Vistula facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vistula River
Where the Narew and Vistula rivers meet at Modlin
Countries	Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, Slovakia
Physical characteristics
Main source	Barania Góra, Silesian Beskids 1,106 m (3,629 ft)
River mouth	Gdańsk Bay, Baltic Sea
Length	1,047 km (651 mi)
Basin features
Basin size	194,424 km²; (75,067 mi²)

The area drained by the Vistula River

The Vistula (called Wisła in Polish) is the longest river in Poland. It flows for about 1,047 kilometers (651 miles). This makes it a really important waterway for the country. The Vistula starts high up in the mountains and flows all the way to the Baltic Sea.

Where the Vistula Begins

The Vistula River begins its journey in the Silesian Beskids mountain range. This is in the southern part of Poland. It starts from springs on the western side of Barania Góra mountain. The river then flows through many different regions of Poland. It passes through big cities and quiet countryside before reaching the sea.

How the Vistula Flows

The Vistula River flows from south to north across Poland. It passes through several major Polish cities. These include Kraków, Warsaw, Płock, Toruń, and Gdańsk. As it gets closer to the Baltic Sea, the river forms a large delta. This is an area where the river splits into many smaller channels before emptying into the sea.

Rivers Joining the Vistula

Many smaller rivers and streams flow into the Vistula. These are called tributaries. They add water to the Vistula as it travels. Here is a list of some of the rivers that join the Vistula, from where it starts to where it ends:

Importance of the Vistula

The Vistula River has been very important to Poland for a long time. It has been used for trade and transportation for hundreds of years. People used to move goods like grain and timber along the river. Today, it's still used for shipping, but also for recreation like boating and fishing. The river also provides water for cities and farms along its banks.

Wildlife Around the Vistula

The Vistula River and its surrounding areas are home to many different kinds of plants and animals. You can find various fish species in the water. Along the riverbanks, there are forests and wetlands. These areas provide homes for birds, mammals, and insects. Protecting these natural habitats is important for the wildlife that depends on the river.

Images for kids

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  Widespread flooding along the Vistula River in south-eastern Poland

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  Vistula valley east (upstream) of Toruń

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  Death of Princess Wanda, by Maksymilian Piotrowski, 1859

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  A Vistulan stronghold in Wiślica once stood here.

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  The 11th century Benedictine Abbey in Tyniec overlooks the Vistula.

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  Vistula river near the Duke of Masovia Castle in Czersk

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  Vistula river (Vistvla fluvivs) in Toruń in 1641

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  Kierbedź Bridge over the Vistula in Warsaw (around 1900). This bridge was built by Stanisław Kierbedź between 1850 and 1864. It was destroyed by the Germans in 1944.

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  Biała Wisełka

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  Lake Morskie Oko, White Dunajec Springs

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  Vistula flooding south of Warsaw, 2004

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  The Vistula in Płock

See also

In Spanish: Vístula para niños