Danube
Topic: World Physical Features and Natural Regions · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Danube is Europe's second-longest river, after the Volga. It rises in Germany's Black Forest and flows east to the Black Sea. It runs through or along ten countries, more than any other river in the world. This makes it a key route for trade and shipping across central and eastern Europe. Its fresh water also helps keep the Black Sea low in salt.
Example
The Danube passes four capital cities: Vienna (Austria), Bratislava (Slovakia), Budapest (Hungary) and Belgrade (Serbia). At Budapest, the river divides the city into Buda and Pest.
Don't confuse with
- Volga: Europe's longest river. It drains into the Caspian Sea, not the Black Sea.
- Rhine: Europe's busiest inland waterway, with Rotterdam at its mouth. It flows north to the North Sea, while the Danube flows east.
Related concepts
- Nile
- Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam
- Congo River
- Victoria Falls
- Amazon
- Tigris-Euphrates river system
- Mekong