Europe is rich in water resources, a significant part of which comes from rivers. Of the many large and beautiful rivers, the Volga stands out, which is considered the largest and longest river both in Europe and in Russia. Flowing through a significant part of the western region of the country, the Volga carries its waters to the shores of the Caspian Sea.
The longest European river
The total length of the Volga is about 3530 km, and the basin area of the longest river in Europe is 1360 thousand square meters. km. These dimensions are impressive considering that the Volga basin is about the size of almost a third of the entire European territory of Russia.
The second largest river in Europe is the Danube. Its length is 2860 km.
The Volga originates from the Valdai Upland and flows through several regions and republics that are part of Russia. On the banks of the Volga there are four cities at once, the population of which is more than a million inhabitants: Volgograd, Samara, Kazan and Nizhny Novgorod. Even at the dawn of the formation of a single Russian state, the Volga was a means of communication between the northern and southern regions. The way to the Caucasus and Central Asia passed along it.
The Volga basin is formed by more than a hundred thousand springs, streams, small and very impressive rivers. About two hundred tributaries of the Volga are full-flowing rivers that abundantly supply the Volga with water. Kama and Oka are the main tributaries of the longest European river. The average depth of the river is 8-10 meters, but in some places the depth reaches eighteen meters.
The source of the Volga is located in the Tver region, at an altitude of more than two hundred meters. From the first kilometers of its long journey, the Volga does not at all resemble a majestic river. Here she is just a thin trickle. Only after meeting with the Selizharovka River does the Volga become a real and full-fledged water artery. Currently, the river has a number of reservoirs and several cascades of hydroelectric power plants.
Almost along its entire length, the Volga is free for navigation.
Volga - the pride of Russia
The majestic European river is a favorite vacation spot for many Russians and guests of the country. On the banks of the river you can find a variety of rest houses and sanatoriums, children's camps. Fascinating cruises are organized along the Volga. Every day hundreds of ships pass along the river carrying cargo and passengers.
In its upper reaches, the Volga freezes at the end of November, and a month later the lower reaches of the river are covered with ice. Near Astrakhan, the Volga breaks open approximately in mid-March. Thus, the river is free of ice cover for 7 months.
The Volga water has been used as a source of energy for power plants since the thirties of the last century. Today, more than a third of Russia's industrial potential and about half of the country's agricultural production are located in the river basin. It is not for nothing that the Volga is popularly called "mother" and "wet nurse".
