European Rivers are not overwhelmingly long, especially compared to rivers in Africa or Asia, where you can find the longest rivers in the world, but the rivers have played a vital role in the development of European civilization. They provide transportation, irrigation, and hydroelectric power.
Some of the most beautiful European cities were built on their banks. The longest rivers in Europe are the Volga, Danube, Rhine, Loire, Seine, and Don.
Many European capitals were set on some of the longest rivers in Europe. Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava and Belgrade is located on the Danube, Paris is located on the Seine.
European rivers aren’t long but there are hundreds of them. Some of them even mark the border of the European continent. Below you can read about the 20 longest rivers in Europe.
1. Volga river – 3,531 km – longest river in Europe
A river in Russia – like most of this list. The Volga is the longest river in Europe and at the same time the largest river in the world that flows into the lake – the Caspian Sea (yes, despite its name, it is a lake). The Volga Delta has over 80 arms and is home to several dozen species of fish.
The source of the Volga River is in the Valdai Hills, between Saint Petersburg and Moscow, in town Volgo-Verjovie at about 228 metres above sea level.
Even Volga is the longest river in Europe it ranks only 15th among all rivers in the world. As a result of the construction of numerous storage reservoirs and the regulation of the riverbed, the course of the Volga has been shortened by more than 160 km over the past hundred years
From the Middle Ages, it was a trade route connecting the north with the Arab countries. Currently navigable through most of the course, connected by canals with the Baltic Sea, the White Sea, and also directly with Moscow.
Volga river has many tributaries which creates the largest river system not only in eastern Europe but in the whole Europe. The biggest tributaries are the Kama, Samara, Oka, Vetluga.
2. Danube river – 2,888 km
Danube – 2,888 km
The second longest river in Europe is the only large river in Europe that flows from west to east. The source is located in Germany, in the Black Forest mountains, it flows through Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, Romania. It ends its course flowing into the Black Sea. A piece of the Danube river basin is also located in Poland. Some of the countries use it for drinking water.
It flows through many European capitals like Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest, Belgrade. in each of the cities, you can take a cruise along the waterway.
3. Ural – 2,428 km
The river runs through Russia and Kazakhstan. It takes its source in the Ural Mountain to flow into the Caspian Sea. It is in the Urals that the main spawning area for sturgeon from the Caspian Sea is located.
It is assumed that it is the Ural River that forms the border between Europe and Asia. Hence, some cities through which the river flows, such as Orenburg or Magnitogorsk, lie as if on two continents. Ural River was previously known as Yaik river.
4. Dnieper River – 2,285 km
It flows through Russia, Belarus and Ukraine to the Black Sea. Over 2,000 years ago, mentioned by the Greek historian Herodotus as the third longest river in the world, its mouth was colonized by the Greeks. In the Middle Ages, he connected Scandinavia with Constantinople. This route was so profitable that Kiev, situated on the Dnieper, was one of the richest cities in Europe.
A long part of the Dnieper River was the border between the Republic of Poland and Russia, from the 17th to the end of the 18th century.
From Odessa to Kiev you can take Viking River Cruises.
5. Don River – 1950 km
It flows through Russia to the Sea of Azov. The river is difficult to navigate and transport, and it is frozen in half of the year. However, it is one of the most important communication channels. The Donetsk Coal Basin, Donbass, is one of the main industrial regions.
It is connected with the largest river in Europe by the Volga-Don canal, 105 km long.
6. Pechora river- 1809 km
The source of the river is in the Northern Urals and its mouth in the Barents Sea. Along the Pechora, there are rich resources of coal and oil, so it is used for their transport. Not without difficulties, because the river is simply frozen for most of the year (7-8 months). The Pechora flows into the Arctic Ocean.
7.Kama river – 1805 km
It is a tributary of the Volga River, the largest. It used to be an important transport route to the Urals and Siberia, now, thanks to the connection by canals, it can be reached via the Volga River to Moscow itself. Kazan
8. Oka river- 1498 km
Another tributary of the Volga. Its tributary is Moscow, on which lies the city of the same name – the capital of Russia. Due to its location in such historic places, the shores of Oka are rich in monuments and charming towns.
It connects with the Volga into an important communication and transport network.
9. Belaya river – 1430 km
The Belaya is, in turn, a tributary of the Kama, which, let us recall, is a tributary of the Volga. In Bashkir called Agidel, the locals also call her “the Mother of the Rivers”. It flows through Bashkortostan, Russian Federation from the Ural Mountains.
It forms the border of the Bashkiria National Park. There is the Shulgan-Tash cave, in which paintings dating back about 17,000 years were discovered.
It is a famous and popular place for water tourism, rafting and boat trips. The areas through which it flows are famous for their beautiful views and abundance of fish.
10. Dniester – 1,352 km
Dniester – 1,352 km;
It flows through Ukraine and Moldova and ends its course in the Black Sea. It is considered one of the most beautiful rivers in Ukraine, but also in Europe. Flows min. Diestrovskij Kanion nature park, where you can admire waterfalls, caves, 200 meters deep valley and the beauty of the surrounding nature. Jar Dniester is the longest gorge in Europe, hailed as one of the natural wonders of Ukraine.
11. Rhine river (1,320 km)
It flows through Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, France, the Netherlands and flows into the North Sea. It flows through big cities like Cologne, Rotterdam, Strasbourg
The Rhine is the longest river in France
12.Viatka river (1314 km)
It flows through Russia and is the right tributary of the Kama.
13. Desna river (1130 km)
It flows through Russia, Ukraine and is a left tributary of the Dnieper.
14. Vychegda River (1130 km)
It flows through Russia and is the right tributary of the Dwina.
15.Elbe river (1091 km)
It flows through the Czech Republic and Germany and flows into the North Sea.
16.Donets river (1053 km)
It flows through Ukraine, Russia and is a right tributary of the Don.
17. Vistula river (1047 km)
The longest river in Poland flows through the main cities like Krakow, Warsaw – Polish Capital, Torun, and flows into the Baltic Sea
18. Daugava River (1020 km)
It flows through Russia, Belarus, Latvia and flows into the Baltic Sea.
19. Loire river (1,020 km)
It flows through France and flows into the Atlantic Ocean (Bay of Biscay). create beautiful Loire Valley known for Vineyards and chateau.
20.Tagus river (1,007 km)
Flows through Spain and Portugal and flows into the Atlantic Ocean in Lisbon.