Nature, geography, flora and fauna of Austria. Rivers of Austria: list, location, currents, photos and descriptions, historical facts, length of rivers What rivers are there in Austria

The reservoirs of Austria are the living space of the local population, filled with beauty and natural energy. People come here to relax, retire and feel the power coming from the depths of the mountains. The lakes here are as clear as crystal, and the rivers are as fast as the wind. What is it that attracts tourists from all corners of the Earth? Let's look at the most outstanding lakes and rivers in Austria.

District Carinthia

The sunny region in the south of Austria invites vacationers to soak up the beaches of lakes with clean, clear water. On the border with Slovenia, near the town of Wörthersee, there is a small lake (19 sq. km) with clean sand and cozy restaurants on the shore.

Fans of family holidays will love Lake Klopeinersee. It is shallow, with children's bays. It is always warm here in summer and pleasant to swim. You can fish.

In the Carinthia region you can visit other reservoirs: Maria Loretto, Velden, Maiernigg, Langsee.

Nature of Salzkammergut

This is one of the most popular resorts in Austria. Rivers and lakes here are combined with blue mountain peaks, and lush greenery beckons you to sit in its shade. The lake where tourists come is called Wolfgansee. There are many attractions in its surroundings, and the resort area is represented by hotels and restaurants.

Lake Grüner See

This curious place is famous for the fact that the size of the lake changes throughout the year. It is located near the town of Trages. In winter, the depth of the reservoir is only 1 m, and in summer the lowland is filled with water to 12 m. And the entire territory of the park in this place goes under water. The lake attracts divers. Clear water makes it possible to see the paths and benches located at the bottom.

Waterways of Austria

The main rivers of Austria are the Danube and the Rhine, they carry the heaviest load, are navigable and very picturesque. This is the real pride of the country.

The main river of Austria is the Danube. Flows through the capital Vienna. Within the city limits you can find many rivers of the same name - the Small, New, and Old Danube. The latter has a beach where you can have a good time and relax from the bustle of the city. Many people come here to enjoy active water sports.

List of rivers in Austria

But besides the Danube and the Rhine, there are many others - small and large.

Here is a list of rivers in Austria in alphabetical order:

Bolgenach - just over a kilometer long, crosses the border with Germany;
Vienna - length 34 km, flows in the capital, has a large basin;
Gail is a small mountain river;
Gurk - 120 km;
Donaukanal - natural river, tributary of the Danube, length 17.3 km;
Drava is a powerful river in southeastern Europe, a tributary of the Danube, with a total length of 720 km;
Dyje is a mountain river 235 km long, partially flowing in the Czech Republic;
The Saalach originates at an altitude of 2000 m, length - 103 km;
Salzach - the main river of the Salzburg, its source in the Alps;
The Zamina in Austria flows only 5 km, the rest (12 km) is in Liechtenstein;
The Ibs flows into the Danube in the city of the same name, Ibs on the Danube;
Isar - source in the mountains on the border with Germany, a small river;
Ille - 72 km, there are several hydroelectric power stations on the river;
Inn - flows out of Lake Lungin in Switzerland, length - 2484 m;
Lekkner-Ach - length 8.9 km, source in the mountains at an altitude of 1600 m;
Lech is one of the tributaries of the Danube, length - 250 km;
Malše - flows on the border with the Czech Republic, total length 22 km;
Mura - belongs to the Danube basin, its source is in the Alps;
Raba is 250 km long and contains many cities in Austria and Hungary;
Schwarzbach - length 6 km;
Enns is a tributary of the Danube;
Ötzthaler Ache is located in the Austrian Tyrol.

A small stream passes through the capital of Austria for 15 km, then flows into one of the tributaries of the Danube. The source is located in the famous Vienna Woods.

Interesting fact: at the end of the 19th century, the river bed was completely lined along the banks with stones and concrete slabs. The fact is that Vienna has a tendency to overflow heavily in the spring. Its banks are entirely made of sandstone, which does not absorb water, but releases it into the river bed. People were tired of constant flooding during melting snow and heavy rainfall, and it was decided to strengthen the banks of the Austrian River.

This is one of the largest rivers in Austria. The total length of the Drava is 720 km, flows in countries such as Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, and originates in the Italian Alps. The Drava plays a vital shipping role. Almost all of it is navigable; only 70 km from the source it flows along the mountain slopes. The cities on the river are: Lienz, Spittal an der Drau, Villach, Ferlach.

Gurk River

The rivers and lakes of Austria in the lands of Carinthia are very picturesque. It is in this region that the small Gurk River flows (120 km). It originates from two small lakes called Gurksee and Thorersee. Almost the entire route passes through picturesque valleys and mountain gorges. This is the second longest waterway located exclusively within the country. Connects with Drava. The cities of Klagenfurt and Völkermarkt are located on it.

Laita River

All major rivers and lakes in Austria border with neighboring countries. The Laita River originates in Austria and ends in Hungary. This is a large but non-navigable river. Flows into the Danube. It extends between the cities of Wiener Neustad (there is an estuary near it) and Bruck an der Leit. There are also many small villages and towns on the slopes. The river performs an important function because hydroelectric power stations are built on its artificial branches.

Raba River

It is the medium-sized river in Austria. It flows mainly through the lands of Stria (Austria), where the source is also located, at the foot of Mount Ossers. Then, flowing through a narrow gorge, it acquires a powerful stream and washes the cities of Feldbach and Gleisdorf. Ends in the lands of Hungary. In total, the water flow has to cover a distance of 250 km. It has a wide basin; the following streams flow into Rabca: Marzal, Pinka, Lafnitz and Rabca. Flows into the Danube.

The Raba River is the main source of electricity for Stria. Flowing among the mountains, it creates a powerful stream that can provide light to an entire city. In total, there are about a dozen hydroelectric power stations on the river.

This is one of the largest rivers not only in Austria, but throughout Middle Eastern Europe. On its banks you can find many medieval castles, shrouded in stories and legends. Flowing through Austria, it follows to Germany, and then in Switzerland it connects with the Danube.

Innsbruck is located on It is a beautiful city with a rich history. Its symbol is the central bridge, which stands on the Inn River. Near the river there is a beautiful embankment with a green alley that leads to Waltpark. This place is a favorite among tourists, because here you can smell the Old Town, the remains of which have been preserved since the Middle Ages. On the embankment you can visit restaurants and have a good time contemplating the landscapes of the huge river.

It is noteworthy that in Vienna there is a statue of Pallas Athena. At her feet lies a statue symbolizing the Inn River and its rich pastures, meadows and forests. Since ancient times, these areas along the river have been used by landowners. It is known that bloody battles between princes for the right to own these noble lands took place here.

The Austrian landscape boasts stunning views, as most of the country is made up of the Alps and valleys in the foothills. In the south are the central eastern Alps, which stretch from east to south. The highlands are a system of mountains and valleys, which are distinguished by their isolated climate; on many mountain peaks there are eternal glaciers, from which mountain rivers begin, which feed numerous mountain lakes.

Climate in Austria

The Austrian climate is characterized by a distribution into vertical zones that stretch from plains to mountain peaks covered with eternal snow. On many slopes of the mountain I even cultivate grapes, it is especially warm in the north-east of Austria, temperatures in Vienna during the day remain at 25 degrees, and in January about 0 degrees, moving up the Danube valley the temperatures gradually fall, and at the same time the humidity rises. In early spring, a thaw begins, which leads to a sharp increase in the level of this river. Precipitation is usually higher in mountainous areas, especially on the northwestern slopes, but cities that are located in a closed circle of mountains cannot boast of heavy rainfall; maximum precipitation is observed at altitudes from one and a half to two kilometers.

Nature of the Alps

In the Alps there are very strong winds, the so-called foehn, which are created at the change of seasons due to the difference in pressure on the northern and southern slopes of the mountains, so on the northern slopes dry and warm downward winds appear, bringing warmth and clear weather, which leads to snow melting in early spring, creating the threat of floods and avalanches, and in the summer, accelerated ripening of grapes. During the winter, a large amount of snow manages to accumulate in the Alps, which can interfere with transport infrastructure; in the spring, melting snow often leads to catastrophic consequences.

Rivers and lakes of Austria

All of Austria is located in the Danube basin, but the western part of the country already belongs to the Rhine. The Danube has tributaries Morava, Drava, Enns and Inn with Salzach. The mountain rivers are steep, have significant energy resources, and the hydroelectric power plants host tourist excursions with stunning views. The Danube itself reaches its maximum value in the summer, while its tributaries Inn, Salzach, Enns become shallow.

There are about 580 lakes in the country, most of them glacial, the most smoky is Lake Constance, which shares borders with Switzerland and Germany, Lake Neusiedler See is shared with Hungary, there are a lot of lakes in the northern foothills of the Alps and in the south in the Klagenfurt Basin, but the temperatures The waters are not very high, but the water is clear.

Austrian vegetation, forests

Austria shows plant diversity, which is characterized by altitudinal zonation and human activity, oak-beech forest grows in the valleys, beech-spruce forest appears on the mountains and valleys over half a kilometer, and above 2 kilometers only coniferous forest remains. It is interesting that in terms of forest area in Europe, Austria is in third place after Finland and Sweden; the green heart of Austria is considered the Styria region, where even the national costumes are green. In the south of Austria there is also subtropical vegetation, in the west there are mainly beech, chestnut and oak forests, and in the east there is forest-steppe. At an altitude of 2 kilometers, vegetation is already hampered by humidity, temperature fluctuations and strong winds; only grasses survive here.

Fauna and fauna of Austria

An alpine type of fauna is observed, while in the Alps there are more wild animals than on the plains of Europe, as you understand, the animals were supplanted by man, mountain sheep, deer, chamois, goats go out to graze in the meadows in the summer, and in the winter they rise to the mountains, and among birds One can highlight the predominance of wood grouse, black grouse, and partridges. There are no animals on the lands that have been converted into agricultural plots, however, sometimes hares and foxes can be seen.

Großglockner excursion route

The highest point in Austria is Mount Grossglockner with a height of 3798 meters with the largest glacier in Austria, the Pasterze. The Grossglockner excursion road passes to the mountain in the form of a serpentine of 36 turns, the length of which is 48 kilometers; the road rises into the mountains to a height of 2504 meters. The road starts in Fusch an der Großglocknerstrasse and ends in Heiligenblut. The road is toll and offers wonderful views of the Pasterze Glacier. Please note that the road is open from the first days of May to October, depending on weather conditions, the passage is open from May to mid-June from six in the morning to eight in the evening, until mid-September until half-past nine in the evening and from mid-September to October from six in the morning to half-past eight in the evening . A single ride on a passenger car costs 34 euros, an electric car costs 24 euros, and a monthly pass costs 52 euros.

The Danube Valley contains the Carpathian and Alpine foothills, which connect with the northern Alps and the Tauern Mountains in the south. Tourists will be interested in the charming mountain lakes in the Salzkammergut, nearby are the Vienna Woods and the Bohemian Massif. In the north of Austria is Pannonia or the Vienna Basin, where the lowest points of the country are located, including Lake Neusiedler See.

80% of Austria is occupied by mountains, 50% is occupied by forests, agriculture involves valleys that turn into forested areas in the foothills with spruce, pine and a variety of deciduous trees.

On the territory of Salzburg, Carinthia and Tyrol there is the Hohe Tauern National Park, the largest nature reserve in Central Europe; the Lichtensteinklamm mountain gorge and the picturesque Golling and Krimml waterfalls are also interesting here.

– this is the Danube with its tributaries and the Rhine. In addition to rivers, the country has a huge number of lakes.

River Vienna

A small river whose bed runs through the territory of the country's capital. The length is only 34 kilometers. At the same time, 15 kilometers pass through the streets of Vienna. The source of the river is the Vienna Woods (its western part). The confluence is one of the branches of the Danube, Donaukanal.

The riverbed, located within the city, is lined with stone. The river was locked into such banks back in 1895. And the purpose of this transformation is to protect city streets from severe floods. In the area from Auchof to the Kennedy Bridge, there is a walking path along the river, along which you can walk or ride a bicycle during daylight hours.

River Gail

Geil is one of the rivers whose bed runs exclusively through the lands of Austria. The Gail is a right tributary of the Drava and has a total length of 122 kilometers. The source of the river is located in the territory of Vostochny (the town of Obertilliach). The direction of the current is from west to east.

Gurk River

The bed of the Gurk River passes through the lands (Austria); it is the second longest river – 120 kilometers – in this region. Gurk is second only to Drava.

The river originates from two small lakes - Gurksee and Torersee. Then it flows through the valley. The river flows into the waters of the Drava between the cities and the Völkermarkt. Largest tributaries: Görtschitz; Metnitz; Glan.

River Inn

The source of the river is located in the territory (Lake Lunguni, Maloya Pass). After this, the Inn “looks” into the territory of Austria and. The Inn joins the Danube River in the city of Passau (Germany), at the same time as the Ilz River.

Laita River

The riverbed is located on the territory of Austria and. It is the right tributary of the Danube. Laita is not navigable throughout its entire channel. The total length of the river flow is 180 kilometers. On the banks of the river there are two cities - Wiener Neustadt and Bruck an der Leitha, as well as small villages.

The source of the river is on the slopes of the Fischbach Alps (near Wiener Neustadt). The river has several diversion channels from which hydroelectric power stations operate. In doing so, they take up most of Laita's water.

Ledava River

The Ledava is a river whose flow passes through the territory of several countries - Austria, Hungary and. The total length of the current is 76 kilometers.

The source of the river is Austria (the town of Lendva Bach). Then she leaves for Slovenian territory. Ledava receives water from several rivers. Basically, the tributaries of the river are left-handed; the largest is Veliki Krk, and the longest is Kobilje. The river ends its path, flowing into the waters of the Mura.