Dnieper << DNYEH puhr >> River is one of the longest rivers in Europe. It flows through an important economic region. The Dnieper rises in the Valdai Hills, near the city of Smolensk, Russia. It flows south for 1,420 miles (2,285 kilometers) through Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. In Russia, it is called the Dnepr; in Belarus, the Dnyapro; and in Ukraine, the Dnipro. The river empties into the Black Sea. Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, lies on the river. The northern part of the Dnieper flows through a forested area, and the southern part through farmland and an industrialized region. The Dnieper drains an area of about 195,000 square miles (504,000 square kilometers).
The construction of dams and reservoirs has deepened the Dnieper and removed obstacles caused by rapids. As a result, the river is navigable for its entire course. One of the largest dams is at Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. The Dnieper is an important route for the transportation of cargo, including coal and grain from Ukraine and timber from the north. Important tributaries include the Berezina, Desna, Inhulets, Pripyat (also spelled Prypiat or Prypyat), and Psel (also spelled Psol) rivers. Canals connect the Dnieper with several rivers that empty into the Baltic Sea, which lies to the northwest.
