Neva
The Neva (/ˈniːvə/ NEE-və, UK also /ˈneɪvə/ NAY-və; Russian: Нева́, IPA: [nʲɪˈva] ⓘ) is a river in northwestern Russia flowing from Lake Ladoga through the western part of Leningrad Oblast (historical region of Ingria) to the Neva Bay of the Gulf of Finland. Despite its modest length of 74 kilometres (46 mi), it is the fourth-largest river in Europe in terms of average discharge (after the Volga, the Danube and the Rhine).
| Neva | |
|---|---|
Location of the Neva | |
| Native name | Нева (Russian) |
| Location | |
| Location | Northern Europe |
| Country | Russian Federation |
| Region | Leningrad Oblast, Saint Petersburg |
| Cities | Shlisselburg, Kirovsk, Otradnoye, Saint Petersburg |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Lake Ladoga |
| • coordinates | 59°57′10″N 31°02′10″E |
| • elevation | 4.3 m (14 ft) |
| Mouth | Neva Bay |
• coordinates | 59°57′50″N 30°13′20″E |
• elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Length | 74 km (46 mi) |
| Basin size | 282,300 km2 (109,000 sq mi) |
| Width | |
| • minimum | 210 metres (690 ft) |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Saint Petersburg, Gulf of Finland (near mouth) |
| • average | 2,628 m3/s (92,800 cu ft/s) |
| • maximum | 4,550 m3/s (161,000 cu ft/s) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Mga, Tosna, Izhora |
| • right | Okhta |
The Neva is the only river flowing from Lake Ladoga. It flows through the city of Saint Petersburg, the three smaller towns of Shlisselburg, Kirovsk and Otradnoye, and dozens of settlements. It is navigable throughout and is part of the Volga–Baltic Waterway and White Sea–Baltic Canal. It is the site of many major historical events, including the Battle of the Neva in 1240 which gave Alexander Nevsky his name, the founding of Saint Petersburg in 1703, and the Siege of Leningrad by the German army during World War II. The river played a vital role in trade between Byzantium and Scandinavia.