One of the largest waterways in the world is the Volga River. Which ocean basin does it belong to? This is the deepest river in Europe, which has no flow. It flows into the Caspian Sea, and therefore refers to its basin. Almost across the entire European part of Russia, this mighty river carries its waters. Many cities and villages are built on its shores. It has long been for people and a nurse, and a transport artery.
Volga river
To the basin of which ocean does this water artery belong, they study at school. But not everyone imagines that the Caspian Sea, into which it flows, is inland and has no drain. And the Volga is the largest river in Europe. It originates on the Valdai Upland near the village of Volgoverkhovye.
From a small stream it turns into a mighty full-flowing river and flows into the Caspian Sea near the city of Astrakhan, forming a wide delta. At the Volga River, the source and mouth are located at a distance of more than three and a half thousand kilometers, therefore it is conditionally divided into three parts, which differ slightly in hydrological and environmental conditions.
- The Upper Volga is a section from the source to the confluence of the Oka River. Here it flows through dense forests.
- From the Oka River to the mouth of the Kama River is the middle Volga. This site is located in the forest-steppe and steppe zones.
- Lower Volga - from Kama to the confluence with the Caspian Sea. It flows along the steppe and semi-desert zones.
Volga River Basin
About a third of the European territory of Russia is connected with this river. Its basin extends from the Valdai and Central Russian hills to the Ural Mountains, it covers an area of almost one and a half million square kilometers. This powerful full-flowing river feeds mainly on meltwater. Several large rivers flow into it and many small ones - only about 200. The most famous of them are Kama and Oka. In addition, its tributaries are Sheksna, Vetluga, Sura, Mologa and others.
At the source, the Volga is divided into several sleeves. The largest of them is Akhtuba, which has a length of more than 500 kilometers. But not only the Volga River carries its waters to the Caspian Sea. Which ocean artery belongs to the basin of the ocean can be found in any encyclopedia. But people connected it with other seas using canals: the Volga-Baltic and Volga-Don are known. And through the Severodvinsk system, it connects to the White Sea.
Interesting Facts
Every resident of our country knows the Volga River. To the basin of which ocean this symbol of Russia belongs, they know, however, not all. There are some more interesting facts about this river that are not widely known:
- Its name changed several times: in the 1st century A.D. it was called Ra, then Itil.
- The river delta is divided into 150 branches, and recently it has expanded greatly due to a decrease in the level of the Caspian Sea.
- This river is one of the deepest in the world: its width reaches forty meters.
- Every day, the Volga carries about 250 cubic kilometers of water to the Caspian Sea.
- In winter, it freezes over its entire length.
- Another fact will be of interest to those who do not know which basin of the ocean the Volga River belongs to - the largest water artery without drainage.
