List of rivers of Bulgaria facts for kids

This article is about the many rivers that flow through Bulgaria. Rivers are super important! They provide water for drinking, farming, and even for making electricity. Bulgaria has a lot of rivers, and they all flow into one of two big areas: the Black Sea or the Aegean Sea. This list will help you learn about the main rivers in Bulgaria and where they go.

Map of rivers, drainage divide and main drainage basins in Bulgaria
  Danube  
     a1 Timok
     a2 Topolovets
     a3 Voynishka reka
     a4 Vidbol
     a5 Archar
     a6 Skomlya
     a7 Lom
     a8 Tsibritsa
     a9 Ogosta
     a10 Iskar
     a11 Vit
     a12 Osam
     a13 Barata
     a14 Yantra
     a15 Rusenski Lom
     a16 Topchiyska reka
     a17 Tsaratsar
     a18 Senkovets
     a19 Kanagyol
     a20 Suha reka
     a21 Nishava
 Black sea 
     b0 Shablenska reka
     b1 Batova reka
     b2 Provadiyska reka
     b3 Kamchiya
     b18 Fandakliyska reka
     b4 Dvoynitsa
     b5 Hadzhiyska reka
     b6 Aheloy
     b7 Aytoska reka
     b8 Chukarska reka
     b9 Rusokastrenska reka
     b10 Sredetska reka
     b11 Fakiyska reka
     b12 Izvorska reka
     b13 Ropotamo
     b14 Dyavolska reka
     b15 Kitenska reka
     b16 Veleka
     b17 Rezovska reka
Aegean sea
     c1 Struma
     c2 Mesta
     c3 Maritsa
     c4 Arda
     c5 Tundzha
     c6 Luda reka

Bulgaria's Rivers: An Overview

Bulgaria is home to 540 rivers! The longest river that touches Bulgaria is the Danube. It flows for 2,888 kilometers (about 1,795 miles) and forms a big part of Bulgaria's northern border.

The longest river that flows only through Bulgaria is the Iskar. It's 368 kilometers (about 229 miles) long. The deepest and longest river that runs mostly through Bulgaria is the Maritsa, at 480 kilometers (about 298 miles).

Rivers are most common in the mountains. You'll find fewer rivers in flat areas like Dobrudzha or the Danubian Plain.

Where Do Bulgarian Rivers Flow?

Bulgaria's rivers flow into two main areas, called catchment basins:

• The Black Sea basin: This area covers 57% of Bulgaria's land. Rivers here either flow into the Danube or directly into the Black Sea.
• The Aegean Sea basin: This area covers 43% of Bulgaria's land. Rivers here flow into the Maritsa, Mesta, or Struma rivers, which then reach the Aegean Sea.

The Balkan Mountains act like a giant natural wall. They divide Bulgaria, sending rivers north towards the Black Sea and south towards the Aegean Sea.

Rivers Flowing to the Black Sea

Most of the rivers in northern Bulgaria flow towards the Black Sea. Many of them join the mighty Danube River. The Danube is very wide, usually between 1.6 to 2.4 kilometers (1 to 1.5 miles). Its water levels are highest in May due to floods. It can even freeze over for about 40 days each year!

The Iskar River is special. It's the longest river entirely in Bulgaria. It starts in the Rila Mountains, not the Balkan Mountains. It flows through Sofia and cuts through the Balkan Mountains in an amazing 65-kilometer (40-mile) long gorge! Other important rivers that join the Danube include the Lom, Ogosta, Vit, Osam, and Yantra.

Some rivers flow directly into the Black Sea. The longest of these is the Kamchiya River, which is 254 kilometers (158 miles) long. Other rivers that flow straight into the Black Sea are the Batova, Provadiya, Aheloy, Ropotamo, Veleka, and Rezovo.

Rivers Flowing to the Aegean Sea

The rivers in southern and southwestern Bulgaria flow towards the Aegean Sea. Many of these rivers start high in the mountains. They flow quickly and have carved out deep, beautiful gorges.

The Maritsa River is 480 kilometers (298 miles) long, with 321 kilometers (199 miles) of it in Bulgaria. It drains a large area, including the Sredna Gora mountains and parts of the Balkan and Rhodopes mountains. After leaving Bulgaria, the Maritsa forms part of the border between Greece and Turkey. Important rivers that join the Maritsa include the Tundzha, Arda, Topolnitsa, and Vacha.

Other major Bulgarian rivers that flow directly into the Aegean Sea are the Struma and the Mesta.

Black Sea Drainage List

Danube Drainage

• Danube (MS) - (MS) means Main Stem, the main river itself
  • Nišava (R) - (R) means Right-bank tributary, joining from the right side when looking downstream
    • Erma (L) - (L) means Left-bank tributary, joining from the left side
  • Timok (R)
  • Topolovets (R)
  • Voynishka reka (R)
  • Vidbol (R)
  • Archar (R)
  • Skomlya (R)
  • Lom (R)
  • Tsibritsa (R)
  • Ogosta (R)
    • Botunya (R)
    • Skat (R)
  • Iskar (R)
    • Palakaria (L)
    • Vitoshka Bistritsa (L)
    • Perlovska (L)
    • Lesnovska reka (R)
    • Malki Iskar (R)
    • Zlatna Panega (R)
  • Vit (R)
    • Kalnik (R)
    • Chernyalka (R)
  • Osam (R)
  • Barata (R)
  • Yantra (R)
    • Belitsa (R)
    • Stara reka (R)
    • Rositsa (L)
  • Rusenski Lom (R)
    • Cherni Lom (L)
    • Beli Lom (R)
  • Topchiyska reka (R)
  • Tsaratsar (R)
  • Senkovets (R)
  • Kanagyol (R)
  • Suha reka (R)

Black Sea Coast Rivers

• Shablenska reka (Ms)
• Batova (Ms)
• Provadiya (Ms)
• Kamchiya (Ms)
  • Golyama Kamchiya (L)
  • Luda Kamchiya (R)
• Dvoynitsa (Ms)
• Hadzhiyska reka (Ms)
• Aheloy (Ms)
• Aytoska reka (Ms)
• Chukarska reka (Ms)
• Rusokastrenska reka (Ms)
• Sredetska (Ms)
• Fakiyska reka (Ms)
• Izvorska reka (Ms)
• Ropotamo (Ms)
• Dyavolska reka (Ms)
• Karaagach (Ms)
• Veleka (Ms)
• Rezovo (Ms)

Aegean Sea Drainage List

• Maritsa (Ms)
  • Yadenitsa (R)
  • Chepinska reka (R)
  • Topolnitsa (L)
  • Luda Yana (L)
  • Stara reka (R)
  • Vacha (R)
  • Pyasachnik (L)
  • Chepelare (R)
  • Stryama (R)
  • Sazliyka (L)
  • Harmanliyska reka (R)
  • Arda (R)
    • Cherna (L)
    • Varbitsa (R)
  • Tundzha (L)
    • Tazha (L)
    • Mochuritsa (L)
  • Luda reka (R)
• Mesta (Ms)
  • Iztok (R)
    • Glazne (R)
  • Dospat (L)
• Struma (Ms)
  • Treklyanska reka (R)
  • Dragovishtitsa (R)
  • Dzherman (L)
  • Rilska River (L)
  • Blagoevgradska Bistritsa (L)
  • Sandanska Bistritsa (L)
  • Strumeshnitsa (R)
  • Pirinska Bistritsa (L)

See also

• Geography of Bulgaria
• Reservoirs and dams in Bulgaria