Tiber River facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tiber (Tevere)
River
The Tiber in Rome
Country	Italy
Regions	Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Umbria, Lazio
Provinces	Forlì-Cesena, Arezzo, Perugia, Terni, Viterbo, Rieti, Roma
Comuni	Pieve Santo Stefano, Sansepolcro, Città di Castello, Umbertide, Orte, Rome
Tributaries
- left	Chiascio, Nera, Aniene
- right	Nestore, Paglia
City	Rome
Source	Mount Fumaiolo
- location	Forlì-Cesena, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
- elevation	1,268 m (4,160 ft)
- coordinates	43°47′13″N 12°04′40″E / 43.78694°N 12.07778°E / 43.78694; 12.07778
Mouth	Tyrrhenian Sea
- location	Ostia, Lazio, Italy
- elevation	0 m (0 ft)
- coordinates	41°44′26″N 12°14′00″E / 41.74056°N 12.23333°E / 41.74056; 12.23333
Length	405 km (252 mi)
Basin	17,375 km² (6,709 sq mi)
Discharge	for Rome
- average	231 m³/s (8,158 cu ft/s)

The Tiber (Latin: Tiberis, Italian: Tevere) is a famous river in Italy. It is the third-longest river in the country. It starts in the Apennine Mountains in Emilia-Romagna. From there, it flows mostly through Umbria and Lazio. Finally, it reaches the Tyrrhenian Sea near the towns of Ostia and Fiumicino.

This river is very well-known because the ancient city of Rome was built right on its eastern banks.

Where is the Tiber River located?

The Tiber River is about 405 km (252 mi) long. Its drainage basin (the area of land where water collects and flows into the river) covers about 17,375 km² (6,709 sq mi). This is almost 5% of Italy's total land area.

It is the third longest river in Italy. Only the Po and the Adige rivers are longer. When it comes to the size of its drainage basin, the Tiber is the second largest, after the Po.

How does the Tiber River flow?

The Tiber River begins near a small town called Balze. This town is in the Forlì-Cesena province, on the southern side of Monte Fumaiolo. The source of the river is made up of two springs. These springs are only 10 m (33 ft) apart in a forest on the mountain. They are at a high elevation of 1,268 m (4,160 ft) above sea level.

The Tiber flows through Emilia-Romagna for about 4 kilometres (2.5 miles). Then it enters Tuscany, passing through Pieve Santo Stefano and Sansepolcro. Between these two places, there is a dam that creates a large reservoir. This reservoir is called Montedoglio Lake (Italian: Lago di Montedoglio).

From there, the river flows through a wide flat area known as Val Tiberina. It then enters the Perugia province in Umbria. Here, it flows past the towns of Città di Castello and Umbertide.

South of Torgiano, the Chiascio river joins the Tiber from its left side. Later, at the Marsciano dam, the Nestore river joins from the right side. Soon after, another right tributary, the Paglia, also flows into the Tiber.

The river then forms the border between the Umbria region (province of Terni) and the Lazio region (province of Viterbo). Near the city of Orte, its most important tributary, the Nera river, joins from the left.

The Tiber continues through the Lazio region, passing through the provinces of Viterbo, Rieti, and Rome. The Aniene river joins it before it flows right through the heart of Rome. Finally, the Tiber empties into the Tyrrhenian Sea between Ostia and Fiumicino.

What are the Tiber's main branches?

The Tiber River has several important tributaries, which are smaller rivers or streams that flow into it.

How much water flows in the Tiber?

The average amount of water flowing out of the Tiber River into the sea is about 240 m³/s (8,500 cu ft/s). This is measured at its mouth.

The table below shows the average amount of water (in cubic meters) that flowed through the Tiber in Rome each month during 2011. You can see how the water level changes throughout the year.

Pictures of the Tiber River

Comune di Fiumicino and the mouth of the Tiber, May 2013

• 

  Spring of river Tiber on Monte Fumaiolo.

• 

  The river Tiber in Rome.

• 

  View of the Tiber looking towards the Vatican City.

Related pages

• List of rivers of Italy

Images for kids

• 

  Highest level of Tiber for 40+ years, 13 December 2008, at Tiber Island

• 

  Column built by Mussolini near the source of Tiber

• 

  Rome Fiumicino airport is also located near the river.

• 

  Train going over the river

• 

  Roman representation of Tiber as a god (Tiberinus) with cornucopia at the Campidoglio, Rome

See also

In Spanish: Tíber para niños