Phytoplankton bloom in the Volga River in Russia The Volga River stretches across much of Russia, rising in the Valday Hills in northwestern Russia and winding about 2,300 miles (3,700 km) before draining into the Caspian Sea.
The Volga (/ˈvɒlɡə, ˈvoʊlɡə/; Russian: is the longest river in Europe. Flowing through Central Russia to Southern Russia and into the Caspian Sea, it has a length of 3,531 km (2,194 mi) and a catchment area of 1,360,000 km2 (530,000 sq mi).It is also Europe’s largest river in terms of discharge and drainage basin. It is widely regarded as the national river of Russia. The old Russian state, the Rus’ Khaganate, arose around the Volga river. Historically, it was an important meeting place of Eurasian civilizations. Phytoplankton bloom in the Volga River in Russia The Turkic peoples associated the Itil’s origin with the Kama. Thus, a left tributary to the Kama was named the Aq Itil “White Itil” which unites with the Kara Itil “Black Itil” at the modern city of Ufa. The name Indyl (Indɨl) is used in Adyge (Cherkess) language.
The river flows in Russia through forests, forest-steppes and steppes. Four of the ten largest cities of Russia, including the nation’s capital, Moscow, are located in the Volga’s drainage basin.
Some of the largest reservoirs in the world are located along the Volga. The river has a symbolic meaning in Russian culture and is often referred to as Волга-матушка Volga-Matushka (Mother Volga) in Russian literature and folklore.
