Neman - the river, originating in the south of Minsk hills.Proceeds of Lithuania, Belarus and the Kaliningrad region.Its total length - 937 kilometers, and the catchment area of 98 thousand square kilometers.At the bottom of the Neman is the natural border between the Russian Federation and Lithuania.River is considered the cleanest water flow in Belarus.The reason - the low population density and lack of industrial enterprises along the coast and in the pool.Neman - the largest river of Lithuania, the third largest in Belarus and 14th - in Europe.It falls into the water stream in the Curonian Lagoon, the Baltic Sea.It is a lagoon between the mainland and oblique.On its coast is the Lithuanian city of Klaipeda.
Hydrology and Hydrography
Neman Neman - River of mixed water supply.But it is mainly in the upper snow in the lower reaches - rain.Pool water flow has a high lake - 2.5%.Water consumption per year (average) - 678 m3 / s.The spring flood lasts for a long time - since mid-March, April and May.Floods are typical for autumn and winter.In the summer - low water.Freeze - in late November - early December, but warmer winters may be temporary opening of rivers and break-up.The source is at the Belarusian ridge, at an altitude of 176 meters.This 2 small streams: Losha and Nemanets.To the border with Lithuania on these sites 459 kilometers.
But fickle lot.River in its upper reaches has a flat character.And at the intersection of moraine ridge valley water flow drastically narrowed to a half kilometers and cuts to a depth of 40 meters.Here, the bottom of the riverbed and the rocky rapids.In glaciolacustrine Neman lowland valley extends up to 20 kilometers.The bottom becomes sandy, there are islands in the river and the floodplain oxbow lakes.The banks of the Neman always asymmetrical.The width of the river in the upper - not more than 40 meters, in the middle - not more than 150 meters, in the lower - up to 400 meters.
history Neman
Scientists believe that the river in these places there was more than 1 million years ago.Continuous descent of the Scandinavian glaciers did not stop the flow of water of life, as soon as they departed, he appeared again.On the banks of the Neman humans first appeared about 12 thousand years ago.In the X century the Slavs settled in the upper and the lower reaches - the ancestors of the Lithuanians.The name of the river is Baltic roots and translates as "home," "our," "your."Neman first mentioned in the Ipatiev Chronicle in connection with the construction of the monastery on the river in the XIII century.But the water flow has been included by Ptolemy in the "Map of European Sarmatia" in the II century AD.
Interesting events and facts related to the Artistic
Neman river Neman description can be found in the works of such writers and poets like Adam Mickiewicz, Janka Lucina, Vladislav Syrokomlya and Yakub Kolas.She was the subject of many songs, including the most famous national product "Neman - wondrous river."During the Great Patriotic War, the river has become a symbol of military brotherhood Russian and French pilots, as reflected in the title of the famous squadron "Normandy - Neman".Polish pianist Czeslaw Niemen took his stage name in honor of the water flow, which grew up on the banks.
take part in the filming of the movie "Three Men in a Boat" Neman.River Thames turned into English.The Russian fortress of Kovno, standing on the border of 4 bridge crossings Napoleon's army began an attack on the Russian state in 1812.Thus major cities such as Kaunas, Soviet and Grodno Neman river gave birth.
Shipping
Neman - the river navigable.Regular communication established on the interval between the Belarusian city of Grodno and Druskininkai Lithuania.Downstream cut Kaunas Hydro Power Plant (1959), which is undeveloped gateway.During the "high water" from the court building materials, wood and other goods may rise above the confluence of the Berezina inflows in Neman.Shipping is possible from April to October.Also, you can go from the Niemen to the Vistula and the Dnieper channels.In the summer, the river walk pleasure boats and river cruises are made.
tributaries and canals Neman
On the Dnieper River combines Oginski Canal, built in the late XVIII century.This waterway was built to small ships could get there from the Baltic to the Black Sea.Neman with the Vistula connects Augustow Canal, built in the first half of the XIX century.It is an architectural monument and is protected by UNESCO.Tributaries of the river Neman numerous - about 180. The largest of them are Merkys length of 206 km;Vilija (its length - 510 km);Shara (325 km);Shushupe (298 km);Zelvianka (170 km);Gavya (100 km).Almost all rivers flow from the marshes.In XX century, in the lower reaches of the marshes began to drain the peat.The beds of tributaries began to deepen and level, which greatly disrupted the hydrological regime and tributaries, and of the Neman.
Nature Neman River
On the banks of the Neman mainly grows a mixed forest, which noted the predominance of conifers.Basic arrays are located on the River Berezina.It Grodno Forest, Forest Nalibokskaya.Neman is very attractive for fishermen.Here the usual bream, pike, carp, perch, bleak, perch and roach.Fishermen on biting on the Neman not ever complain.After the end of spawning in early June, the water descend lovers of active tourism, mainly - kayakers.There are ready-made routes to local travel agencies, but can go on their own.The length of the path from Lida (here, usually starting routes) can be up to 150 kilometers.Neman is attractive to all types of tourism: water, bike, horse or on foot.The banks of the river are rich in natural, architectural, historical and archaeological sites.
