The largest rivers in Russia and their brief characteristics. Russian seven What is the main river of our country

We can say with great confidence that Russia is the most prosperous fresh water country. There are more than 2.5 million rivers (both small and large) on the territory of the Russian Federation. All of them belong to the three oceans. Let's talk to you about what are the most important rivers in Russia. The names of most of them were formed historically, so we will touch on the past a little. On the territory of the Russian Federation there are a lot amazing rivers and lakes.

Some general information

Approximately 70% of the rivers that are located in Russia belong to the Arctic Ocean. The longest and deepest rivers, such as the Yenisei, Oba, Lena, etc., flow into the basin. The Amur and Anadyr belong to the Pacific Ocean basin. The features of the last two are their relatively short length and rapid flow. To the pool Atlantic Ocean Don refers. 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 in farm lands, which is due to sufficient water resources. It should also be said that the total length of all rivers in Russia is approximately 10 million km. You might think that our country ranks first in the world in terms of water resources? No, unfortunately, it’s the second one. The first is Brazil, where the volume of fresh river water is slightly larger.

The average long-term flow is 4290 cubic meters per year. This is quite a lot, but given the uneven distribution of rivers in the country and various kinds difficulties of organization rational use water resource, the stable annual flow is only 1400 cubic meters. As for the amount of water per person, in the Russian Federation it is approximately 18 thousand m 3 per year, while in the USA - 8 thousand m 3, in Finland - 23.9 thousand m 3 for the same period.

Let's take a closer look at the main rivers of Russia. There are a variety of names - invented both by other peoples and by indigenous residents. Let's start with the most interesting.

The main river of Russia is the Volga

Surface waters occupy 12.4% of common territory countries. 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 we list the rivers of Russia whose names are most often mentioned in history, the Volga will be in first place. Its length is more than 3,500 kilometers. This is the distance between Berlin and Moscow multiplied by two.

Of course, the Volga is simply of enormous economic importance, and has been used for hundreds of years as a transport route, as well as one of the main sources of hydropower.

If we talk about industrial production In Russia as a whole, approximately 45% of enterprises use the resource of the river in question. All this suggests that the Volga has great value. If it weren’t for this body of water, life would be much more difficult for you and me.

The names of large rivers in Russia, such as the Volga and others, must be remembered, if only because we get more than 80% of all fish from them.

The Volga begins on the Valdai Hills. Every year people come there to take a sip of Volga water. In the indicated place, this river is a small spring, which becomes wider and deeper with every meter. Lotuses grow here - 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 grandeur of this river, but all this is little impressive if you don’t 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 spreads across 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, a very, very long time ago, two dragons lived here: white - evil, and black - good. When the black dragon defeated evil, he remained to live at the bottom. This name stuck with the Chinese.

It is noteworthy that on the border of the Amur basin one can observe an amazing spectacle - the change of four physical geographical zones. Here there are steppe and semi-desert zone, as well as forest and forest-steppe. During the entire existence of the Amur River, more than thirty peoples of the world and different peoples settled in these places. ethnic groups. If you remember the names of large rivers in Russia, the Amur immediately comes to mind.

It is safe to say that the wetlands of the Far Eastern giant are considered very valuable natural complex. The fact is that fish resources are reproduced here, and the river is of great importance for the migration of hundreds of thousands of birds. It is on the Amur that almost 95% of Far Eastern and 50% of white-naped and red-crowned cranes nest. There are more than 5,000 species here various plants and approximately 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 worsened significantly. This is due to active human intervention in the river ecosystem. The fact is that more than one hundred million people live in the Amur basin, and this is only about China. If we still know exactly how many rivers there are in Russia, then in a few years the Amur may not exist, and man will be to blame for everything.

Don - witness of Russian history

According to the research, scientists were able to name the approximate time of the origin of this river. According to most scientists, the Don appeared approximately 23 million years ago. This is the largest river in the south. In Greek literature, the name Tanais appears. A long time ago, the legendary Amazons lived here - warriors who had practically no equal. There are also mentions of these female warriors in Russian stories, according to which they often fought with the heroes of Rus'.

If we 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 Northern Black Sea region, and then these tribes gave the name to the river, which is still used today. Don in Russian means “river”.

The southern economy largely depends on river transport. Most of them are carried out along the Don. It is safe to say that approximately 85% of the main industry is located on the banks of the river. There are engineering factories, food and chemical, and tobacco industries. There was also 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 flows in the Scottish county of Aberdeen. Another Don is located in York County, England.

As you can see, the rivers located in 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 probably of interest to many people. The Lena River is the longest in the Russian Federation. In the world, it ranks tenth in length and eighth in depth. It originates in the mountains in southern Siberia and flows into the Laptev Sea. The length of the river is 4,400 kilometers.

The Lena River 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 approximately 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 time It freezes almost completely, and in summer it dries out almost completely.

Having received the first tributaries, the river becomes deeper and wider. Mountain currents are very fast and tortuous. If you ask what long river in Russia is of great importance for the country, then this is, without a doubt, Lena. The fact is that this reservoir is the main transport route 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 occupancy. Studies have shown that few people live on the banks of the Lena. Main part settlements is located in Yakutsk, otherwise 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-Manchu “Yel-Ene”, which means “Big River”.

The Russians discovered the reservoir in 1621. First, this was done by the explorer Pyanda, and then by the centurion Pyotr Beketov.

"Borisfen", or Dnieper

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 of the listed states. It is difficult to say exactly when this source of food and water appeared for ancient peoples. However, even Herodotus in his treatises mentioned a river called “Borysthenes” 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 high quality water. It was transparent and pleasant to the taste. The large number of fish living in the Dnieper contributed to the development of fishing villages.

Today the river is approximately 2,201 kilometers long, making it the third longest in Europe. The Dnieper is characterized by a slow and calm current. Essentially this is typical lowland river.

The Dnieper originates on the Valdai Hills, in the Smolensk region. It flows into the Black Sea, or to be more precise, into the Dnieper-Bug estuary.

If we 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. Catfish, pike perch, carp, perch, as well as about a hundred species of different birds live here, including plover, grasshopper, swan, duck and many others.

We can talk endlessly about how beautiful the Dnieper is during sunset or dawn, but it’s better to see it all once, and it doesn’t matter where you are - in Russia, Ukraine or Belarus.

Yenisei is the real pride of the country

There are whole legends about the origin of this river. But all stories are not confirmed by facts. It is unknown where the name came from. Someone says that from the Tungus peoples, from the word “Enesi”, which translated means “ big water" Another part of researchers and scientists is inclined to the Kyrgyz origin of the word “enee-sai” - “mother river”. But one thing is for sure: this is a unique river. The fact is that in the upper reaches of the Yenisei there are camels, and if you go downstream, you are likely to meet entire families of polar bears hunting on the banks. It is noteworthy that on the left bank of the river there are the Siberian plains, and on the right the taiga begins. 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 harsh.

If we describe the large rivers of Russia, which carry significant volumes of water from their beds, then the Yenisei is in first place. Approximately 600 km 3 of water per year flows into this river, several times more than the flow 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 in Russia, which we will talk about now.

Oka and Ural

As you have probably already noticed, the names of the largest rivers in Russia are sometimes not at all connected with the activities of Russian people on home 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. Afterwards it became a defensive line in the south of Russia. For our country, the river is of very great importance, since the whole central Russia lies on the banks of the Oka. The area of ​​its basin is slightly more than 240,000 km 2. In fact, this is the same amount 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 nature reserves on the Oka River. One of them is located in the central current - Prioksko-Terrasny, the second - 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 Urals, which stretches for 2,428 kilometers. In ancient times, the river was called “Yaik”, which translated from Turkic means “flooding, spilling”. During the reign of Catherine II in 1775, the river was renamed the Ural, however, despite this, most people in Kazakhstan use the former name.

As you can see, the names of large rivers in Russia quite often have foreign origin. The peoples living on the territory of the country gave the reservoirs their names.

The most surprising thing is that one bank of the Urals is in Europe, and the other in Asia. Today, along the river you can see many tourists and fishermen, but shipping 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 flora and fauna. If you love nature, then be sure to visit the Urals. To be more precise, visit its part located slightly below Orsk.

The gorge of the Guberlinsky Mountains, as well as the Orsk Gate, have beautiful views. There are many geological and landscape monuments here, which, although not of great importance for the infrastructure of Russia, are of interest to travelers. It is in the Urals that many active fishing enthusiasts gather. You can also see many tourists traveling along the current.

The largest river in all respects is 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 calculated from the very source of the Irtysh, in this case the river stretches 5,410 kilometers. Located on the Ob large number industrial bases. This is due to the fact that this reservoir is home to more than fifty species of different aquatic inhabitants. Approximately 25 species of fish are of industrial importance, so shipping is very well developed here.

However, not everything is as rosy as it seems at first glance. Ecology is a significant problem. The names of Russian rivers (we reviewed the list above) have long become something familiar to us, so it is important to consider that some reservoirs are in danger of extinction.

Conclusion

So we looked at the names of the rivers of Russia. The list turned out to be impressive, but, in fact, it is only a few percent of the state’s total water resource.

A very important issue that comes up more and more every year is the environmental 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 and 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 tributaries of many large rivers are formed from them. But, as practice shows, uncontrolled withdrawal of water from small sources leads to their narrowing, shallowness and even drying out. Today, irreversible consumption is approximately 4% per year, and this is quite a lot. At this rate, in 12 years approximately 50% of small rivers will be lost.

The situation can only be slightly improved in the following way: by reducing the amount of wastewater. But deal with the solution this issue hardly anyone is going to. All that ordinary residents can do is not engage in illegal fishing and not pollute the water.

Small businesses also cause great damage to the rivers of the Russian Federation, but this is incomparable to the harm caused by the activities of hydroelectric and nuclear power plants. We must not forget that many rivers are located on the territory of several states. But if the population of, for example, Belarus is not so numerous, especially on the banks of rivers, then in China hundreds of millions of people live in the coastal zone, depleting natural resources.

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.

Russia has a huge territory, when studying the topography of which more than 2 million rivers are visible. They draw fancy patterns and spread beyond the borders of the country. Some are small and their size does not exceed several meters. Let's look at the longest rivers of Russia .

The longest rivers in Russia are 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 merger of the Katun and Biya. Together with its tributary the Irtysh, it forms 5,410 km, which is why 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. TO valuable species include: sturgeon, whitefish, peled, sterlet.

Yenisei - length 3487 km

Yenisei. Like the Ob, it flows in Siberia and flows into the Kara Sea. Length 3,487 - calculated from the confluence of the Big Yenisei and the Small. This body of water divides Siberia into Western and Eastern. The food is mixed: snow (prevails), rain and underground. Many rivers flow into the Yenisei different rivers, and their total length exceeds 300,000 km. Yenisei is an important waterway Krasnoyarsk Territory.

Lena - length 4294 km

A long and deep river. It falls into 10 significant rivers of the world. Leaks in Irkutsk region, as well as Yakutia. In Russia it is considered the largest, provided that the reservoir basin is located within the country’s territory. 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 not far from Lake Baikal. This river is the sea transport route of Yakutia. When the ice on the Lena melts in the spring, it floods the coastal areas, so they are sparsely populated; there are 6 cities.

Amur - length 2824 km

Amur. River Far East, occurs in Russia, China and Mongolia. The Chinese call the Amur the Black Dragon River. It is formed by the Argun and Shilka rivers. They say that the source is a stream flowing 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. It is distinguished by the diversity of its ichthyofauna - about 108 species of fish, 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 flows in Kazakhstan. The initial length is 3,690 km, after repeated construction of reservoirs it is 3,530 km. There are 4 major Russian cities on the Volga: Volgograd, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod and Samara. It is considered the largest river in the world that does not flow into the World Ocean. The mouth is located in the Caspian Sea. Its basin is the third part of the European territory of Russia. The Volga is fed by snow, rain and groundwater. There are 70 species of fish in the Volga, most of them 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 Kolyma is 2,129 km, calculated from the source of Kenyelichi (the right component 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 is inferior in size, length - 1,870 km. The source is located in the Central Russian Upland, the mouth is the Sea of ​​Azov (Taganrog Bay). The Don is important as a navigable river. The Seversky Donets is the largest tributary. There are up to 70 species of fish in the Don, but due to environmental conditions their stocks are decreasing.

Khatanga - length from the source of Kotui 1636 km

Khatanga. River of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. It is 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 reservoir basin, the total area of ​​which exceeds 11 thousand square meters. km. Khatanga is navigable and is used for catching omul, nelma, and vendace.

Everyone understands the long rivers of Russia in their own way. Some want to hear about those that occur entirely within the country, while others want the main thing to be that most of them are “at home.”

The largest rivers in Russia by basin area

We will include the rivers that we considered earlier as the longest in this list, but we will add three more to them: the Dnieper, the Northern Dvina and the Indigirka. Let's look at the largest rivers in Russia and interesting facts about them.

The Ob basin is 2,990 thousand square meters. km. The Novosibirsk reservoir operates in the southern part. The Ob Sea serves as the basis for several sanatoriums and recreation centers. Many people from neighboring regions come here to relax.

Yenisei basin – 2,580 thousand square meters. km. The point where the Big Yenisei and Small Yenisei merge is considered the center of Asia. This prompted the establishment of an obelisk symbol. There is a ski complex near Krasnoyarsk.

The Lena basin occupies a relatively slightly smaller area than the Yenisei - 2,490 thousand square meters. km. On the shore 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 fish diversity - 108 species, but 36 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 - gold, furs, honey, wax, and slaves were transported along it.

Kolyma has a swimming pool with an area two times smaller - 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 Kolyma Hydroelectric Power Station stands on it - it supplies the entire Magadan and region with electricity.

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 riverbed; the basin itself has 112 lakes.

The Yakut Indigirka River has a basin 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 monument city, 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 square meters. km. The old steamboat "N." sails along the river. V. Gogol”, which turned 100 years old in 2011.

In big rivers of Russia We will also include the Dnieper with a pool of 504 thousand square meters. km. In addition to our country, it passes through Ukraine and Belarus. In Kyiv, Dnieper Day is celebrated every summer (1st Saturday in July). In Europe it is the third largest river, after the Danube and Volga.

Rivers on the Russian border

Russia neighbors eighteen countries, and only with Japan and the United States are the borders considered maritime. The rest are considered land, but this does not prevent them from including rivers. Let's consider the border reservoirs of Russia.

Let's start from the western border - Barents Sea, and we will move towards the South. Between Norway and Russia we will see the Pasvik River. After it, the country borders with Finland. We see the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, which is located in the southwest. Next is Kaliningrad region. It borders with Lithuania and Poland. Most of this border runs along the Neman, as well as its tributary Sheshupa.

Continuing our journey from the Gulf of Finland, we will see the border from the Narva River, as well as Pskov and Peipsi lakes. Then Russia and its neighbors are separated by a land border. It is sometimes crossed by rivers such as the Western Dvina, Desna, Dnieper, Seim, Oskol and Seversky Donets. The plowed expanses of fields stretch all the way to the Taganrog Bay of the Sea of ​​Azov. All this was the division of territories with Estonia, Latvia, Belarus and Ukraine.

The southern border begins at Kerch Strait, which connects Azov and Black Sea. We draw a line to the mouth of the Psou - the beginning of the border with Georgia and Azerbaijan. It runs along the river valley, and then along the ridges of the Greater Caucasus. Next, the border will turn north and go along the valley of the Samur River all the way to the Caspian Sea. Passing through it, it again becomes land and passes through deserts and steppes. The border with Kazakhstan is not clearly defined 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 follows the ridges separating two river basins: Katun and Bukhtarma. The border from Altai to the Pacific Ocean stretches almost entirely along mountain belt. However, there are “border” rivers Amur, Argun, Ussuri and its tributary Sungach. The neighborhood with China is created almost everywhere by rivers. The border with North Korea is formed by the Tumannaya River and leads it to the Sea of ​​Japan.

In the east, Russia is a neighbor of the United States and Japan. They are separated sea ​​border: Pacific Ocean with the Seas of Japan, Okhotsk, Bering and numerous straits. The northern border is also maritime: the seas of the Arctic Ocean.

Now, looking at the map, you will see the boundaries that create the seas, rivers and lakes of Russia and neighboring countries.

The main navigable rivers of Russia: description, economic significance and ecology

The main ones, 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 take a closer look at the situation:

• About two dozen reservoirs of various sizes have been built on the Ob. And also in its basin there is oil production activity, which a priori cannot have a good effect on the state of its basin. There is a hydroelectric power station near Novosibirsk. Wastewater and swampy forests provoke even greater water pollution and deterioration of the environmental situation 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 due to this it is of great importance, since transport networks along its banks are not very developed. However, such intensive use adversely affects the quality of water and the condition of the ichthyofauna. Gold and diamond mining enterprises are located in its basin. There are also 12 reservoirs and hydroelectric power stations.
• Part of the Amur basin belongs to China, as it is a border river. It has well-developed navigation and has 37 reservoirs of varying 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 mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, mining and other types of industries.
• The Yenisei, like the Lena, is a high-water river. In its basin there are 39 reservoirs and 3 hydroelectric power stations. Its enormous resources are capable of providing for 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 shipping canals, which connect it with four seas: Azov, Black, White and Baltic. There are about 12 reservoirs on the river, which are essential for transport, fisheries, energy and other things.
• The Don is very important with the Volga-Don shipping canal. However, frequent ships provoke rapid pollution of its waters.
• The Urals basin is considered scarce, but is used for various types industry. Especially for this purpose, 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 many thousands of kilometers long, which makes the state rich in natural water resources; bad - the country heavily pollutes them, which leads to inevitable environmental problems of a global nature.

Volga River - description, significance 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 Hills, the mouth is in the Caspian Sea. Its length today is 3,530 km, but initially (before the construction of reservoirs and hydroelectric power stations) it was 3,690 km. The area of ​​its basin is measured at 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 drainage. 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 production occurs in the Volga. It has 9 reservoirs with hydroelectric power stations. Connection by water with the Azov, Baltic, White and Black Seas is of great importance for shipping. The canal connecting the capital with the Volga is very significant, as it provides navigation and water supply to Moscow.

Attention should be paid to the environmental problems of the river. 38% is an impressive indicator of polluted wastewater, which falls on the Volga from the all-Russian total. Such severe pollution provokes the development of mutant fish, and toxic algae, when decomposing, release about 2 hundred poisons, which are still unknown to science. The progress in the deterioration of her condition is becoming more and more shocking every year.

The researchers noted that after the construction of the dams, the river lost its ability to clean itself, which indicates a hopeless situation if people do not intervene to stop the environmental problem. The Volga is a river of enormous resources, which provokes abuse of its reserves. This is what leads to the rapid deterioration of the ecological condition of the water basin.

Lena River - description, significance and ecology

The northern rivers of Russia 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 pool is located entirely within the country. The main tributaries: Mama, Vilyui, Aldan, Chaya, etc. Its source is located near 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.

The Lena is fed mainly by melt and rainwater. Eternal cold and frozen ground prevent it from being recharged with groundwater. The river is of great importance in terms of transport, as many shipping routes pass through it. In its basin, work is underway to mine gold and diamonds. In addition, there are more than a dozen reservoirs and hydroelectric power stations.

In addition, its rich fauna. The fish resources in Lena are truly inexhaustible. Since no dams were built on it, the fish have a large amount of food, and this stimulates an even greater diversity of ichthyofauna. Its waters are home to Siberian sturgeon (listed in the Red Book), sterlet, pike, and nelma.

It is worth saying that Lena, before the construction of reservoirs and the active exploitation of people, was one of the most clean rivers in the world. However, even today, compared to 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 its banks.

As for environmental problems, of course, shipping and the mining of precious metals have a negative impact. However, researchers today note a problem global warming, which adversely affects northern rivers 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”.

Ob River - description, significance and ecology

The widest rivers of Russia cannot be imagined without the Ob. It flows in the Western part of Siberia and is the longest in the Russian Federation. It is worth noting that its size gives it the right to be second in Asia. It is formed by the merger of Biya and Katun. The length is 3,650 km, and the basin area 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 Gulf of Ob. The river is considered third in terms of flow. The most deep rivers Russia Lena and Yenisei.

The Novosibirsk Reservoir is located on the Ob River. The dam took 11 years to construct, starting in 1950. Locals call this place the Ob Sea. There are resorts and sanatoriums here. Residents of many nearby regions come here to relax. Oddly enough, the canal connecting the Ob and Yenisei, built at the end of the 19th century, is not used today and looks rather abandoned.

The main sources of the Ob are considered to be the Tom, Charysh, Irtysh, Ket and Chulym. The river is fed mainly by snow. Its waters are home to about 50 species of fish. Half of them are of commercial importance. Sterlet, sturgeon (catching them is punishable by a fine), peled and several other species are considered valuable. The fishermen's targets 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. Regarding economic use, then almost anywhere on the river you can periodically see cargo and passenger ships. Mining is carried out in the Ob. And also on the river there is the Novosibirsk hydroelectric power station. The river is used to supply water to all nearby settlements.

It is worth paying attention to the fact that the upper reaches of the Ob (the area of ​​Biysk, Barnaul and Novosibirsk) are an excellent place for fishing. Extreme lovers can relax by rafting the river's tributaries. In the summer you can come on vacation and treat yourself to 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.

Angara, video

Walk along the Ob River by boat, video

Yenisei, video

The Russian Federation is a superpower, the largest state in the world by its territory. And the geography of the country, no matter how well we study it at school, still remains a giant hole, a fat gap in knowledge for the majority of citizens of our vast Motherland.

Our project was created for those who want to know as much as possible about their country, and today for the most inquisitive, another educational article.

Today we will talk about the country’s waterways - the largest rivers in Russia.

Russia is one of the most water-rich countries in the world. The country has almost the largest reserves fresh water. Surface waters occupy 12.4% of Russia's territory, with 84% of surface waters concentrated east of the Urals.

By the way, did you know that there are about 2.5 million rivers in Russia?

Most of these rivers are relatively small and their length is usually no more than 100 kilometers. But as for large rivers, they are truly huge and reach shocking sizes. So, let's figure it out together:

THE BIGGEST RIVERS OF RUSSIA

1 The Ob River is the largest river in Russia.

Ob - river in Western Siberia, the longest river in Russia (5410 km) and the second longest in Asia. The river is formed in Altai by the confluence of the Biya and Katun rivers, the length of the Ob from the confluence is 3650 km (from the source of the Irtysh 5410 km). In the north, the river flows into the Kara Sea, forming a bay (about 800 km long), which is called the Gulf of Ob.

The area of ​​the Ob basin is 2990 thousand km. According to this indicator, the river ranks first in Russia. The Ob is also the third most water-bearing river in Russia (after the Yenisei and Lena).

2 The Yenisei River is the most abundant river in Russia.

The Yenisei is a river in Siberia that flows into the Kara Sea. The length of the river from the sources of the Small Yenisei is 4287 kilometers. The Yenisei flows through two countries (Russia and Mongolia), its area is 2,580,000 square kilometers, which allows it to occupy second place among the rivers of Russia. It carries 600 cubic kilometers of water per year into the Kara Sea. This is almost three times more than the flow of the Volga, and even more than all the rivers of European Russia.

3 hydroelectric power stations were built on the Yenisei - Sayano-Shushenskaya, Krasnoyarsk and Mainskaya.

Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power station

The West Siberian plains end on the left bank of the Yenisei, and the mountain taiga begins on the right. Therefore, in its upper reaches you can meet camels, and going downstream - polar bears.

There are still legends about the origin of the word Yenisei: either it is the Tungus word “enesi” - big water, converted into Russian, or the Kyrgyz “enee-Sai” - mother river.

The Yenisei and other Siberian rivers bring as much heat to the Arctic Ocean as would be produced by burning 3 billion tons of fuel. If it were not for the rivers, the climate of the North would be more severe.

3 The Lena River is the great Siberian river. It is one of the longest rivers on the planet.

Its waterway begins near Lake Baikal, makes a huge bend towards Yakutsk, and then rushes north and flows into the Laptev Sea, forming a vast delta. The length of the mighty river is 4400 km. This is 11th place in the world.

Its area is 2,490,000 square kilometers, which rightfully makes it the third largest river in Russia. It is believed that the Russians first learned about this river in the 17th century, when they sent a detachment of Cossacks to search for it.

4 The Amur River is the main symbol of the Far East in Transbaikalia.

Crossing mountain ranges and plains, the river flows into the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. The Amur is a river flowing through the territory of three states (Russia, Mongolia and China). The area of ​​the basin is 1,855,000 square kilometers, and the length of the river is 2,824 kilometers. There are many points of view about the origin of the name Amur, one of which is general basis Tungus-Manchu languages ​​“amar” and “damur” (big river).

Bridge over the Amur River in Khabarovsk

"Black Dragon River"- this is what Cupid is called in China. According to legend, in ancient times, a black dragon, who lived in the river and personified goodness, defeated the evil, white dragon, who sank boats on the river, prevented people from fishing and generally attacked anyone. living creature. The winner remained to live at the bottom of the river.

Along the entire border of the Amur Basin, one can observe a change in four physical-geographical zones: forest, forest-steppe, steppe and semi-desert. About thirty live here different nations and ethnic groups.

5 The Volga River is the main river of Russia.

Volga is one of the largest rivers globe and the largest in Europe.

The Volga basin occupies about 1/3 of the European part of Russia and flows through the territory of 11 regions and 4 republics. By the way, the length of the river is 3530 km. This is approximately the same as from Moscow to Berlin and back. The basin area is about 1,361,000 square kilometers, making it the largest river in Europe.

The river, first of all, is of great economic importance as a transport route. The Volga is used as a source of hydropower. Currently, about 45% of industrial and approximately 50% of agricultural production in Russia is concentrated in the Volga basin. The Volga accounts for more than 20% of all fish caught in the country's rivers. 9 reservoirs with hydroelectric power stations were built on the river.

The Volga is dedicated not only to the song known to all, without exception, Russians, and the film with the title title. The action of A. Ostrovsky's plays usually takes place in cities on the Volga.

6 The Kolyma River is the largest river in the Magadan region.

This is a river in Yakutia, the length of which is 2,129 kilometers. The Kolyma is formed by the confluence of two rivers (Ayan-Yuryakh and Kulu) and flows into the Kolyma Bay. The basin area is approximately 645,000 square kilometers. The discovery of Kolyma by the Russians was also accomplished by the valiant Cossacks.

7 The Don River is the most important witness of Russian history.

According to scientists, the river appeared on Earth about 23 million years ago. The Don River is one of the largest rivers in the south of the Russian Plain.

The Don is a river in Russia, originating in the Central Russian Upland (Tula region). Its area is 422,000 square kilometers and its length is about 1870 km.

Don is one of ancient rivers Russia.

Ancient Greek authors give the name of the river - Tanais. Then the lower reaches of the Don were the habitat of the legendary Amazons. These female warriors also found their way into Russian epics, which often tell about the fights of Russian heroes with the daring “pole riders.”

The name was given by the Iranian peoples who once lived on the territory of the Northern Black Sea region, in whose language don means “river”.

“Father Don” has two younger namesakes in England - the Don River in the Scottish county of Aberdeen and the river of the same name in the English county of York.

8 Khatanga River

A river located in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Its length is 1636 kilometers. Khatanga is formed at the confluence of two rivers (Kheta and Kotuy) and flows into the Khatanga Bay of the Laptev Sea. The basin area is about 364,000 square kilometers.

The very first information about the Khatanga River was received by the Russians from the Tungus around 1605.

9 Indigirka River

The Indigirka River flows through the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). Belongs to the basin of the Eastern Siberian Sea. Flows from south to north. Indigirka begins at the junction of the Taryn-Yuryakh and Tuora-Yuryakh rivers, which flow from the Khalkan mountain range.

The area of ​​the Indigirka is 360,000 square kilometers, the length of the river is 1,726 km.

The name of the river comes from the Even family name Indigir - "Indie people". Russian explorers of the 17th century. they pronounced this name as Indigirka - just like the names of other large Siberian rivers: Kureika, Tunguska, Kamchatka.

On Indigirka there is the northern pole of cold - the village of Oymyakon and the monument city of Zashiversk, which died out from smallpox in the 19th century.

10 Northern Dvina River

Northern Dvina - river of the White Sea basin. It flows in the Vologda and Arkhangelsk regions of Russia. The Northern Dvina River is formed by the confluence of two rivers – Sukhona and Yug. It flows in the direction from south to north and flows into the Dvina Bay of the White Sea, forming a wide delta. The basin area is 357,000 square kilometers. It was on this river that the history of Russian shipbuilding began. The length of the rivers of the S. Dvina basin is 7693 km.

The large number of settlements on the river itself indicates the presence of navigation on the river. From Veliky Ustyug to Severodvinsk - the Northern Dvina waterway.

Now you know what they are, the largest rivers in Russia.

The rivers of Russia, like a web, have shrouded the entire territory of the country, because their total number, from small to large, is more than 2.5 million. We will not count all of them in this article. Let’s just make a list of the largest, longest, largest rivers in Russia, their names. And we will try to describe each of them separately, especially fishing. After all, rivers are of great interest from the angler’s point of view, and there are a lot of them.

Top 10 longest rivers in Russia flowing under one name:

№	River name	Total length km.	Where does it flow
1	Lena	4400	Laptev Sea
2	Irtysh	4248	Ob
3	Ob	3650	Ob Bay Kara Sea
4	Volga	3531	Caspian Sea
5	Yenisei	3487
6	Lower Tunguska	2989	Yenisei
7	Amur	2824
8	Vilyui	2650	Lena
9	Ishim	2450	Irtysh
10	Ural	2422	Caspian Sea

Top 10 rivers of Russia by total area drainage basin thousand km2:

№	River name	Pool area: sq/km	Where does it flow
1	Ob	2 990 000	Ob Bay of the Kara Sea
2	Yenisei	2 580 000	Yenisei Bay of the Kara Sea
3	Lena	2 490 000	Laptev Sea
4	Amur	1 855 000	Amur Estuary, Sea of ​​Okhotsk
5	Volga	1 360 000	Caspian Sea
6	Kolyma	643 000	East Siberian Sea
7	Dnieper	504 000	Black Sea
8	Don	422 000	Taganrog Bay of the Azov Sea
9	Khatanga	364 000	Khatanga Bay of the Laptev Sea
10	Indigirka	360 000	East Siberian Sea

List of the largest rivers in Russia and fishing on them:

A	Abakan	Agul	Ay	Aksai	Alatyr
	Amur	Anadyr	Angara	Akhtuba	Aldan
B	Barguzin	White (Agidel)	Bityug	Biya
IN	Volga	Vazuza	Vuoksa	Varzuga	Great
	Vetluga	Vishera	Vorya	Volkhov	Crow
	Vyatka
G	Rotten
D	Gum	Don	Dubna	Dnieper
E	Yenisei	Her
AND	Toad	Zhizdra	Zhukovka
Z	Zeya	Zilim	Zusha
AND	Izh	Izhma	Izhora	Ik	Ilek
	Ilovlya	Inga	Ingoda	Inzer	And the way
	Irkut	Irtysh	Iset	Iskona	Istra
	Ishim	Isha	And I
TO	Kagalnik	Kazanka	Kazyr	Kakwa	Kama
	Kamenka	Kamchatka	Kahn	Kantegir	Katun
	Kelnot	Kema	Kem	Kerzhenets	Kilmez
	Kiya	Klyazma	Kovashi	Cola	Kolyma
	Conda	Kosva	Kuban	Kuma
L	Laba	Lena	Lovat	Lozva	Lopasnya
	Meadows	Luh
M	Mana	Manych	Ursa	Mezen	Miass
	Mius	Moksha	Mologa	Moscow River	Msta
N

The Lena flows out of Lake Baikal, forms a bend and continues northward to the Laptev Sea, where it forms a large delta. The length of the river route is 4400 km, the basin area is 2490 thousand square meters. km., and water consumption - 16350 m3/s. In terms of length, the Lena ranks 11th in the world, and the longest river in Russia. The name comes from the language of the Evenki (“Eluene” - big river) or the Yakuts (“Ulakhan-Yuryakh” - big water).

The Ob flows through Western Siberia for 3,650 km, flowing into the Kara Sea, where it forms a vast, up to 800 km long, bay called the Gulf of Ob. It is formed in Altai from the confluence of two rivers: Biya and Katun. It ranks first in terms of basin area, that is, the largest river in Russia (2990 thousand sq. km) and third in terms of water content (behind the Yenisei and Lena). Water consumption - 2300 m3/s. The name of the river comes from the language of the Komi people, in which “Ob” means “grandmother”, “auntie”, “respected elderly relative”.

The Volga is one of the largest rivers on Earth and the largest river in Europe. Its length is 3531 km and it crosses 4 republics and 11 regions of Russia before flowing into the Caspian Sea. The river basin occupies 1855 thousand square meters. km (a third of the European part of Russia) with a water flow of 8060 m3/s. There are 9 hydroelectric power stations with reservoirs on the Volga and up to half of all Russian industry and agriculture are concentrated. The Yenisei crosses Russia and Mongolia for 4,287 kilometers (of which 3,487 km are in Russia) and flows into the Yenisei Bay of the Kara Sea. There is a division of the river into the Big and Small Yenisei (Biy-Khem and Kaa-Khem). The river has a basin area of ​​2580 thousand square meters. km (second place after Lena) and water consumption 19800 m3/s. The Sayano-Shushenskaya, Krasnoyarsk and Mainskaya hydroelectric power stations block the waters of the Yenisei in three places. The origin of the name is associated with the distorted Tungus name “enesi” (big water) or the Kyrgyz “enee-Sai” (mother river).

The Amur flows through Russia, Mongolia and China and flows into the Sea of ​​Okhotsk (Amur Estuary). This Rossi River has a length of 2824 km, a basin area of ​​1855 thousand square meters. km and water consumption equal to 10900 m3/s. The Amur crosses four physical-geographical zones: forest, forest-steppe, steppe and semi-desert, and up to thirty people live on the banks of the river various peoples and nationalities. The origin of the name causes much debate, but the most common opinion derives it from “Amar” or “Damar” (Tungus-Manchu group of languages). In China, the Amur is called the Black Dragon River, and for Russia it is a symbol of Transbaikalia and the Far East.

The Kolyma begins at the confluence of the Kulu and Ayan-Yuryakh rivers (Yakutia) and flows into the Kolyma Bay after 2129 kilometers of its path. The river basin covers an area of ​​643 thousand square meters. km, and water consumption is 3800 m3/s. In the Magadan region this is the largest water artery.

The Don flows from the Central Russian Upland to Tula region for 1870 kilometers and flows into the Taganrog Bay in the Sea of ​​Azov. Being one of the largest rivers in the south of the Russian Plain, the Don has a basin area of ​​422 thousand square meters. km and water consumption 680 m3/s. According to scientists, some sections of the river bed are about 23 million years old. The ancient Greeks mentioned the Don under the name Tanais, and the modern name belongs to the Iranian peoples of the Northern Black Sea region and simply means “river”. Khatanga is born from the confluence of the Kotui and Kheta rivers (Krasnoyarsk Territory) and flows into the Laptev Sea, forming the Khatanga Bay. The length of the river is 1636 km with a basin area of ​​364 thousand square meters. km and water flow 3320 m3/s. The first mentions of Khatanga were based on reports from the Tungus and date back to the beginning of the 17th century.

The Indigirka is formed from the rivers Tuora-Yuryakh and Taryn-Yuryakh (Khalkan mountain range) and flows for 1,726 kilometers through the lands of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), flowing into the East Siberian Sea. The area of ​​its water basin is 360 thousand square meters. km, and water consumption is 1570 m3/s. The word “Indigir” is of Evenki origin and means “people from the Indi clan.” The river is known for its attractions - the village of Oymyakon (the northern pole of cold) and the monument city of Zashiversk, the entire population of which died out from smallpox in the 19th century.

The Northern Dvina flows through the Vologda and Arkhangelsk regions from the south to the north and, before flowing into the Dvina Bay (White Sea) in the form of a wide delta, it travels a distance of 744 km. Two rivers, the Yug and the Sukhona, give rise to it, so that the river basin subsequently occupies an area equal to 357 thousand square meters. km, and the water consumption was 3490 m3/s. This is an important shipping artery, providing a water crossing between Severodvinsk and Veliky Ustyug, as well as historical center the beginning of shipbuilding in Rus'.

The Volga takes its sources on the Valdai Hills. This is one of the largest rivers in Europe, receiving up to one and a half hundred tributaries along its route, including the Kama and Oka, the largest of them. There are numerous reservoirs and hydroelectric power stations on the river. The water canal system connects the river with the Baltic, White, Black and Seas of Azov. Akhtuba is the longest branch of the Volga. The total floodplain of these two rivers covers 7600 square meters. km.

The Kama is considered the fifth river in Europe in terms of channel length - 2030 km, as well as an important river highway. Being a tributary of the Volga, it also absorbs on its way the waters of smaller rivers, such as Vyatka, Vishera, Belaya, Chusovaya. Only major tributaries Kama has more than two hundred. The Kamskaya, Botkinskaya and Nizhnekamskaya hydroelectric power stations with reservoirs were built on the river.

The Oka is a tributary of the Volga (Nizhny Novgorod region). The river bed is characterized by differences in slope and width. Among the major tributaries are the Ugra, Moscow River, Klyazma and Moksha. Hydrological studies make it possible to divide the Oka path into three parts: upper (Aleksin - Shchurovo), middle (Shchurovo - mouth of Moksha), lower (mouth of Moksha - Volga).

The Don is a calm and slow river due to the slight slope along the entire route. Among its largest tributaries are the Seversky Donets, Manych and Sal. The river is actively used for electricity, navigation and irrigation of adjacent lands. The Dnieper in the European part of Russia ranks third (behind the Volga and Kama) in terms of the size of the basin, with an area of ​​503 thousand square meters. km. On a 2285 km route, the Dnieper follows from its source to the Black Sea (Dnieper-Bug estuary). This is a flat river with a wide floodplain and numerous branches and significant fluctuations in water level (up to 12 m in the Smolensk region). In ancient times, a section of the legendary route “from the Varangians to the Greeks” passed along the Dnieper (10th-12th centuries).

The Ural is one of the largest rivers in the European part of Russia and is located in the southeast of the Black Sea-Caspian slope. Its length is 2530 km from its source to its confluence with the Caspian Sea, and the basin area covers 220 thousand square meters. km. Due to the strong tortuosity of the riverbed, the Urals are usually divided into three parts: the upper (source - Orsk), middle (Orsk - Uralsk) and lower (Uralsk - mouth). A network of reservoirs has been built in the Urals, providing water to the cities and enterprises of the region.

The Yenisei is one of the largest rivers on Earth in terms of channel length and water basin area. On the territory of Russia, the Yenisei basin unites up to two hundred thousand rivers and up to one and a half thousand lakes. The width of the channel varies from 800 meters at the source (Angara area) to 2-5 kilometers in the area of ​​Ust-Port and Dudinka, and the width river valley varies from 40 km (region Lower Tunguska) up to 150 km (Dudinki area). Research on the river began in the first half of the 18th century, thanks to the hydrographer Dmitry Ovtsyn, who was part of the Great Northern Expedition.

Lena is the largest river in northern Russia. It flows through the Central Yakut Lowland, forming a wide (up to 25 km) valley and fed by large number lakes, swamps, rivers and streams. The Kharaul Mountains and the Chekanovsky Ridge narrow the valley to two kilometers, and a hundred kilometers from the mouth of the Lena it expands again and forms a delta of 30 thousand square meters. km. The Great Northern Expedition marked the beginning of a systematic study of the river, and its first scientific and geographical description was made by naturalist Johann Gmelin.

The Ob has the largest water reserves in the north of the country. It unites the flows of the two rivers that form it: the Biya, which originates in Lake Teletskoye, and the Katun, which is fed by the glaciers of Mount Belukha (Altai). The channel, deep at the beginning of the flow, is divided into the Big and Small Ob, then merges into one stream (Salekhard region), and in the delta it again bifurcates into the Khamanel and Nadym Ob. The arrival of the ships of the Second Kamchatka Expedition at the mouth of the great river marked the beginning of the development of the Northern Sea Route.

The Kolyma flows through northeastern Siberia. After a deep and narrow upper valley, on a granite ridge the river forms the steps of the Great Kolyma Rapids. In the middle of its journey, the Kolyma breaks up into numerous (up to a dozen) channels, and as many as three rivers come to the Kolyma Bay: Kamennaya (Kolyma), Pokhodskaya and Chukochya. The river basin is famous for finds of fossil animal bones and gold deposits.

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

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, Yenisei, Lena and Ob.

In total, there are over two million such “arteries” of land in 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. The text gives a description in alphabetical order.

Amur

The great Russian river runs along the southeastern Russian border with the country “where the sun rises” (China). The “black dragon” (Heilongjiang in Chinese) settled down at ease.

It originates where the flow of the Arguni and Shilka ends. Having covered two and a half thousand kilometers, the Amur flows into the Sea of ​​Japan (Okhotsk). All along the route, from Pokrovka to the Amur Estuary, cargo and passengers are supplied.

Fish White Cupid

Cupid - Russian leader by 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 - Zeya - is fuller. There is a similar situation between the Volga and Kama. Thus, width and depth of water are not always taken into account when determining tributary rivers.

Volga

A source of inspiration for poets. The subject of the artist's beautiful paintings. Character from folk tales and myths. 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 Russian people. She was endowed with will and intelligence, making her a symbol of an unenslaved people. In Rus' it 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. On its banks stand major cities(for example, Samara).

The main navigable river in Russia. Its bed is so deep and rich in tributaries that it is rightfully considered the central water artery, 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 river Perm region. However, due to the unifying role for 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 village of Volgoverkhovye, where a spring of water breaks through to the surface, to the delight of numerous tourists.

It carries its waters through lakes Verkhit Maly and Verkhit Bolshoi, a system of large lakes in the upper reaches, and unites them in a reservoir all the way to the city of Rzhev.

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

Vilyui

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 environmental condition is gradually deteriorating due to the oil and gas industries. It is planned to build a hydrological power station.

The Vilyuisky 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).

Gryazeva

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

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

Don

It takes its name from the languages: Scythians, Sarmatians and Aryans. From the same root 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 ​​Azov.

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

The Don is navigable due to the calm (slow) current that 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.

Begins from the fifteenth century trading history rivers. A lot of cargo was delivered to Europe.

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

Yenisei

He is called “father” by analogy with Mother Volga. The deepest artery running to Arctic Ocean, crossing most along the way climatic zones Siberia.

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 flow volume, the Yenisei is second only to the Tunguska (lower part), despite the fact that it is fed by half a thousand tributaries.

Irtysh

It received its letter designation on the map thanks to the Turkic-Iranian theory (“kara” means land, and “ircis” means a swift stream, fast).

The longest length, over 4 thousand kilometers, forced the residents 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 of Iyaz.

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

Kuban

The beautiful river, glorified 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-Balkar name “kuban” (stream, rising) remained.

A mountain river is born at the foot of Elbrus, then carries its waters through nine hundred kilometers and flows into the Sea of ​​Azov.

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

Lena

In the first half of the seventeenth century, the Russian pioneer Pyande became acquainted with the life of the Kangalas Yakuts (now the city of Yakutsk). The largest river, the Lena (from the similar Even “yene”), became the first for the traveler to raft.

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 because of its picturesqueness and because it had the most water. The Tsar founded the most beautiful city of “drawbridges” (St. Petersburg) on ​​its banks.

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 places for swimming, one turned out to be suitable. After inspection, the pollution class was assigned to the third.

Ob

Leader in basin size (3 million km2) 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 the spring, a sixty-kilometer floodplain is formed 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 Ural by decree of the Russian Empress Catherine II. Many indigenous people in the Urals remember the former name.

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

The Ural has a rather winding channel that often changes direction, leaving behind oxbow reservoirs.

Conclusion

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

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

There's a great way to explore water resources Russia, having taken a cruise along the most big rivers. This could be a great opportunity to understand the world of the Russian soul, known for its mystery.