List of rivers of Bulgaria
Encyclopedia
This is a list of rivers in Bulgaria
.
The longest river that Bulgaria has a bank on is the Danube
(2,888 km), which spans most of the country's northern border. The longest one to run through the country (and also the deepest) is the Maritsa
(480 km), while the longest river that runs solely in Bulgaria is the Iskar (368 km).
Rivers of northern Bulgaria, with the exception of the very east of the region, are typically tributaries of the Danube
. Notable rivers in the area are the Iskar, Vit
, Ogosta
, Osam
and Yantra
.
The rivers in the eastern part of the country are typically short (except for Kamchiya
) and flow into the Black Sea
. Notable rivers in the region include the Kamchiya
, Batova, Provadiyska
, Devnenska, Ropotamo
, Veleka
and Rezovska.
Most of the rivers that rise in southern Bulgaria have their mouths in the Aegean Sea
outside Bulgarian territory. A notable exception is the Iskar that takes its source from Rila
and runs through Stara Planina forming a gorge to reach the Danube. Depending on their location, they are divided into two regions, a Western Aegean and Eastern Aegean one. The former embraces the Struma
and Mesta
, while rivers in the latter include the Arda, Maritsa
and Tundzha
.
Note: in Bulgarian
, reka means river.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
.
The longest river that Bulgaria has a bank on is the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
(2,888 km), which spans most of the country's northern border. The longest one to run through the country (and also the deepest) is the Maritsa
Maritsa
The Maritsa or Evros , ) is, with a length of 480 km, the longest river that runs solely in the interior of the Balkans. It has its origin in the Rila Mountains in Western Bulgaria, flowing southeast between the Balkan and Rhodope Mountains, past Plovdiv and Parvomay to Edirne, Turkey...
(480 km), while the longest river that runs solely in Bulgaria is the Iskar (368 km).
Regions
A country rich in water resources, Bulgaria has a large number of rivers that are divided into several regions depending on their mouth's location.Rivers of northern Bulgaria, with the exception of the very east of the region, are typically tributaries of the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
. Notable rivers in the area are the Iskar, Vit
Vit
The Vit also Vid is a river in central northern Bulgaria with a length of 18 km. It is a tributary of Danube. The source of the Vit is in Stara Planina, below Vezhen Peak at an altitude of 2,030 m, and it empties into the Danube close to Somovit...
, Ogosta
Ogosta
The Ogosta , is a river in Northern Bulgaria, a right tributary of the Danube. It takes it source from Vrazha Glava Peak on the border with Serbia. The towns of Chiprovtsi, Montana and Miziya are situated on the river's banks....
, Osam
Osam
The Osam is a river in northern Bulgaria. Its drainage basin is in between that of the river Vit to the west and the Yantra system to the east. The river has two main tributaries in its upper course: the Black Osam takes its source from the foot of Levski Peak in the Balkan Mountains, at an...
and Yantra
Yantra River
The Yantra is a river in northern Bulgaria, a right tributary of the Danube. It is 285 km long and has a watershed of 7,862 km²....
.
The rivers in the eastern part of the country are typically short (except for Kamchiya
Kamchiya
The Kamchiya is a 244.5 km long river in eastern Bulgaria, the longest river on the Balkan Peninsula to flow directly into the Black Sea...
) and flow into the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
. Notable rivers in the region include the Kamchiya
Kamchiya
The Kamchiya is a 244.5 km long river in eastern Bulgaria, the longest river on the Balkan Peninsula to flow directly into the Black Sea...
, Batova, Provadiyska
Provadiya River
The Provadiya River is a river in northeastern Bulgaria. It is 119 km long and has a drainage basin of 2,132 km². The river takes its source from close to the village of Dobri Voynikovo in Shumen Province, flowing southeast and then making a sharp turn northeast to empty into Lake Devnya at Devnya...
, Devnenska, Ropotamo
Ropotamo
The Ropotamo is a relatively short river in southeastern Bulgaria. It takes its source from the Strandzha Mountains, running for to empty into the Black Sea between Dyuni and Primorsko....
, Veleka
Veleka
The Veleka is a river in the very southeast of Bulgaria , as well as the very northeast of European Turkey. It is 147 km long, of which 123 km in Bulgaria and 25 km in Turkey, and takes it sources from a number of Karst springs in the Turkish part of the Strandzha mountain to flow...
and Rezovska.
Most of the rivers that rise in southern Bulgaria have their mouths in the Aegean Sea
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
outside Bulgarian territory. A notable exception is the Iskar that takes its source from Rila
Rila
Rila is a mountain range in southwestern Bulgaria and the highest mountain range of Bulgaria and the Balkans, with its highest peak being Musala at 2,925 m...
and runs through Stara Planina forming a gorge to reach the Danube. Depending on their location, they are divided into two regions, a Western Aegean and Eastern Aegean one. The former embraces the Struma
Struma River
The Struma or Strymónas is a river in Bulgaria and Greece. Its ancient name was Strymōn . Its catchment area is 10,800 km²...
and Mesta
Mesta River
The Nestos or Mesta , formerly the Mesta Karasu , is a river in Bulgaria and Greece. It rises in the Rila Mountains and flows into the Aegean Sea near the island of Thasos. It plunges down towering canyons toward the Aegean Sea through mostly metamorphic formations...
, while rivers in the latter include the Arda, Maritsa
Maritsa
The Maritsa or Evros , ) is, with a length of 480 km, the longest river that runs solely in the interior of the Balkans. It has its origin in the Rila Mountains in Western Bulgaria, flowing southeast between the Balkan and Rhodope Mountains, past Plovdiv and Parvomay to Edirne, Turkey...
and Tundzha
Tundzha
The Tundzha is a river in Bulgaria and Turkey and the most significant tributary of the Maritsa, emptying into it on Turkish territory near Edirne....
.
List
- Archar RiverArchar RiverThe Archar or Archaritsa is a river in the western Danubian Plain of northern Bulgaria and a right tributary of the Danube. It originates in the western Balkan Mountains and is around 60 kilometres in length, with a drainage basin of 364 square kilometres. The river runs through limestone terrain...
- Arda
- Batova reka
- BistritsaBistritsaBistritsa or Bistrica may refer to:*three villages in Bulgaria:**Bistritsa, Blagoevgrad Province**Bistritsa, Kyustendil Province**Bistritsa, Sofia...
- Bunayska
- DanubeDanubeThe Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
- Deleynska reka
- Devil's RiverDevil's River, BulgariaThe Dyavolska reka is a river in Burgas Province, southeastern Bulgaria. It originates in the Strandzha mountains, runs near the coastal town of Primorsko, and flows into the Black Sea. In its middle course, it forms a marshy area known as Dyavolsko blato ....
- DospatDospat RiverThe Dospat is a river in the Western Rhodope Mountains, the most important tributary of the Mesta.It takes its source from Bulgaria, from the 1643-metre-high Rozov vrah and flows southeast until Dospat Dam, after which it makes a turn southwest to continue generally to the south and flow into the...
- Dzhulyunitsa
- Erma
- Fakiyska reka
- Iskar
- Cherni Iskar
- Palakariya
- KamchiyaKamchiyaThe Kamchiya is a 244.5 km long river in eastern Bulgaria, the longest river on the Balkan Peninsula to flow directly into the Black Sea...
- Golyama Kamchiya (Bulgarian: Big Kamchiya)
- Luda KamchiyaLuda KamchiyaLuda Kamchiya is a river in eastern Bulgaria, the main tributary of the Kamchiya river. The river has a total length of 201 km and a drainage basin of 1612 km², with an average slope of 5.3%....
(Bulgarian: Mad Kamchiya)
- Kajalijka (river flowing through Iskra and Bryagovo into the Maritsa)
- KrivaKriváKrivá is a village and municipality in Dolný Kubín District in the Zilina Region of northern Slovakia.-Geography:The municipality lies at an altitude of 545 metres and covers an area of 18.877km². It has a population of about 794 people.-External links:...
- KrumovitsaKrumovitsaThe Krumovitsa River is a river in the eastern Rhodope Mountains of Bulgaria. The river valley is formed by the Krumovitsa River and the Djushun River together with the surrounding low mountain slopes.-Geography and Geology:...
- LebnitsaLebnitsaLebnitsa is a village in the municipality of Sandanski, in Blagoevgrad Province, Bulgaria.-References:...
- LomLom RiverThe Lom is a river in northwestern Bulgaria, a right tributary of the Danube flowing into it 1 km east of the town of Lom.The river takes its source from the foot of Midzhur , the highest peak of western Stara Planina, on the Bulgarian-Serbian border, and mainly flows northeast until its...
- Luda Reka (Bulgarian Mad River)
- Byala rekaByala rekaByala reka is a river in the Rhodope Mountains in Southern Bulgaria, the longest tributary of Luda reka .The river rises near the village of Chernichevo, close to the Greek border then flows in a general eastern direction until it flows into Luda reka near Siv Kladenets exactly on the Greek...
(Bulgarian: White river)
- Byala reka
- Luda YanaLuda YanaThe Luda Yana is a 74 km-long river in southern Bulgaria, a northern tributary of the Maritsa River. It runs through the towns of Panagyurishte and Strelcha, as well as a number of villages, including Popintsi, where there are considerable driftage gold deposits. The river flows into the Maritsa...
(Bulgarian: Mad Yana) - MaritsaMaritsaThe Maritsa or Evros , ) is, with a length of 480 km, the longest river that runs solely in the interior of the Balkans. It has its origin in the Rila Mountains in Western Bulgaria, flowing southeast between the Balkan and Rhodope Mountains, past Plovdiv and Parvomay to Edirne, Turkey...
- Matevir
- Mechka (Bulgarian: Bear)
- MestaMesta RiverThe Nestos or Mesta , formerly the Mesta Karasu , is a river in Bulgaria and Greece. It rises in the Rila Mountains and flows into the Aegean Sea near the island of Thasos. It plunges down towering canyons toward the Aegean Sea through mostly metamorphic formations...
- Bela Mesta (Bulgarian: White Mesta)
- Cherna Mesta (Bulgarian: Black Mesta)
- OgostaOgostaThe Ogosta , is a river in Northern Bulgaria, a right tributary of the Danube. It takes it source from Vrazha Glava Peak on the border with Serbia. The towns of Chiprovtsi, Montana and Miziya are situated on the river's banks....
- OsamOsamThe Osam is a river in northern Bulgaria. Its drainage basin is in between that of the river Vit to the west and the Yantra system to the east. The river has two main tributaries in its upper course: the Black Osam takes its source from the foot of Levski Peak in the Balkan Mountains, at an...
- Provadiyska reka (Bulgarian: River of Provadia)
- Pyasachnik (Bulgarian: Sandstone)
- RezovoRezovo RiverThe Rezovo River is a river in southeasternmost Bulgaria and northernmost Turkey....
- RopotamoRopotamoThe Ropotamo is a relatively short river in southeastern Bulgaria. It takes its source from the Strandzha Mountains, running for to empty into the Black Sea between Dyuni and Primorsko....
- Rusenski LomRusenski LomThe Rusenski Lom is a river in northeastern Bulgaria, the last major right tributary of the Danube. It is formed by the rivers Beli Lom and Cherni Lom, the former taking its source south of Razgrad and the latter southeast of Popovo....
- Beli Lom (Bulgarian: White Lom)
- Cherni Lom (Bulgarian: Black Lom)
- Rusokastrenska reka (Bulgarian: River of RusokastroRusokastroRusokastro is a village in the municipality of Kameno, in Burgas Province, in southeastern Bulgaria.-References:...
) - SazliykaSazliykaThe Sazliyka is a river in southeastern Bulgaria, a left tributary of the Maritsa. It originates in the Sarnena Sredna Gora mountains. In its upper course until Radnevo, it is also known as the Rakitnitsa or Syuyutliyka. The river is 145.4 kilometres in length and has a drainage basin of 3,293...
- Shirokolashka reka (Bulgarian: River of Shiroka LakaShiroka LakaShiroka Laka is a village in the very south of Bulgaria, located in Smolyan municipality, Smolyan Province. It is a proclaimed architectural and folklore reserve and lies in the central Rhodope Mountains, 23 northwest of Smolyan, 16 km from Pamporovo and 22 southeast of Devin.The dominant and...
) - SredetskaSredetskaSredetska is a river in eastern Bulgaria. It is 69 km long with a catchment area of 985 km2. It empties into the Black Sea through Lake Mandrensko near Burgas....
- Stara reka (Bulgarian: Old river)
- StrumaStruma RiverThe Struma or Strymónas is a river in Bulgaria and Greece. Its ancient name was Strymōn . Its catchment area is 10,800 km²...
- Rilska reka
- Strumeshnitsa
- StryamaStryamaThe Stryama is a river in southern Bulgaria, an important left tributary of the Maritsa. The river is 110.1 km long and has a drainage basin of 2,853 km²....
- Suha reka (Bulgarian: Dry river)
- TimokTimok RiverThe Timok is a river in eastern Serbia and for the last 15 km of its run a border between eastern Serbia and western Bulgaria.It derives the names in all these from the name it had in antiquity, Latin: Timacus....
- TopolnitsaTopolnitsaThe Topolnitsa is a river in southern Bulgaria, an important left tributary of the Maritsa. It takes its source from Bich Peak in Sredna Gora close to Koprivshtitsa; it is known as the Shirineyska in its upper course. Its average discharge is 55 m³/s and it is long; its drainage basin covers...
(in Bulgarian, Topola means poplar) - TsibritsaTsibritsaThe Tsibritsa is a river in the western Danubian Plain of northern Bulgaria and a right tributary of the Danube. The river originates in the Shiroka Planina area of the Fore-Balkan Mountains near the Serbian border and flows in a northeast direction diagonally through Montana Province...
- TundzhaTundzhaThe Tundzha is a river in Bulgaria and Turkey and the most significant tributary of the Maritsa, emptying into it on Turkish territory near Edirne....
- VachaVacha RiverThe Vacha is a river in south Bulgaria, one of the main right tributaries of the Maritsa. It is 105 km long and is formed by the confluence of the Shirokolashka reka and the Byunovska reka. The river passes through Krichim Dam and Vacha Dam that secure drinking water for Plovdiv and its plains...
- VarbitsaVarbitsaVarbitsa is a river in the Eastern Rhodope mountains in Bulgaria.The Varbitsa river, a tributary to the Arda, the main river of the Rhodope Mountains, runs through 8 municipalities, 6 of them within the region of Kardjali and 2 in the region of Smolyan...
- VelekaVelekaThe Veleka is a river in the very southeast of Bulgaria , as well as the very northeast of European Turkey. It is 147 km long, of which 123 km in Bulgaria and 25 km in Turkey, and takes it sources from a number of Karst springs in the Turkish part of the Strandzha mountain to flow...
- VitVitThe Vit also Vid is a river in central northern Bulgaria with a length of 18 km. It is a tributary of Danube. The source of the Vit is in Stara Planina, below Vezhen Peak at an altitude of 2,030 m, and it empties into the Danube close to Somovit...
- Beli Vit (Bulgarian: White Vit)
- Cherni Vit (Bulgarian: Black Vit)
- Voynishka reka (Bulgarian: Soldier's river)
- YantraYantra RiverThe Yantra is a river in northern Bulgaria, a right tributary of the Danube. It is 285 km long and has a watershed of 7,862 km²....
- RositsaRositsaThe Rositsa is a river in central northern Bulgaria, the most important tributary of the Yantra River. It is long and has a drainage basin of ....
- Rositsa
- Zlatna PanegaZlatna PanegaZlatna Panega may refer to:* Zlatna Panega , a river in Bulgaria* Zlatna Panega , in Yablanitsa municipality, Lovech Province...
(Bulgarian: Golden Panega)
Note: in Bulgarian
Bulgarian language
Bulgarian is an Indo-European language, a member of the Slavic linguistic group.Bulgarian, along with the closely related Macedonian language, demonstrates several linguistic characteristics that set it apart from all other Slavic languages such as the elimination of case declension, the...
, reka means river.
See also
- Geography of BulgariaGeography of BulgariaBulgaria is a country situated in south-eastern Europe, bordering Romania, Serbia, the Republic of Macedonia, Greece, Turkey and the Black Sea. Its northern border with Romania follows the Danube river until Silistra. The land area of Bulgaria is 110,550 square kilometers, slightly larger than that...
- Reservoirs and dams in Bulgaria