Germany can be called "river power."The country is almost 30 percent of the European transport waterways with total length of over 7,000 kilometers.The most important river in Germany and one of the largest in Europe, of course, is the Rhine.Its length from the source to the mouth - 1320 km., And the basin area is 251,800 square kilometers.
Rhine, crossing the territory of Germany, receives several major tributaries.The most significant of these are: in the upper - Aare, in the middle course - Main, Ruhr, Moselle, Lahn, Neckar.In one of the many arms of the delta joins another large influx of the Rhine - the river Maas.
Main - interesting and unusual
It is the longest river in Germany with a length of 567 kilometers.At the same time it is - the longest tributary of the Rhine.But it is unusual in that it is the only river flowing into Central Europe from east to west.Usually in this part of the continent water flows are directed to the north, in addition to the Danube, which flows to the east.
beginning of the river is considered the confluence of its origins - White Main and Red Main River - near the Castle of the "Stone House".The channel crosses the federal lands of Bavaria and Hesse, and his way finishes in the Wiesbaden area where merges with the Rhine.
near the city Bamberg is the channel that connects the Main to the Danube.Hence it becomes a navigable tributary of the Rhine.The total length of the Main channel on which may move the Court, is about 400 kilometers.One of the largest settlements on the banks of the river is Frankfurt.In the city and around it through the Main spanned nine bridges, and beneath it are two underground tunnel - for underground and city trains.There is also a major river port that accepts both freight and passenger vessels.
left tributary of the Rhine-Moselle is also a navigable river.With a total length of 545 kilometers available for river vessels are only 344. It starts in France, flows through the territory of Luxembourg and Germany falls into the Rhine.And along the tributaries of the Rhine and Moselle Main play a very important role in the cargo transportation in this part of Europe.
single European waterway system
More recently, in Western Europe there are two disparate major river systems, used for cargo transportation.The basis of the north-west were the River Rhine and Main.The core of the south-east of the Danube was.Not so long ago, and the last tributary of the Rhine Main joined the channel.As a result, to obtain a single waterway system, bringing together almost all European countries.
construction of a canal between the Danube and the Mein, not only helped to unite the major European waterways, but in fact made it possible to attach to them as well and all the Eastern European system.This was made possible thanks to the efforts of Germany, which carried out the work.Formed a new system, which is a huge ring of navigable rivers, the circumference of almost 4,500 kilometers - from the center of Central Europe to the shores of the Volga River.
