The Volga River is a river in western Russia, which is 3692 km long. It’s also the longest and most water-rich river in Europe. A small part of the Volga Delta is located outside the main riverbed in Kazakhstan. The Volga originates from the 225-meter-high Valdai Hills, located between Moscow and St. Petersburg. After a distance of 3645 km, it flows into the Caspian Sea. The stretch of the Volga between Nizhny Novgorod and the Caspian Sea forms a rich and fascinating cultural region with over a dozen different ethnic groups, most notably the Volga Tatars. It covers an area of 1,360,000 m2 and its catchment area is 75,243 m2, which stretches from the Valdai valleys in the west to the Ural Mountains in the east and narrows sharply in Saratov in the south. The Volga Delta is 160 km long and includes 500 canals and a smaller rivers. The Volga has been a center of water trade since the middle Ages. The riverbed has been invaded by Mongols, Cossacks and rebellious farmers. Volga’s main water is supplied by snow (60% annual runoff), groundwater (30%) and rainwater (10%). The river also connects the northern lakes, such as Lake Ladoga, Anga and St. Petersburg, and the Baltic Sea via the Volga Baltic. The Volga River has several tributaries, including the Kama, Oka, Teloga, and Sura rivers. The river, along with its tributaries, covers about 1.35 million square kilometers of Russian territory. The average flow of the Volga River is 8,060 m3 per second. About 250 cubic kilometers of water flow down the Volga during the year, which is collected by 150,000 rivers, streams and springs. The river descends slowly and magnificently from its source at an altitude of 225 meters above sea level to its mouth, which is 28 meters below sea level.
According to Arabic sources, the first mention of the Volga River dates back to ancient times when it was called “Ra”. In later times, the river was called Atel or Atil, which means big river or rivers. The current name “Volga” has different versions of the origin. The most probable version seems to be about the Baltic roots of this name. As the river seems to be in its upper part, the Balts lived there in ancient times. According to another version, the name of the river is derived from the word Valkea, which means “white” or from “Volog” from Old Slavic (moisture).
The Volga River is readily recognized around the world as the national symbol of Russia. The Volga River is truly the longest and one of the most beautiful rivers in Europe that was portrayed in many literary and folklore masterpieces. The Volga River is sometimes called the Mother of all Rivers that plays a significant role in the economy of Russia. Taking one of Volga River cruises is a great way to see not one but many cities like Astrakhan, Volgograd, Saratov, Samara, Kazan and Ulyanovsk that sit proudly on the Volga River and hold plenty of landmarks and sights for you to discover. All dams built along the river are equipped with seals that allow ships to move up to the Caspian Sea upstream in accordance with established standards. The Volga Delta is a great place for fishing. Sitting on the edge of a valley that is the confluence of the Volga and Koturusi rivers and watching the magnificent scenery of the rivers is one of the best memories you can experience while traveling.
The Volga is Russia’s main route and its historic defensive line. The Volga provides food and employment for the Russian people and has been the source of inspiration and creativity for great novels and paintings. Every Russian citizen who visits Volga has no doubt that this river has played and continues to play an important role in the lives of the Russian people and government. Although it freezes during the three months of winter, it is of great importance for transportation and domestic transport in Russia. So far, valuable industries of oil, minerals such as natural gas, salt and potassium have been found in this great river. In recent years, due to warming weather and the possibility of farming around the Volga River, much of the river’s water is used for farming.
The river flows through central Russia into the Caspian Sea, and is widely regarded as Russia’s national river. Due to its geographical location, Volga played an important role in the movement of people between East and West (from Asia to Europe) as well as south and north. Historically, this was an important place for Eurasian civilizations. Some of the world’s largest water reserves are located along the river and are fed by its water resources. Eleven of Russia’s twenty major cities, including the capital, Moscow, are located in the Volga drainage basin. It is also the largest river in Europe in terms of flow and watershed management.
During the nineteenth century, the average annual temperature on the Russian plateau rose by about 1.29 degrees Celsius, and 2005 and 1995 were considered to be the warmest years in the twentieth century in Russia. It is arid and the rate of evaporation in these areas is very high and the rainfall is very low, so for the management of drought and desertification, the construction of water reservoirs by the Russian government is necessary. As a result of this process, the output of the Volga River decreased by 9.2 percent.
There are many animals in the Volga River, about 400 vertebrates, 127 fish and 260 species of birds, including swans and ducks, as well as 850 aquatic invertebrates, 430 different plants and more than a thousand species of insects are found in the Volga River. It is also the only place in Russia where flamingos and pelicans can be found. Large sturgeon can also be found in the Volga River. The caviar industry of this river, especially in the part of Astrakhan near the Caspian Sea, has grown rapidly.
