What major rivers of our country do you know? The longest rivers in Russia. Large rivers of Russia
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 gigantic 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 waterways countries - about 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: whether it is the Tungus word “enesi” converted into Russian - big water, or the Kyrgyz “enee-Sai” - mother river.
The Yenisei and other Siberian rivers bring Arctic Ocean as much heat as would be produced by burning 3 billion tons of fuel. If 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 the common basis of the 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 old times the black dragon, who lived in the river and personified good, defeated the evil, white dragon, who sank boats on the river, prevented people from fishing and generally attacked anyone Living being. The winner remained to live at the bottom of the river.
Along the entire border of the Amur Basin, one can observe a change of 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 roughly 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, has an important economic importance, How 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 a song known to all Russians, without exception, and a 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 battles 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.
Located on Indigirka North Pole cold - the village of Oymyakon and the monument city of Zashiversk, extinct from smallpox in the 19th century.
10 Northern Dvina River
Northern Dvina - river of the basin White Sea . 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.
A 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 most big rivers Russia.
There are a huge number of rivers on the territory of our country (2.5 million). Most of them are small, their length usually does not exceed 100 kilometers. Then the question arises: what are the largest rivers in Russia? We will try to answer it in this article.
To begin with, we will present you with a list of these rivers:
- Yenisei.
- Lena.
- Amur.
- Volga.
- Kolyma.
- Khatanga.
- Indigirka.
- Northern Dvina.
Now let's tell you more about them.
River Ob
The largest river in Russia, which is located in Western Siberia. It is formed by the merging rivers Biya and Katun. From the source of the Irtysh its length is 5410 kilometers. In the North it flows into the Ob Bay. The river's water basin occupies a huge area - 2,990 thousand square meters. km. According to this indicator, it rightfully occupies a leading position on our list. In terms of water content, the Ob is in third place, second only to the Lena and Yenisei.
The Ob feeds mainly on melt waters. During the spring and summer floods, the largest river in Russia receives most of its annual flow. The flood begins in April upper reaches, in the second half of April it begins in the middle reaches, and in early May this process occurs in the lower reaches. The water level rises even during freeze-up. When the river opens up, short-term minor rises in levels occur as a result of the resulting congestion.
The flood in the upper reaches ends in July. In September - October, a rain flood begins, which continues until freeze-up in the lower and middle reaches. Ice cover remains on the Ob for an average of 220 days a year.
The main tributary of the Ob is the Irtysh. The length of this river from its source, which is located on the border of China and Mongolia, to its confluence with the Ob is 4,248 km.
Fishing has long developed on this river. Also in late XIX century in river waters There were a lot of ruff, perch, sculpin, pike, shokur, muksun, nelma and other types of fish. Today there are fewer fish in the waters of the Ob, but nevertheless there are about 50 species.
Yenisei
Today we present to you the largest rivers in Russia. The list continues with the mighty Yenisei. This river is considered the natural border between the West and East of Siberia.
Its length is 4287 km. The Yenisei flows through the lands of two neighboring states - Mongolia and Russia. The total area of the river is 2,580 thousand square kilometers. This indicator allows this huge river to take second place in Russia.
On the left bank of this Siberian river there are plains, and on the right there is endless mountain taiga. In this regard, there is a sharp asymmetry of the banks of the Yenisei. The right bank is more than 5 times higher in height than the left bank. On its way from source to mouth, the river crosses all climatic zones of Siberia. That is why camels are found in the upper reaches of the Yenisei, and polar bears are found in the lower reaches, closer to the ocean.
Lena river
It cannot be said that this is the largest river in Russia, although its size is impressive. The length of the river is 4480, and its total area is 2490 thousand square meters. km. The Lena River is rightfully in third place among the large rivers of our country.
The river is mainly fed by water from the melting of glaciers and snow - approximately 50% of total number. Precipitation gives the river about 38% of its water and about 13% is underground recharge, more typical of the upper reaches.
In mid-October, the Lena freezes in its upper reaches. It opens in mid-April. Ice cover remains on the river for about 270 days a year.
Amur
The topic of our article was the largest rivers in Russia. The names of many are known not only to Russians, but also to our neighbors from other countries. For example, Cupid. This is one of the longest rivers in our country and the largest in the Far East. It flows on the border of Russia and China and carries its waters through the territory of Mongolia. The Amur flows into the Sea of Okhotsk.
The basin area of this river is 1,855 thousand square kilometers, and its length is 2,824 km.
Volga
Glorified by poets and composers, which inspired artists to create immortal paintings, this is, of course, the Volga River. And although this is not the largest river in Russia, it is a symbol of our country.
The source of the Volga is located on the Valdai Plateau of the Tver Region. The Volga is considered one of the largest rivers on our planet. The length of the river is 3530 km. Total area - 1361 thousand square meters. km. The river flows through the lands of Russia and Kazakhstan.
Kolyma River
This river is located in Yakutia. Its length is 2,129 km. Water pool - 645 thousand square meters. km. Kolyma was formed as a result of the confluence of two small rivers, Kulu and Ayan-Yuryakh. The Kolyma flows into the bay of the same name.
Don
This river is considered the oldest in Russia. The Don originates in the Tula region on the Central Russian Upland. Its length is 1870 km, the water basin is 422 thousand sq. km.
The current is very slow, for which the Cossacks call this leisurely and majestic river the “quiet Don”. This is explained by the flat profile in which the channel passes. The slope towards it is quite insignificant, on average this value does not exceed 0.1 degrees. In some areas the width of the valley reaches 13 km. The right bank is steep and high, and the left bank is low.
Khatanga River
This river is located in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Its length is 1636 km. Water pool with an area of 364 thousand square meters. km. It is formed by two rivers Kotui and Kheta.
This river flows through a wide valley in the North Siberian Lowland. There are more than 112 thousand lakes in the Khatanga basin. Their total area is 11.6 thousand sq. km.
Indigirka
In Yakutia, on the slopes of the Khalkan Range, there is the source of the Indigirka River. Its length is 1,726 km, its water basin covers an area of 360 thousand square meters. km. Its source is made up of two medium-sized rivers - Omyokon and Kuidusun.
Indigirka is the coldest river in Russia. IN winter time in the lower reaches it freezes through. In summer, it becomes covered with ice and turns into a sparkling icy stream flowing picturesquely among the mountains. Since the end of September, the river has been frozen in ice, which does not go away until June.
Northern Dvina
Our list of the 10 largest rivers in Russia has come to an end. It is completed by the Northern Dvina, which flows through two large regions - Arkhangelsk and Vologda.
Its length is 744 km, area - 360 thousand square meters. km. At its source the small rivers Sukhona and Yug connect. This northern river is famous for the fact that the history of Russian shipbuilding began on it.
Lena, length, km - 4320, basin area, thousand sq. km – 2418
Yenisei (with Biy-Khem), length, km - 4012, basin area, thousand sq. km – 2707
Ob (with Katun), length, km - 4070, basin area, thousand sq. km – 2425
Volga, length, km - 3690, basin area, thousand sq. km – 1380
Amur (with Shilka and Onon), length, km, basin area, thousand square meters. km – 2824
Ural, length, km - 2530, basin area, thousand square meters. km – 220
Kolyma, length, km - 2150, basin area, thousand sq. km – 644
Don, length, km - 1950, basin area, thousand square meters. km – 422
Indigirka, length, km - 1790, basin area, thousand sq. km – 360
Pechora, length, km - 1790, basin area, thousand sq. km – 327
Northern Dvina (with Sukhona), length, km - 1300, basin area, thousand square meters. km – 411
Yana (with Dulgalakh), length, km - 1070, basin area, thousand sq. km – 318
Selenga (with Ider), length, km - 1020, basin area, thousand square meters. km – 445
Mezen, length, km - 966, basin area, thousand sq. km – 76
Kuban, length, km - 906, basin area, thousand sq. km – 51
Terek, length, km - 626, basin area, thousand sq. km – 44
Onega, length, km - 416, basin area, thousand sq. km – 58
Neva, length, km - 74, basin area, thousand sq. km - 282
List of the largest lakes in Russia:
Caspian Sea, area in sq. km - 376,000, greatest depth, in meters - 1,025
Lake Baikal, area in sq. km - 31,500, greatest depth, in meters - 1,620
Lake Ladoga, area in sq. km - 17,700, greatest depth, in meters - 230
Lake Onega, area in sq. km - 9,690, greatest depth, in meters - 127
Taimyr lakes, area in sq. km - 4,560, greatest depth, in meters - 26
Lake Khanka, area in sq. km - 4,190, greatest depth, meters - 11
Lake Chany, area in sq. km - 1,708-2,269, greatest depth, in meters - up to 10
White Lake, area in sq. km - 1,290, greatest depth, meters - 6
Topozero, area in sq. km - 986, greatest depth, in meters - 56
Lake Ilmen, area in sq. km - 982, greatest depth, in meters - up to 10
Lake Imandra, area in sq. km - 876, greatest depth, in meters - 67
Khantayskoye Lake, area in sq. km - 822, greatest depth, in meters - 420
Segozero, area in sq. km - 815, greatest depth, in meters - 97
Kulundinskoye Lake, area in sq. km - 728, greatest depth, meters - 4
Lake Teletskoye, area in sq. km - 223, greatest depth, in meters - 325
Lake Peipus, area in sq. km - 3,550, greatest depth, meters - 15
Lake Baikal is a unique source of fresh water. The volume of water in Baikal is about 23 thousand cubic kilometers, which is 20% of the world and 90% Russian reserves fresh water. If there were no other sources of fresh water on Earth, then thanks to Baikal, the inhabitants of our planet could live for about 40 years.
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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 and 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 of the 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 drainage basin area 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 Sea of Azov |
| 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 is 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 Evenks (“Eluene” - big river) or 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 bay, up to 800 km long, 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. The Yenisei crosses Russia and Mongolia for 4,287 kilometers (3,487 km of which 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 different peoples and nationalities live on the banks of the river. 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 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 in the 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 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 region) 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 the historical center of 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. A system of water canals connects the river with the Baltic, White, Black and Azov seas. 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. There are more than two hundred large tributaries of the Kama alone. 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 a 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 region) to 2-5 kilometers in the Ust-Port and Dudinka region, and the width of the river valley varies from 40 km (the 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 combines 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. Arrival at the mouth great river The ships of the Second Kamchatka Expedition 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.
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 different rivers flow into the Yenisei, and their total length exceeds 300,000 km. The Yenisei is an important waterway of the Krasnoyarsk region.
Lena - length 4294 km
A long and deep river. It falls into 10 significant rivers of the world. It flows in the Irkutsk region, as well as Yakutia. In Russia it is considered the largest, provided that the 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. A river of the Far East, flows 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 original length is 3,690 km, after repeated construction of reservoirs it is 3,530 km. On the Volga it costs 4 major cities Russia: 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. Her pool is the third part European territory 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 ecological state their reserves 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: Dnieper, Northern Dvina and 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 most high rate fish diversity - 108 species, but commercial value have 36.
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 had 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, and 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 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 in the Kerch Strait, which connects the Azov and Black Sea. We draw a line to the mouth of the Psou - the beginning of the border with Georgia and Azerbaijan. It passes through the river valley, and then along the ridges 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 is almost entirely along the mountain belt. However, there are “border” rivers Amur, Argun, Ussuri and its tributary Sungach. The neighborhood with China is created almost everywhere by rivers. WITH North Korea The border 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 by a 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 considered navigable rivers 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 most deep rivers Russia and the world, like 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, since it 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 most wide rivers Russia has many thousands of kilometers, which makes the state rich in natural resources. 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 animal world. The fish resources in Lena are truly inexhaustible. Since no dams were built on it, the fish a large number of food, and this stimulates 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 the Lena, before the construction of reservoirs and the active exploitation of people, was one of the cleanest rivers in the world. However, even today, 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.
Concerning environmental problems, then, of course, shipping, production precious metals. However, researchers today note the problem of 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 they 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. As for economic use, cargo and passenger ships can be periodically seen almost anywhere on the river. 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.