Find a Danube river cruise Overview From the Black Forest of Germany to the Black Sea, the Danube is a vital lifeline that pulses through the heart of Central and Eastern Europe. The Danube is not only Europe's second longest river—more than twice the length of the Rhine and nearly three and a half times the length of the Rhône—but it flows through ten different countries and more than a dozen languages are spoken on its banks. Imagine the variety in food, architecture and history that goes with each of these languages and cultures. Enjoy an intriguing, panoramic view of two thousands years of European history as you travel along the lyrical "Blue Danube." Fast Facts Watch & Learn About the Danube River Geography The Danube River has been used as an important means of transportation for commerce and military operations for nearly 2,000 years because it is the only major European river that flows west to east. The Danube rises in Germany's Black Forest and flows through the heartland of Austria, first forming the border of Austria and Slovakia, and then Slovakia and Hungary. Leaving Hungary, it runs through Croatia and Serbia to form the boundary between Serbia and Romania and then the Romania and Bulgaria border.

The mighty Danube brushes the edge of Moldova and Ukraine before finally emptying into the Black Sea. The Upper Danube is home to four capital cities—Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, and Belgrade—more than any other river in the world. Downstream from Belgrade, the Danube enters the Iron Gates, a great natural corridor through the Carpathian Mountains and Balkan Mountains. It then spills into the plains of the ancient Roman province of Wallachia. Flooding has been a problem there since Roman times and still is. Due to the floods, no major cities have been developed on the Danube downstream of Belgrade. Bucharest, the capital of Romania, is 50 miles uphill from the Danube, well protected from rising water in the spring. History Over the centuries, the Danube has been one of the most significant cultural and historic boundaries in Europe. In the early Middle Ages (3rd Century A.D.), the full length of the river formed the northern border of the Roman Empire. It remained intact as late as 454 A.D. when the Goths, Huns, Slavs, and other groups crossed the Danube in order to invade the crumbling Empire.

The Roman legacy established the importance of the river as a medieval trade route, explaining why so many crucial trade and transportation centers can still be found along its shore today. The waters of the Danube also form a critical militaristic and spiritual lifeline. It was the major connection between Europe and the East, providing a pathway for crusaders to charge into Byzantium and the Holy Land. The trade corridor along the Danube gave rise to two major empires, the Austrian and Hungarian, which merged under Austria in the early 19th century. The Danube then served as a link between the industrial centers of Germany (Austrian Empire) and the agricultural areas of the Balkan Peninsula (Ottoman Empire). It also served as a critical cultural border. To this day, Romania (north of the river) and Bulgaria (south) reflect their respective and separate histories with Romania having a Romance language and Bulgaria demonstrating key historic affinities in architecture and religion with the Ottoman Turks. Both the commercial and military value of the Danube are still recognized today. Many treaties have been signed to try to keep one country from having too much control over the river.

Today the Danube is still a major transportation route, with more than 3,500 ships passing through its delta each year. Extensive navigation is made possible by various dredging of canals and channels often constructed with inter-country cooperation for the benefit of all the nations that border this essential waterway. Highlights As the Danube leaves the cover of German''s Black Forest, it trolls through the pristinely-preserved medieval town of Regensburg. This bustling university town boasts ancient treasures like the Porta Praetoria—the north gate to the ancient Roman fortress, Castra Regina, built in 179 A.D. During the holidays, Regensburg shines bright with its Christmas market lighting up the historic market square. Farther downstream, Passau, Germany, is a gem of a city located at the confluence of the rivers Inn, Ilz, and Danube. Cobblestone streets lead the way to St. Stephen's Cathedral, which houses the world's largest church organ with more than 17,000 pipes. Continuing along, the village of Grein offers excellent photo opportunities, with its turreted houses lining the main square in the shadow of its idyllic castle perched high on a bluff.

Situated in the rolling green hills of the Wachau Valley, Melk is home to the magnificent Benedictine Abbey, one of Europe's largest and most intriguing monasteries. Step out onto the monastic terrace to look out over the Danube and take in the mesmerizing view of the sweeping countryside. Float through the Wachau wine region to Dürnstein, known for the magnificent baroque Stiftskirche with its blue façade. Above town are the ruins of the castle where England's King Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned in 1192. Vienna, Austria's capital, is next. The "City of Music" inspired the creative genius of Mozart, Beethoven and Strauss. Once the center of the mighty Habsburg Empire, the city has much to offer—the lavish Hofburg Palace, the impressive Vienna Opera House, and the majestic Ring Boulevard, to name just a few. Visitors can waltz their way down shop-lined streets, savor the sounds of an orchestral concert, or delight in a Sachertorte or Apfelstrudel in a neighborhood café. Sail on through the picturesque Austrian views before heading to the heart of Hungary.

Spanning both banks of the Danube, Budapest is Eastern Europe's liveliest and most cosmopolitan metropolis. Seven bridges, including the famous Chain and Elisabeth Bridges, connect ancient Buda on the right bank with Pest on the left. The massive hilltop castle complex with Fisherman's Bastion and the Matthias Church is among the many sights of Budapest that impress and excite. South of Budapest, the quiet town of Kalocsa, Hungary, was founded by St. Stephen in 1009. The Archbishop's Palace and the Kalocsa Cathedral are must-see sights in this town that is most known for paprika and folklore art. The Danube winds away from Hungary and through the city of Novi Sad, Serbia. Steeped in history, the hilltop Petrovaradin Fort affords dramatic views of the Danube. On to Serbia's capital, Belgrade, situated at the confluence of the Danube and Sava Rivers. Full of lively pedestrian areas and imposing cathedrals and fortresses, Belgrade is a riveting study in contrasts. The Danube flows away from Belgrade, through rustic hills lined with stunning Roman fortresses, and through the dramatic gorge of the Iron Gates.

This narrow and formerly very dangerous passage divides Europe's Alps in the northwest from the Carpathians in the southeast and forms a natural border between Serbia and Romania. Downstream, Bulgaria's most ancient and breathtaking treasures can be found a short drive away from the Danube. Veliko Târnovo, situated on three hills surrounding the Yantra River, is a natural fortress with stone houses clinging to its steep slopes. The historic village of Arbanassi is nearby, featuring the well-known Etnographic Museum and intricately designed frescoes in its Church of the Nativity. Silestra is a key port city—essential to Bulgaria's thriving agricultural industry. A short distance away, the resort town of Varna sits on the shores of the Black Sea. Its storied past comes to life as you walk through Roman baths and marvel at the Gold of Varna, an archaeological wonder. Bucharest, Romania's lively capital, is only a short drive from the shores of the Danube. Its wide boulevards and Arc de Triomphe have gained it the name "Paris of the East." Enjoy people-watching in the Royal Palace Square, the scene of riots in 1989 which led to the collapse of the communist dictatorship.

The Royal Palace now houses the National Art Museum and is filled with priceless examples of Eastern European art. Cruiser Profile The Danube River is the epitome of "East meets West," or rather "West meets East." Travelers who want to be exposed to a wide range of new cultures and experiences will soak up the sites along this sprawling waterway. History-, art- and music-lovers will all find the objects of their desires along these waters. The Danube also boasts a unique mix of urban and rural sites. Explorers who appreciate dramatic natural scenes and also delight in the bustle of the world's great cities will see the best of both worlds as they cruise down this mighty European river. Did You Know? The Danube Delta was first declared a nature reserve in 1938 by the Council of Ministers and recognized as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1992. The area is home to 12 habit types, 300 bird species and 45 freshwater fish species.

The Danube is mentioned in the title of a famous waltz by Austrian composer Johann Strauss, "An der schönen, blauen Donau" (On the Beautiful Blue Danube), composed as Strauss was traveling down the Danube River. This piece is well known across the world and is also used widely as a lullaby. Another famous waltz about the Danube is "The Waves of the Danube" by the Romanian composer Ion Ivanovici (1845–1902), and the work took the audience by storm when performed at the 1889 Paris Exposition. The German tradition of landscape painting, the Danube school, was developed in the Danube valley in the 16th century. The Parliament House in Bucharest is the world's largest parliament building at a whopping 3.55 million square feet. The Blue Danube was the name of the first nuclear weapon of the British army. What are some facts about the Danube River? | Reference.com What are some facts about the Danube River? A: Quick Answer The Danube is the second longest river in Europe, stretching 1,785 miles.

It starts from the Black Forest in Germany and flows into the Black Sea. The Danube river runs through or along the border of ten different countries, including Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Moldova, Ukraine and Romania. Full Answer The Danube river flows through four major capital cities: Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest and Belgrade. The delta of the Danube, which is the land that forms at the mouth of a river near where the river enters a larger body of water, is the second largest in the world. The Danube plays a vital role in the everyday lives of Europeans and supplies drinking water to millions of people. The river is an important shipping route for Europe, connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Black Sea. Its width and depth allow large shipping vessels to pass through. The Danube river is home to over 200 species of fish. This high quantity of fish made the Danube River a valuable food source in the Middle Ages. The Danube was navigated by Greek sailors in the seventh century, was the northern border of the Roman Empire and has been an inspiration for many artists.

The Danube | Article about The Danube by The Free Dictionary The Danube | Article about The Danube by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Dictionary , Thesaurus , Wikipedia . Danube (dăn`yo͞ob), Czech Dunaj, Ger. Donau, Hung. Duna, Rom. Dunarea, Serbo-Croatian and Bulg. Dunav, Ukr. Dunay, great river of central and SE Europe, c.1,770 mi (2,850 km) long, with a drainage basin of c.320,000 sq mi (828,800 sq km); it is second in length only to the Volga Volga , river, c.2,300 mi (3,700 km) long, central and E European Russia. It is the longest river of Europe and the principal waterway of Russia, being navigable (with locks bypassing the dams) almost throughout its course. Its basin forms about one third of European Russia. ..... Click the link for more information. among European rivers.

Course The Danube rises in two sources (the Brege and Brigach rivers) in the Black Forest, SW Germany, and flows NE across S Germany past Ulm to Regensburg, where it turns SE to enter Austria at Passau. It continues SE through Upper and Lower Austria, past Linz and Vienna. It then forms the border between Slovakia and Hungary from Bratislava to Szob. At Szob, the Danube turns south and flows across the Great Alföld (plain) of central Hungary, past Budapest. After forming the northern two thirds of the Croatia-Serbia border, it enters Serbia above Belgrade, turns southeast, then east, and flows through narrow gorges, forming part of the Serbia-Romania border. The Iron Gate gorge, site of a hydroelectric dam, is there; the Sip Canal bypasses rapids in the gorge. After passing the Iron Gate, the Danube broadens again and forms most of the Romania-Bulgaria border before swinging north near Silistra and passing through E Romania to Galaţi Galaţi or Galatz , city (1990 pop. 326,139), E Romania, on the lower Danube.

It is a regional administrative and economic center and a major inland port, home of the Romanian Danube flotilla. Grain and timber are the chief exports. ..... Click the link for more information. , where it divides into an expansive (c.1,000 sq mi/2,590 sq km) delta before entering the Black Sea. The northernmost branch of the delta runs along the frontier between Romania and Moldova and Ukraine. The central, canalized branch is the main shipping route. The Danube receives more than 300 tributaries, notably the Inn Inn , river, c.320 mi (515 km) long, rising near the Lake of Sils, SE Switzerland. It flows NE through the Engadine valley, then through W Austria, past Innsbruck and Solbad Hall (the head of navigation), and into S central Germany. ..... Click the link for more information. , Drava Drava or Drave , Ger. Drau, Hung. Dráva, river, c.450 mi (720 km) long, rising in the Carnic Alps, N Italy.

It flows generally E through S Austria (where it is called the Drau) and enters Slovenia. ..... Click the link for more information. , Tisza Tisza , Serbian Tisa , Rus. Tissa or Tisa , Ger. Theiss (tīs), river, c.600 mi (970 km) long, formed by two headstreams in the Carpathians, W Ukraine. ..... Click the link for more information. , Sava Sava , Hung. Száva, c.580 mi (930 km) long, rising in two headstreams in the Julian Alps, Slovenia, and flowing generally SE past Ljubljana and Zagreb, Croatia, then forming part of the border between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and through Serbia to the ..... Click the link for more information. , and Prut Prut or Pruth , river, c.530 mi (850 km) long, rising in the Carpathian Mts., W Ukraine, and flowing generally SE to the Danube River at Reni. It forms the border between Romania and Moldova. The Prut is navigable to Leovo. ..... Click the link for more information.

. Navigation and Commerce Navigable by barges from Ulm (by larger craft from Regensburg), the Danube is an important artery; in volume, however, Danubian commerce is far below that of the Rhine Rhine , Du. Rijn, Fr. Rhin, Ger. Rhein, Lat. Rhenus, principal river of Europe, c.820 mi (1,320 km) long. It rises in the Swiss Alps and flows generally north, passing through or bordering on Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, France, and ..... Click the link for more information. . The Danube is linked to the Main Main , river, c.310 mi (500 km) long, formed near Kulmbach, E central Germany, by the confluence of the Roter Main and the Weisser Main, both of which rise in the Fichtelgebirge. ..... Click the link for more information. and Rhine rivers by the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal; other canals link it with the Oder Oder , Czech and Pol.

Odra, river, 562 mi (904 km) long; the second longest river of Poland. It rises in the E Sudetes, NE Czech Republic, and flows generally NW through SW Poland, then N along the Poland–Germany border to the Baltic Sea N of Szczecin, Poland. ..... Click the link for more information. and Tisza rivers. Navigation is impeded by ice in winter and by seasonally varying water levels. Hungary and Czechoslovakia (succeeded by Slovakia) agreed in 1977 to develop hydroelectric projects, which have been pursued amid controversy. Pollution of the Danube has diminished once-rich fishing grounds and rendered the water unfit for drinking and most irrigation; cleanup has proceeded slowly. Romanian efforts in the 1980s to drain land in the delta for agriculture damaged Europe's largest wetlands, which are now being rehabilitated. During the Kosovo Kosovo , Albanian Kosova, Serbian Kosovo i Metohija and Kosmet, officially Republic of Kosovo, republic (2011 est. pop.

1,826,000), 4,126 sq mi (10,686 sq km), SE Europe, a former province of Serbia that unilaterally declared its independence in 2008. ..... Click the link for more information. crisis in 1999, NATO air strikes destroyed bridges across the river in Serbia, obstructing river commerce; the debris was completely cleared in 2003. History Under the Roman Empire (when it was known as Danubius and, in its lower course, as Ister), the Danube was the northern border against the barbarian world. As Rome declined, the Danubian plains for centuries attracted invading hordes—Goths, Huns, Avars, Magyars, Pechenegs, Cumans, Mongols, and others. The Danube increased in commercial importance in the era of the Crusades, but commerce suffered (15th–16th cent.) after the Turks gained control of its course from the Hungarian plain to the Black Sea. In the 19th cent. the Danube's economic importance as an international waterway increased.

At the end of the Crimean War the Congress of Paris appointed (1856) a commission to clear the delta (below Brăila) of obstructions. By the Treaty of Versailles (1919) the Danube was internationalized and a commission established with jurisdiction over the course from Ulm to Brăila. Germany repudiated the internationalization in 1936 and in 1939–40 forced both the navigation and international commissions to dissolve. After World War II, delegates from Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Romania, Bulgaria, the Soviet Union, the United States, Great Britain, and France met (1948) to determine the status of the Danube. When a commission representing only the seven riparian nations was established, the three Western nations refused to sign the convention. Subsequently, the riparian nations established a new Danube commission, based at Budapest; present membership includes Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, and Ukraine.

Danube (Greek, ístros; German, Donau; Hungarian, Duna; Bulgarian and Serbian, Dunav; Czech, Dunaj; Rumanian, Dunarea; Russian, Dunai), a river in Europe, second longest river after the Volga. It is 2,850 km long, drains an area of 817,000 sq km, and has a total drop of 678 m. The Danube originates on the eastern slopes of the Black Forest (in the Federal Republic of Germany) and empties into the Black Sea, forming a delta. Located completely or partially in the Danube River basin are Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, Rumania, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, the Federal Republic of Germany, and part of the USSR, as well as small parts of Switzerland, Italy, and Poland. Physicogeographical survey. According to the nature of its flow, the Danube is divided into the upper, middle, and lower courses. The Upper Danube (to Vienna) is a typical mountain river. It flows within the bounds of the Black Forest, the Swabian-Bavarian plateau, and the narrow gap between the Alps and the Czech massif.

The narrow and deep river valley has high and steep slopes. The width of the river’s channel to the city of Ulm ranges from 20 to 100 m and below that (to Vienna), from 100 to 350 m. The velocity of flow varies from 1 to 2.8 m/sec. In places the channel is protected by straightening and protective dams and dikes. The Middle Danube (from Vienna to the gorge of the Iron Gate) cuts across the Hungarian (Danube) Plain. Here the valley is wide (5-20 km) and consists of floodplains; the river channel is meandering and branched, and the current velocity of flow varies from 0.3 to 1.1 m/sec. In places the river cuts through individual ridges and mountain ranges, thus forming gorges (the Hungarian Gates, Visegrád Gorge, Iron Gate, and Cazane Defile). In these sections the width of the valley ranges from 0.6 to 1.5 km.

In places the flow narrows to 150 m, whereas the depth increases considerably (as much as 15-20 m and in the Cazane Defile, as much as 70 m) as does the velocity of flow (as much as 2.2-4.7 m/sec). As the result of regulatory operations, the meanders have been straightened, channels have been branched off, and embankments have been constructed. The Lower Danube (from the Iron Gate to the river’s mouth) is a plain river that flows through the Walachian Plain at the bottom of a wide (7-20 km) floodplain valley; it separates into numerous branches and channels. In places the river’s width reaches 1-2 km; the river has an average depth of between 5 and 7 m and a velocity of flow ranging from 0.5 to 1 m/sec. In the delta, which has an area of 3,500 sq km, the Danube separates into three main branches: the Kilia, Sulina (the principal navigable branch), and St. George.

The Danube has a complex regime with three, well-defined phases—the spring high-water period, the summer and autumn freshets, and the autumn and winter low-water periods. The spring high water begins anywhere from February to April, lasting on the Upper and Middle Danube until May and on the Lower Danube, until June. It generally consists of two peaks. The first peak is the result of snow melting in the plains and the second (mixed), of the rains and the melting snow in the mountains. The unevenness of the snow melting and the erratic rainfall in various parts of the Danube River basin cause sharp variations in the water level. If the peaks of the high-water period or summer freshets of the Danube’s major tributaries—the Drava, the Tisza, and the Sava—coincide in time, then an enormous, common peak is formed on the Danube, which sometimes brings about flooding. During the second half of the summer the water level decreases; it sometimes rises slightly as a result of rain freshets. In October and November rains cause autumn freshets.

In warm winters with thaws, high levels are also observed; the increased levels are often connected with obstructions and ice jams, which cause the river to overflow its banks and inundate the adjacent plains. During cold winters the water levels on the Danube are at their lowest. The annual magnitude of the Danube’s water-level changes varies from 4.5.5 m (at Reni) to 6-8 m (at Budapest). The Upper Danube’s (at Regensburg) mean annual flow rate is 420 cu m/sec; at Vienna (in the middle course), it is 1,900 cu m/sec and at its mouth, 6,430 cu m/sec (making an average annual flow of approximately 203 cu km). The greatest discharge in the lower reaches is about 20,000 cu m/sec and the least, 1,800 cu m/sec. The Danube empties about 120 million tons of silt and dissolved mineral substances annually into the Black Sea. The river freezes only during relatively cold winters (for about 1½ months).

More than 300 tributaries flow into the Danube, and of these, 34 are navigable. The largest tributaries on the right are the Inn, Drava, Sava, and Morava and on the left, the Morava, Tisza, Oltul, Siretul, and Prut. A. P. M URANOV Economic geographical survey. The Danube has long played a large role in the commercial traffic of Central and South-eastern Europe. Since the war, two-thirds of the river’s entire course flows within the territory of socialist countries. The rapid economic growth of these countries, a greater international division of labor, and the construction of major industrial enterprises on the banks of the Danube (at Galaţi, Braîla, Smederevo, Budapest, Dunáujvaros, Bratislava, and other cities) have created a basis for considerably increasing the freight transport (from 13.9 million tons in 1937 to 46.7 million tons in 1969, more than 40 million tons of which is transported by socialist countries) as well as the merchant fleet (see Table 1).

Table 1. Distribution by countries of freight transport and merchant fleet on the Danube Romania Geography (Location, Area, Map, Land, Climate, Terrain, Environment) Romania Geography Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Ukraine Geographic Coordonates: 46 00 N, 25 00 E Romania stretches c. 514 km from North to South and 720 km from East to West. Area: 237,500 sq. km Land: 230,340 sq. km (13th in Europe) Water: 7,160 sq. km. The Danube River is Europe's second longest river after the Volga,it rises in Germany's Black Forest and flows southeastwards for a distance of 2857 km course through ten countries (Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova and Ukraine) before emptying in Romania's Danube Delta . Some of its 1075 km length bordering Romania drains the whole of Romania. In the 1970s, a new dam raised the Danube's level and eased navigation through the Iron Gates.

The river has become an important source of hydroelectric power and of irrigation water for farming. Romania's rivers are mainly tributaries of the Danube. Main rivers: Danube (1,075 km), Mures (768 km) runs westward between the Transylvanian Alps and the Bihor Mountains, Olt (736 km) forms a wide valley in the mountains before reaching the Wallachian Plain, Prut (716 km) which forms Romania's border with Moldova meets the Danube River just west of the Danube Delta, Siret (596 km) and Bistrita (290 km) rivers are the major waterways in Moldavia, Ialomita (410 km) and Arges (344 km) rivers cross eastern Wallachia near Bucharest.

Other Romania's rivers are: Somes (388 km), Jiu (331 km), Buzau (324 km), Timis (242 km), Jijia (307 km), Barlad (289 km), Dambovita (268 km), Bega (180 km), Tarnava Mare (246 km), Crisul Alb (240 km), Vedea (238 km), Moldova (237 km), Barlad (207 km), Tarnava Mica (196 km), Prahova (193 km), Neajlov (186 km), Oltet (185km), Somesul Mic(186 km), Suceava (178 km) and Aries (166 km). Lakes: approximately 2,300 lakes and over 1,150 ponds account for an area of 2,650 sq.km.

Main lakes: Razelm = Razim (415 sq.km), Sinoe (171 sq.km), Golovita (119 sq.km), Zmeica (54 sq.km), Bicaz (artificial lake 33 sq.km), Babadag (25 sq.km), Tasaul (23 sq.km), Brates (21 sq.km), Mostistea (20 sq.km), Siutghiol (20 sq.km), Dranov (20 sq.km), Oltina (19 sq.km), Gorgova (13 sq.km), Lacul Rosu (13 sq.km), Techirghiol (12 sq.km), Vidra (artificial lake 10.5 sq.km), Jirlau (10 sq.km), Vidraru ( artificial lake 8.2 sq.km), Amara (6.0 sq.km) and Snagov (5.8 sq.km).

Area - comparative: slighty smaller than Oregon, half the size of France, slightly smaller than the United Kingdom, about the combined size of New York and Pennsylvania. Land boundaries: total 2,508 km Neighbors: Moldova 450 km, Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Serbia 476 km, Ukraine (N) 362 km, Ukraine (E) 169 km Coastline: 225 km Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation Exclusive economic zone: 200 NM Territorial sea: 12 NM Climate: temperate-continental; ranges between hot summers and very cold winters with lots of snow from mid December until the end of March. Romania's average annual temperature is 11C (52F) in the south and on the coast, 2C (36F) in the mountains. In June, July and August, the hottest places in Romania are near the Black Sea coast, where average temperatures reach 24-30C. In summer, there are frequent showers and thunderstorms in the mountains.

The mild, sunny days of autumn linger from early September until late October. Spring starts in mid March in most of Romania's regions, April in the mountains and in the north part of the country. Annual rainfall is 600 mm to 700 mm, much of it in spring. Precipitation is heaviest in Transylvania and in the Carpathian Mountains, where an average of 53 inches of rain and snow fall each year. Dobrojea is Romania's warmest and driest region, with less than 15 inches of annual rainfall. Terrain: The Carpathian Mountains (the tallest peak is Mt.Moldoveanu at 2544 m, 8346 ft) cross Romania from the north to the southwest. The Carpatians were glaciated and in Fagaras and Retezat Mountains are glacial lakes and mass of rock created when the ice melted circa 10,000 years ago. Around Transylvania, the mountains formed Europe's longest volcanic chain; the only remaining volcanic lake is St. Ana.

The central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain of Moldavia on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated from Walachian Plain on the south by Transylvanian Alps. The Carpathian Mountains account for about a third (31%) of the country's area (eastern Carpathians - Pietrosu Peak 2303 m; southern Carpathians - Moldoveanu Peak 2544 m; western Carpathians - Cucubata Mare 1849 m). Another third of Romania (33%) is covered by hills and plateaus full of orchards and vineyards. The final third is a fertile plain of dark chernozem soil where cereals, vegetables, herbs and other crops are grown. Dobrogea region is separated from the rest of Romania by the Danube on its final northern fling to the sea; it is divided in two parts by a low, stegasaurean spine of hills, which are older than the Carpatians, and the Danube Delta 's reed beds formed from the massive quantity of sediments brought down the river.

It is Europe's most extensive wetland and the world's largest continous reedbed. Lowest point is Black Sea 0 m. Natural resources: petrolium, timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt, arable land, hydro power. Land use: Irrigated land: 31,020 sq km Natural hazards: earthquakes most severe in south and southwest, and landslides. Environment: Romania passed environment protection lows in 1967, 1973 and 1976, and a National Council for the Protection of the Environment was created in 1975. Water quality has been monitored since 1960, and air quality since 1973. After the revolution, a new Ministry of Waters, Woods and Environment Protection was created, with the aim of reducing polluation by 20% by 1995, and bringing it down to European levels by 2000. An ordonance on atmospheric polluation was passed in 1993 and a new environment low in 1995 created Environment Protection Agency in each of the Romania's counties, responsible for polluation monitoring and permits.

Uncontrolled and/or non-existent waste storage is one of Romania's greatest environmental problems. Air pollution exceeds maximum allowable levels more than 50% of the time in 11 of Romania's 41 counties, and nitrate levels exceed safety levels in 14 counties' water supply. Ecological disaster struck Romania in January 2000 when a tailing dam burst at a Romanian-Australian owened gold mine in Baia Mare, prompting 100,000 cubic metres of cyanide-contaminated water to spill into Tisa and Danube rivers and subsequently kill thousands of fish and birds in Romania. In March 2000 another dam burst at a zinc plant in Baia Borsa and an estimated 20,000 tons of pollutive waste gushed into Tisa. Experts say it will take 10 years for the affected habitat to fully recover, although 95% of river life should return by 2004. The ecological ills of the Black Sea and Danube Delta have long been a thorn in Romania's side.

Since 1991 the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve has ecologically reconstructed large areas of land in the Delta, removing dikes and reflooding what was originally natural marshland. Romania continues to be involved in various joint projects with the World Bank to protect Black Sea ecosystems. The electrical power industry has relied on thermal and hydro-power stations. The only nuclear power station is at Cernavoda (built jointly with Canada), saving over $ 100 millions per year in fuel imports. However radioactive waste continues to be a problem until Romania discovers a safe means of disposal. Nature reserves have existed in Romania since 1930's, and some 6.6% of the country is now protected. The first National Park was created in 1935 in the Retezat Mountains. Romania has 13 national parks and 586 protected areas, most of which are in the Carpathians.

The reserves range from vast uninhabited areas (such as Rodna, Caliman and Piatra Craiului mountains) to relatively modest sites, including caves, rocks and individual trees.The Danube Delta has been protected as a biosphere reserve on Unesco's World Heritage list since 1991, and some 50,000 hectares of the Delta are strictly off-limits to tourists and locals alike. Administrative Division: Romania has 9 regions ( see map ): Banat, Bucovina, Crisana, Dobrogea, Maramures, Muntenia, Moldavia, Oltenia, Transylvania. These are divided into 41 counties plus the capital of Bucharest, with similar county status.Towns (262), Communes (2,686), Villages (13,149).

Romanian Counties: Bucharest (capital, municipal status), Alba , Arad , Arges , Bacau , Bihor , Bistrita-Nasaud , Braila , Brasov , Botosani , Buzau , Calarasi , Caras-Severin , Cluj , Constanta , Covasna , Dambovita , Dolj , Galati , Giurgiu , Gorj , Harghita , Hunedoara , Ialomita , Iasi , Ilfov (Bucharest county) , Maramures , Mehedinti , Mures , Neamt , Olt , Prahova , Salaj , Satu Mare , Sibiu , Suceava , Teleorman , Timis , Tulcea , Vaslui , Valcea , Vrancea . Environmental international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Antartic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Polluation, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Polluants, Antartic-Environment Protocol.

Romania Population: 22,225,421(July 2009 est.), more than 54% of whom live in towns and cities, and officially just over 2,500,000 belong to 17 ethnic minorities. Population density is 98 people per square kilometre. Ethnic groups: Romanians 89.5%, Hungarian 6.6%, Roma 2.5%, German 0.3%, Ukrainian 0.3%, Russians 0.2%, Serbs 0.2%, other 0.8% (Armanians, Turks, Slovaks, Bulgarians, Tatars, Croats) Romania's multiethnicity is most obvious in Transylvania where 1,600,000 ethnic Hungarians live, with the highest concentration in the eastern counties of Covasna and Harghita, where their ancestors, the Szekely, settled in the 10th century. The Magyar party has representatives in Parliament. Roma population probably account for 10% of the total population, although government statistics say there are only 420,000 of them.

The German population in Romania peaked in the 1930s when there were 800,000 Saxons. Most of the ethnic German population has left Romania, leaving under 120,000 people behind, most of them in Transylvania and Banat. There are around 65,000 Ukrainians and 45,000 Russians (who live in the east), 45,000 Serbs and around 18,000 Slovaks in the Banat and Crisana regions. Of the 760,000 Jews recorded in Romania between 1918-1944, there are around 9000 left. Ceausescu allowed Jews to emigrate to Israel in return for large cash payments, and over 300,000 had left by 1989. There are around 7,000 Armanians. There are over 8,000,000 Romanians living abroad.

Age structure (2009 est.): 0-14 years 15.5% (male 1,681,539; female 1,772,583); 15-64 years 69.7% (male 7,711,062; female 7,784,041); 65 years and over 14.7% (male 1,332,120; female 1,934,016) Population growth rate: -0.147% (2009 est.) Starting 1990, Romania's population has been decreasing year by year, due to a negative stock of migration abroad and a strong decrease of birth rate growth of the population.

Birth rate: 10.53 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) Death rate: 11.69 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population 72.45 years (2009 est.); female 76.16 years; male 68.95 years (2009 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.39 children born/woman (2009 est.) Nationality: Romanian(s) Religion plays an integral part in the lives of Romanians. 1992 census figures claims that over 86.8 % of the population belonged to the Orthodox church. Roman Catholics and Protestant minotities, such as the Hungarian Reformed Church, are well represented in Transylvania. In Maramures region many Romanians follow the Uniate creed. The Schwab and Landler Germans are Roman Catholics, while the Saxons embraced Lutheranism, although a few are Seven-Day Adventists. About 75,000 Hungarians are Unitarian and since 1989 the Baptists and newer evangelican churches have making great gains.

About 1% of the population are Greek Catholic and 0.1 % jewish. Historical documents states that the Scythians and Dacians converted to Christianity in 196 AD. We know that a group of Geto-Dacian visited Jerusalem before 270 AD, and the first missionary to Dacia was Wulfila, who came from south of the Danube to preach in Gothic and Latin. The first known church in Romania, dating from Constantine's reign, was built at Piatra Frecatei in Tulcea county. Archaeologists have discovered the remains of 4th century churches in Niculitel (Tulcea), Densus and Biertan (Transylvania). Romania's first Metropolitan churches were founded before 1359 at Campulung, Turnu Severin and Curtea de Arges. In 1359, Jakinth of Vicina in Dobrogea became the first Metropolitan of Wallachia. His official seat was in the capital of Curtea de Arges. National Flag: Three equal vertical stripes: red, yellow, blue (hoist side), the national coat of arms that used to be center in the yellow band has been removed.

National day: 1st December, aniversary of the 1918 union of all Romanians into one single state. Anthem: "Wake up, Romanian", lines by Andrei Muresanu (participant in the 1848 Revolution), music Anton Pann. Romania's Coat of Arms adapted in 1992 Romania's Flag adapted in 1848 Official Languages: Romanian. The Eastern most representative of the family Romance languages, Romanian descends directly from Latin spoken in Dacia and Moesia in ancient times. Standard Time: East European zone time (GMT + 2 hours). As of 1979, from the first Sunday in April to the last Sunday in September, Daylight Saving Time (GMT + 3 hours). Romania lies in the same time zone with Moldova, Greece, Israel, Egypt and the Republic of South Africa. Weights and Measures: The metric system, in force since 1866.

International Membership: Romania has diplomatic and consular relations with 164 states and is a member of UNO, IAEA, IBIRD, FAO, IFAD, GATT, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ILO, IMO, WMO, WIPO, WHO, UNIDO, ITU, UNESCO, UPU, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, WCL, WCO, WEU. In 1993 Romania becomes EEC and EFTA associate member, and the 32nd Council of Europe member. NATO member since 2004, Romania becomes EU member in January 1, 2007.

Main Cities: Eight cities exceed 300,000 inhabitants: Bucharest 2,060,551 , Constanta 348,575 , Iasi 339,728 , Timisoara 327,830 , Galati 326,728 , Cluj-Napoca 326,017 , Brasov 324,210 , Craiova 306,825. Twenty-five cities have a population of over 100,000. Ports: On the Black Sea: Constanta (can take ships of over 150,000dwt), Mangalia, Sulina (free port). On the Danube river : Turnu Severin, Turnu Magurele, Giurgiu, Oltenita, Cernavoda, Braila, Galati, Tulcea. The Danube-Black Sea Canal (64.2 km long), between Cernavada and Agigea-Constanta was opened to traffic in 1984.

Following the inauguration in 1992 of the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal, it facilitates a direct connection with the North Sea. It is navigable for river and sea-going ships of up to 5,000 dwt.

Independence: 9 May 1877 Independence proclaimed from Turkey, recognized 13 July 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin; Romania Kingdom proclaimed 26 March 1881; Republic of Romania proclaimed 30 December 1947 Constitution: 8 December 1991 Net migration rate: -0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total 22.9 deaths/1,000 live births; female: 19.66 deaths/1,000 live births; male: 25.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) Merchant marine: total: 61 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 494,670 GRT/650,863 DWT, includes 1 Greece foreign-owened ship and 5 Italy foreign-owned ships registered in Romania as a flag of convenience (2002 est.) ships by type: cargo 39, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, bulk 9, container 1, petroleum tanker

 4, railcar carrier 2, roll on/roll off 4 Government type: republic Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Romania Average Temperature January -3C (26F) -1C (31F) -5C (22F) Bucharest The Coast The Mountains February -1C (31F) 1C (34F) -10C (14F) March 4C (40F) 3C (39F) -3C (26F) April 11C (52F) 13C (55F) 5C (41F) June 21C (69F) 24C (75F) 9C (49F) July 23C (71F) 26C (79F) 13C (55F) August 22C (70F) 26C (79F) 11C (52F) September 18C (65F) 22C (70F) 8C (47F) October 1

3C (55F) 17C (62F) 5C (41F) November 5C (41F) 11C (52F) 0C (32F) December 1C (34F) 6C (43F) -3C (26F) May 17C (62F) 19C (66F) 6C (43F) Average year temperature for Bucharest, the coast and the Mountains .

Location, Area, Maps, Land, Climate, Environment, Population Branches: Executive - President Traian Basescu (head of state) since 20 December 2004, Prime minister Emil Boc (head of government) since 28 December 2008, Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister. Last election held on 22 November 2009, with runoff between the top two candidates held on 6 December 2009; percent of vote Traian Basescu 50.33%, Mircea Geoana 49.66%. Romania hasn't scheduled its next presidential election yet. Legislative - bicameral Parliament. Judicial - Constitutional Court, Supreme Court, and lower courts. The president is elected by popular vote for a maximum of two 4-year terms. He is the chief of state, the supreme commander of the armed forces and the chairman of the Supreme Defense Council. The president nominates the prime minister, who appoints the government. The bicameral Parliament, consisting of the Chamber of Deputies (332 seats) and the Senate (137 seats), is the lawmaking authority.

Deputies and senators are elected for 4-year terms by universal suffrage. Elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies - last held on November 2008, next to be held on November 2012. The Constitutional Court adjudecates the constitutionality of challenged lows. The court consists of nine judges, appointed for a term of 9 years. The Supreme Court judges are appointed for a term of 6 years and may serve consecutive terms.

Railways: total: 10,789 km, standard gauge: 10,731, broad gauge: 57 km, narrow gauge: 1 km Highways: total: 198,817 km, paved : 98,308 km, unpaved: 100,295 km Pipelines: gas 3,508 km, oil 2,427 km (2004 est.) Airports: total: 62, Airports with paved runways: 25, Airports with unpaved runways: 36, Helicopters: 2 Military Brances: Romanian Air Force, Naval Forces, Land Forces and Special Operations (2006) All military inductees are volunteers who contract for 5-years term of service; subsequent voluntary service contracts are for 3-years terms until the age of 36. Custom Search Where does the Danube begin and end? | Reference.com Where does the Danube begin and end?

A: Quick Answer The source of the Danube River is located in the Black Forest in Germany, while the river's mouth is located on the Black Sea coast, stretching across parts of both Romania and Ukraine. The river is approximately 1,770 miles in length and flows through nine different countries. Full Answer The Danube is Europe's second-longest river after the Volga. It passes through a number of major cities, including Vienna, Budapest and Bucharest. The river's drainage basin measures around 315,000 square miles and includes more than 300 separate tributaries. The Danube is navigable by river ships from its delta all the way to Kelheim in Bavaria. In 2007, more than 50 million metric tons of freight were transported down its course. DANUBEPARKS - Network of Protected Areas DANUBEPARKS The Danube – the Lifeline of Europe The Danube is one of the world’s greatest rivers. It is the second longest river in Europe after the Volga and the longest river in the European Union.

It measures 2,857 km in length and up to 1.5 km in width, with depths between 1 to 8 metres and drains 817,000 km². The scenic silver stream of the only eastbound river in Europe originates in Germany's Black Forest as the much smaller Brigach and Breg Rivers, which join at the town of Donaueschingen. The Danube then flows eastward, passing through several Central and Eastern European capitals before emptying into the Black Sea via the Danube Delta in Romania and Ukraine. Considered Europe's lifeline, the basin includes the territories of 19 countries and is home to more than 83 million people with a wide range of cultures, languages and historical backgrounds, making it the single most international river, affecting more nations than any other river in the world. The river itself touches or crosses ten countries: Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine. The European Commission now recognises the Danube as the “most important non-oceanic body of water in Europe” and a “future central axis for the European Union”.

People have been aware of the Danube's importance since the dawn of mankind. In Latin the Danube was known as Danubius, Danuvius, or Ister, and in Ancient Greek as Istros. The name Dānuvius is derived from the Indo-European word dānu, meaning “primeval cosmic river”. The Indo-European root dā meaning “to flow, rapid, violent, undisciplined” whereas the Ancient Greek word Istros simply means "strong” or “swift”. The Waters of the Danube Basin The Upper Basin extends from the source of the Danube in Germany, where it remains a characteristic mountain river until Passau, to Bratislava in Slovakia. The Middle Basin is the largest of the three sub-regions, extending from Bratislava to the dams of the Iron Gate Gorge on the border between Serbia and Romania. The lowlands, plateaus and mountains of Romania and Bulgaria form the Lower Basin of the River Danube. Finally, the river divides into three main branches, forming the vast Danube Delta, which covers an area of about 6,750 km². Many tributaries flow into the Danube.

The Inn is the third largest tributary by discharge, and the seventh longest. At the confluence in Passau, it contains more water than the mainstream of the Danube itself. The River Morava/March enters the Danube from the north. Its catchment area includes parts of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Austria, the Carpathians and the Pannonian Plain. The Drava River is the Danube's fourth largest and fourth longest tributary, and connects the Alps with the Danube and the Black Sea. The Tisza River is the longest tributary of the Danube (966 km), and the second largest by flow, after the Sava River. The Tisza River Basin is the largest sub-basin in the Danube River Basin. The Sava has the largest discharge of water to the Danube of any tributary and is the second largest by catchment area. The Sava is shared by Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro. The Siret flows from its source in Ukraine into Romania.

The Siret River Basin is the third-largest catchment area of any Danube tributary, and is situated to the east of the Carpathians. The Prut River is the second longest (950 km) and the last major tributary of the Danube, with its confluence located just upstream of the Danube Delta. It begins in the forests of the Ukrainian Carpathians, and later forms the border between Romania and Moldova. Protecting a Valuable Resource Although the Danube is widely known as the “Blue Danube”, its water is far from being blue in most places. In recent decades, many dams and locks were built that interrupt the natural flow of the river on its majestic journey to the Black Sea. On top of this, problems from pollution endanger its rich biodiversity and extensive land changes cause floods and droughts in many places. People all along the Danube rely on this river for their livelihood. Transport along the river not only provides jobs but provides a greener alternative to roads. And the river has linked together a variety of cultures in the region, influencing and inspiring people throughout history.

Today this inspiration is bringing the many countries in the Danube region together to work hand in hand with expert organisations towards a better, bluer Danube for many future generations to come. © copyright 2017 National Park DonauAuen GmbH | IMPRINT Danube River | river, Europe | Britannica.com Danube River Alternative Titles: Donau, Duna, Dunaj, Dunărea, Dunav, Dunay Related Topics István, Count Széchenyi Danube River, German Donau, Slovak Dunaj, Hungarian Duna, Serbo-Croatian and Bulgarian Dunav, Romanian Dunărea, Ukrainian Dunay , river , the second longest in Europe after the Volga . It rises in the Black Forest mountains of western Germany and flows for some 1,770 miles (2,850 km) to its mouth on the Black Sea . Along its course it passes through 10 countries: Germany, Austria , Slovakia , Hungary , Croatia , Serbia , Bulgaria , Romania , Moldova , and Ukraine . The Danube River basin and its drainage network. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Boats along the Danube River, Belgrade, Serbia.

Jon Arnold/SuperStock The Danube River links the countries of the Balkan Peninsula to each other and to the rest of … Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. The Danube played a vital role in the settlement and political evolution of central and southeastern Europe. Its banks, lined with castles and fortresses, formed the boundary between great empires, and its waters served as a vital commercial highway between nations. The river’s majesty has long been celebrated in music. The famous waltz An der schönen, blauen Donau (1867; The Blue Danube ), by Johann Strauss the Younger , became the symbol of imperial Vienna. In the 21st century the river has continued its role as an important trade artery. It has been harnessed for hydroelectric power, particularly along the upper courses, and the cities along its banks—including the national capitals of Vienna (Austria), Budapest (Hungary), and Belgrade (Serbia)—have depended upon it for their economic growth. Central Budapest, looking north along the Danube River, with the Parliament Building on the east … Jean S. Buldain/Berg & Assoc.

Physical features Physiography The Danube’s vast drainage of some 315,000 square miles (817,000 square km) includes a variety of natural conditions that affect the origins and the regimes of its watercourses. They favour the formation of a branching, dense, deepwater river network that includes some 300 tributaries, more than 30 of which are navigable. The river basin expands unevenly along its length. It covers about 18,000 square miles (47,000 square km) at the Inn confluence , 81,000 square miles (210,000 square km) after joining with the Drava , and 228,000 square miles (590,000 square km) below the confluences of its most affluent tributaries, the Sava and the Tisza . In the lower course the basin’s rate of growth decreases. More than half of the entire Danube basin is drained by its right-bank tributaries, which collect their waters from the Alps and other mountain areas and contribute up to two-thirds of the total river runoff or outfall.

The confluence of the Sava (foreground) and Danube rivers from the Kalemegdan fortress, Belgrade, … Jean S. Buldain/Berg & Assoc. Opium Wars The river carries considerable quantities of solid particles, nearly all of which consist of quartz grains. The constant shift of deposits in different parts of the riverbed forms shoals. In the stretches between Bratislava and Komárno and in the Sulina Channel, draglines are constantly at work to maintain the depth needed for navigation. The damming of the river has also changed the way in which sediments are transported and deposited. Water impounded by reservoirs generally loses its silt load, and the water flowing out of the dam—which is relatively silt-free—erodes banks farther downstream. The temperature of the river waters depends on the climate of the various parts of the basin. In the upper course, where the summer waters derive from the Alpine snow and glaciers, the water temperature is low. In the middle and lower reaches, summer temperatures vary between 71 and 75 °F (22 and 24 °C), while winter temperatures near the banks and on the surface drop below freezing.

Upstream from Linz the Danube never freezes entirely, because the current is turbulent. The middle and lower courses, however, become icebound during severe winters. Between December and March, periods of ice drift combine with the spring thaw, causing floating ice blocks to accumulate at the river islands, jamming the river’s course, and often creating major floods. The natural regime of river runoff changes constantly as a result of the introduction of stream-regulating equipment, including dams and dikes. The mineral content of the river is greater during the winter than the summer. The content of organic matter is relatively low, but pollution increases as the waters flow past industrial areas. The river’s chemistry also changes as city sewerage and agricultural runoff find their way into the river. The economy The Danube is of great economic importance to the 10 countries that border it—Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Austria, and Germany—all of which variously use the river for freight transport, the generation of hydroelectricity, industrial and residential water supplies, irrigation, and fishing . The movement of freight is the most important economic use of the Danube.

Among the major ports are such cities as Izmayil , Ukraine; Galați and Brăila , Romania; Ruse , Bulgaria; Belgrade, Serbia; Budapest, Hungary; Bratislava, Slovakia; Vienna, Austria; and Regensburg, Germany. Since World War II , navigation has been improved by dredging and by the construction of a series of canals, and river traffic has increased considerably. The most important canals—all elements in a continentwide scheme of connecting waterways—include the Danube–Black Sea Canal , which runs from Cernovadă, Romania, to the Black Sea and provides a more direct and easily navigable link, and the Main–Danube Canal , completed in 1992 to link the Danube to the Rhine and thus to the North Sea . Boats along the Danube River, Belgrade, Serbia. Jon Arnold/SuperStock The Danube has been tapped for power, mainly in its upper course. The process, however, has spread downstream. One of the largest hydroelectric projects—the Ðerdap (Djerdap) High Dam and the Iron Gate power station—was built jointly by Yugoslavia and Romania.

Not only does the project produce hydroelectricity, but it also makes navigable what was once one of the most difficult stretches on the river. Industrial use of Danube waters is made at Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade, and Ruse. The main irrigated areas are along the river in Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, and Bulgaria. The river has nearly become unfit for irrigation as well as for drinking water, however, because of the tremendous increase in pollutants; pollution has also diminished the once-rich fishing grounds, although some of the fish have moved to side lakes and swamps. History During the 7th century bce, Greek sailors reached the lower Danube and sailed upstream, conducting a brisk trade. They were familiar with the whole of the river’s lower course and named it the Ister. The Danube later served as the northern boundary of the vast Roman Empire and was called the Danuvius. A Roman fleet patrolled its waters, and the strongholds along its shores were the centres of settlements, among them Vindobona (later Vienna), Aquincum (later Budapest), Singidunum (later Belgrade), and Sexantaprista (later Ruse).

During the Middle Ages the old fortresses continued to play an important role, and new castles such as Werfenstein, built by Charlemagne in the 9th century, were erected. When the Ottoman Empire spread from southeastern to central Europe in the 15th century, the Turks relied upon the string of fortresses along the Danube for defense. The Habsburg dynasty recognized the navigational potential of the Danube. Maria Theresa , queen of Hungary and Bohemia from 1740 to 1780, founded a department to oversee river navigation, and in 1830 a riverboat made a first trip from Vienna to Budapest, possibly for trading purposes. That trip marked the end of the river’s importance as a line of defense and the beginning of its use as a channel of trade. Maria Theresa, portrait by W.H. Mote, 1861. The Print Collector/Heritage-Images Regulated navigation on the Danube has been the subject of a number of international agreements. In 1616 an Austro-Turkish treaty was signed in Belgrade under which the Austrians were granted the right to navigate the middle and lower Danube.

In 1774, under the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca , Russia was allowed to use the lower Danube. The Anglo-Austrian and the Russo-Austrian conventions of 1838 and 1840, respectively, promoted free navigation along the entire river, a principle that was more precisely formulated in the Treaty of Paris of 1856, which also set up the first Danubian Commission with the aim of supervising the river as an international waterway. In 1921 and 1923, final approval of the Danube River Statute was granted by Austria, Germany, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Romania, Great Britain, Italy , Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Greece. The international Danube Commission was thus established as an authoritative institution with wide powers, including its own flag, the right to levy taxes, and diplomatic immunity for its members. It controlled navigation from the town of Ulm to the Black Sea and kept navigational equipment in good repair.

During World War II, free international navigation along the course of the river was interrupted by the hostilities, and a consensus concerning the resumption of navigation was not reached until the Danubian Convention of 1948. The new convention provided for the Danubian countries alone to participate in a reconstituted Danube Commission; of those countries, only West Germany did not join the convention. About the Danube River ABOUT About the Danube River The longest river in the European Union, the Danube River is the second-longest river in Europe after Russia’s Volga. It begins in the Black Forest region of Germany and runs through 10 countries (Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova and Ukraine) on its way to the Black Sea. Much older than the Rhine, its basin is thought to have been the site of some of the earliest human cultures, and it remains one of Europe’s most important and historic waterways and a popular river cruise destination. Find itineraries for Danube river cruises from Viking River Cruises.

Even before the expansion of the Roman Empire, the river was an important way to move cargo, like salt, furs and other goods, and passengers though the region. Centuries of use as a trade route prepared the way for today’s Danube River cruise. Today, in addition to navigation and transport, the Danube provides drinking water for about 10 million people. Danube cruise travelers will see not only a beautiful river but a working one as well. The River’s Many Names Oddly enough, the waterway is not called “Danube” in any of the countries through which it runs. In German, it is the Donau; in Czech, the Dunaj; in Hungarian, the Duna and so forth. Worshipping a god of the same name, the ancient Romans called the waterway Danubius. All these names derive from the Celtic word danu, which means “to flow” or “to run.” Along the Water One-third of the Danube’s total length is in Hungary; Hungary’s capital, Budapest, is often called “the Queen of the Danube.” From the water on a cruise, the city is particularly spectacular at night, with lights illuminating Budapest’s Chain Bridge, Parliament Building and other famous structures.

The waterway is also a major artery in Austria, with ports at Regensburg, Passau, Linz, Melk and Vienna. The river is quite scenic, featuring the Iron Gate, where it flows through a gorge that forms part of the boundary between Serbia and Romania, and the picturesque Wachau wine valley near Melk, Austria. The Wachau Valley is renowned not only for its natural beauty but also for its widely praised Riesling and Veltiner wines. Though ruggedly beautiful, the Iron Gate is naturally a very dangerous section of the Danube River to navigate. Its powerful rapids prevented Greek sailors in the seventh century B.C. from progressing further when sailing up from the Black Sea. The Iron Gate was made safe for a Danube River cruise with technologies such as a lock and dam system and barrage walls, but it is still gloriously scenic. Art and Music The waterway has inspired countless musicians and artists through the years. It was immortalized in the famous waltz, The Blue Danube, composed by Austrian Johann Strauss on a cruise down the river. This piece is enormously popular throughout the world and is particularly cherished in Austria.

Another famous waltz is The Waves of the Danube by Romanian composer Ion Ivanovici—a sensation at the 1889 Paris Exposition. The late jazz musician Joe Zawinul wrote a symphony called Stories of the Danube, first performed at Linz in 1993. There is a 500-year-old German landscape painting tradition called “the Danube school.” The beautiful landscapes and expressive figures of this circle of painters in the early sixteenth century capture some of the enchantment that can be experienced on a Danube River cruise. The Main–Danube Canal Throughout history, mankind has tried to alter the course of Europe’s major rivers. Twelve hundred years ago, Charlemagne dreamed of connecting the Rhine, Main and Danube Rivers into one watercourse between the North Sea and the Black Sea. Though a connecting trench was created, the challenges of construction at this early point in history as well as the upheaval of wars and other events delayed the achievement of Charlemagne’s goal. In 1992, this dream was realized with the opening of the Main-Danube Canal.

This 106-mile-long canal created a 2,200-mile-long waterway which passes through 15 countries and unites hundreds of inland ports. While the Canal is an artificial waterway, it by no means detracts from the natural beauty around it. In fact, very few passing through it on a cruise can detect that it is not an organic element of the landscape. Natural splendor and engineering marvels combine to create the Danube’s unique majesty. Call Viking at Československá plavba dunajská, spol. s r.o. - Danube Československá plavba dunajská, spol. s r.o. Bratislava, Slovakia Gallery Danube The Danube is the longest river in the EU and the second longest river in Europe (after the Volga). It originates in the Black Forest in Germany and flows eastwards for a distance of some 2850 km, passing through four Central and Eastern European capitals, before emptying into the Black Sea in Romania and Ukraine.

The river flows through — or forms a part of the borders of — ten countries: Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova and Ukraine. As Corridor VII of the EU, the Danube is an important transport route. Since the opening of the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal, the river connects the Black Sea with the industrial centers of Western Europe and with the Amsterdam - Rotterdam - Antwerpen Ports region. The Danube connects with the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal at Kelheim. The waterway is designed for large scale inland vessels (110×11.45 m) but it can carry much larger vessels on most of its course. The Danube has been partly canalized in Germany (5 locks), Austria (10 locks), Slovakia (1 lock - Gabcikovo) and in Serbia/Romania (2 locks - Djerdap I. and II.). Further proposals to build a number of new locks in order to improve navigation have not progressed, due in part to environmental concerns.

The Rhine-Main-Danube Canal , connects the Danube and Main rivers = connects the Black Sea and the North Sea, providing a navigable artery between the Danube, Main and Rhine ports. It was completed in 1992 and is from Kalheim to Bamberg 171 km long.

Question: Which river flows through or forms the border of Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova and Ukraine?
Answer: Danube