terms of runoff, the Yenisei is second only to the Tunguska (lower part), despite the fact that it is fed by half a thousand tributaries.

Irtysh

It got its letter designation on the map thanks to the Turkic-Iranian theory (“kara” is the earth, and “irtsis” is a swift stream, fast).

The longest length, over 4 thousand kilometers, forced the inhabitants of the coast to give the honorary name Black Irtysh to the section to Lake Zaisan (the synonym “kara” is used - black).

Ishim

It owes its appearance on the world map to the death of the Tatar Khan, who drowned in the left tributary of the Irtysh. "Took" a place in the Kazakh mountains Iyaz.

Translated from the Tatar language, Ishim, and more specifically Ishimak, means “destroying”. According to the Russian laboratory, in its lower reaches there are traces of pollution from the oil refining industry.

Kuban

The beautiful river, sung by more than one generation of Cossacks, did not immediately acquire its familiar name. Scholars suggest that there were at least three hundred different references to her. As a result, the Karachay-Balkarian name "Kuban" (rising stream) remained.

A mountain river is born at the foot of Elbrus, after transferring its waters through nine hundred kilometers and flowing into the Sea of ​​Azov.

On the banks of the great Russian Kuban there is a place for birds of prey and near-water birds, as well as wild boars and muskrats. And hundreds of species of fish have found shelter in its waters.

Lena

In the first half of the seventeenth century, the Russian pioneer Pyande got acquainted with the life of the Kangalas Yakuts (now the city of Yakutsk). The largest river Lena (from the similar Even "yene") was the first for the traveler's rafting.

It has a length of over 4 thousand kilometers (the longest),

Surprisingly, the starting point of the Lena is a swampy area near Lake Baikal (ten kilometers to the west).

Neva

The only river flowing from Lake Ladoga. The uncontrollable and capricious "coquette river" constantly changes its channel depth and width.

It attracted the attention of Peter I both by its picturesqueness and by the fact that it is the most abundant in water. The tsar founded the most beautiful city of "drawbridges" (St. Petersburg) on ​​its shore.

The total length is 74 kilometers.Its basin has 48 thousand lakes, and the volume of water is comparable to the Don and Dnieper combined.

After research in 2013, out of 24 bathing places, one turned out to be suitable. Pollution class after the test was assigned the third.

Ob

Leader in terms of basin size (3 million km 2) and water flow (12 thousand meters per second). The river stretches for 3.5 thousand km. and flows into the Kara Sea.

The widest in Russia. In spring, a sixty-kilometer floodplain forms at the confluence, and the flood itself lasts up to three months.

Russian travelers learned about the largest river in Russia from Komi guides (“obva” means “snow water”).

Ural

The original Yaik (Kazakh name) was renamed into Ural by decree of the Russian Empress Catherine II. Many indigenous people in the Urals remember the former name.

The river originates in the Uraltau (mountains of the Southern Urals) and flows into the Caspian Sea.

The Ural has a rather winding and often changing direction channel, leaving oxbow ponds behind it.

Conclusion

Clean rivers are most often found in places devoid of constant human interference. Drinking water from a spring close to the city is dangerous. There is a possibility of industrial pollution.

In the Siberian taiga there are springs with crystal clear moisture. Alas, technological progress makes the environmental situation more difficult every year.

There is a great way to see Russia's water resources by taking a cruise on the largest rivers. This can be a great opportunity to understand the world of the Russian soul, known for its mystique.