DANUBE (Greek ̓Ίστρος - Istr; lat. Danubius; German Donau; Hung. Duna; Czech. Dunaj; Serbian, Bulgarian. Dunav; Rum. Dunărea), a river in Europe, flows through Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova and Ukraine; the second (after the Volga) in Europe in terms of length and water content. Presumably named by the Celts who lived in its upper reaches (Celtic Danu; Danu - impetuous, stormy, fast). The length is 2857 km, the basin area is 817 thousand km 2. The source of D. is considered to be the confluence of the small rivers Breg and Brigah on the eastern slopes of the Black Forest at an altitude of 676 m. It flows into the Black Sea, forming a delta. The average slope of the river is 0.24‰. More than 300 tributaries flow into the D. There are many mountain lakes (mainly in the Alps, Chiemsee, Attersee, and others), flat lakes (for example, Neusiedler See, Balaton), and floodplain lakes in the river basin. D. subdivided into Upper, Middle and Lower.
The Upper Danube (from the source to the Devinsky Gates - the narrowing of the valley at the junction of the spurs of the Eastern Alps with the Lesser Carpathians) - a typical mountain river, the channel and the valley have narrowing and widening. In the lower part of the section, the channel width is from 110 to 300–400 m. The main tributaries are: Iller, Lech, Isar, Inn, Enns (right), Altmühl, Nab, Regen, Morava (left). The Middle Danube is bounded by the Devinsky Gates and the Iron Gates, located in the gorge of Cataract, between the Southern Carpathians and the western spurs of the Stara Planina Mountains. In this section, the river crosses the Middle Danube Lowland. Below the city of Budapest, the direction of the current sharply changes from east to south, near the city of Belgrade it again turns east. The width of the channel increases to 800–1000 m. The Middle Danube receives many full-flowing tributaries, the largest being the Drava, Sava, Velika Morava (right), Vag, Gron, Ipel, Tisa, Timish (left). The Katarakty Gorge was previously a rapid section of the channel 117 km long, its narrowest (up to 150–300 m) and deepest places are Kazan and the Iron Gates. After construction Dzherdap reservoir this area is completely flooded.
The Lower Danube (from the Iron Gates to the mouth) flows through the Lower Danube Lowland. The width of the channel is from 700 to 1200 m. The main tributaries are: Timok, Ogosta, Iskar, Vit, Osam, Yantra (right), Jiu, Olt, Arjesh, Ialomitsa, Siret, Prut (left). The lower Danube ends with a large (4200 km 2) low-lying delta (80% of its area is located on the territory of Romania, 20% - in Ukraine). The Danish delta is characterized by numerous branches, channels, lakes, and floodplains. The total area of intra-delta lakes, near-delta lakes-estuaries and lakes-lagoons is approx. 2000 km2. At the head of the delta, D. is divided into branches - the Kiliya (left, 116 km long) and Tulchinsky (right, 17 km), which, in turn, is divided into the Sulinsky (76 km) and Georgievsky (after straightening 77 km) branches. The delta is highly biodiverse; here are St. 5000 species of plants and animals. The reed beds in the Delta of D. are the most extensive (1,560 km2) and compact in the world. Only here, on the deltaic lakes, there are "plaurs" - floating carpets of living and dead vegetation. In the delta of D. - the Danube Biosphere Reserves (Ukraine) and Danube Delta(Romania).
The feeding of the river is mixed (snow and rain). Long spring-summer floods and summer-autumn low water, as well as winter and autumn floods, are clearly distinguished. As a result of climate warming, early snowmelt and increased precipitation, floods in recent decades come at an earlier time, and its height has slightly increased. The construction of numerous reservoirs on the D. and its tributaries had almost no effect on the flow of water. Floods during floods and floods on the Middle and Lower Danube not only persisted, but also intensified (extreme floods in 2002 and floods in 2006, 2010). The magnitude of seasonal fluctuations in water levels on the Upper and Middle Danube is up to 6–8 m, on the Lower Danube - up to 4 m. The delta is affected by surge fluctuations in level up to ± 1–1.5 m. / s (annual runoff volume 205 km 3); the most abundant tributary is the Sava (50.8 km 3 /year). The runoff of suspended sediments is on average 36 million tons/year (before the construction of the Dzherdap reservoir, 50–65 million tons/year). Freezing on the Upper and Middle Danube is usually from mid-January to mid-February, on the Lower Danube - from late January to early February. In recent decades, the duration of the period with ice phenomena has decreased. The waters of Dagestan are polluted, and the concentration of heavy metals, petroleum products, nitrogen and phosphorus compounds, phenols, and organic substances has increased. The main sources of pollution are wastewater from industrial enterprises, household and agricultural wastewater.
The water resources of the Danube are widely used by the Danubian countries. Navigation issues are regulated by the Danube Commission (Budapest). D. is navigable from Regensburg (Germany). Main cargo transportation is carried out along the Middle and Lower Danube. In order to improve the conditions of navigation and protection from floods, the Dagestan is regulated throughout its entire length by numerous dams, and dredging and channel straightening work is carried out in the shallow sections of the river and in the delta. In 1984, in Romania, between the river port of Cernavoda and the seaport of Constanta, a lockable shipping channel Danube - Black Sea was opened. In the early 1990s The Danube-Main-Rhine canal was built, connecting the Black and North Seas. The large water potential of the river is used for energy purposes (the large hydroelectric complex "Jerdap-1" and "Jerdap-2" in Romania and Serbia, the cascade of hydroelectric power stations in Germany and Austria, the hydroelectric power station "Gabčíkovo" in Slovakia). Agriculture, catching and processing of fish are developed in the delta of D.; tourism. The largest cities and ports in the D. (downstream): Regensburg (Germany), Linz, Vienna (Austria), Bratislava (Slovakia), Budapest (Hungary), Novi Sad, Belgrade (Serbia), Ruse (Bulgaria), Braila , Galati, Sulina (Romania), Reni, Izmail (Ukraine).
The Danube was and remains primarily a natural border. In former times, it served as the northern frontier of the Roman Empire. On its banks, the Romans built a defensive rampart against the attacks of the barbarians from the north. In 1683, the future of Christian Europe was decided here: the Austrians near Vienna inflicted a final defeat on the troops of the Ottoman Empire, ousting the Muslims from Western Europe.
Since the Danube has always been a navigable river, the most diverse tribes and peoples constantly met each other on its banks. All of them left behind masterpieces of art and culture - buildings in the rococo and baroque, gothic and classic styles are located along the river side by side with buildings of the Art Nouveau era and ancient ruins. Water united people: the Balkans is the largest "melting pot" of Europe, in the Banat between the former Yugoslavia and Romania, Hungarians, Romanians, Serbs, Spaniards, Italians and many other peoples live together. Alas, they do not always get along peacefully with each other. A terrible example of what conflicts between neighbors lead to was the war in the former multinational state of Yugoslavia, the consequences of which are still being felt.
The river that connects peoples
The Danube is the only river in Europe that flows through so many different states.
The Danube is formed from the confluence of the rivers Brigach and Breg near the city of Donaueschingen in the Upper Rhine graben. On its 2860 km long path, the second largest (after the river) European river flows through four capitals: Bratislava, Vienna, Budapest and Belgrade. In Romania, it flows into the Black Sea, forming a giant delta. Probably thousands of years ago, the Danube served as a transport artery, and since the beginning of the era of shipping in 1830, its economic importance has been constantly increasing. In the middle of the 19th century, neighboring states began to regulate and lock the river. It was necessary to mitigate the effects of periodic floods - for example, in 1830 Vienna was half flooded with water. The Danube has always been also a source of drinking water. Disputes about the use of this precious resource periodically arise today. For example, Slovakia is building a hydropower system south of Bratislava to generate electricity. Initially, Hungary participated in this project, but now it categorically refuses to continue construction: the existence of the reservoir reduces the water level to a dangerous level and Budapest is already worried about the stability of the supply of drinking water. The intensive use of the river has upset the ecological balance of vast territories: little remains of the former abundance of fish, floodplain forests are drying up, many animal species that traditionally lived on the banks of the Danube are dying out.
general information
It flows through the territory of the following countries: Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine.
Forms a boundary between: Austria and Slovakia, Slovakia and Hungary, Croatia and Serbia, Serbia and Romania, Romania and Bulgaria, as well as Romania and Ukraine.
The source of the Danube is located in the mountains of the Black Forest (Germany) near the city of Donaueschingen at an altitude of 678 m.
Numbers
Length: 2860 km.Catchment area: 817 thousand km 2.
Water consumption: 6400 m 3 / s (second place in Europe after the Volga).
Delta area: 4152 km2.
Attractions
In Germany: Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen Castle, Ulm Cathedral, RegensburgGDZ in geography. Answers to workbooks, contour maps and textbook questions. We have everything right!
First circumnavigation
Test tasks
1. Ferdinand Magellan was
b) a Portuguese in the service of the King of Spain
2. The strait connecting the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific, Ferdinand Magellan called
c) the strait of All Saints
3. The expedition of Ferdinand Magellan circumnavigated the globe, moving all the time
a) from west to east
4. The first circumnavigation of the world continued
a) 3 years
5. The name of the captain who first sailed his ship around the world was
a) Fernand
6. List the geographical objects in the order they were reached by the expeditions of Ferdinand Magellan. Put the corresponding letters in the table.
Thematic Workshop
Here are five excerpts from the notes of Magellan's companion Antonio Pigafetta, which he made in the form of a letter to his patron Saint Philippe de Villiers Lil Adan.
Put them in the correct order and answer the questions.
1. How many times did Magellan's expedition cross the equator?
The voyage was around the world, crossing the equator 4 times.
2. What in the above passages gives reason to consider the assessment given by Pigafetta to Ferdinand Magellan as fair?
3. What is the modern name of the strait from which the expedition left on November 28, 1520?
The Strait of Magellan is a strait separating the Tierra del Fuego archipelago and continental South America.
4. How many days did the voyage across the Pacific last?
3 months and 20 days
Cartographic workshop
Follow the path of the expedition of Ferdinand Magellan on the map and name the geographical objects through which he passed.
1 - Palos.
2 - Atlantic Ocean.
4 - Strait of All Saints.
5 - Pacific Ocean.
6 - Philippine Islands.
9 - Indian Ocean.
Oceans, lakes and rivers
Danube river
In Europe, the Danube River is the second longest after the Volga. Water flow length, carrying its waters through the lands of Central and Eastern Europe, equal to 2872 km. The area of the water basin is 817 thousand square meters. km. The fall of water from source to mouth is 678 meters. The river bed crosses or is the border of 10 states: Romania (29% of the basin area), Hungary (11.6%), Serbia (10.2%), Austria (10%), Germany (7%), Bulgaria (5. 9%), Slovakia (5.9%), Croatia (4.4%), Ukraine (3.8%) and Moldova (1.6%). If we take all the tributaries flowing into the river, then 9 more states are added, which account for 10.6%.
From source to mouth
Source
The water flow originates in the Black Forest mountain range. It is located in the southwestern part of Germany. The small German town of Donaueschingen (population 21,000) is located in these places. On the outskirts of the city, at an altitude of 678 meters above sea level, 2 mountain streams merge together: Breg and Brigah. It is they who unite into a rivulet, which gradually turns into one of the most important water arteries in Europe.
Upper, middle and lower reaches
The river is conditionally divided into upper, middle and lower reaches. The upper one is considered from the source to Vienna. This is a real mountain river. It flows in a narrow valley between the Alps and the Bohemian Massif, which is characterized by steep slopes. To the city of Ulm, the width of the water flow is 20-80 meters. Downstream, the channel expands and reaches a width of 100-300 meters. The flow velocity reaches 2.8 m/sec. In many places, the channel is fenced and straightened by dams.
The middle course is considered from Vienna to the gorge, called the Iron Gates. In this section, the channel runs along the Middle Danube Plain. The river valley is wide and varies from 5 to 20 km. The riverbed is quite winding and branched. The flow velocity is 0.7-1.1 m/s. In some places, the water flow breaks through the ridges and forms valleys. In such places, it narrows to 150 meters, and the depth increases to 20 meters. In the Kazan Gorge, the maximum depth reaches 70 meters.
The lower course crosses the Lower Danube Plain. It is considered from the Iron Gate gorge to the mouth. In this place, the Danube River is flat. The wide floodplain valley, the width of which reaches 10-20 km, branches into channels and branches. The width of the water flow reaches 2 km, the depth is 5-7 meters at a current speed of 1 m / s.
mouth
At the mouth, the river forms a delta, which in its area is second only to that of the Volga. Its area is 4150 sq.
km. Of these, 3.5 thousand square meters. km are located on the territory of Romania, and the rest belongs to Ukraine. By its nature, the delta is swampy and indented with arms. There are 3 main sleeves or girls. These are Kiliyskoye, Georgievskoye and the main navigable - Sulinskoye. The delta is 75 km long and 65 km wide. Each arm creates its own deltas and flows into the Black Sea separately.
The Danube River on the map
Sleeves and tributaries
The river is characterized by branches. Some of them depart from the main water flow for more than 10 km. The longest are considered the Moson sleeve, Dunerya-Veke, the Small Danube, Borcha and Shoroksharsky. As for the tributaries, there are 300 of them. Of these, 34 are navigable.
It should be noted that the water flow basin is asymmetric. Its right-bank part accounts for 44%, and the right-bank part - 56%. Most of the tributaries are located in the mountains, and there are very few of them on the flat landscape. The tributaries are mostly navigable. Of these, one can name Iller, Isar, Morava, Drava, Tisa, Prut, Siret and Hron.
Cities
Many European cities are located on the banks of the mighty water stream. Four of them are capitals. This is Vienna, the capital of Austria.
Belgrade is the capital of Serbia. Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and Budapest is the capital of Hungary. Of the German cities can be called Regensburg in Bavaria. It stands at the confluence of the Regen and Danube tributaries. In Bulgaria, this is the city of Ruse, it is considered the 5th largest in the country.
Danube in Hungary
Shipping
Shipping is carried out all year round. In cold winters, it stops for a couple of months. More than 100 million tons of transport cargo is transported along the river per year. In 1992, the Main-Danube Canal was built in Bavaria. He connected the Danube with the Rhine through the Main River, and the water flow became part of the waterway from the Black Sea to the North. In the lower reaches there are Romanian and Ukrainian shipping channels. On them, large ships get from the river to the Black Sea.
Feeding the river
Food is rain, snow, glacial and ground. Flood and low water regimes are traced. The maximum water level is recorded in June, the minimum in the winter months - December, January, February. In the lower reaches, the maximum water level is observed during the flood period. These are the months of April and May. The smallest is recorded in the autumn months - September and October. The annual flow is 210 cubic meters. km. Water consumption is 6.4 thousand cubic meters. m/sec.
The Danube River is the most important transport artery in Europe. It is of great economic importance for most countries and provides water to a large number of cities. Without this water flow, life in a vast region would simply stop..
Alexander Arsentiev
Danube river
History of the Danube River
The earliest reliable information about the Danube is contained in the writings of the ancient Greek historian and scientist Herodotus (5th century BC), who wrote in the second book of the History that the Istr River (the ancient Greek name for the Danube) begins in the country of the Celts and flows, crossing Europe in the middle. The Istra River flows into the Euxine Pont (the name of the Black Sea in those days) with seven branches (in other words, it meant that before the Danube flows into the Black Sea, it was divided into seven rivers, its continuations). Herodotus also made conclusions about the nature of the river's nutrition, about its tributaries, and much more, striking in its accuracy even modern scientists and geographers. The current name of the river was given by the Celts, who lived here in the first half of the first millennium BC. In 105, Emperor Trajan threw the first stone bridge across the Danube, for possible movement from one side of the river to the other.
In the literary sources of ancient times, this name was given to the river from its source to the Cataracts. The Lower Danube was called in ancient times Istrom. In some sources of antiquity, this name extended to the entire river.
The first navigators to explore the lower course of the river were the Phoenicians, followed by the Greeks, who founded on the banks of the Danube in the 11th-9th centuries. BC e. their colonies and trading posts on the territory of the present-day cities of Izmail, Kiliya, Silistra and others, in the second half of the 9th century. BC e. Macedonians appear on the Danube.
Detailed studies of the entire course of the Danube were made by the Romans. They built dozens of fortifications along the banks of the river, laid roads, and created a river fleet. And the Danube became a busy trade route.
In the XI-XII centuries. Slavic and other tribes, significantly pushing the Byzantines to the south, settle on the banks of the Lower Danube. The middle Danube is occupied by western groups of Slavs - Czechs, Slovaks. Here, as well as on the Upper Danube, Germanic tribes and Turkic newcomers are firmly established.
The emergence of Kievan Rus at the turn of the 3rd-9th centuries. led to the revival of trade along the Danube - a natural waterway, convenient for maintaining relations not only between the peoples who inhabited its banks, but also for trade with coastal states on the Black Sea and beyond. In the Russian chronicle of the time of the Kyiv prince Svyatoslav, it is said that here "... all good things converge: from Greek gold, pavoloki (which means fabrics), various wines and vegetables, from Czech and Ugrian silver and komoni (they called horses), from Russia skora (that is, skins) and wax, honey and servants.
"All good" whetted the appetites of many rulers. The Persian king Darius and Alexander the Great, Roman emperors and Batu Khan sent their troops here. Crusaders moved along the Danube. For almost three centuries, the Ottoman Empire was the mistress of the Lower and Middle Danube. In the periods of modern and recent history, Austria, Germany, England, France, and the Russian Empire competed here.
The rich nature of the region, its past and new buildings - all this is of great interest. Every year the flow of tourists traveling along the great river increases.
Thus, along with the history of Europe, the history of the international river also took shape, and now we can observe the Danube as it has already been formed over long periods of history. Today, the river has, one might say, global significance, uniting the countries of Europe with its waters, with the possibility of various sea transportations.
Danube river
The river originates in the mountains of the Black Forest, this is Baden-Württemberg in Germany, where near the city of Donaueschingen at an altitude of 678 m above sea level the Breg mountain streams merge, the length of which is 48 km. and Brigah, 43 km long.
About the direction of the river, we can say that on its way the Danube changes direction several times. First, it flows through the mountainous region of Germany to the southeast, and then at around 2747 km (the mileage of the river is measured from the extreme point of the girl in the direction of the source) changes direction to the northeast. This direction is maintained until the city of Regensburg (2379 km), where the northernmost point of the river's course is located (49°03′ N). Near Regensburg, the Danube turns southeast, then crosses the Vienna Basin, and flows for more than 600 km along the Middle Danube Plain. Having laid a channel through the mountain ranges of the Southern Carpathians along the Iron Gates gorge, it flows through the Lower Danube lowland to the Black Sea (more than 900 km). The fullest point of the river is located near the town of Svishtov (Bulgaria) - 43°38′ north latitude.
In the lower reaches, the Danube, branching out, creates a large swampy delta, cut through by a dense network of branches and lakes, 75 km long from west to east and 65 km wide from north to south. The Danube has numerous branches, which sometimes significantly (10 or more kilometers) depart from the main stream.
The longest on the right bank are the branches of the Moshonsky or Gyorsky Danube (turn - 1854 km, girl - 1794 km) and Dunerya-Veke (237 and 169 km); on the left bank - the Moly Danube (source - 1868 km, flows into the Vah), the Shoroksharsky Danube (1642 and 1586 km), Borcha (371 and 248 km). The top of the delta is located near Cape Izmail Chatal, 80 km away. from the channel, where the main channel of the Danube first splits into the Kiliya and Tulchinskoye. Seventeen kilometers downstream, the Tulchinskoye arm splits into the Georgievskoye arm and the Sulina arm, which flow into the Black Sea separately. The Kiliya arm within the borders of the territory of Ukraine creates the so-called Kiliya delta, which is the most fleeting part of the Danube Delta. Most of the Danube Delta is covered with floodplains - this is the second largest array of this landscape in Europe (second only to floodplains in the Volga Delta). The Danube Biosphere Reserve is located in the Danube Delta.
About the tributaries, it is worth adding that the Danube basin has an asymmetric shape, its right-bank part is smaller in size (constituting 44% of the total catchment area), but the most full-flowing tributaries are located on the right bank, with which about 70% of the water enters the Danube.
About 120 tributaries of the Danube form the hydrographic grid of the basin. The tributaries are unevenly distributed: most of them are located in the foothills of the Alps and the Carpathians, there are almost none in the territory of the Hungarian (Middle Danube) lowland. The tributaries of the Danube, which originate in the mountains, have a mountainous character in the upper reaches. Leaving the plain, they acquire the typical features of lowland rivers and are navigable for a long distance. And I would also like to add that in Slovakia the largest Zhitny Island is a river island of the Danube and at the same time Europe.
Dozens of large cities are located on the banks of the Danube River, including the capitals of four European countries: Austria - the city of Vienna (with a population of about 1,600 thousand inhabitants), Serbia - the city of Belgrade (with a population of approximately 1,200 thousand people), Hungary - proud Budapest (whose population is 2016 thousand), Slovakia - Bratislava (with a population of about 430 thousand).
Characteristics of the territorial division of the river
The Danube flows from source to mouth through the territory or along the border of 10 states (Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova and Ukraine).
Also, the Danube basin fully or partially covers the territories of 17 states of Central and Southern Europe (except for the 10 above - Italy, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Macedonia, Poland, Switzerland and the Czech Republic. For all Danube countries, the Danube in some areas is a natural state border with Within the boundaries of the territories of individual countries, the length of the Danube ranges from 0.2 km, in Moldova, to 1075 km, where the river flows in Romania.
According to the complex of physical and geographical characteristics, the Danube is divided into the following three parts, these are:
· the upper Danube, the length of which is 992 km., flows from the source of the river to the village of Genyu;
· the middle Danube, 860 km long, flowing from the village of Genyu to the city of Drobeta-Turnu Severin (the city is located in the southwestern part of Romania);
· Lower Danube flowing through the territory of 931 km. from the city of Drobeta-Turnu Severin and right up to the confluence of the Danube into the Black Sea. The Danube provides almost half of the total flow to the Black Sea.
Development of maritime transport on the Danube
The development of navigation on the Danube began in the 19th century. In 1834, the Izmail merchants owned 20 ships, the Reni merchants owned 5 units of the fleet. In order to take goods abroad along the shortest route, transport of a small carrying capacity was used, since the Kiliya branch of the Danube did not allow ships with a draft of more than 6 feet (1 foot - 33 cm) to pass.
In the middle of the 19th century, the rise of the Danube ports is observed. Only in 1846 Izmail was visited by 138 ships, among them 50 Russian, 45 Turkish, 38 Greek, 8 Austrian, 2 English. The defeat of Russia in the Crimean War (1853-1856) became the main obstacle in the development of Danube trade, and for 20 years Russia was actually eliminated from the Danube. After the victory in the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. The state border of Russia was established along the Kiliya branch of the Danube and along the Prut River.
In the early 80s of the 19th century, the Russian government faced the task of creating a steamboat society on the Danube. On July 3, 1881, the "Regulations on Urgent Commodity and Passenger Steamship Communication between the Cities of Odessa and Izmail with Calls at Kiliya and Reni" was approved. Every two weeks to Izmail, then to Kiliya, from Kiliya to Reni, from Reni to Izmail and through Sulina to Odessa, the entrepreneur's steamer made urgent trips. The ship's speed was 7 knots. The second steamship of Yu. E. Gagarin "Fedor", renamed in 1883. to Izmail, made 18 voyages to the port of Reni. His goal was noble - to open the way to the Danube for the Russian commercial fleet, and he spent all his capital on a new, still unknown business.
Gradually, regular cabotage transportation between the Russian Danube ports was established. However, the development of capitalist production, the growth of output required new markets for goods. It was necessary to establish close trade relations with the Danubian countries. Gagarin could not resolve this issue alone. His personal funds for this was not enough.
In 1883, the business started by Gagarin grew into a trading company. 125 years ago, the first Russian shipping company "Prince Yuri Gagarin and Co" appeared. Since November 21, 1883, for the first time in the history of domestic merchant shipping on the Danube, Russia has established regular international trade relations with the Danube states.
To stay on the banks of the Danube in competition with the shipping companies of other foreign powers, it was necessary to have a strong merchant fleet. Therefore, a few years later, in 1886, the steamship company of Prince Gagarin was transformed into a joint-stock company called the Black Sea-Danube Shipping Company. This society opened the way for Russian goods along the great European river and proved the advantage of steamship communication on the Danube.
On October 14, 1944, by decision of the State Defense Committee of the USSR, the Soviet Danube State Shipping Company was established in the city of Izmail to ensure the transportation of Soviet troops and equipment along the Danube, as well as national economic cargo.
The growth of trade turnover, the development of navigation on the Danube required the equipping of the shipping company with qualitatively new vessels. In the 1950s and 1960s, 75 new tugs and pushers of the Vladivostok, Kyiv, Moscow, Riga, Ivanovo, Kornoiburg types were built, and in the 1970s and 80s the river fleet The shipping company was replenished with powerful pushers of the types "Sergey Avdeenkov", "Zaporozhye", "Leningrad" and 19 self-propelled dry-cargo vessels of the "Kapitan Antipov" series. Along with this, the obsolete fleet was decommissioned.
In 1957, the Prorva deep water channel was opened in the Kiliya part of the Danube Delta, which contributed to the development of maritime transport and the fleet of the UDP.
May 19, 1978 on the basis of an intergovernmental agreement between four countries - Bulgaria, Hungary, the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia - an international economic shipping enterprise was created.
Since 1984 a lighter-carrying transport and technological system operated by lighter-carriers Boris Polevoy, Pavel Antokolsky, Anatoly Zheleznyakov and Nikolai Markin. The system worked in the following areas: the ports of the Black and Mediterranean Seas, the Middle East, North and East Africa.
In the 1980s, the Soviet Danube Shipping Company was a large integrated enterprise, the transport fleet of which alone consisted of more than 1,000 units with a deadweight of about 1 million tons. SDP provided transportation of foreign trade cargoes of the country, cargoes of foreign owners in the Danube river basin, as well as to the ports of the Black, Mediterranean, Red Seas of Southeast Asia, Western and Northern Europe.
In 1983, the Soviet Danube Shipping Company was awarded the Order of Friendship of Peoples.
Later, already in the 90s, the fleet of the Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company was replenished with a series of six ships built in Portugal.
In 2001, the Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company was the first in the country to be given the status of a national carrier.
It should be added that the priority activity of the Danube Shipping Company is the provision of transport services to legal entities and individuals with guaranteed quality of transportation, convenience and safety of cargo and passenger delivery. The main direction of the company is focused on meeting the needs and interests of the client, as well as on the development of long-term cooperation.
Holidays are not only for people, but also for cities and even for rivers. So, on June 29, thirteen states celebrate the International Day of the Danube - the second longest European river. Today we will tell you about the countries that stand on the banks of the blue Danube and what you can see in them?
So, how is the holiday of the Danube and the rivers flowing into it? At this time, interesting festivals, creative meetings, scientific conferences, art exhibitions and environmental events are held everywhere. The first time this holiday began to be celebrated in 2004, and timed to coincide with the tenth anniversary of the Danube Convention. And although the purpose of this event is to protect this amazing European river, you have a great opportunity to visit one of the wonderful countries located on the banks of this river.
Austria. Summer is a great time to visit Lower Austria. The Wachau Valley, with its quiet and romantic landscapes, is distinguished by the special charm of the Austrian land, by the way, it is under the protection of UNESCO. It is worth driving away from the capital of Austria - only seventy kilometers, and you can already admire the special terraces open to all mountain winds, on which the famous Wachau Rieslings are grown. You have a wonderful opportunity to see the local vineyards and appreciate the wines prepared here. In addition, this region is rich in medieval castles-museum. You can also take a great boat trip along the Austrian towns on the banks of the Danube. This ship runs between Melk and Krems several times a day, here guests on board will be offered to taste local wine. When you get to the Wachau, you will get a unique chance to observe architecture in three classical styles at once: the majestic Gothic altar in Mayer, which is very close to Melk, the beautiful baroque Benedictine Abbey of 976 in Melk and Schallaburg - recognized as the most beautiful Renaissance castle in Northern Austria. And yet, you just need to get into the ruins of the Kuenring castle, built in the thirteenth century in Aggstein and the Durnstein fortress, where the English king Richard the First Lionheart lived as a prisoner for a long time. Take your kids to the town of Spitz, where the interesting Maritime Museum is located, or delight them with a trip to the toy exhibition in Schalloburg. Adults, on the other hand, will have a great time in the numerous cozy taverns and restaurants at the castle-hotels of the Wachau with a glass of excellent local wine.
Slovakia. Everything is mixed up in the tastes of the Slovaks: they have a Catholic faith from the Poles, but they appreciate beer and music like real Austrians, pour a lot of paprika into their favorite goulash like true Hungarians, they have fun like Czechs, and swear like Ukrainians. These are the Poles living on the banks of the Danube. A separate word must be said about their delightful country - Slovakia. This is a fairy tale country where the purest lakes have been preserved, many hot healing springs, there are untouched reserved dense forests, mountains - majestic and picturesque, without signs of civilization: factories, garbage dumps, and to our delight, there are a lot of ancient castles and impregnable fortresses. You can appreciate these majestic natural beauties and great creations of human hands by being in one of the six (and this is a lot for little Slovakia) national parks. Two of these parks are located in the Tatras and Mala Fatras. Here you can stay in a small hotel so that every day you can enjoy walking along mountain paths along routes specially laid out for tourists. But you shouldn’t worry about food either, as there are a lot of authentic cafes and restaurants where you will be happy to be treated to the famous Slovak goulash and drink plum brandy, but if you don’t have the strength to get home, you can easily be left to spend the night. You can entertain yourself here for every taste and budget.
You can go down into mysterious caves or go up in a hot air balloon to see the stunningly beautiful surroundings from above. If you are more adventurous, then raft through the fast-flowing local river flows in a raft or kayak. Resting in the Tatras, you can take a bus or car to the glorious town of Cerveny Klastor, where you can go down the Danube raft with splashes and adrenaline. One of the most unique sights of Slovakia, a wonderful European country on the Danube, are well-preserved old wooden houses of seventeenth century merchants and wonderful churches. To get to know this local marvel with carved roofs, carved attic window in the attic, you will have to climb up to the mountain villages of the Zilina region. The 19th century village museum "Oravskej Dediny" is located near Zuberek and is the most beautiful monument of rural architecture in the open air in Europe. Slovakia has perfectly preserved its ancient castles, in Slovak "grads" with interesting and intricate architecture on the outside and beautiful frescoes and a rich collection of weapons inside. In general, I must say a trip to Slovakia is the very first thing for a fan of eco-tourism.
Hungary. The swift waters of the Danube cross the very heart of Europe, or rather Hungary, a country of relaxation, a beautiful country, as both locals and seasoned tourists say, like a blue ribbon. Many people prefer to get their “health through water” here. The majestic waters of the Danube, flowing here, will restore peace and tranquility to your soul, you just have to admire its swift run from the high Buda hills, as if dipping their feet into the river. But Hungary is famous not only for its magnificent natural landscapes, but real wealth is hidden in its bowels - under 80% of the country's territory there are unique reserves of thermal and medicinal waters. Not in vain, even in ancient times they said about this country, standing on the Danube, that here in any place you can stick a staff into the ground so that a wonderful healing spring clogs from there. Now, Hungary has become - the healing baths of Europe. And the local bathing culture already has two thousand years behind it, as evidenced by well-preserved frescoes and mosaics, telling us that these waters were discovered by the ancient Romans. For many years they enjoyed these hot springs. And in the sixteenth century, the Turks, who seized dominance over this area, supported the tradition by building many of their baths here. In some of them, you can take a steam bath to this day, and then plunge into the healing pools with mineral water, as the Turkish pashas actually did. Today, the whole of Hungary is entangled in water health routes. And its capital, Budapest, was awarded the honorary title of a resort city back in 1934, at the International Swimming Congress.
Budapest is the only city in the world where there are one hundred and eighteen natural springs and artificial wells, from which seventy million liters of thermal water comes daily, with a temperature of twenty-one to seventy-eight degrees - a real warm sea in a day! This amount is more than enough for two dozen baths, numerous balneological clinics, swimming pools, wellness centers,. Amazing in its impact, beauty treatment courses in Budapest are perfectly combined with its rich excursion and tourist program. Heviz is famous for its medical tourism. This most famous Hungarian balneological resort is a first-class place for curing many diseases, thanks to its always warm thermal lake. Nearby there is another famous Lake Balaton, be sure to visit it. People go to Hungarian Sarvar not only to take healing baths, but also to breathe in the healthy local air, saturated with water vapor and having a beneficial effect on the functioning of the lungs. Another Hungarian resort that gives its vacationers a lot of opportunities is Bük. The Bük hydropathic bath has six - thermal, four - medical, three - children's, three - specialized pools. Here you will be offered as a traditional treatment: massage, therapeutic mud, hydrotherapy, but also beauty courses, thalassotherapy, weight loss courses. Wellness tourism is most often chosen by young couples, medical tours by older people, spa courses by middle managers.
Germany. The magnificent German region, through which the Danube flows, is called the Swabian Alb, it is located south of Stuttgart. From the north, the Swabian Alb has sharp elevation changes and is limited by them, its deep abysses are overgrown with dense forests, there are interesting hiking trails. They start from the town of Donauvert and run along the picturesque Alba escarpment. On some mountain peaks there are impregnable medieval castles, ancient fortresses and ancient ruins open to the public. Along the way, you can meet enclosures with local wild animals, natural clean streams, healing springs, nature reserves and mysterious stalactite caves. From the south, the Alb plateau reaches the majestic Danube, which flows through Germany. Your walking route will take you to the beautiful Upper Danube Valley and end in the historic town of Tuttlingen.
Croatia, Serbia. The Danube also flows through the territories of Croatia and Serbia. But after the war and gaining independence between the two states, in these places, many Danubian territories are still considered controversial: sites in the vicinity of the cities of Osijek, Sombor - here sites are controlled by Serbia, part. The same disputed area is the island of Sharengrad, located on the Danube near the border of Croatia and Serbia. Near this island is a Croatian village with the same name, and the state affiliation of Sharengrad is disputed by both countries to this day. Another painful controversial topic between these two countries is the island of Vukovar, which is in the bed of the Danube, twenty meters from the Serbian coast, but not far from the Croatian one, only two hundred and fifty meters.
The Danube flows through Bulgarian territory, occupying a small part of it between the cities of Tutrakan and Silistra. It is about thirty kilometers from Varna. Silistra is an ancient city on the right bank of the Danube and, in fact, the last city in Bulgaria before the border with Romania, along the Danube. It is worth coming here to get acquainted with this historical heritage of the country, founded here back in 169 by the Romans, namely their famous emperor Marcus Aurelius. At the time of its foundation, an impregnable fortress appeared here, today its ruins can be seen here and there. Recently, archaeologists have discovered ancient burials and ancient tombs here, their approximate dating is the fourth century. Silistra is one of the first towns in Bulgaria where Christianity spread from. Today it is a Bulgarian port city on the Danube, in addition, a major cultural and commercial center, connected by rail and road with the Bulgarian capital - Sofia and other major cities of the country. From here, ferries go across the Danube to Romania, mooring at the Romanian city of Calarasi.
Romania. , located in the northern part of the Balkan Peninsula and in the Lower Danube basin, has on its territory the longest hydraulic facility on this river - the sixty-four-kilometer navigable canal "Danube - Black Sea", built in 1984 near the city of Chornovoda and flowing into the Black Sea nearby with the city of Constanta. And on May 20, 2013, another large bridge across the Danube was opened, connecting Bulgaria with Romania - the Kalafat-Vidin bridge. There is another bridge that tourists simply need, across Romanian territory, it is located between the settlements of Giurgiu and Ruse.
Arriving in Romania, we recommend that you definitely visit the famous Danube Delta, which has other more poetic names - “paradise for birds”, “the newest land in Europe”. The edge here is actually magical. Sometimes it seems that time has stopped here, and the vain modern world has remained far away, at the mouth of the delta. The Danube Delta seems to be a real museum of nature, and its flora and fauna are unique throughout Europe. Previously, in the place where now the delta was a sea bay, then turned into an estuary, and later into a delta. For almost five thousand years, a very small community lived in these territories in harmony with nature, without disturbing the amazing ecosystem of the Danube Delta: fishing, animal husbandry, and collecting reeds. And to this day you can see old villages here, completely untouched by time and retaining their original appearance. After all, they are completely isolated, and the only access here is the channels of the river delta. Therefore, if you appreciate natural shelters untouched by civilization, and also want to find peace, tranquility and silence around, enjoy unique landscapes, then be sure to come to Romania to visit this magnificent place on the Danube.
Moldova. Moldova, having no direct access to the sea, has access to the Danube River, the length of its coastline in this country is 950 meters. And the only port of Moldova on the Danube is Giurgiulesti, and even then, it is considered a territory disputed with Ukraine, after the collapse of the USSR, when the borders between the republics were a rather arbitrary concept. But, today, it is Moldovan, and has a good location, right at the important intersection of international trade and transport routes - "Rhine-Main-Danube" this water corridor successfully connects it with the Black Sea, with fourteen more European countries and the North Sea. There is access to both the railroad and an extensive network of international roads.
Ukraine. On the Ukrainian territory, just below the city of Vilkovo, there is the youngest part of the Danube - the delta of the Kiliya branch, formed only four centuries ago, thanks to the Danube silt, in places of shallow sea waters. The place here is reserved, it is included in the Danube Biosphere Reserve of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
Well, we answered the question: what countries are on the banks of the Danube? Crossing almost half of Europe, the Danube reads almost three thousand kilometers along its length. Flowing through different countries, it changes its appearance. The Danube is a haven for various species of animals, the oldest forests of Europe grow around it, and various European capitals stand. We can safely say that the Danube is an international river, and in order to get to know it better, you will have to go a truly long way, visiting each Danubian country separately.
The Danube is the largest Western European river with well-established navigation. Barges and bulk carriers travel along the river during the entire navigation, and motor ships of travel companies make tours along the Danube in the summer months, from May to September. The river is very picturesque, a gift for lovers of leisurely cruises and travelers who try to visit the maximum number of countries in one go. The Danube is quite suitable for such a purpose; ten European countries are located on its way.
The states through which the Danube flows begin in Germany, where the source is located. The mountains of the German Black Forest give rise to a great river. The birth of the Danube is shrouded in mystery. After walking about thirty kilometers, the river suddenly disappears. All the water, to the last drop, goes underground, boils there and rushes about to break out after 12 kilometers in the form of a powerful source, which was given the name Aakhsky key. In 1876, this key was tested, it turned out that it is fed entirely and completely by water from the source of the Danube.
But the most interesting thing is that the Aah Key gives all the water to the Radolfzeller Aah River, which takes it to Lake Boden, and one of the largest water arteries in Germany originates from this lake. Nevertheless, the available water resources are quite sufficient for the Danube itself. After turning at the German Regensburg, the river gains strength, gradually becomes full-flowing and already slowly flows further. After passing through Austria and the Vienna depression, the Danube River flows for some time along the border of Slovakia with Hungary. Rather, it becomes a natural border between the two countries over a fairly long stretch. Then, in the Budapest area, it turns sharply to the south.
Now the path of the wonderful European river lies to the south, along the way the Danube divides the Hungarian capital - Budapest - into two cities, Buda and Pest. I must say that Buda and Pest, together with the Danube, form one of the most beautiful places on the entire globe. The Hungarian capital is also the world capital of medical and health baths. Many have propelled Budapest to one of the first places in the industry of medical holidays, and in this city the Blue Danube has helped.
After the Danube crosses the southern border of Hungary, it again becomes a natural border between two countries, this time Serbia and Croatia. However, soon the Danube turns sharply to the left, leaves the border and meets the beautiful old city of Belgrade. In the same place, the Danube receives one of its main tributaries, having replenished its strength, it flows further towards Romania. And again, for the umpteenth time, the Danube River becomes a natural border between the two countries. Along the entire length of contact between Romanian territory and Bulgaria, the border runs along the bed of the Danube.
And just a little before reaching the shores of the Black Sea, the Danube turns north to touch the southernmost point of Moldova and walk a little on Ukrainian soil. It is divided into several branches, forming a classic triangle of a river delta, passes the last few kilometers and calmly pours its waters, tired from a long journey, into the hospitable Black Sea.
