On the territory of the Russian Federation there are more than two million large and small rivers. Many of them are small, but the top ten, which includes the largest rivers of Russia,   occupies a leading position worldwide. In the European and Asian parts of the country, there are huge water arteries, the size of which is amazing.

The largest rivers of Russia: Western and Eastern Siberia

Ob, Yenisei and Lena flow through Siberian territory. Their length is 5410, 4287 and 4480 km, respectively, and the basin areas are 2.99, 2.58 and 2.49 million square meters. km

Ob is formed by combining two water flows Biya and Katun. Its tributary Irtysh is also significant. Usually, its length is considered together with the Irtysh, therefore, it takes first place in this indicator and rightfully tops the list. "The largest rivers of Russia".   Its waters are rich in commercial fish, about 50 species are found here. Ob flows into the Gulf of Ob - the Gulf of the Kara Sea.

Ob is the largest river in Russia

The source of the Yenisei is located in Mongolia. The main part of its basin lies in our state, and in its area the Yenisei takes the second place. It flows into the Kara Sea. It is formed by the merger of the Greater and Lesser Yenisei and is the border between Eastern and Western Siberia.

Lena originates in the pre-Baikal region. Its source is a small lake near Lake Baikal. It flows into the Laptev Sea. It was discovered and mapped on the Russian state in the 17th century.

Yenisei River

The Yenisei River in its length is the fifth in the world

Far East

In the far east of the country is a large waterway - Cupid. In addition to the Russian state, it flows through the territories of Mongolia and China. Its length is 2824 km, and the area of \u200b\u200bthe river basin is 1.855 million square meters. km It is formed by the merger of Shilka and Argun. The mouth is located on the shore of the Sea of \u200b\u200bOkhotsk. Cupid is rich in fish. 139 species live here, of which about 40 are of commercial importance. 9 species of salmon live in its waters, some of them endemic.

Amur river

Fishing on the Amur River

Volga - one of the largest rivers in Russia

This huge waterway is the largest in Europe and one of the largest on the planet. The location of its source is the Valdai Plateau. It falls into the Caspian. Its length is about 3,530 km, and the area of \u200b\u200bits basin is 1,361 million square meters. km The Volga flows through the Russian Federation, only part of its delta lies on the territory of Kazakhstan.

Volga river

The Volga River is not only one of the greatest rivers of our country, but also the longest and richest in all of Europe.

European part of the country

Here, in addition to the Volga, the Don and Northern Dvina flow. Their lengths are equal to 1870 and 744 km, and the basin areas are 422000 and 357000 square meters. km Don begins in the Tula region on the territory of the Central Russian Upland and ends its journey in the Taganrog Bay. The Northern Dvina is formed by the confluence of Sukhona and the South. It begins in the Vologda region. It flows into the White Sea. It was here that the beginning of Russian shipbuilding was laid.

Fishing on the Don River

North of the Russian Federation

The most  large rivers of Russia,   current in the north in the permafrost zone are Indigirka, Kolyma and Khatanga. Their lengths are 1726, 2129 and 1636 km.

The source of the Indigirka is located on the Khalkan Range, where it forms at the junction of Tuor-Yuryakh and Taryn-Yuryakh. It flows through Yakutia, its delta is located on the shores of the East Siberian Sea. Kolyma also flows through Yakutia. It is formed by the confluence of Ayan-Yuryakh and Kulu, carries its waters into the Arctic Ocean. Khatanga is located in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Its source is located at the junction of Kotuy and Heta. It flows along the North Siberian Lowland and ends in the Arctic Ocean. On its shores there are many large and small lakes, of which there are more than 110,000.

Indigirka River

In Russia, there are about 2.5 million rivers. The greater number of these rivers is relatively small and their length is usually not more than 100 kilometers. But as for the large rivers, they are truly huge and reach a shocking size.

1

the largest river in Russia

The Ob is a river in Siberia, formed by the confluence of the rivers Katun and Biya. If we count from the source of the Irtysh, then it has a length of 5410 kilometers, which makes it the largest river in Russia in length. In the North, the river flows into the Gulf of Ob - a bay in the Kara Sea. The Ob basin area is 2,990,000 square kilometers (which is why the river ranks first in our ranking). The waters of this river are home to more than 50 species of fish, half of which are of industrial importance.

2

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 on the territory of two countries (Russia and Mongolia), its area is 2,580,000 square kilometers, which allows it to take second place among the rivers of Russia.

3

  The Lena River originates in the mountains of Siberia and flows into the Laptev Sea. Lena, one of the largest Russian rivers, with a length of 4,480 kilometers. Its area is 2,490,000 square kilometers, which rightfully makes it the third largest river in Russia. It is believed that for the first time the Russians learned about this river in the 17th century, having sent a detachment of Cossacks in search of it.

4

  Amur is a river flowing on the territory of three states (Russia, Mongolia and China). The basin area is 1 855 000 square kilometers, and the length of the river is 2824 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 \u200b\u200b“Amar” and “Damur” (large river).

5

  This river originates from the Valdai plateau in the Tver region. The Volga is one of the largest rivers on Earth, its length is 3,530 kilometers, and it is located on the territory of two states (Russia and Kazakhstan). The basin area is about 1,361,000 square kilometers, which makes it the largest river in Europe.

6

  This is a river in Yakutia, whose length is 2 129 kilometers. 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 carried out by valiant Cossacks.

7

  The Don is the river of 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 the oldest rivers in Russia.

8

  The river, located in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Its length is 1636 kilometers. Khatanga is formed at the confluence of two rivers (Kheta and Kotui) and flows into the Khatanga Bay. The pool area is about 364,000 square kilometers.

9

  It originates on the slopes of the Khalkan Range, and its source consists of two rivers - Kuydusun and Omekon. The Indigirka area is 360,000 square kilometers.

10

  It takes its source in the Vologda region, at the confluence of two rivers (Sukhon and the South). The basin area is 357,000 square kilometers. It was on this river that the history of Russian shipbuilding began.

That's basically it! Now you know what they are, the largest rivers of Russia.

Russia has a vast territory, when studying the relief of which more than 2 million rivers are visible. They draw bizarre patterns and extend beyond the borders of the country. Some are small and their size does not exceed several meters. Consider the longest rivers of Russia .

The longest rivers of Russia are the Ob, Yenisei, Lena, Amur, Irtysh

Top-12 of the longest rivers in Russia

Ob - length 3650 km

It flows in Siberia and is 3,650 km. Formed by the merger of Katun and Biya. It forms 5,410 km together with its tributary Irtysh, therefore it has the title of the longest river. This length is considered the second in all of Asia and the first in Russia. Ob food is mostly snowy. As for fish, there are about 50 species. Industrial importance are: pike perch, perch, bream, pike. Valuable species include: sturgeon, teal, peled, sterlet.

Yenisei - length 3487 km

Yenisei  . Like the Ob flows in Siberia and flows into the Kara Sea. Length 3 487 - is considered from the confluence of the Great Yenisei and the Small. This pond divides Siberia into Western and Eastern. Mixed food: snow (prevails), rain and underground. Many different rivers flow into the Yenisei, and their total length exceeds 300,000 km. Yenisei is an important waterway of the Krasnoyarsk Territory.

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 in Yakutia. In Russia it is considered the largest, provided that the basin of the reservoir is within the territory of the country. She flows into the Laptev Sea. The length is 4,294 km, the pool is 2,490 thousand square meters. km The source of Lena is a small lake near Baikal. This river is the sea transport route of Yakutia. When in the spring the ice on the Lena melts, it floods the coastal territories, therefore they are poorly populated, there are 6 cities.

Amur - length 2824 km

Amur  . The river of the Far East flows in Russia, China and Mongolia. The Chinese call the Amur River of the Black Dragon. It is formed by the rivers Argun and Shilka. It is said that the source is a stream flowing into Onon, which merges with the Ingoda river, after which Shilka is formed. Length - 2 824 km. Amur flows into the Amur estuary. It is distinguished by a diversity of 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 still takes place in Kazakhstan. The initial length is 3690 km, after the repeated construction of reservoirs - 3,530 km. There are 4 major cities of Russia on the Volga: Volgograd, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod and Samara. It is considered the largest river in the world that does not flow into the oceans. The mouth is in the Caspian Sea. Its basin is the third part of the European territory of 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 Kolyma is 2,129 km long, it is considered to be from the source of Kenelichi (the right component of the Kulu River). It flows into the Kolyma Bay (East Siberian Sea). Kolyma is a navigable river with three large ports.

Ural - length 2428 km

Don - length 1870 km

Like the Volga flows in Europe, but inferior in size to it, length - 1,870 km. The source is located in the Central Russian Upland, the mouth is the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov (Taganrog Bay). Don is important as a navigable river. Seversky Donets is the largest tributary. In the Don, there are up to 70 species of fish, but due to the ecological state of their stocks are reduced.

Khatanga - length from the source of Kotuy 1636 km

Khatanga  . The river of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Formed by the confluence of the Heta and Kotui rivers. The length from the source of the latter is 1,636 km. It flows into the Khatanga Bay (Laptev Sea). In the basin of the reservoir 112 lakes, the total area of \u200b\u200bwhich exceeds 11 thousand square meters. km Khatanga is navigable and is used to catch omul, nelma, and vendace.

Everyone understands the long rivers of Russia in their own way. Some want to hear about those that are completely flowing on the territory of the country, others - the main thing is that most of them are “at home”.

The largest rivers of Russia in terms of basin area

The rivers that we considered earlier as the longest will be included in this list, but we will add three more to them: the Dnieper, the Northern Dvina and the Indigirka. Consider the largest rivers of Russia and interesting facts about them.

The Ob basin is 2,990 thousand square meters. km In the southern part, the Novosibirsk reservoir operates. The Ob Sea is the basis for several resorts and resorts. Many people from neighboring regions come here to relax.

The Yenisei basin - 2,580 thousand square meters. km The point where the Great Yenisei and the Small merge is considered the center of Asia. This prompted the establishment of an obelisk symbol. Near Krasnoyarsk is a ski resort.

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 operates the historical and architectural Lenin Museum of Friendship.

Amur basin area - 1 855 thousand square meters. km This river has the highest fish diversity indicator - 108 species, but 36 are of commercial importance.

The Volga basin is 1,361 thousand square meters. km The ancient Romans called the river generous, and the great Arabs. Back in the VIII century, it was of great importance - gold, furs, honey, wax, and slaves were transported along it.

Kolyma has a swimming pool with an area of \u200b\u200bhalf that - 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 pool. It stands Kolyma hydroelectric station - provides electricity to all of Magadan and the region.

Don basin covers 422 thousand square meters. km This river is the dream of any fisherman. People come here to “hunt” for 90 species of fish. Interestingly, in England there are two rivers with the same name.

The area of \u200b\u200bthe Khatanga basin is 364 thousand square meters. km There are many islands in the channel, the pool itself has 112 lakes.

The Yakut River Indigirka has a pool of 360 thousand square meters. km It is interesting to know that on this river is the north pole - the village of Oymyakon. And also on it stands a monument city, whose inhabitants became extinct from smallpox in the 19th century - Zashiversk.

The Northern Dvina flows in the north of Russia in its European part. Pool area of \u200b\u200b357 thousand square meters. km The old steamboat “N. V. Gogol ”, which in 2011 turned 100 years old.

In large rivers of Russia  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 Kiev, annually in the summer (Saturday 1 July), Dnieper Day is celebrated. In Europe, it is the third largest river, after the Danube and the Volga.

Rivers on the Russian border

Russia is adjacent to eighteen countries, and only with Japan and the US are borders maritime. The rest are considered land, but this does not prevent them from including rivers. Consider the border waters of Russia.

Let's start from the western border - the Barents Sea, and we will move towards the South. Between Norway and Russia we will see the Pasvik River. After it, the country borders on Finland. We see the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, which is located in the southwest. Next is the Kaliningrad region. It borders with Lithuania and Poland. Most of this border runs along the Neman, as well as its tributary Shesupe.

Continuing the journey from the Gulf of Finland, we will see the border from the Narva River, as well as the Pskov and Peipsi lakes. Then Russia and its neighbors are divided by a land border. It is sometimes crossed by such rivers as the Western Dvina, Desna, Dnieper, Seim, Oskol and Seversky Donets. Plowed open spaces of fields extend right up to the Taganrog Bay of the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov. 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 Seas. We draw a line to the mouth of Psou - the beginning of the border with Georgia, Azerbaijan. It passes along the river valley, and then along the ridges of the Greater Caucasus. Further, the border will turn north and go along the Samur River valley up to the Caspian Sea. Passing through it, it again becomes land and is laid across deserts and steppes. The border with Kazakhstan is not clearly fixed and goes along the Irtysh. A small part of the boundary is fixed by the rivers: the Urals, Ilek, Maly Uzen, Tobol and its multiple tributaries, including the Uy.

The eastern border clearly runs along the ridges separating two river basins: Katun and Bukhtarma. The border from Altai to the Pacific Ocean extends almost all along the mountain belt. However, there are “borderline” rivers Amur, Argun, Ussuri and its tributary Sungacha. Neighborhood with China is almost everywhere created by rivers. The Tuman River forms the border with North Korea and leads it to the Sea of \u200b\u200bJapan.

In the east, Russia is a neighbor of the United States and Japan. They are separated by the sea border: the Pacific Ocean with the Japanese, Okhotsk, Bering Seas and numerous straits. The northern border is also maritime: the seas of the Arctic Ocean.

Now, looking at the map, you will see the borders that create the seas, rivers and lakes of Russia and neighboring states.

The main navigable rivers of Russia: description, economic importance and ecology

The main, of course, are the navigable rivers of Russia and those that play a prominent role in the Russian economy. However, this operation leads to severe pollution of water basins. Consider the situation in more detail:

• About two dozen reservoirs of various volumes were built on the Ob. Also, oil production is being carried out in her basin, which a priori cannot well affect the condition of her basin. Near Novosibirsk there is a hydroelectric station. Wastewater and marshy forests provoke even greater water pollution and environmental degradation throughout the country.
• The deepest rivers of Russia and the world, like the Lena, for example, are doomed to all kinds of exploitation. It is navigable and due to this is of great importance, since transport networks along its shores 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 operating in its basin. And also there are 12 reservoirs and hydroelectric power stations.
• Part of the Amur basin belongs to China, as it is a border river. Shipping is well developed on it; there are 37 reservoirs of various volumes. In addition, another 29 small reservoirs were built on small rivers. The waters of the basin are polluted by sewage and emissions of engineering, electrical, mining and other industries.
• The Yenisei, like Lena, belongs to high-water rivers. In its basin there are 39 reservoirs and 3 hydroelectric power stations. Its enormous resources can provide the Krasnoyarsk Territory even in the distant future. The river is considered very promising for other regions.
• Volga is the largest river in Europe. It is famous for its shipping channels that connect it to the four seas: Azov, Black, White and Baltic. On the river there are about 12 reservoirs, which are essential for transport, fisheries, energy and others.
• Don is very important on 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 of industry. Especially for this, the Iriklinsky hydroelectric complex was built on the river.
• Two conclusions can be drawn from the foregoing: good - the widest rivers of Russia are many thousands of kilometers, which makes the state rich in natural water resources, bad - the country pollutes them greatly, which leads to inevitable environmental problems of a global nature.

Volga river - description, significance and ecology

Volga replenishes the list of the largest rivers of the whole world. It flows in the northern part of Russia, located in Europe. The source is located in the Valdai Upland, the mouth 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 \u200b\u200bits basin is measured in 1 360 000 square meters. km, which is 8% of the vast territory of the country. Without falling into the ocean, it becomes the largest in the internal drain. 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 is on the Volga. It operates 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 shipping and water supply to Moscow.

Attention should be paid to the environmental problems of the river. 38% - an impressive indicator of polluted effluents, which falls on the Volga from the all-Russian. Such severe pollution provokes the development of mutant fish, and poisonous algae, decomposing, emit about 2 hundred poisons, which are still unknown to science. The indicators of progress in worsening her condition are shocking every year.

Researchers noted that after the construction of dams near the river, the ability to cleanse itself disappeared, which indicates a hopeless situation if people do not intervene in stopping the environmental problem. The Volga is a river of huge resources, which provokes the abuse of its reserves. This is what leads to the rapid deterioration of the ecological state of the water basin.

Lena River - description, significance and ecology

The northern rivers of Russia are the largest in the whole 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, Vilyuy, Aldan, Tea and others. Its source is located near Lake 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 square meters. km

Nutrition Lena mainly due to melt and rainwater. Eternal cold and permafrost do not allow it to be fed by groundwater. The river is of great importance in the transport sense, since many shipping routes pass through it. Gold and diamonds are being mined in her basin. In addition, there are more than a dozen reservoirs and hydroelectric power stations.

In addition, its rich wildlife is important. The fish resources in Lena are truly inexhaustible. Since no dams were built on it, the fish have a large amount of food, and this stimulates an even greater variety of ichthyofauna. Siberian sturgeons (listed in the Red Book), sterlet, pike, and nelma are found in its waters.

It is worth saying that Lena, before the construction of reservoirs and the active exploitation of people, was one of the cleanest rivers in the world. However, today, compared with 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 get off the coast.

With regard to environmental issues, then, of course, shipping, mining of precious metals adversely affects. However, researchers today note the problem of global warming, which adversely affects the northern rivers of Russia. It provokes large floods that destroy the coast.

It is worth knowing that on the banks of the Lena there is a beautiful national park, called the 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 territory of the Russian Federation. It is worth noting that her size gives her the right to be second in Asia. Forms its confluence of Biya and Katun. The length is 3 650 km, and the basin area is 2 990 000 sq. M. km (the largest indicator in the country). In the north, the Ob flows into the Kara Sea, thereby forming a bay - the Gulf of Ob. In terms of full flow, the river is considered the third. The deepest rivers of Russia Lena and Yenisei.

On the Ob is the Novosibirsk reservoir. The dam was built 11 years ago, starting in 1950. Locals call this place the Ob Sea. Here are resorts and motels. Residents of many nearby regions come here to relax. Oddly enough, the canal built at the end of the 19th century connecting the Ob with the Yenisei is not used today and looks rather abandoned.

The main sources of the Ob are considered Tom, Charysh, Irtysh, Ket and Chulym. The river is fed mainly by snows. About 50 species of fish are found in its waters. Half of them are of commercial importance. Valuable are sterlet, sturgeon (their fishing is punishable by a fine), peled and a few more species. The goals of the fishermen 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 vessels can be seen periodically from almost anywhere in the river. In Ob, mining is carried out. And also on the river stands the Novosibirsk hydroelectric station. The river is used for water supply to all nearby settlements.

It is worth paying attention to the fact that the upper Ob (the area of \u200b\u200bBiysk, Barnaul and Novosibirsk) are a great place for fishing. Extreme lovers can relax on rafting tributaries of the river. In summer, you can come to rest and treat yourself to beautiful fruits, spicy in Siberia - grapes, melons, watermelons.

As for the ecological state, then, of course, such exploitation cannot positively affect the Ob and its tributaries.

  Angara video

Walk on the Ob on the ship, video

Yenisei, video

Russia occupies a vast geographical area, and it is not surprising that numerous rivers stretch across its expanses, which played an important historical role in the settlement and development of new lands. Almost all of the country's largest cities are located on rivers.

In total, there are about 3 million rivers in the Russian Federation, and all of them are an important component of the life of many people, animals and plants. Rivers provide us with food, water, electricity, places for recreation, and also serve as transport routes connecting different settlements. It is an indispensable source of water for agriculture and industry.

In this article you can get acquainted with the largest rivers of Russia, get their brief description and see the geographical location on the map of the country.

Rivers of the Russian Federation

Map of the largest rivers of Russia

The territory of the country is divided into European and Asian parts. The dividing line, as a rule, is the Ural Mountains and the Caspian Sea. The rivers of the European part flow into the Arctic Ocean, the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. The rivers of the Asian part flow into the Arctic and Pacific Oceans.

The largest rivers of the European part of Russia are the Volga, Don, Kama, Oka and Northern Dvina, while some rivers originate in Russia, but flow into other countries, for example, the Dnieper and Western Dvina. The following large rivers flow through the Asian expanses of the country: the Ob, Irtysh, Yenisei, Angara, Lena, Yana, Indigirka and Kolyma.

Of the five main drainage basins: the Arctic, Pacific, Baltic, Black Sea and Caspian, the first, located in Siberia and including the northern part of the Russian Plain, is the most extensive. To a greater extent, this basin is filled with the three largest rivers of Russia: the Ob (3650 km), which together with its main tributary, the Irtysh River, forms a river system with a length of 5410 km, the Yenisei (3487 km), and the Lena (4400 km). The sum of their catchment areas exceeds 8 million km², and the total water consumption is about 50,000 m³ / s.

The large rivers of Siberia provide transport arteries from the inside to the Arctic Sea Route, although they are blocked by ice for a long period each year. The small slope of the Ob River makes it slowly loop through a huge flood plain. Due to the flow to the north, from the upper to the lower borders of the thaw, quite often extensive floods occur, which leads to the development of huge swamps. Vasyugan marshes on the Ob-Irtysh interfluve cover an area of \u200b\u200bmore than 50,000 km².

The rivers of the rest of Siberia (about 4.7 million km²) flow into the Pacific Ocean. In the north, where the watershed is close to the coast, numerous small fast streams flow from the mountains, but most of southeastern Siberia is drained by the Amur River. Over a greater length of its length, Cupid forms the border separating Russia and China. Ussuri, one of the tributaries of the Amur River, forms another significant border line between the countries.

Three large catchment areas are located in the European part of Russia south of the Arctic basin. The Dnieper, only the upper reaches of which are located in Russia, as well as the Don and Volga, is the longest European river, originating in the northwest of the Valdai Upland and flowing into the Caspian Sea. Losing only to Siberian rivers, the Volga basin covers an area of \u200b\u200b1380000 km². The rivers of the East European Plain have long served as important transport arteries; in fact, the Volga river system provides two-thirds of the movement of the entire Russian inland waterway.

10 largest and longest rivers of Russia

Many powerful rivers flow through the territory of the Russian Federation, but the size of some of them is truly impressive. Below is a list and maps of the country's largest rivers, both in length and in catchment area.

Lena

The Lena River is one of the longest rivers on the planet. It originates near Lake Baikal in southern Russia and flows to the west, and then smoothly turns northward above Yakutsk, where it flows into the Laptev Sea (the Arctic Ocean basin). Near the mouth, the river forms a huge delta with an area of \u200b\u200b32,000 km, which is the largest in the Arctic and the largest protected wildlife area in Russia.

The Lena Delta, which spills every spring, serves as an important area for nesting and migration of birds, and also supports a rich population of fish. The river is home to 92 plankton species, 57 species of benthos and 38 species of fish. Sturgeon, burbot, chum, whitefish, nelma and albula are the most commercially important fish species.

Swans, dippers, geese, ducks, plovers, waders, snipes, flippers, terns, skuas, birds of prey, sparrows and seagulls are just some of the migratory birds that nest on Lena's productive wetlands.

Ob

The Ob is the seventh longest river in the world, stretching over a distance of 3650 kilometers in the West Siberian region of the Russian Federation. This river, which is of great economic importance for Russia, occurs when the Biya and Katun rivers merge in Altai. It mainly passes through the territory of the country, although many of its tributaries originate in China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan. The Ob connects with its largest tributary, the Irtysh River, about 69 ° east longitude. It flows into the Kara Sea of \u200b\u200bthe Arctic Ocean, forming the Gulf of Ob. The river has a huge catchment area, which is about 2.99 million km².

The habitat surrounding the Ob consists of endless expanses of steppe and taiga flora in the upper and middle reaches of the river. Birch, pine, fir and cedar are some of the famous trees growing in these areas. Thickets of willow, wild rose and bird cherry also grow along the watercourse. The river basin is replete with aquatic life, including more than 50 species of fish (sturgeon, cyprinids, perch, nelma and peled, etc.) and about 150 species of birds. Minks, wolves, Siberian moles, otters, beavers, ermines and other local species of mammals. In the lower reaches of the Ob, the Arctic tundra is characterized by snowy landscapes for most of the year. Polar bears, arctic foxes, polar owls and arctic hares represent this region.

Volga

The longest river in Europe, the Volga, which is often considered the national river of Russia, has a large basin, covering almost two-thirds of the European part of Russia. The Volga originates in the northwest of the Valdai Upland, and flows south overcoming 3,530 km, where it flows into the Caspian Sea. About 200 tributaries join the river along the entire route. Eleven major cities of the country, including Moscow, are founded along the Volga basin, whose area is 1.36 million km².

The climate in the river basin varies along its course from north to south. In the northern regions, a temperate climate prevails with cold snowy winters and warm, humid summers. The southern regions are characterized by cool winters and hot dry summers. The Volga Delta is one of the richest habitats that serves as a home for 430 species of plants, 127 species of fish, 260 species of birds and 850 species of aquatic.

Yenisei

The mouth of the Yenisei River is located near the town of Kazyl, where it merges with the Small Yenisei River, originating in Mongolia and flows north, where it drains a huge territory of Siberia before it flows into the Kara Sea (the Arctic Ocean), having traveled a path length of 3487 km. The Angara River, which flows from Lake Baikal, is one of the main tributaries of the upper Yenisei.

About 55 species of local fish live in the Yenisei waters, including Siberian sturgeon, flounder, roach, northern pike, Siberian gudgeon, tench and sterlet. Most of the river basin is surrounded mainly by the following conifers: fir, cedar, pine and larch. In some areas of the upper Yenisei, steppe pastures are also stretched. In the north, boreal forests give way to arctic. Musk deer, elk, roe deer and Japanese mouse are some species of mammals that live in taiga forests along the river. Also, there are such birds as the Siberian blue robin, Siberian lentils, capercaillie and woodland hollow. Ducks, geese and swans are found in the lower reaches in the summer.

Lower Tunguska

Lower Tunguska is the right tributary of the Yenisei, flowing through the Irkutsk region and the Krasnoyarsk Territory of Russia. Its length is 2989 km, and the basin area is 473 thousand km². The river stretches near the watershed between the Yenisei and Lena rivers and flows north and then west through the Central Siberian Plateau.

In the upper reaches, the river forms a wide valley with numerous shallows, but after turning west the valley narrows and numerous gorges and rapids appear. In the river basin lies the vast Tunguska coal basin.

Amur

Amur is the tenth longest river in the world, located in East Asia and forms the border between the Far Eastern District of the Russian Federation and Northeast China. The river originates at the confluence of the Shilka and Argun rivers. Amur flows over 2825 km to the northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean and flows into the Sea of \u200b\u200bOkhotsk.

The river has many plant zones in various parts of its basin, including taiga forests and swamps, Manchurian mixed forests, Amur meadow steppes, forest-steppes, steppes and tundra. The wetlands along the Amur basin are some of the most valuable ecosystems that serve as home to a huge variety of flora and fauna. These are important shelters for millions of migratory birds, including white storks and Japanese cranes. The river basin is home to over 5,000 species of vascular plants, 70 species of mammals and 400 species of birds. There are rare and endangered species, such as the Amur tiger and the Far Eastern leopard - the most iconic species of mammals in the region. A wide variety of fish species lives in the Amur waters: about 100 species in the lower reaches and 60 in the upper. Chum, burbot and whitefish are some of the most commercially important northern fish species.

Vilyuy

Vilyui is a river in Central and Eastern Siberia, flowing mainly through the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) in eastern Russia. This is the largest tributary of the Lena, with a length of 2650 km and a basin area of \u200b\u200babout 454 thousand km².

Vilyui originates on the Central Siberian Plateau and first flows east, then south and southeast, and again east to the confluence with the Lena (about 300 km northwest of the city of Yakutsk). The river and adjacent reservoirs are rich in commercial fish species.

Kolyma

With a length of more than 2100 kilometers and a basin area of \u200b\u200b643 thousand km², the Kolyma is the largest river in Eastern Siberia, which flows into the Arctic Ocean. The upper reaches of this river system began to develop in the Cretaceous period, when the main watershed was formed between the Sea of \u200b\u200bOkhotsk and the Arctic Ocean.

At the beginning of its journey, Kolyma paves its way through narrow gorges with numerous rapids. Gradually, its valley expands, and below the confluence with the Zyryanka river, it flows along the wide swampy Kolyma lowland, and then flows into the East Siberian Sea.

Ural

The Urals is a large river flowing in Russia and Kazakhstan, with a length of 2428 km (1550 km in the territory of the Russian Federation) and a basin area of \u200b\u200babout 231 thousand km². The river originates in the Ural Mountains on the slopes of Kruglyaya Sopka and flows in a southerly direction. In the city of Orsk, it abruptly turns west through the southern outskirts of the Urals, past Orenburg, and again turns south, heading for the Caspian Sea. Its flow has a large spring maximum, and freezing lasts from late November to April. River navigation is carried out to the city of Oral in Kazakhstan. The dam and hydroelectric power station were built on the Iriklinsky reservoir, south of the city of Magnitogorsk.

Wetlands in the Ural delta are especially important for migratory birds as the main refuge along the Asian flyway. The river is also important for many species of fish in the Caspian Sea that visit its deltas and migrate upstream for spawning. In the lower reaches of the river, there are 47 species from 13 families. 40% of the species diversity of fish, sturgeon and herring - 11%, perches - 9% and salmon - 4.4% fall on the family of cyprinids. The main commercial species are sturgeon, roach, bream, zander, carp, asp and catfish. Rare species include Caspian salmon, sterlet, nelma and kutum. About 48 species of animals live in the Ural delta and the surrounding areas, of which 21 species teach the order of rodents.

Don

The Don is one of the largest rivers in the Russian Federation and the 5th longest river in Europe. Its basin is located between the Dnieper-Donets Basin in the west, the Volga Basin in the east, and the Oka River basin (a tributary of the Volga) in the north.

The Don originates in the city of Novomoskovsk 60 km southeast of Tula (120 km south of Moscow), and flows at a distance of about 1870 km to the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov. From its source, the river heads south-east to Voronezh, and then south-west to the mouth. The main tributary of the Don is Seversky Donets.

Table of the largest rivers of the Russian Federation

River name	Length in Russia, km	Total length, km	Pool, km²	Water consumption, m³ / s	Place of confluence (Estuary)
r. Lena	4400	4400	2.49 million	16350	Laptev sea
r. Ob	3650	3650	2.99 million	12492	Kara Sea
r. Volga	3530	3530	1.36 million	8060	Caspian Sea
r. Yenisei	3487	3487	2.58 million	19800	Kara Sea
r. Lower Tunguska	2989	2989	473 thousand	3680	r. Yenisei
r. Amur	2824	2824	1.86 million	12800	Sea of \u200b\u200bOkhotsk
r. Vilyuy	2650	2650	454 thousand	1468	r. Lena
r. Kolyma	2129	2129	643 thousand	3800	East-Siberian Sea
r. Ural	1550	2428	231 thousand	400	Caspian Sea
r. Don	1870	1870	422 thousand	900	Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov

In our country there are a huge number of rivers (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 of Russia? We will try to answer it in this article.

To begin, we will present you with a list of these rivers:

1. Yenisei.
2. Lena.
3. Amur.
4. Volga.
5. Kolyma.
6. Khatanga.
7. Indigirka.
8. Northern Dvina.

Now let's talk about them in more detail.

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 Gulf of Ob. The water basin of the river occupies a huge area - 2 990 thousand square meters. km According to this indicator, it rightfully occupies a leading position in our list. Ob is in third place in terms of water availability, second only to Lena and the Yenisei.

Ob mainly feeds on meltwater. During the spring-summer flood, the largest river in Russia receives most of its annual flow. In April, high water begins in the upper reaches, in the second half of April it begins in the middle reaches, and in early May this process takes place in the lower reaches. The water level rises even during freezing. When the river opens, short-term insignificant level rises occur as a result of the resulting congestion.

Flood ends in the upper reaches in July. In September - October, a rain flood begins, which lasts until ice formation in the lower and middle reaches. Ice cover is maintained on the Ob on average up to 220 days a year.

The main tributary of the Ob is the Irtysh. The length of this river from the source, which is located on the border of China and Mongolia, to its confluence with the Ob is 4,248 km.

Since ancient times, fishing has developed on this river. At the end of the 19th century, a lot of ruff, perch, sculpin, pike, shokur, muksun, nelma and other fish species were found in river waters. Today in the waters of the Ob there are fewer fish, but nevertheless, there are about 50 species.

Yenisei

Today we present to you the largest rivers of Russia. The list goes on with the mighty Yenisei. This river is considered a natural border between the West and the 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 \u200b\u200bthe river is 2,580 thousand square kilometers. This indicator allows this huge river to take second place in Russia.

There are plains on the left bank of this Siberian river, and on the right bank an 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 the height of 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 Yenisei, and polar bears are found in the lower reaches, closer to the ocean.

Lena river

This is not to say 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 major rivers of our country.

The river is mainly fed by waters from the melting of glaciers and snows - approximately 50% of the total. Precipitation gives the river about 38% of the water and about 13% - this is underground nutrition, more characteristic of the upper reaches.

In mid-October, Lena freezes in the upper reaches. It opens in mid-April. The ice cover is kept on the river for about 270 days a year.

Amur

The topic of our article was the largest rivers of 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. Amur flows into the Sea of \u200b\u200bOkhotsk.

The basin area of \u200b\u200bthis river is 1 855 thousand square kilometers, and its length is 2824 km.

Volga

Glorified by poets and composers, inspired artists to create immortal paintings - this, 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 basin - 645 thousand square meters. km Kolyma was formed as a result of the confluence of two small rivers Kulu and Ayan-Yuryakh. Kolyma flows into the bay of the same name.

Don

This river is considered the oldest in Russia. Don originates in the Tula region on the Central Russian Upland. Its length is 1870 km, the water basin is 422 thousand square kilometers.

The course is very slow, for which the Cossacks call this unhurried and majestic river "quiet Don." This is due to the flat profile in which the channel passes. The bias towards it is very slight, 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 \u200b\u200b364 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 square kilometers.

Indigirka

In Yakutia, on the slopes of the Khalkan Range, is the source of the Indigirka River. Its length is 1726 km, a water basin with an area of \u200b\u200b360 thousand square meters. km Its source is made up of two medium-sized rivers - Omekon and Kuidusun.

Indigirka is the coldest river in Russia. In winter, in the lower reaches, it freezes through. In summer, it is covered with ice and turns into a sparkling ice stream, picturesquely flowing among the mountains. Since the end of September, ice has been binding the river, which does not disappear until June.

Northern Dvina

Our list of the 10 largest rivers of Russia has come to an end. It is completed by the Northern Dvina, which flows through two large areas - Arkhangelsk and Vologda.

Its length is 744 km, the area is 360 thousand square meters. km At its source, the small rivers Sukhona and the South are connected. This northern river is famous for the history of shipbuilding in Russia.