Dnieper (from Scythian "Danapr" - deep river) is the longest river in Ukraine (length within the country - 981 km or 610 mi), the third river in Europe by length and basin area. Originating in Russia (on the southern slope of the Valdai Hills, Smolensk region), it flows into the Dnieper-Bug estuary of the Black Sea. Flows in middle of Ukraine, from north to south.
The width of the Dnieper River valley is 18 km (11 mi), the width of the floodplain is 12 km (7.5 mi) Delta area - 350 sq. km (135 sq. mi).
A typical lowland river with slow and calm flow. It has a meandering river bed, forms creeks, a lot of shoals, islands and straits. From Kyiv to Dnipro (ex-Dnipropetrovsk), Dnieper valley is quite asymmetrical. Right banks is steep and high, with picturesque "mountain" view (rising at 100-150 m or 330-500 ft), cut by deep valleys and ravines. Left bank is low and flat, sandy, often covered with pine forest, eastern bank has wide terraces.
From the entire bed of the Dnieper, which flows through Ukraine, only 100 km (62 mi) have been preserved in natural state. The rest is altered by Kiev, Kaniv, Kremenchug, Dniprodzerzhinsk, Dnieper and Kakhovka reservoirs.
Dnieper freezes in winter after the 20-day temperatures below 0° C. Freezing starts from the north, melting of the ice cover – from the south.
More than 10 protected areas are adjacent to the Dnieper river.
