Volga - a river flowing in the European part of Russia on the territory of 11 regions and 4 republics. Refers to the pool.

In the upper reaches, the Volga River flows from the northwest to the southeast, further from the city of Kazan, the direction of the river changes to the south. Near Volgograd, the riverbed turns to the southwest.
The Volga River begins on the Valdai Hills from a spring in the village of Volgoverkhovye, Ostashkovsky District, Tver Region. The Volga Delta begins near the city of Volgograd, Vogograd Region. And 60 km from the city of Astrakhan, Astrakhan Region, the Volga River flows into the Caspian Sea.

The Volga River is one of the largest rivers on Earth and the largest in Europe. It is in 16th place in length among the rivers of the world and in 4th place. The Volga is also the world's largest river flowing into an inland water body.

The name of the river "Volga" comes from the Old Slavonic word - vologa, moisture.

Settlements.
The Volga River is the central water artery of Russia. The river is located in the European part of the country.

The Volga River flows through the territory of many subjects Russian Federation: in the Tver region, in the Moscow region, in Yaroslavl region, in the Kostroma region, in the Ivanovo region, in Nizhny Novgorod region, in the Republic of Chuvashia, in the Republic of Mari El, in the Republic of Tatarstan, in the Ulyanovsk region, in Samara region, V Saratov region, in the Volgograd region, in the Astrakhan region, in the Republic of Kalmykia.

On the Volga River, from source to mouth, there are four millionaire cities:
- city Nizhny Novgorod- is the administrative center of the Nizhny Novgorod region of Russia and the largest city of the Volga Federal District. It is located in the middle of the East European Plain at the confluence of the Oka River with the Volga River. Oka divides Nizhny Novgorod into 2 parts: the upper part on the Dyatlovy Gory; lower part on the left bank of the Oka. Until 1990, the city was named Gorky in honor of the writer M. Gorky.

- the city of Kazan - the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, a major port on the left bank of the Volga River. It is the largest scientific, educational, economically developed, cultural and sports center in Russia. The Kazan Kremlin is one of the objects world heritage UNESCO.

- the city of Samara - a city located in the middle Volga region of Russia. It is the administrative center of the Samara region, forming the municipality "city district of Samara". It is the sixth most populous city in Russia with a population of 1.17 million people as of 2012. Samara is a major transport, economic, scientific and educational center. The main industries are: oil refining, mechanical engineering and food industry.

— the city of Volgograd — a city located in the southeast of the European part of Russia, is the administrative center of the Volgograd region. It is located on the western bank of the Volga River in the lower reaches. Together with the cities of Volzhsky and Krasnoslobodsk located on the eastern coast, it is part of the Volgograd agglomeration. The population of the city is 1,018,739 people. Volgograd from 1589 to 1925 was called Tsaritsyn, and from 1925 to 1961 - Stalingrad.

The largest cities on the Volga: Rzhev, Tver, Dubna, Kimry, Kalyazin, Uglich, Myshkin, Rybinsk, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Kineshma, Yuryevets, Kozmodemyansk, Cheboksary, Zvenigovo, Volzhsk, Tetyushi, Ulyanovsk, Novoulyanovsk, Sengiley, Togliatti, Zhigulevsk, Syzran, Khvalynsk, Balakovo, Volsk, Marx, Saratov, Engelsk, Kamyshin, Nikolaevsk, Akhtubinsk, Kharabali, Narimanov, Astrakhan, Kamyzyak.

The rest of the settlements located on the banks of the Volga River from its source to the mouth can be viewed

Routes (access roads).
Due to the fact that the banks of the Volga River are dotted with many settlements, there are many railway and road access roads to the river, so travelers and tourists usually do not have a question about how to get to the river.

The Volga River is connected to by the Baltic Sea the Volga-Baltic waterway, as well as the Vyshnevolotsk and Tikhvin systems. The Volga River is connected to the White Sea through the White Sea-Baltic Canal and through the Severodvinsk system. with black and Seas of Azov The Volga River is connected through the Volga-Don Canal.

There are also inland waterways along the Volga River: from the city of Rzhev to the Kolkhoznik pier (589 km); from the Kolkhoznik pier to the village of Krasnye Barrikada (2604 km), as well as a 40-km section in the river delta.

There are 1450 marinas and ports on the river. The largest of them from the source of the Volga to its mouth are in Selizharovo, in Rzhev, in Zubtsovo, in Staritsa, the Tver river port, in Konakovo, in Dubna, in Kimry, in Kalyazin, in Uglich, in Myshkin, in Rybinsk, in Tutaev , in Yaroslavl, in Kostroma, in the city of Ples, in Kineshma, in Chkalovsk, in the city of Gorodets, in Balakhin, in Nizhny Novgorod, in Kozmodemyansk, in Cheboksary, in Novocheboksarsk, in Zvenigovo, Volzhsk, the Kazan river port, the port of Bolgar, the port in Tetyushi, Ulyanovsk river port, Novoulyanovsk, Sengilei, Togliatti, Samara river port, Syzran, Khvalynsk, Balakovo, Volsk, Saratov, Kamyshin, Volgograd, Narimanov, Astrakhan river port.

Automobile access roads to the Volga River can be viewed
Bridges built across the Volga River can be seen

Major tributaries and reservoirs.
The river system of the Volga basin includes 151 thousand. watercourses are streams, rivers and temporary watercourses, total length which is 574,000 km. The Volga receives about 200 tributaries. There are more left tributaries and they are more abundant than the right ones. After the city of Kamyshin ( Volgograd region) there are no significant inflows.

The largest tributaries of the Volga River are the Kama and Oka rivers.
— river - length 1805 km, basin area 507,000 km²; left tributary.
- - length 1498.6 km, basin area 245,000 km²; right tributary.

In addition to many tributaries, there are several reservoirs on the river:
- Upper Volga reservoir - length 85 km, width 6 km, area 183 km².
- Ivankovskoye reservoir - length about 120 km, width of the reservoir 2-5 km, area 327 km², volume 1.12 km³, maximum depth 19 m, average depth 4 m.
- Uglich reservoir - length 146 km, width 0.4-5 km, area 249 km², volume 1.24 km³, maximum depth 22 m, average depth 5 m.
- Rybinsk Reservoir - length 140 km, width 70 km, area 4580 km², volume 25.4 km³, maximum depth 25-30 m, average depth 5.5 m.
- Gorky reservoir - length 427 km, width 3 km, area 1590 km², volume 8.71 km³, maximum depth 22 m.
- Samara (Kuibyshev) reservoir - length 600 km, width up to 40 km, area 6.5 thousand km², volume 58 km³, maximum depth 41 m, average depth 8 m.
- Cheboksary reservoir - length 341 km, width 16 km, area 2190 km², volume 13.85 km³, maximum depth 35 m, average depth 6 m.
- Volgograd reservoir - length 540 km, width up to 17 km, area 3117 km², volume 31.5 km³, average depth 10.1 m.

More detailed information you can read about the tributaries of the Volga River

Relief and soils.
The Volga River is a typical flat river. The area of ​​the Volga basin occupies about 1/3 of the European part of Russia and extends along the Russian Plain from the Valdai and Central Russian Uplands in the west to the Urals in the east. Due to the very large length of the river, the composition of soils in the Volga basin is very diverse.

Vegetation.
The Upper Volga, from its source to the city of Nizhny Novgorod and the city of Kazan, is located in a forest zone. The middle part of the river to the city of Samara and the city of Saratov is located in the forest-steppe zone. The lower part of the river is located in the steppe zone up to the city of Volgograd, and a little to the south lies in the semi-desert zone.
Large forest areas are located in the upper reaches of the Volga, in the middle part and partly in the Lower Volga region, large areas of the territory are occupied by grain and industrial crops. Horticulture and melon growing are also developed.

hydrological regime.
The Volga is conditionally divided into three parts: the upper part of the Volga - from the source of the Volga River to the place where the Oka flows into it, the middle part of the Volga - from the confluence of the Oka (Nizhny Novgorod) to the confluence of the Kama River (Nizhnekamsk) and the lower part Volga - from the confluence of the Kama River to the mouth of the Volga.

The length of the Volga River from source to mouth is approximately 3530 km (even before the construction of reservoirs it was 3690 km long). The catchment area is 1,361,000 km². Water consumption near the city of Volgograd is 8060 m³/s. The height of the source is 228 meters above sea level. The height at the mouth is 28 meters below sea level. The slope of the river is 0.07 m/km. The total fall is 256 m. The average speed of the water flow in the channel is low - from 2 to 6 km/h. The average depth is 9 m, the depth in summer and in winter low water is about 3 m.
The river is fed by a little rain (10%), a little more groundwater (30%) and mostly snow (60% of annual flow) water. Spring flood in April-June. A low water level is observed in summer and in winter low water. There are autumn floods in the month of October as a result of prolonged rains.
The average annual water flow at the Upper Volga Dam is 29 m³/s, near the city of Tver - 182 m³/s, near the city of Yaroslavl - 1,110 m³/s, near the city of Nizhny Novgorod - 2,970 m³/s, near the city of Samara - 7,720 m³/s s, near the city of Volgograd - 8,060 m³/s. Below the city of Volgograd, the river loses about 2% of its water flow to evaporation.
The water temperature in the Volga River in July reaches 20-25 °C. The river near Astrakhan breaks from ice in mid-March. In the first half of April, the breakup occurs on the upper Volga and below the city of Kamyshin, along the rest of the river it breaks up in mid-April. The Volga freezes in the upper and middle parts of the course at the end of November; in the lower part - in early December. The Volga remains free from freezing for about 200 days a year, and near Astrakhan for about 260 days. With the creation of reservoirs on the river, the thermal regime of the Volga changed: on the upper dams, the duration of ice phenomena increased, and on the lower ones it became shorter.
The bottom of the Volga is sandy, silty-sandy and silty, on the rifts the soil is cartilaginous or pebbly.

Ichthyofauna.
According to its diversity of fish, the Volga is considered one of the richest rivers in Russia. 76 species of fish and 47 subspecies live in its waters. Grayling is found in the upper reaches of the Volga. Carp, sterlet, bream, ide, zander, pike, burbot, bleak, perch, catfish, dace, ruff, blue bream, chub, roach, white-eye, podust, silver bream, asp, etc. are constantly found in the Volga. Of the anadromous fish that enter the river from the Caspian Sea: beluga, lamprey, sturgeon, stellate sturgeon, white salmon, thorn, Volga and common herring. Of the semi-anadromous fish, the river is inhabited by: bream, carp, pike perch, bersh, catfish, asp, sabrefish, etc. The smallest species of fish in the Volga is a granular puhead, its length is only 2.5 cm. In appearance, it resembles a tadpole. And the largest fish of the Volga River is the beluga, its length can reach 4 meters.

Water quality.
The Volga River experiences a colossal anthropogenic load from numerous sources of pollution located along its banks, as well as directly in the mouth part.
Russia's great industrial potential is concentrated in the Volga basin, which is represented by gigantic chemical enterprises, oil refineries, large machine-building associations and thermal power plants. Freight and passenger ships. Hydrocarbon raw materials (coal, gas, oil) are being extracted in this territory. Hundreds and thousands of organizations have their own interests in the Volga region. Some of them are river pollutants.
The Volga accounts for more than a third of the country's total wastewater discharge. The operating treatment facilities provide effective water treatment for only 8% of polluted waters. A large amount of pollutants enters the Volga with water from the Oka and Kama rivers, as well as their tributaries. The largest volumes of polluted wastewater fall on such cities as: Yaroslavl, Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, Saratov, Samara, Balakhna, Volgograd, Togliatti, Cherepovets, Ulyanovsk, Ivanovo, Naberezhnye Chelny.
Inorganic and organic pollutants include oil products, heavy metal compounds, pesticides (toxic chemicals), phenols, synthetic detergents, etc. These substances enter the water of the river with waste from industry, agricultural and domestic wastewater. Many of them in the aquatic environment either decompose very slowly or do not decompose at all.

Use, tourism and recreation.
The Volga River is used by people for a wide variety of purposes. First of all, it is of great economic importance as a transport highway. Bread, salt, fish, vegetables, oil, oil products, cement, gravel, coal, metal, etc. are supplied up the Volga; lumber, timber, mineral building materials and industrial materials are floated downstream.
Also on the river are carried out Passenger Transportation and boat trips.
The river is a source of water supply for agricultural facilities, as well as factories, factories and other industrial enterprises.
A number of dams and hydroelectric power plants have been built on the river to generate electricity for human needs.
Economic, amateur and sport fishing is carried out on the river. Many people use the Volga to travel and active rest.

Reference Information.

Length: 3530 km.
Basin area: 1,361,000 km².
Basin: Caspian Sea.
Source: Valdai Hills
Location: Volgoverkhovye village, Ostashkovsky district, Tver region, Russia.
Coordinates: 57°15′7.51″ s. sh., 32°28′12.62″ E d.
Mouth: Caspian Sea.
Location: 60 km from the city of Astrakhan, Astrakhan region of Russia.
Coordinates: 45°53′14.98″ s. w., 48°31′1.3″ E d.

The Volga is one of the most important rivers in the world. She carries her waters through European part Russia and flows into the Caspian Sea. The industrial significance of the river is great, 8 hydroelectric power stations have been built on it, navigation and fishing are well developed. In the 1980s, a bridge was built across the Volga, which is considered the longest in Russia. Its total length from source to mouth is about 3600 km. But due to the fact that it is not customary to take into account those places that relate to reservoirs, the official length of the Volga River is 3530 km. Among all the water streams in Europe, it is the longest. On it are located such large cities as Volgograd, Kazan. That part of Russia, which is adjacent to the central artery of the country, is called the Volga region. A little more than 1 million km 2 is the river basin. Volgaz occupies a third of the European part of the Russian Federation.

Briefly about the river

The Volga is fed by snow, ground and rain waters. It is characterized by spring floods and autumn floods, as well as low water in summer and winter.

The source and mouth of which are covered with ice almost simultaneously, in October-November, and in March-April it begins to thaw.

Previously, back in ancient times, it was called Ra. Already in the Middle Ages there were references to the Volga under the name of Itil. The current name of the water stream comes from the word in the Proto-Slavic language, which is translated into Russian as “moisture”. There are also other versions of the origin of the name of the Volga, but so far it is impossible to confirm or refute them.

The source of the Volga

The Volga, whose source originates in the Tver region, begins at an altitude of 230 m. In the village of Volgoverkhovye there are several springs that were combined into a reservoir. One of them is the beginning of the river. In its upper course it flows through small lakes, and after a few meters it passes through the Upper Volga (Peno, Vselug, Volgo and Sterzh), on this moment combined into a reservoir.

A tiny swamp that appearance hardly attracts tourists - this is the source of the Volga. A map, even the most accurate, will not have specific data on the beginning of the water flow.

Mouth of the Volga

The mouth of the Volga is the Caspian Sea. It is divided into hundreds of branches, due to which a wide delta is formed, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bwhich is about 19,000 km 2. Due to the large number water resources this area is the richest in plants and animals. The fact that the mouth of the river ranks first in the world in terms of the number of sturgeon already speaks volumes. This river has enough influence on climatic conditions which have a beneficial effect on the plant and animal world, as well as on humans. The nature of this area fascinates and helps to have a good time. Fishing here is best from April to November. The weather and the number of fish species will never allow you to return empty-handed.

Vegetable world

The following types of plants grow in the waters of the Volga:

• amphibians (susak, reed, cattail, lotus);
• water immersed (naiad, hornwort, elodea, buttercup);
• aquatic with floating leaves (water lily, duckweed, pondweed, walnut);
• algae (hari, cladophora, hara).

The largest number of plants is represented at the mouth of the Volga. The most common are sedge, wormwood, pondweed, spurge, saltwort, astragalus. Wormwood, sorrel, reed grass and bedstraw grow in large quantities in the meadows.

The delta of the river called the Volga, the source of which is also not very rich in plants, has 500 different species. Sedge, spurge, marshmallow, wormwood and mint are not uncommon here. You can find thickets of blackberries and reeds. Meadows grow on the banks of the water stream. The forest is located in stripes. The most common trees are willows, ash and poplars.

Animal world

The Volga is rich in fish. It is inhabited by many aquatic animals that differ from each other in the way of existence. In total, there are about 70 species, of which 40 are commercial. One of the smallest fish in the pool is the puhead, whose length does not exceed 3 cm. It can even be confused with a tadpole. But the largest is the beluga. Its dimensions can reach 4 m. It is a legendary fish: it can live up to 100 years and weigh more than 1 ton. The most important are roach, catfish, pike, sterlet, carp, pike perch, sturgeon, bream. Such wealth not only provides products to nearby areas, but is also successfully exported to other countries.

Sterlet, pike, bream, carp, catfish, ruff, perch, burbot, asp - all these representatives of fish live in the introductory stream, and the Volga River is considered to be their permanent place of residence. Istok, unfortunately, cannot boast of such a rich diversity. In places where the water flow is calm and has a shallow depth, the southern stickleback lives - the only representative of sticklebacks. And in those areas where the Volga has the most vegetation, you can meet carp, which prefers quiet waters. Stellate sturgeon, herring, sturgeon, lamprey, beluga enter the river from the Caspian Sea. Since ancient times, the river has been considered the best for fishing.

You can also meet frogs, birds, insects and snakes. Dalmatian pelicans, pheasants, egrets, swans and white-tailed eagles are very often located on the banks. All these representatives are quite rare and are listed in the Red Book. On the banks of the Volga there are many protected areas, they help protect against extinction. Geese, ducks, teals and mallards nest here. Wild boars live in the nearby steppes, and saigas live in the nearby steppes. Very often on the seashore you can meet which are quite freely located near the water.

Significance of the Volga for Russia

The Volga, whose source is located in a village in the Tver region, flows throughout Russia. With its waterway, the river connects with the Baltic, Azov, Black and White seas, as well as the Tikhvin and Vyshnevolotsk systems. Large forests can be found in the Volga basin, as well as rich adjacent fields sown with various industrial and grain crops. The lands in these areas are fertile, which contributed to the development of horticulture and melon growing. It should be clarified that there are gas and oil deposits in the Volga-Ural zone, and salt deposits near Solikamsk and the Volga region.

It is impossible to argue with the fact that the Volga has a long and rich history. She is a participant in many important political events. And it also plays a huge economic role, being the main water artery of Russia, thereby uniting several regions into one. It has administrative and industrial centers, several millionaire cities. That is why this water stream is called the great Russian river.

The Volga is located in the European part of Russia and occupies the first position among the longest Russian rivers and the 16th position among the longest rivers of our planet. The big river takes its headwaters on the Valdai Elevation and flows into the Caspian Sea. It feeds on snow, ground directions and storm flows.

The Volga is characterized by a calm slow current. The banks of the river serve as a wonderful place to relax, and more than 70 species of fish live in the water. Many of these fish species are commercial.

Length of the Volga River

The length of the largest river is 3530 km, the basin area is 1,360,000 km², and before the construction of reservoirs on it, the length was more than 3600 km. The source of the river is the Voldai Upland, and the mouth is the Caspian Sea. This is the largest river in the world that flows into a closed reservoir, which is the largest closed lake ( Caspian Sea), the annual flow is 254 km³.

The water artery of Russia passes through many regions of the country. Tver, Moscow, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Ivanovo, Nizhny Novgorod, Ulyanovsk, Samara, Saratov, Volgograd, Astrakhan regions, as well as the republics of Chuvashia, Mari El, Tatarstan, are located on the banks of the water element. The upper course flows from the western part to the east, and the lower course from the northern part to the south. Ends in the Caspian Sea.

Source of the Volga River

(The source of the Volga on the Volgoverkhovye)

Its origins mighty water element takes from a small stream of groundwater, namely in the village of Volgoverkhovye. The village is located at the height of a mountain hill, more than 200 meters above sea level.

Many tourists are attracted by a small chapel, which is built on the site where the river originates. Travelers love to share their impressions and tell that they stepped over such a mighty river.

(Here is such a small but fast stream becomes a wide river with a great history)

Gradually, a small stream gains its strength due to more than 100,000 tributaries, consisting of large and small rivers. Overcoming kilometers, the Volga transforms into a huge river.

Mouth of the Volga River

(The mouth of the Volga in the Astrakhan region is divided by many branches)

In the city of Astrakhan, the mouth of the Volga is formed, which is divided by many branches, among which the largest are Bakhtemir, Bolda, Buzan. Southern City on 11 islands in the upper coastal part of the river.

A unique reserve was built at the confluence of the Volga. Rare species flora and fauna are under state protection. The Astrakhan Nature Reserve attracts many travelers and impresses its guests with picturesque places.

Tributaries of the Volga River

(The magnificent confluence of the Oka with the Volga)

The Volga can be conditionally divided into three sections. The upper section originates at the source of the Volga and stretches to the end of the Oka. The middle part starts from the mouth of the Oka and ends at the mouth of the Kama. The lower section starts from the mouth of the Kama and ends at the mouth of the Volga. The upper course has large streams, such as Darkness, Unzha and Mologa. The middle course includes Sura, Vetluga and Sviyaga. The lower course consists of Samara, Yeruslan and Sok. The total number of tributaries is more than 500, as well as multiple ducts and no big rivers.

(The confluence of the Kama River into the Volga forms the magnificent Kama mouth, Mount Lobach)

There is an opinion among some scientists that the Kama River was the main river, and the Volga served as its tributary. Many studies show that the life of the Kama exceeds the Volga by several million years. In 1983, the Cheboksary reservoir was launched, and the Volga turned into many flowing lakes. And the Kama continues to feed on the tributaries of small rivers.

Cities of Russia on the Volga River

(Volga along the city of Yaroslavl)

On the banks of the Volga there are some powerful cities of Russia: Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, Ulyanovsk, Samara and Volgograd. Administrative centers are economic, cultural, sports, industrial centers for the Russian Federation.

Also important are the large cities on the river: Astrakhan, Saratov, Kharabali, Kineshma and many others. There are many settlements along the way of the river. Railway and automobile routes have been created, so not a single tourist has problems with the question of how to get to the mighty Volga. More than 1,400 marinas and industrial ports are located on its banks.

Citizens and rural population use the Volga for a variety of purposes. More than 40% of industrial production and more than 50% of agricultural production of the Russian Federation are concentrated in its waters and shores. The main function of the river is its economic role. The river transports industrial materials, foodstuffs and other necessary goods that improve people's livelihoods.

The Volga is also the main source of water supply for the urban and rural population. It also serves as a favorite place for outdoor activities, tourism and fishing due to its sufficient clean water and the colorful nature that surrounds its shores.

The Volga River in folk culture

The favorite symbol of Russia is the mighty mother - the Volga River. She inspired and inspires hundreds of poets, singers and artists to create real masterpieces. It was about this river that songs and poems were composed for centuries, which completely glorified and continue to glorify it.

The Volga is also vividly depicted in the paintings of world artists. The Volozhskaya theme is regularly interpreted in a rich creative range and genre variety. Hundreds of works by many nameless creators have survived to this day, depicting a variety of fragments of the great Volga River.

Russia is the largest country in the world by area. On a vast territory flow major rivers Lands: Ob, Yenisei, Lena, Amur. Among them is the longest river in Europe - the Volga. Its length is 3530 km, and the basin area is 1360 thousand m2.

The Volga River flows in the European part of Russia: from the Valdai Upland in the west, along the eastern side - to the Urals, in the south of the country it flows into the Caspian Sea. A small part of the delta enters the territory of Kazakhstan.

The source of the river is located on the Valdai Upland, in the village of Volgoverkhovye, Tver Region. A small stream, receiving about 150,000 tributaries, including 200 small and large rivers, is gaining power and strength and turns into a mighty river. A special monument to the river was erected at the place of its source.

The fall of the river along its length does not exceed 250 m. The mouth of the river lies 28 m below sea level. The territory of Russia adjacent to the Volga is called the Volga region. There are four million-plus cities along the banks of the river: Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, Samara and Volgograd. The first large settlement on the Volga from the source is the city of Rzhev, and the last in the delta is Astrakhan. The Volga is the world's largest river of internal flow, i.e. not flowing into the oceans.

The main part of the Volga area, from the source to Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan, is located in the forest zone, the middle part of the basin to Samara and Saratov is in the forest-steppe zone, the lower part is up to Volgograd in the steppe zone, and to the south in the semi-desert zone.

The Volga is usually divided into three parts: the upper Volga - from the source to the mouth of the Oka, the middle Volga - from the confluence of the Oka to the mouth of the Kama, and the lower Volga - from the confluence of the Kama to the confluence of the Caspian Sea.

River history

For the first time, a Greek scientist spoke about the river. Then information about the Volga is found in the notes of the Persian king Darius, who described his campaigns against the Scythian tribes. Roman sources speak of the Volga as a "generous river", hence the name - "Ra". In Rus', the river is spoken of in the famous Tale of Bygone Years.

Since the time of Rus', the Volga has been an important trading link - an artery where the Volga trade route was founded. Through this route, Russian merchants traded in oriental fabrics, metal, honey, and wax.

After the conquest of the Volga basin, the heyday of trade began, which peaked in the 17th century. Over time, a river fleet arose on the Volga.

In the 19th century, an army of barge haulers worked on the Volga, which is the subject of a painting by a Russian artist. At that time, huge supplies of salt, fish, and bread were transported along the Volga. Then cotton was added to these goods, and later oil.

During civil war The Volga was the main strategic point, which provided the army with bread and food, and also made it possible to quickly transfer forces with the help of the fleet.

Painting by Ilya Repin "Barge haulers on the Volga", 1872-1873

When Soviet power was established in Russia, the river began to be used as a source of electricity. In the 20th century, 8 hydroelectric power plants were built on the Volga.

During the Second World War, the Volga was the most important river for the USSR, as armies and food supplies were transferred through it. In addition, on the Volga, in Stalingrad (now Volgograd), the largest battle took place.

Now the Volga basin is producing oil and natural gas reserves that support the Russian economy. In some areas potash and table salt are mined.

Flora and fauna of the river

The Volga is fed mainly by snow (60%), partly by rainfall (10%), and groundwater feeds the Volga by 30%. The water in the river is warm, in summer the temperature does not fall below + 20-25 degrees. The river freezes at the end of November in the upper reaches, and in the lower reaches - in December. The river is frozen 100-160 days a year.

Large populations of fish live in the river: crucian carp, zander, perch, ide, pike. Catfish, burbot, ruff, sturgeon, bream and sterlet also live in the waters of the Volga. In total there are about 70 species of fish.

Birds settle in the Volga delta: ducks, swans, herons. Flamingos and pelicans live on the Volga. And the famous flowers grow - lotuses. Although the Volga is heavily polluted by industrial enterprises, aquatic vegetation (lotus, water lily, reed, water chestnut) is still preserved in it.

Tributaries of the Volga

Approximately 200 tributaries flow into the Volga, and most of them are on the left side. The left tributaries are much more abundant than the right ones. The largest tributary of the Volga is the Kama River. Its length reaches 2000 km. The beginning of the tributary takes on the Verkhnekamsk Upland. Kama has more than 74 thousand tributaries, 95% are rivers up to 10 km long.

Hydrotechnical studies also indicate that the Kama is older than the Volga. But the last ice age and the construction of reservoirs on the Kama seriously reduced its length.

In addition to the Kama, tributaries of the Volga stand out:

• Sura;
• Tvertsa;
• Sviyaga;
• Vetluga;
• Unzha;
• Mologa and others.

Tourism on the Volga

Volga - picturesque river so tourism flourishes there. The Volga makes it possible to visit in a short time a large number of Volga cities. Cruises along the Volga are a common type of recreation on the river.

The journey lasts from 3-5 days to a month. It includes a visit most beautiful cities countries along the Volga. The favorable period for traveling along the Volga is from the beginning of May to the end of September.

• On the Kama, a tributary of the Volga, an annual competition in sailing- the largest in Europe.
• The Volga appears in the literary and artistic works of Russian classics: Repin.
• Feature films have been made about the Volga, including "Volga, Volga" in 1938, "A bridge is being built" in 1965.

• The Volga is considered to be the "homeland of barge haulers." Sometimes 600 thousand barge haulers could work hard at the same time.
• A controversial point: it is generally accepted that the Kama is a tributary of the Volga River. But geographers and hydrologists are still arguing which of the rivers is the main one. The fact is that at the confluence of the Volga rivers, it carries 3,100 cubic meters of water per second, but the “productivity” of the Kama is 4,300 cubic meters per second. It turns out that the Volga ends just below Kazan, and then the Kama River already flows, and it is the Kama that flows into the Caspian Sea.

• The Arabs, impressed by the scale of the Volga, called it "Itil", which means "river" in Arabic.
• The Volga pours 250 cubic kilometers of water into the Caspian Sea every day. However, the level of this sea continues to decline steadily.
• On May 20, Volga Day is celebrated in Russia.

The Volga River is a mighty water stream that carries its waters through the European territory of Russia and flows into the Caspian Sea. The total length from source to mouth is 3692 km. It is customary not to take into account individual sections of reservoirs. Therefore, officially the length of the Volga is 3530 km. It is considered the longest in Europe. And the area of ​​the water basin is 1 million 380 thousand square meters. km. This is a third of the European part of Russia.

The source of the Volga

The river begins its journey on the Valdai Upland. This is the Ostashkovsky district of the Tver region. On the outskirts of the village of Volgoverkhovye, several springs gush out of the ground. One of them is considered the source of the great river. The spring is surrounded by a chapel, which can be reached by a bridge. All springs flow into a small reservoir. A stream flows out of it, reaching a width of no more than 1 meter and a depth of 25-30 cm. The height above sea level in this place is 228 meters.

The stream is 3.2 km long. It flows into the lake Small Verkhity. It flows out of it and flows into the next lake Bolshie Verkhity. Here the brook expands and turns into a rivulet that flows into Lake Sterzh. It is 12 km long and 1.5 km wide. The average depth is 5 meters, and the maximum reaches 8 meters. total area lakes 18 sq. km. The lake is part of the Upper Volga reservoir, which stretches for 85 km. After the reservoir, the Upper Volga begins.

Great Russian river Volga

Waterway of the great Russian river

The river is conditionally divided into three large sections. These are Upper, Middle and Lower Volga. First Big City on the way of the water flow - Rzhev. From the source to it 200 km. The next big locality is the ancient Russian city of Tver with a population of more than 400 thousand people. Here is the Ivankovskoye reservoir, the length of which is 120 km. Next is the Uglich reservoir with a length of 146 km. To the north of the city of Rybinsk is the Rybinsk Reservoir. This is the northernmost point of the great river. Further, it no longer flows to the northeast, but turns to the southeast.

The water stream once carried its waters here along a narrow valley. He crossed a series of uplands and lowlands. Now these places have turned into the Gorky reservoir. On its banks are the cities of Rybinsk, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Kineshma. Above Nizhny Novgorod is the regional administrative center Gorodets. Here, the Nizhny Novgorod hydroelectric power station was built, forming the Gorky reservoir, stretching for 427 km.

The Middle Volga begins after the reunion with the Oka. This is the largest right tributary. Its length is 1499 km. It flows into the great Russian river in Nizhny Novgorod. This is one of largest cities Russia.

Volga on the map

Having taken in the waters of the Oka, the Volga River becomes wider and rushes to the east. It flows along the northern part of the Volga Upland. Near Cheboksary, the Cheboksary hydroelectric power station blocks its way and forms the Cheboksary reservoir. Its length is 341 km, width is 16 km. After that, the course of the river shifts to the southeast, and near the city of Kazan it turns south.

The Volga becomes a truly powerful river after the Kama flows into it. This is the largest left tributary. Its length is 1805 km. Kama surpasses the Volga in all respects. But for some reason, it is not she who flows into the Caspian Sea. This is due to historically established names and traditions.

After reuniting with the Kama, the lower course of the great Russian river begins. It is steadily moving south towards the Caspian Sea. On its banks there are such cities as Ulyanovsk, Tolyatti, Samara, Saratov, Volgograd. Near Togliatti and Samara, the river forms a bend (Samarskaya Luka), directed to the east. In this place, the water flow goes around the Togliatti mountains. Upstream is the largest Kuibyshev reservoir on the river. In terms of its area, it is considered the 3rd in the world. Its length reaches 500 km, and its width is 40 km.

River pier in Saratov

Downstream of Samara is the Saratov reservoir, reaching a length of 341 km. It is formed by a dam built near the town of Balakovo.

From Samara to Volgograd, the river flows southwest. Above Volgograd, the left arm separates from the main water stream. It is called Akhtuba. The hand of the sleeve is 537 km. Between Volgograd and the beginning of Akhtuba, the Volzhskaya hydroelectric power station was built. It forms the Volgograd reservoir. Its length is 540 km, and its width reaches 17 km.

Volga Delta

The delta of the great Russian river begins in the Volgograd region. Its length is about 160 km, width reaches 40 km.. Included in the delta are almost 500 canals and small rivers. This is the largest estuary in Europe. The Bakhtemir branch forms the navigable Volga-Caspian canal. The Kigach River, which is one of the branches, flows through the territory of Kazakhstan. These places contain unique flora and fauna. Here you can meet pelicans, flamingos, as well as such a plant as a lotus.

Such ships sail along the Volga

Shipping

The Volga River underwent significant transformations during the Soviet era. Many dams were built on it, taking into account navigation. Therefore, the vessels easily get from the Caspian Sea to the northern regions of the country.

Communication with the Black Sea and the Don is carried out through the Volga-Don Canal. Communication with the northern lakes (Ladoga, Onega), St. Petersburg and the Baltic Sea is carried out through the Volga-Baltic waterway. The great river is connected with Moscow by the Moscow Canal.

The river is considered navigable from the city of Rzhev to the delta. It carries a wide variety of industrial goods. These are oil, coal, timber, food. During the 3 winter months, the water stream freezes over most of its path.

The Volga has a very rich history. Many important political events are inextricably linked with it. The economic significance of the water flow is also incommensurable. It is the most important artery that unites many regions into a single whole. On its banks are the largest industrial and administrative centers. There are as many as 4 millionaire cities alone. These are Kazan, Volgograd, Samara and Nizhny Novgorod. Therefore, the mighty waters are rightly called the great Russian river.