What is the longest river in Europe?
Quick answer
The Volga is the longest river in Europe, flowing about 3,530 km (2,193 miles) entirely through Russia before emptying into the Caspian Sea. The Danube, at about 2,850 km, is second and flows through or along 10 countries, more than any other river in the world.
The 10 longest rivers in Europe
| Rank | River | Length | Countries |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Volga | ~3,530 km | Russia |
| 2 | Danube | ~2,850 km | Germany to Romania/Ukraine (10 countries) |
| 3 | Ural | ~2,430 km | Russia, Kazakhstan (forms part of the Europe–Asia boundary) |
| 4 | Dnieper | ~2,200 km | Russia, Belarus, Ukraine |
| 5 | Don | ~1,870 km | Russia |
| 6 | Pechora | ~1,810 km | Russia |
| 7 | Kama | ~1,800 km | Russia (a Volga tributary) |
| 8 | Oka | ~1,500 km | Russia |
| 9 | Belaya | ~1,430 km | Russia |
| 10 | Dniester | ~1,360 km | Ukraine, Moldova |
The Rhine (~1,230 km), Elbe, Loire and Thames (~346 km) are shorter but famous.
The Volga
- It starts in the Valdai Hills, northwest of Moscow, at just 225 m above sea level.
- About 40% of Russia’s population lives in its basin, and cities such as Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan and Volgograd stand on its banks.
- Russians call it Matushka Volga, “Mother Volga.”
- Its delta on the Caspian Sea is one of Europe’s largest wetlands.
The Danube
The Danube flows through four capital cities, Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest and Belgrade, more than any other river. Countries along it include Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova and Ukraine.
How Europe compares
The world’s longest rivers, the Nile (~6,650 km) and the Amazon (~6,400 km), are almost twice as long as the Volga. In the US, the longest is the Missouri.
Rivers often form borders: see which countries border France.
Still curious?
Jump to a random question from the archive.