With its “Rostov Mountains” and “sea coast of Belarus”, on p. An even more cheerful generation is coming.

According to the results of a 2014 survey, less than 60% of students at the Faculty of Journalism of Moscow State University were able to confidently say where the Volga flows. Students went through options from the Azov and Black Seas to the North and Baltic Seas; at the Higher School of Economics they suggested that the Volga flows into Baikal, Oka, Pacific Ocean, and Moscow State University - to the Moscow River, Yenisei, Ob. Some students decided that “The Volga does not flow anywhere.”

A total of 151 students of the Faculty of Journalism of Moscow State University were interviewed, 84 students High school economics and 35 MGIMO students in approximately equal numbers from all courses. Students were not offered answer options. Candidates were selected randomly. Not a single student could answer all the questions; 15 people could not answer any question at all. You can test yourself by taking a simple test created based on questions asked to students.

Modern it is quite enough to know the truism “The Volga flows into the Caspian Sea” for general development. But those who want to understand history must keep in mind that this statement is essentially false and first understand hydrological concepts.

Firstly, it would be more correct to talk about the river flowing into the Caspian Lake, because parts of the World Ocean are called seas, and the Caspian Sea is an endorheic lake that has no connection with the World Ocean and is called a sea by tradition, apparently due to its salty water and large size.

In other words, the Volga river basin with the Caspian Sea-lake isan inland waterway system completely isolated from the World Ocean. And this circumstance must be taken into account when studying the history of civilization, which spread mainly along the seas and waterways.

For example, there are only three “entry points” into the Volga basin from different seas, so that their historical significance is clear.

1. From Baltic Sea the first route along the rivers Neva - Volkhov - Msta - Tvertsa, that is, the cities of St. Petersburg-Veliky Novgorod - Tver. That is why the capital was founded here, and not somewhere else. Russian Empire- Petersburg.

2. From the Black Sea along the Dnieper through the island of Khortitsa (the base of the Zaporozhye Cossacks) and Kyiv in the upper reaches of the Dnieper there is the iconic “key city” Smolensk, then on the tributary of the Dnieper the junction city of Vyazma, from where one could get to the upper reaches of the Oka and Volga basins.

3. From Sea of ​​Azov along the Don, then along the Tsimlya tributary (in the place of this river there is now the Tsimlyansk Reservoir) and along the Volga near modern Volgograd. TO anal Volga-Don approximately corresponds to bthe former land portage and it is not at all accidental that it was there in the settlement of Dubok that it was located administrative center Volga Cossacks, and not in the area of ​​the river mouth like all the other river Cossacks. Yes, that’s right, each Cossack army initially controlled its own river, the Cossacks were initially waterfowl and only at the turn of the 18th-19th centuries switched to horses.

Secondly, it is not the Volga that flows into the Caspian Sea-lake, but the Kama. According to one of the main hydrological criteria - full flow, at the confluence of the Volga and Kama, the latter is fuller + additional criterion straight channel at the confluence, the Volga should be considered a tributary of the Kama, and not vice versa, and then it is the Kama that flows into the Caspian Sea. Therefore, the ancient authors are not at all mistaken when they write that the Ra (Volga) river flows from the Riphean/Ripean(Ural) mountains.

River basins can be compared to trees standing nearby, their crowns closing. Like trees by their trunks, all rivers are uniquely identified from the mouth, and further up the river for transport purposes it is necessary to determine the main watercourse, which is not always obvious.

For example, at the confluence of the Volga and Oka, the latter was fuller and according to this criterion could be considered the main watercourse, in which case it would be considered that the Volga flows into the Oka. But in this place the Volga has a straight channel and at approximately equal visual assessments Due to its full flow, it wins over the Oka the right to be called the main watercourse.

In other words, the name of the river used to apply to the watercourse starting from the mouth and upstream, based on practical purposes of navigation. In the 19th century, this principle was reversed, designating “one of the branches of the tree crown” as the source of the river - this is simpler, but has no practical meaning; navigable distances in many places are still measured from the mouths of rivers.

So the answer tosurvey "Where does the Volga flow?"the majority considers it generally known, primitive only because ofa modern view of rivers from top to bottom, from source to mouth andclear familiaritycertainty of the main watercourse.

The Volga River is the largest river in Europe, the most abundant in Russia. This is the longest river in the world that flows into an inland body of water - the Caspian Sea.

The river basin occupies an area equal to half the area of ​​Europe.

The Volga River (a brief description is given below) has more than one hundred and fifty tributaries - this is one of the record figures on the planet. On average, it takes water 37 days to travel from source to mouth, since the current speed is approximately 4 km per hour. The Volga is one of the few rivers that has its own holiday - in Russia May 20 is considered to be Volga Day.

Volga River: a brief description of the geographical location

The Volga flows through the territory of Russia, only a small branch of the Kigach goes east to the Atyrau region of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The Volga River (a brief description for children will be given below) begins in the Tver region near the village, which is called Volgoverkhovye.

Here its source is a small stream, which after a few kilometers crosses the lakes - first Small, and then Big Verkhity, which give strength to the great river. About a third is washed by the waters of the Volga basin. The Volga and its tributaries flow through the territory of thirty administrative districts Russia and one region of Kazakhstan.

The mouth of the river is located at Astrakhan region and is the largest delta in Europe from numerous branches that flow into the Caspian Sea.

Historical information

The Volga, as an important trade artery of Eurasia, has been known to mankind for a long time. Having great length and profitable geographical position, it was especially popular among traders. Back in the 5th century BC, Herodotus, an ancient Greek philosopher, mentioned it in his treatise on the campaign of King Darius against the Scythian tribes. He named the Volga Oar. In ancient Arabic chronicles it is listed as Itil.

By the 10th century AD, a well-known link connecting Scandinavia with Arab countries had been formed. On the banks of the great river large shopping centers: Khazar Itil and Bulgar, Russian Murom, Novgorod, Suzdal. In the 16th-18th centuries, the following appeared on the map of the Volga region: big cities, like Saratov, Samara, Volgograd. Here, in the Trans-Volga steppes, the rebel Cossacks and peasants were hiding. Giving a brief description of the Volga, it should be noted that at all times it performed an important economic function - it connected ports within the country and was a highway for communication between different states. In the middle of the 20th century, after the formation, the political function rivers provide access to the Azov and Black Seas, and therefore to the World Ocean.

Nature of the Volga basin

Rich natural resources Volga river. Short description The main types of plants and animals are given below. There are four types of plants in the water: algae, submerged aquatic plants, aquatic plants with floating leaves, and amphibians. A wide variety of herbs grow in the coastal areas (wormwood, sedge, mint, marshmallow, spurge), as it is covered with extensive meadows. There is an abundance of blackberries and reeds. For hundreds of kilometers along the Volga there are forest belts with birch, ash, willow, and poplar trees. This is a brief description of the Volga River and its flora.

The fauna of the river is also diverse. About fifty species of fish live in the water, including sturgeon, beluga, and stellate sturgeon. The coastal expanses are densely populated by birds and animals. The Volga Delta, where the unique Astrakhan Nature Reserve is located, has a special nature. It is home to many insects, birds, mammals and a wide variety of plants. Some representatives of the fauna existing in the reserve are listed in the Red Book: mute swan, pelican, white-tailed eagle, seal.

Large cities of the Volga region

The Volga region has an advantageous location both geographically and economically. Developed areas of the Urals are nearby, Central Russia and Kazakhstan. The Volga River supplies populated areas with water and energy. A brief description of the most striking cities is given below. On the banks of the Volga there are many large and small cities, with their own unique attractions and amazing story. The largest are Kazan, Samara, Volgograd.

Kazan is beautiful and ancient city, included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Cities. From the side of the Kazanka River - the left tributary of the Volga - the complex of the Kazan Kremlin is visible: the 16th century Annunciation Cathedral, the Kul Sharif mosque, the leaning tower of Syuyumbike. The Kremlin is the main attraction of the city.

Samara is also a city located at the meeting point of three rivers - Samara, Soka and Volga. Main attractions - Iversky Bell Tower convent, historical city center.

The hero city of Volgograd is one of the most beautiful settlements Russia. Among the numerous cultural and historical attractions of the city, it is necessary to note the Mamayev Kurgan, located on the banks of the Volga, the Kazan Cathedral, and the central Embankment.

On the banks of the Volga there are also smaller, distinctive cities and towns with their own historical heritage and cultural monuments.

"Volga-Volga" - we are here for you for a long time!

Our merry orchestra began its creative life in 1997. To the main lineup of the group “N.Z.”, which was already making waves on the Kazan rock scene. (Anton Salakaev, Alexander Makarov, Alexander Sukharev), guitarist of the KuKuKiKiLAY group Eduard Fazulyanov joins, and a little later saxophonist of the same ensemble Roman Kuznetsov. For a couple of years, the guys successfully perform under the name “N.Z.”, and even release the album “Dudki-Vydumki”, but one day on tour, during a compartment feast, the council of elders decides: the name should be changed. This is how the vocal and instrumental ensemble “Volga-Volga” was born (we really love Mother Volga, and we watch good old movies). Stylistic direction was determined by the time: everything they liked to listen to musically was mixed in, and the composition of the musicians speaks for itself. Pipes, accordion, guitars, drums. Let’s call it all “ska-folk-rock-mess” and spice it up with some light urban romance. The result was a completely edible dish, which was actually proven at the same time. In quite short term the group became popular in the Volga region, and not only. On this moment VIA Volga-Volga has eight original and five cover albums under its belt. The cinematic name of the group worked as intended, and we became participants in the soundtracks for Alexey Balabanov’s film “War” and the TV series “Truckers-2”. In parallel with this, our songs are included in rotation on radio “Chanson” and “Our Radio”. We are taking part in the filming of the television program “Wider Circle”. Garik Sukachev invites us to the legendary Moscow “Gorbushka” for a joint concert on the occasion of his anniversary.

Throughout its existence, the team has become a participant in such festivals as: “Invasion”, “Dobrofest”, “Creation of the World”, “Rock Line” and others. In 2013, the group was invited to open the festival “Eh, take a walk!” at the Olympic Sports Complex (Moscow) and the Yubileiny Sports Complex (St. Petersburg). In June 2016, the dream of the artistic director of the ensemble, Anton Salakaev, came true - the Volga-Volga music festival of the same name was held in Kazan, which has become traditional and is held annually in Tatarstan. During the festival, more than 50 musical groups from different regions countries. Since 2012, the ensemble annually performs concerts in front of participants in the International Festival of KVN teams “KiViN” in Sochi. Our team gladly gives concerts at charity events, performs in schools, orphanages and even in prisons.

In 2017, VIA Volga-Volga celebrated its 20th anniversary. Among the 30 cities included in the anniversary tour, some of the most significant were the concerts in St. Petersburg (MOD club) and Moscow (16 tons club).

VIA "Volga-Volga" is one of those groups that are not afraid to perform at weddings, anniversaries and corporate events. Such a wide range of concert performances allows us to maintain our repertoire. VIA "Volga-Volga" performs both original songs and musical works of Soviet cinema; our covers of disco songs of the 70s, 80s, 90s, and 00s sound very fresh in our performance. When we are on stage there are bright costumes, dancing and a sea of ​​positive emotions, in a word, “ska-folk-rock-mess”!

P.S. They say that it’s better to see and hear our ensemble once at a concert than to listen to discs to pieces, although this is not bad!

Art director VIA "Volga-Volga",
Anton Salakaev

Ensemble composition:

	Anton Salakaev - vocals, button accordion, songs
	Sergey Tatarsky - vocals, guitar, songs
	Artem Shutov - trumpet, backing vocals
	Sergey Cherepenin - trombone, backing vocals
	Timur Aibetov - bass guitar
	Kirill Vasiliev - drums, backing vocals
	Eduard Nurmeev - sound at concerts, backing vocals
	Alexander Sukharev - studio sound, percussion

Where does the Volga flow? Perhaps on this question Almost any student can answer secondary school. However, this river plays such an important role in the life of a huge country that to dwell on it characteristic features much more detail is needed.

Section 1. Where does the B flow?Olga? general description

If you look at the list of the largest and deepest rivers in the world, the Volga will be almost the very first item on it. It flows along and its length is about 3.5 thousand kilometers.

The Valdai Hills is the source of a mighty river. As you know, the Volga flows into an exchange along its length water resources with numerous rivers and springs. The area of ​​the Volga basin occupies 8% of the entire territory of the Russian Federation.

The Volga is divided into three parts: upper, middle and lower. The first begins at the source and stretches to the mouth of the Oka, then comes the middle one, which ends at the place where A flows into the Volga Bottom part ends with the Caspian Sea.

The river's water reserves are replenished by groundwater, rainfall and snow melting. In April, the time of spring flood begins, low water levels are observed in summer, the period of floods occurs in autumn, and in winter the river level reaches its lowest point. The water in the Volga begins to freeze at the end of November or beginning of December.

Section 2. Where does the Volga flow? Interesting historical facts

The first mention of the Volga appears in the 2nd century BC in Ptolemy’s “Geography”, where it has the name Ra, which translates as “generous”. Itil was its name in the Middle Ages, and in the annals of the Arabs it is called the “river of the Rus”.

In the 13th century, the river gained fame due to the beginning of the Volga providing connections with European states, and a direct route to the East opened through the Caspian Sea. The map will show quite accurately where the Volga flows, however, not everyone knows that timber has been floated along this river for a long time, and it is here that fishing begins to develop.

At the moment, compared to past centuries, its possibilities are simply limitless.

The fertile soils near the banks of the Volga have long been famous for their fertility, and around the middle of the 19th century, metallurgical and machine-building plants began to be built here. In the 20th century, oil development began in the lower part of the river. At the same time, hydroelectric power stations were being built on the river, and every year it became more and more difficult for the river to replenish its resources.

Section 3. Where does the Volga flow? Features of flora and fauna

Due to the immediate proximity to the Caspian Sea, the climate near the Volga is humid and warm; during the hot period, the air temperature rises to +40°, but during the frosty period it drops to -25°.

The river is home to over 44 species of fauna, among them there are endangered specimens that are under protection. Affects a huge number of waterfowl. Mammals prefer to settle near the shore: foxes, hares and raccoon dogs.

More than 120 species of fish live in the waters of the river: carp, roach, bream, sturgeon and others. These places have long been favorites among fishermen. But if previously the world sturgeon catch was more than 50%, today the situation has changed dramatically.

The negative influence of civilization has not spared the Mother River. Big number hydroelectric power stations and reservoirs have a detrimental effect on the state of local flora and fauna. In addition, the quality of the water in the river itself has deteriorated greatly.

Chekhov's classic phrase “The Volga flows into the Caspian Sea” has become an example of a banal statement. In fact, the answer to the question of where the Volga flows is not as obvious as it seems. It lies in such fields of science as hydrography, toponymy, geography, etc.

Great River

The ancient Volga appeared on Earth about 23 million years ago. Most likely, the date of birth of the great river is even more ancient - studies show that the Volga had smaller predecessors, not of such significant size.

The Volga is the largest river in the European part of the Eurasian continent. Its length is about 3,530 km. Unlike many other rivers connected to the World Ocean, the Volga flows into a large inland body of water that does not have direct access to the open ocean. This unique formation is called the Caspian Sea.

Ancient Volga

During the birth of the Volga, the movement of tectonic plates began, which led to the emergence of the Central Russian Upland and the Valdai Mountains. The tectonic process was accompanied by the incision of numerous ancient river channels into the base rocks of the plate. At that time, the beginning of the Volga River appeared.

And where does the Volga flow in those distant times? Geological evidence suggests that the Ancient Caspian Sea was much wider at that time, and it also had open exit to the world's oceans. Then, as now, the Caspian received the waves of the ancient Volga and all its tributaries.

At that time the river bed was a little more different than it is now. It arose in the deepest part of a large trench that stretched from modern Kazan to Volgograd. It was he who became the first channel of the paleo-Volga.

Later, processes that arose as a result of the onset of the Ice Age smoothed out the relief features. The area was gradually filled with sedimentary rocks. The Volga continued its development, flowing along the already flat plain. In the geography of the Volga channel of that time, familiar coastal reliefs had already appeared. And the area where the Volga flows has acquired modern contours.

Estuary and tributaries of the Volga

Quite a lot has been written about where the Volga begins and where it flows. scientific works. In the process of its development, the Volga grew with numerous tributaries and repeatedly changed the location of its delta, but this great river left its source unchanged.

The Valdai Hills is the cradle of many big rivers. Rivers such as the Dnieper, Lovat, Western Dvina, Msta and many smaller water arteries originate here. The largest water artery in Europe was no exception. The first part of the answer to the question - where the Volga begins and where it flows - lies here, in these Russian mountains. The Volga carries its waters from the Valdai Hills. The place where the river originates is in the Tver region and is called the Volgino Verkhovye.

But there are small problems with the place where the Volga flows into the Caspian Sea. The fact is that many researchers disagree with the standard answer to the school problem about where the Volga begins and where it flows. The well-known spring in Valdai is far from the only source of the great Volga; it is quite possible that it has many more sources, and some of them are underground.

Tributaries of the Volga

As for the tributaries, the Volga has a lot of them. The largest of them are Mologa, Samara, Ob, Kama, Eruslan and many others. Of all the above, the widest and deepest tributary is the Kama River. It merges with the Volga very close to the shores of the Caspian Sea. So, maybe the Volga flows into the Kama, and not into the sea?

Signs of river confluence

Hydrobiologists use several indicators to determine which river is the main one and which is its tributary. At the confluence of the waters of both rivers, scientists determine their water content, drainage area, structural features of the river system, the length of both rivers from source to confluence, river flow indicators and several others.

In terms of water content, these two rivers are almost equal to each other. The average annual flow of the Volga is 3750 m 3 /sec, and that of the Kama - 3800 m 3 /sec. In terms of catchment area, the Volga is ahead of its rival - 260.9 thousand km 2 versus 251.7 thousand km 2. The height of the Volga basin is lower than that of the Kama basin, since the tributaries of the Kama originate in the Ural Mountains. The Kama Valley is older than the Volga Valley - it was formed in the first half of the Quaternary period, even before the Great Glaciation. At that time, the Kama discharged its waters into the Vychegda. After graduation Ice Age The Upper Volga, which previously flowed into the Don, began to flow into the Kama. The Lower Volga today is a natural continuation not of the Volga, but of the Kama Valley.

Hydrography of the Middle Ages

Arab medieval geographers called the Volga own name- Itil. They connected the ancient origins of Itil precisely with the Kama. And they paid no less attention to Kama than to her blue rival.

So where is the beginning of the Volga River and where does this water artery flow? All other things being equal, along with hydrographic ones, historical traditions are also taken into account. Established ideas and studies of toponymy allow us to assert that the Kama is a tributary of the Volga River. More precisely, it flows into the Kuibyshev Reservoir, located at the confluence of two rival rivers. And to the question of where the Volga flows, one can answer: into the waters of the Caspian Sea, but it should be remembered that this answer is dictated more by historical tradition than by real hydrographic indicators.