Volga

Volga
The Volga at Yaroslavl
Map of the Volga drainage basin
Etymology	Proto-Slavic *vòlga "wetness"
Native name	Волга (Russian)
Location
Location	Eastern Europe
Country	Russian Federation
Cities	Tver, Yaroslavl, Nizhny Novgorod, Cheboksary, Kazan, Ulyanovsk, Samara, Saratov, Volgograd, Astrakhan, Togliatti
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Valdai Hills, Tver Oblast
• coordinates	57°15′4.7″N 32°28′5.1″E / 57.251306°N 32.468083°E / 57.251306; 32.468083
• elevation	228 m (748 ft)[1]
Mouth	Caspian Sea
• location	Astrakhan Oblast
• coordinates	45°41′42″N 47°53′51″E / 45.69500°N 47.89750°E / 45.69500; 47.89750[2]
• elevation	−28 m (−92 ft)[1]
Length	3,531 km (2,194 mi)[3]
Basin size	1,360,000 km2 (530,000 sq mi)[3] 1,404,107.6 km2 (542,129.0 sq mi)[4]
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)[4] Volga Delta: 8,110.544 m3/s (286,421.2 cu ft/s)[4]
• 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)[5]
• 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)[6]
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)[7] Yaroslavl (Basin size: 153,657.8 km2 (59,327.6 sq mi): 1,008.277 m3/s (35,607.0 cu ft/s)[7] Rybinsk (Basin size: 150,119.8 km2 (57,961.6 sq mi): 993.253 m3/s (35,076.4 cu ft/s)[7]
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)[7]
Basin features
Tributaries
• left	Kama
• right	Oka

The Volga (Russian: Во́лга) is the longest river in Europe. Situated in Russia, it flows through Central Russia to Southern Russia and into the Caspian Sea. The Volga has a length of 3,531 km (2,194 mi), and a catchment area of 1,360,000 km² (530,000 sq mi).^[3] It is also Europe's largest river in terms of average discharge at delta – between 8,000 m³/s (280,000 cu ft/s) and 8,500 m³/s (300,000 cu ft/s) – and of drainage basin. It is widely regarded as the national river of Russia. The hypothetical old Russian state, the Rus' Khaganate, arose along the Volga c. 830 AD.^[8] Historically, the river served as an important meeting place of various Eurasian civilizations.^[9][10][11]

The river flows in Russia through forests, forest steppes and steppes. Five of the ten largest cities of Russia, including the nation's capital, Moscow, are located in the Volga's drainage basin. Because the Volga drains into the Caspian Sea, which is an endorheic body of water, the Volga does not naturally connect to any of the world's oceans.

Some of the largest reservoirs in the world are located along the Volga River. The river has a symbolic meaning in Russian culture – Russian literature and folklore often refer to it as Волга-матушка Volga-Matushka (Mother Volga).