Volga

Volga Волга  (Russian)
The Volga at Yaroslavl
Map of the Volga drainage basin
Etymology	Proto-Slavic *vòlga "wetness"
Location
Location	Eastern Europe
Country	Russian Federation
Cities	Tver, Yaroslavl, Nizhny Novgorod, Cheboksary, Kazan, Ulyanovsk, Samara, Saratov, Volgograd, Astrakhan
Physical characteristics
Source
- location	Valdai Hills, Tver Oblast
- coordinates	57°15′4.7″N 32°28′5.1″E
- elevation	228 m (748 ft)
Mouth	Caspian Sea
- location	Astrakhan Oblast
- coordinates	45°50′N 47°58′E
- elevation	−28 m (−92 ft)
Length	3,531 km (2,194 mi)
Basin size	1,360,000 km2 (530,000 sq mi) 1,404,107.6 km2 (542,129.0 sq mi)
Discharge
- location	Astrakhan (Basin size: 1,391,271.8 km2 (537,173.0 sq mi)
- average	8,060 m3/s (285,000 cu ft/s) 8,103.078 m3/s (286,157.5 cu ft/s) Volga Delta: 8,110.544 m3/s (286,421.2 cu ft/s)
- minimum	5,000 m3/s (180,000 cu ft/s)
- maximum	48,500 m3/s (1,710,000 cu ft/s)
Discharge
- location	Volgograd (Basin size: 1,359,396.8 km2 (524,866.0 sq mi)
- average	8,150 m3/s (288,000 cu ft/s) 8,228.298 m3/s (290,579.6 cu ft/s)
- minimum	5,090 m3/s (180,000 cu ft/s)
- maximum	48,450 m3/s (1,711,000 cu ft/s)
Discharge
- location	Samara (Basin size: 1,218,995.3 km2 (470,656.7 sq mi)
- average	7,680 m3/s (271,000 cu ft/s) 7,785.921 m3/s (274,957.2 cu ft/s)
Discharge
- location	Nizhny Novgorod (Basin size: 479,637.3 km2 (185,189.0 sq mi)
- average	2,940 m3/s (104,000 cu ft/s) 2,806.467 m3/s (99,109.4 cu ft/s) Yaroslavl (Basin size: 153,657.8 km2 (59,327.6 sq mi): 1,008.277 m3/s (35,607.0 cu ft/s) Rybinsk (Basin size: 150,119.8 km2 (57,961.6 sq mi): 993.253 m3/s (35,076.4 cu ft/s)
Discharge
- location	Tver (Basin size: 24,658.6 km2 (9,520.7 sq mi)
- average	176 m3/s (6,200 cu ft/s) 186.157 m3/s (6,574.1 cu ft/s)
Basin features
Tributaries
- left	Kama
- right	Oka

The Volga is the longest river in Europe. In Russian it is called Волга, in the Tatar language its name is İdel.

Many people see it as the national river of Russia. It flows through the western part of the country. It is Europe's longest river, with a length of 3,530 kilometres, and forms the core of the largest river system in Europe.

It rises in the Valdai Hills of Russia, 225m above sea level north-west of Moscow. The Kama, Oka, Vetluga and the Sura are its main tributaries. The Volga and its tributaries form the Volga river system, which drains an area of about 1.35 million square kilometres in Russia. The Volga Delta has a length of about 160 kilometres. It includes 555 channels and small streams. It is the largest estuary in Europe. It is the only place in Russia where pelicans, flamingoes, and lotuses may be found. The Volga freezes for most of its length for three months each year. Some of the biggest reservoirs in the world can be found along the river.

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  Rzev is the first town on the banks of the Volga. Photo from the early 20th century

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  The Volga, near Ulyanovsk

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  Satellite image of the Volga

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  Volga in Yaroslavl

Other websites

Media related to Volga River at Wikimedia Commons