Volga: wiki: Facts about Russia. Volga in the Samara region

The Volga River is the largest and most abundant river in the Russian Plain and the longest river in Europe. On the Valdai Hills, at an altitude of 256 meters above the level of the Caspian Sea, begins its long haul Volga.
A small, unremarkable stream flows out of a swamp overgrown with dense grass, surrounded by dense mixed forest. This is the source of one of the greatest rivers in the world - the Volga. And therefore, people come here in an unbroken chain to take a sip of water at the place of birth. great river to look with your own eyes at a tiny spring, over which a modest wooden chapel is placed.
The Volga water, which came to the surface near the village of Volgoverkhovye, Ostashkovsky district, Tver region, will have to go through a very a long way to the mouth on the northern coast of the Caspian Sea.
In a small stream and a small river, the Volga flows through several lakes: Small and Bolshoy Verkhit, Sterzh, Vetlug, Peno and Volgo, and only after receiving the Selizharovka River flowing from the lake, it becomes wider and fuller. But the truly full-flowing river Volga appears after the confluence of the Oka at Nizhny Novgorod. Here the Upper Volga ends and the Middle Volga begins, which will flow and collect new tributaries until it joins the Kama, which flows into the Kama Bay of the Kuibyshev reservoir. Here begins the Lower Volga, the river is no longer just full-flowing, but mighty.
Through the Volga in the XIII-XVI centuries. Mongol-Tatar invaders went to Russia, in 1552 the Russian Tsar Ivan the Terrible took it and annexed it to the Moscow kingdom. AT Time of Troubles In Russia, in Nizhny Novgorod, in 1611, Prince Dmitry Pozharsky and the merchant Kuzma Minin gathered a militia to go liberate Moscow from the Poles.
As the legend says, on the Volga cliff, later named after him, Cossack ataman Stepan Razin "thought a thought" about how to give free rein to the Russian people. In 1667, Stepan Razin “and his comrades” walked along the Volga on a campaign “for zipuns” in Persia and, according to legend, drowned a Persian princess in the waters of the great river. Here, on the Volga, in 1670, near Simbirsk (today - Ulyanovsk), the motley army of Razin was defeated by the regiments of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich.
In, in Astrakhan, Emperor Peter I personally founded the port in 1722. The first Russian emperor also dreamed of connecting the Volga with the Don, but the canal was built much later, in 1952.
In 1774, near the city of Tsaritsyn (today - Volgograd, from 1925 to 1961 - Stalingrad), the uprising of Yemelyan Pugachev ended with a defeat from government troops. Here, in July 1918 - February 1919, the Red Army held the later famous "Tsaritsyno Defense" from the White Cossack army of General Krasnov. And from July 17, 1942 to February 2, 1943, the greatest in history went on in these places Battle of Stalingrad that broke the back of fascism and determined the outcome of World War II.

For centuries, the Volga served as a transport artery for people, a source of water, fish, and energy. Today, the great river is in danger - its pollution from human activity threatens with disaster.

Already in the VIII century. The Volga was an important trade route between East and West. It is thanks to her that today archaeologists find Arabic silver coins in Scandinavian burials.
By the X century. in the south, in the lower reaches of the river, trade was controlled by the Khazar Khaganate with its capital Itil at the mouth of the Volga. On the Middle Volga, such a center was the Bulgar kingdom with the capital Bulgar (not far from modern Kazan). In the north, in the Upper Volga region, the Russian cities of Rostov the Great, Suzdal and Murom grew rich and grew largely thanks to the Volga trade. Honey, wax, furs, fabrics, spices, metals, jewelry and many other goods floated up and down the Volga, which was then more often called Itil. The very name Volga first appears in The Tale of Bygone Years at the beginning of the 11th century.
After the Mongol-Tatar invasion of Russia in the XIII century. trade along the Volga weakens and begins to recover only in the 15th century. After Ivan the Terrible in the middle of the XVI century. conquered and annexed the Kazan and Astrakhan khanates to the Moscow kingdom, the entire Volga river system ended up on the territory of Russia. The flourishing of trade and the growth of the influence of the cities of Yaroslavl, Nizhny Novgorod and Kostroma began. New cities arose on the Volga - Saratov, Tsaritsyn. Hundreds of ships roamed the river in trade caravans.
In 1709, the Vyshnevolotsk water system, built by order of Peter I, began to operate, thanks to which food and timber were delivered from the Volga to the new capital of Russia - St. Petersburg. To early XIX in. the Mariinsky and Tikhvin water systems are already operating, providing communication with the Baltic, since 1817 the first motor ship joins the Volga river fleet, barges along the river are dragged by artels of barge haulers, the number of which reaches several hundred thousand people. Ships carry fish, salt, grain, and by the end of the century, more oil and cotton.
Construction of the Moscow Canal (1932-1937), the Volga-Don Canal (1948-1952), the Volga-Baltic Canal (1940-1964) and the Volga-Kama Cascade - the largest complex hydraulic structures(dams, locks, reservoirs, canals and hydroelectric power plants) has solved many problems. The Volga became the largest transport artery, connected, in addition to the Caspian, with four more seas - the Black, Azov, Baltic, White. Its waters helped to irrigate fields in the arid regions of the Volga region, and hydroelectric power plants - to provide energy for multi-million cities and largest enterprises.
However, the intensive use of the Volga by man has led to the pollution of the river with industrial effluents and waste. Agriculture. Millions of hectares of land were flooded and thousands of settlements, the fish resources of the river suffered great damage.
Today, environmentalists are sounding the alarm - the river's ability to self-purify has been exhausted, it has become one of the dirtiest rivers in the world. Poisonous blue-green algae capture the Volga, serious fish mutations are observed.

Volga river

general information

A river in the European part of Russia, the largest river in Europe and one of the largest in the world. Falls into .

Official name: Volga river.
The source of the river: the village of Volgoverkhovye, Ostashkovsky district, Tver region.

Main tributaries: Oka, Kama, Vetluga, Unzha, Vyatka, Sviyaga, Vazuza, Nerl, Sura, Big Irgiz, Akhtuba.

Reservoirs: Rybinsk, Upper Volga, Ivankovskoye, Uglichskoye, Kostroma, Gorky, Cheboksary, Kuibyshev, Saratov, Volgograd.

In the river basin are: Vologda, Kostroma, Yaroslavl, Tver, Tula, Moscow, Vladimir, Ivanovo, Kirov, Ryazan, Kaluga, Orel, Smolensk, Penza, Tambov, Nizhny Novgorod, Ulyanovsk, Saratov, Samara, Astrakhan regions, as well as Perm region and the republics of Udmurtia, Mari El, Chuvashia, Mordovia, Komi, Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, Kalmykia.
Languages ​​spoken in the river basin: Russian, Tatar, Udmurt, Mari, Chuvash, Mordovian, Bashkir, Kalmyk and some others.
Religion: Orthodoxy, Islam, paganism (the Republic of Mari El, where the Mari traditional religion is recognized as the state religion), Buddhism (Kalmykia).

Largest cities:, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Nizhny Novgorod, Cheboksary, Kazan, Ulyanovsk, Tolyatti, Samara, Syzran, Saratov, Volgograd, Astrakhan.

Main ports: Rybinsk. Yaroslavl, Nizhny Novgorod, Cheboksary, Kazan, Ulyanovsk, Togliatti, Samara, Saratov, Volgograd, Astrakhan, ports of Moscow.

Ports on the Kama: Berezniki, Perm, Naberezhnye Chelny, Chistopol.

The most important airports: international Airport Strigino (Nizhny Novgorod), Kazan International Airport (Kazan), Kurumoch International Airport (Samara), Volgograd International Airport (Gumrak settlement).

Large lakes of the river basin: Seliger, Elton. Baskunchak, Aralsor.

Numbers

Pool area: 1,361,000 km2.

Population: according to various sources - from 1/3 to 2/3 of the population of Russia, that is, 45-90 million people.

Population density: 33-66 people / km 2.

Ethnic composition: Russians, Tatars, Mordovians, Udmurts, Mari, Chuvash Bashkirs, Kalmyks, Komi.

River length: 3530 km.

highest point: Mount Bezymyannaya, 381.2 m (Zhiguli Mountains).

Channel width: up to 2500 m.

Delta area: 19,000 km2.
Average annual flow: 238 km3.

Economy

Transport features: The Volga is the central water artery of Russia. FROM by the Baltic Sea The Volga is connected by the Volga-Baltic Canal. Vyshnevolotsk and Tikhvin water systems; the Volga-Don Canal connects the Volga with the Azov and Black Seas; the Severodvinsk water system and the White Sea-Baltic Canal lead to the White Sea. More than 3000 km of internal routes. The Moscow Canal connects the Volga with Moscow and is used for navigation, water supply of the capital and watering of the Moscow River.

Hydropower: Uglichskaya HPP, Rybinskaya GRES, Kostromskaya GRES, Cheboksarskaya HPP, Saratovskaya HPP, Volzhskaya HPP. 20% of all hydroelectric power in Russia. About 45% of the industrial and approximately 50% of the agricultural production of the Russian Federation is concentrated in the Volga basin.

Agriculture: grain and industrial crops, horticulture, melon growing, meat and dairy farming, horse breeding and sheep breeding.

Volga is the longest European river, as well as one of the largest on the planet Earth, which is located in the European part of Russia and in Kazakhstan.

On the this moment the length of the Volga is approximately 3530 km, although before the construction of reservoirs on the river, it was somewhat longer - 3690 km.

The Volga got its name from the times of Russia and comes from the word "moisture".

Source

The source of the Volga River is located on the Valdai Upland, namely in the small village of Volgoverkhovye, in the Tver region. The river then passes through several large lakes. A special monument to the river was erected at the place of its source.

Historical characteristics

• For the first time, the Greek historian Herodotus 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 they gave it its name - "Ra".
• Arab researchers speak of the Volga as a "river of rivers, a great river."
• In Russia, the river is spoken of in the famous Tale of Bygone Years.
• Since the time of Russia, the Volga has been an important trading link - an artery where the Volga trade route was founded. Through this path, Russia traded with the Arab countries, to a greater extent such goods: expensive oriental fabrics, metals, slaves, honey, wax. During Mongol invasion this trading region loses its priority and importance, but already in the 15th century it regains its former importance.
• After the conquest of the entire Volga basin, the flourishing of trade begins, the peak of which falls on the 17th century.
• Over time, a powerful river fleet appears on the Volga.
• In the 19th century, a whole army of barge haulers worked on the Volga, to which even a painting by the famous Russian artist I. a. During this period, huge supplies of salt, fish, and bread are transported along the Volga. Then cotton, and later oil, also joined these commodities.
• During the period, the Volga was almost the main strategic point, the control of which would provide the army with bread, as well as oil and the ability to quickly transfer its forces with the help of the fleet.
• When is established in Russia Soviet authority, the river is being used as a source of electricity by building hydroelectric power stations on it.
• During the Second World War, the Volga was the most important river for the USSR, as huge armies and food supplies were transferred through it. In addition, on one of the cities on the Volga - Stalingrad, the largest battle in history took place. The Volga is the key to the USSR, the German and Soviet command thought so, so the battles were especially fierce.
• Huge tracts of forests are located in the upper reaches of the Volga, and downstream along the Volga there are large sown areas and garden enterprises.
• The Volga basin is rich in oil and natural gas which form the basis of the entire Russian economy.
• In some areas, potash salt, table salt is mined.

River mode

Like many others Russian rivers, The Volga is mainly fed by snow - about 60%, a small part becomes rain fed - only 10%, and groundwater feeds the Volga itself by 30%. Annual fluctuations in water levels vary in different regions. For example, in the Tver region it can reach 11 meters, in that Astrakhan - only 3 meters.

Volga river photo

The water in the river is warm, summer time, for example, it does not fall below 20-25 degrees Celsius. The river freezes at the end of November - in the upper reaches, and in the lower reaches already in December. In a frozen state, the river is from 100 to 160 days a year. Not uncommon on the Volga River big waves- about 1.5 - 2 meters. Because of this, breakwaters were installed in many ports.

Flora and fauna

The Volga River, as well as its largest tributary - the Kama, are a source of a huge amount of fish. Large populations of the following fish species live in the river: crucian carp, silver bream, pikeperch, perch, ide, pike, catfish, burbot, ruff, sturgeon, bream and sterlet. Trout have recently been introduced into the rivers. In total, there are about 70 species of fish in the Volga.

Birds on the Volga River photo

Many species of birds settle in the Volga deltas: ducks, swans, herons, etc. Although the Volga is heavily polluted by industrial enterprises, quite rich aquatic vegetation (lotus, water lily, reed, water chestnut, etc.) is still preserved in it, especially in the bays.

Cities on the Volga River

The most important cities for the country are located on the Volga, among them many cities with a population of many millions. At the very bottom of the Volga lies the most important economic and industrial center of the Lower Volga region - the city of Astrakhan, with more than half a million inhabitants. Astrakhan is considered to be a port city.

Volga river. Astrakhan city photo

One of the most beautiful and most famous cities is Big city Volgograd, formerly known as Stalingrad. The city has a heroic title, which he received during the Great Patriotic War(). The population of the city is slightly more than 1 million people. Even under the USSR, it was one of the most powerful economically developed cities in the country. Now the city is flourishing engineering, construction industry, metallurgy, energy industry.

Volga river. Volgograd city photo

One of the largest cities in terms of population on the Volga is the city of Kazan. Its population is more than 1 million, 200 thousand people. Kazan is one of the most powerful industrial centers Russian Federation. Mechanical engineering is the backbone of the city's industry. petrochemical industry, aviation industry. Not less than big city on the Volga there is Nizhny Novgorod with a population of 1 million, 250 thousand people. Although, unlike the population of Kazan, here the population is not growing, but falling.

Volga river. Kazan city photo

There is a wide production of cars, ships of various classes and the production of weapons. Heavy industry is well developed in the city. Novgorod is also considered one of the main information centers big country. The next city to be noted is with a population of almost 1 million and 200 thousand people. Samara is an important center for mechanical engineering and heavy industry, and especially for the aviation industry.

Volga river. Nizhny Novgorod photo

The last city to be mentioned is the city of Tver with a population of just over 400 thousand people. Tver is the most developed in the machine-building and heavy industries. Slightly less developed food industry as well as chemical.

Tributaries of the Volga

Approximately 200 tributaries and most of of them are on the left side. The left tributaries are also much more abundant than the right tributaries. The largest tributary of the Volga is the Kama River - the left tributary. Its length reaches 2000 km, which is more than half the length of the Volga itself. The beginning of the tributary takes on the Verkhnekamsk Upland.

Kama is different huge amount small tributaries - in total their number reaches almost 74 thousand, and the lion's share of them (about 95%) are rivers up to 10 km long. As in the Volga, the Kama is fed mainly by snow. Water level fluctuations most often become from 6 to 7 meters.

Many hydrotechnical studies also indicate that the Kama is much older than the Volga, and that the Volga is a tributary of the Kama, and not vice versa. This is exactly what happened a few millennia ago. But the last ice Age and the construction of reservoirs on the Kama, seriously reduced its length.

The tributaries of the Volga:

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

Tourism on the river

The Volga is rightfully considered one of the most picturesque rivers in Russia, and therefore tourism is flourishing on it. The Volga makes it possible to maximize short term visit a large number of ancient cities of the state.

Cruises along the Volga are the most common type of recreation on the Volga, as well as one of the most versatile, comfortable and relatively inexpensive. Such a cruise can last from several days to a whole month, which includes visiting the most beautiful cities and places of the country located along the Volga.

Tourism on the Volga River photo

The most favorable period for traveling along the Volga is the beginning of May to the end of September, when the weather is the warmest and most pleasant. The most convenient transport for traveling is a tourist boat, which has all the amenities for passengers, including: swimming pools, comfortable cabins high class, cinemas, library and so on. During the ship's entry into the city, tourists can easily book a tour of a particular city.

Payment for excursions can also be included in the property of the tourist tour itself, along with payment for the ship.

• On the tributary of the Volga - Kama is an annual sailing competition - one of the largest in Europe;
• The Volga River is the core of the entire Russian people in literature, often human qualities were attributed to the river;
• The Volga appears in many literary and artistic works of Russian classics: Gorky, Nekrasov, Repin;
• Several well-known feature films were 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 about 600 thousand barge haulers could work hard on it at the same time;
• The Volga is the largest river in Europe.

Chekhov's classic phrase "Volga flows into the Caspian Sea" has become an example of a banal statement. In fact, the answer to the question of where the Volga flows into is far from being as obvious as it seems. It lies in such areas of science as hydrography, toponymy, geography, etc.

great river

The ancient Volga arose on Earth about 23 million years ago. Most likely, the birth date of the great river is even more ancient - studies show that the Volga had smaller predecessors, not of such significant size.

The Volga is the largest river in the European part of the Eurasian continent. Its length is about 3,530 km. Unlike many other rivers that have a connection with the World Ocean, the Volga flows into a large inland body of water that does not have direct access to the open ocean. This unique formation is called the Caspian Sea.

Ancient Volga

During the period of the Volga's birth, the movement of tectonic plates began, which led to the emergence of the Central Russian Upland and the Valdai Mountains. The tectonic process was accompanied by cutting into the base rocks of the plate of numerous channels of ancient rivers. At that time, the beginning of the Volga River appears.

And where does the Volga flow in those distant times? Geological evidence states that the ancient Caspian Sea was much wider at that time, and besides, it had open outlet to the world ocean. Then, as now, the Caspian received the waves of the ancient Volga and all its tributaries.

At that time, the course of the river was a little more different than it is now. It arose in the deepest part of a large trench that stretched from modern Kazan to Volgograd. It was he who became the first channel of the paleo-Volga.

Later, the processes that arose as a result of the onset of the Ice Age smoothed out the features of the relief. The area was gradually filled with sedimentary rocks. The Volga continued its development, flowing through an already flat plain. In the geography of the Volga channel of that time, familiar coastal reliefs already appeared. And the area where the Volga flows into has acquired modern outlines.

The mouth and tributaries of the Volga

Quite a lot has been written about where the Volga begins and where it flows. scientific works. In the process of its development, the Volga grew with numerous tributaries and repeatedly changed the location of its delta, but this great river left its source unchanged.

The Valdai Upland is the cradle for many large rivers. Here originate such rivers as the Dnieper, Lovat, Western Dvina, Msta and many smaller water arteries. The largest waterway in Europe was no exception. The first part of the answer to the question - where does the Volga originate and where does it flow - lies here, in these Russian mountains. The Volga carries its waters from the Valdai Upland. The place where the river originates is located in the Tver region and is called Volgino Verkhovye.

But there are minor problems with the place where the Volga flows into the Caspian Sea. The fact is that many researchers do not agree with the standard answer to the school problem about where the Volga originates and where it flows. The well-known source in Valdai is far from the only beginning of the great Volga, it is quite possible that it has many more sources, and some of them are underground.

Tributaries of the Volga

As for the tributaries, the Volga has a lot of them. The largest of them are Mologa, Samara, Ob, Kama, Eruslan and many others. Of all these, the widest and deepest tributary is the Kama River. It merges with the Volga not far from the shores of the Caspian Sea. So, maybe the Volga flows into the Kama, and not into the sea?

Signs of the confluence of rivers

Several indicators are used by hydrobiologists to determine which river is the main one and which is its tributary. At the confluence of the waters of both rivers, scientists determine their water content, catchment, structural features of the river system, the length of both rivers from the source to the confluence, river flow indicators, and several others.

In terms of water content, these two rivers are almost equal to each other. The average annual discharge of the Volga is 3750 m 3 / s, and the Kama - 3800 m 3 / s. In terms of catchment area, the Volga is ahead of its rival - 260.9 thousand km 2 against 251.7 thousand km 2. The height of the Volga basin is lower than that of the Kama, since the tributaries of the Kama originate in Ural mountains. The Kama valley is older than the Volga - it was formed in the first half of the Quaternary period, even before the Great icing. Kama in those days dumped its waters into Vychegda. After the end of the Ice Age, the Upper Volga, which used to flow into the Don, began to flow into the Kama. The Lower Volga and today is a natural continuation of not the Volga, but the Kama valley.

Hydrography of the Middle Ages

Arab medieval geographers called the Volga by its own name - Itil. They connected the ancient origins of Itil with Kama. And they paid no less attention to Kama than to her blue rival.

So where is the beginning of the Volga River and where does this waterway flow? Other equal conditions, along with hydrographic, historical traditions are also taken into account. The prevailing ideas and studies of toponymy allow us to assert that the Kama is a tributary of the Volga River. Rather, it flows into the Kuibyshev reservoir, located at the confluence of two rival rivers. And the question of where the Volga flows can be answered: into the waters of the Caspian Sea, but it should be remembered that this answer is dictated more by historical tradition than by real hydrographic indicators.

Russia is the largest country in the world by area. On a vast territory, the largest rivers of the Earth flow: the 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 - to Volgograd in the steppe zone, and to the south in the semi-desert zone.

The Volga is usually divided into three parts: 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 Russia, the river is spoken of in the famous Tale of Bygone Years.

Since the time of Russia, 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 the period 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.

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.

Currently, oil and natural gas reserves are being produced in the Volga basin, which support 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 a large number of Volga cities in a short time. 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 visiting the most beautiful cities of the country, located along the Volga. Favorable period for travel along the Volga - from the beginning of May to the end of September.

• The Kama, a tributary of the Volga, hosts an annual sailing competition, the largest in Europe.
• The Volga appears in the literary and artistic works of Russian classics: Repin.
• About the Volga art films, including "Volga, Volga" in 1938, "A bridge is under construction" 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 occupies the first position among the longest Russian rivers and 16th position among long rivers our planet. big river takes its headwaters on the Valdai Elevation and flows into the Caspian Sea. It feeds on snow, ground directions and storm flows. AT modern times contains more than 40% industrial production and more than 50% of the agricultural production of the Russian Federation. The Volga is characterized by a calm current. The banks of the river serve as a wonderful place for recreation, and more than 70 species of fish live in the water. Many of these fish widows are commercial.

Length of the Volga River

Length largest river- more than 3500 km, and before they began to build reservoirs on it, it was more than 3600 km. water artery Russia passes through many regions of the country. Tver, Moscow, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Ivanovo, Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, Saratov, Volgograd, Astrakhan regions, as well as the republics of Chuvashia, Mari El, Tatarstan, are located on the banks of the water element. upstream goes from the western part to the east, and the lower reaches 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)

The powerful water element takes its origins from a small stream 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 Astrakhan region separated by many sleeves)

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 of the upper river bank. 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. Total tributaries is more than 500, as well as multiple channels and small 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, Samara and Volgograd. Administrative centers are economic, cultural, sports, industrial centers for the Russian Federation. Also no less important big 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 in the most various purposes. main function 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 urban and rural population. It also serves as a favorite place for active rest, tourism and fishing thanks to enough 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.