Which river starts northwest of Moscow and eventually flows into the Caspian Sea?
And the answer: Volga.
Considered the longest river of Europe, the Volga River begins in central Russia, near Moscow, and flows more than 3,500 km into southern Russia, before emptying into the Caspian Sea. In Russian folklore, it's often referred to as "Mother Volga."
The Volga River has long since served as Russia's primary waterway. Carrying half of Russia’s river traffic, the Volga has played a vital role in the movements of peoples from Asia to Europe, and also served as an important trade route that connected Scandinavia and Finno-Ugric areas to Slavic, Turkic, Germanic, and other tribes in the Arab world. In fact, the area that exists downstream of the Volga is believed by historians and scholars to have been the cradle of the Proto-Indo-European civilization.
The Volga River nourishes Russia for more than 3,500 km, from northwest of Moscow south to the Caspian Sea. More than half of the massive country's farmers rely on Mother Volga for water, and the majority of Russia's industry is situated around the waterway. Though troubled by pollution problems, the Volga also provides habitat for numerous species such as sturgeon, flamingos, and Caspian seals.
The Volga is divided into three parts: the upper Volga (where it's more of a small stream that flows through the Valdai Hills), the middle Volga (where the river begins to swell due to an influx of water), and the lower Volga (where it passes through valleys and lowlands and swells further to become a wide and mighty river).
Check out the sights of Mother Volga below.
