Our Earth is shrouded in a network of rivers that throughout human history have performed and are performing many roles, including vital ones, without which the existence of people would be impossible on the planet. The role of rivers is comparable to that of the circulatory system in the human body.
Rivers as a transport network
Since the birth of the first civilizations, rivers have played a transport role in the transportation of goods, provisions, people and much more, which was important and relevant for different eras. Geographically, settlements appeared on the most fertile lands, near the floodplains of large rivers and lakes. As a result, not only road, but also river communication arose between the cities. It was often the only way to deliver large cargo. For example, the stones for the construction of the sphinx and the pyramid of Cheops in ancient Egypt were delivered by special river vessels of increased carrying capacity from quarries in the north of the country to the southern borders along the Nile River.
Rivers as a way of food
The settlement of people along fresh water sources is also determined by the composition of flora and fauna, which is associated with the specificity of certain rivers. The more powerful and larger the river, the richer its fish composition. The presence of rivers in different territories directly affects the fertility of the surrounding lands, and hence the population of the territory by people. For example, historically, the development of the Volga region in tsarist Russia was associated with the country's largest crops of wheat, due to which, before the Bolsheviks came to power, Samara had the largest grain exchange.
Rivers are a natural obstacle to human movement over land. This played a huge role in the course of hostilities in various epochs of human development.
Rivers as a healing remedy
River water, depending on where the river flows, has its own unique mineral composition. It can be used as a remedy for various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, gallbladder, liver, as well as diabetes. It is worth noting that water from underground sources and rivers is most often used for medicinal purposes.
The most useful river water is of glacial origin. It is thanks to her that the life expectancy of the inhabitants of Tibet reaches an average of 90-100 years.
Resort and tourist zones are often formed around large rivers, which can be attractive for many reasons - the unique composition of water, flora, fauna, unique natural phenomena. For example, the Mississippi River, which flows through 31 US states, is one of the symbols of this country, and is also historically associated with many North American tribes that lived along the banks of this river.
Rivers as a religious symbol
The presence of rivers in certain territories could not but affect the beliefs and legends of people living around their banks. In Slavic mythology, for example, there were bizarre creatures called water creatures. The merman could both save a drowning person and harm him. Or, for example, among the deities of Egypt was the god Hapi - the patron saint of the Nile River, who was also associated by the ancient Egyptians with rich harvests during the flood of the river.
Rivers as a source of electricity
Hydroelectric power plants are strategically important anthropogenic objects, without which power supply to such a large country like Russia would not have been possible. Unfortunately, the construction of a hydroelectric power station is always associated with risks for the environment, such as a decrease in the represented flora and fauna in the construction area, a change in the seasonality of river flooding, as well as a change in climatic conditions in a particular region. An artificial increase in the river floodplain in one place can lead to excessive watering of the territory. But, alas, these are the inevitable consequences of receiving energy that is so necessary for a person with the help of the river.
