The Katun (, ''Katuń''; , ''Kadın'') is a river in the

Altai Republic The Altai Republic (; russian: Респу́блика Алта́й, Respublika Altay, ; Altai: , ''Altay Respublika''), also known as Gorno-Altai Republic, and colloquially, and primarily referred to in Russian to distinguish from the neighbour ...

and the

Altai Krai Altai Krai (russian: Алта́йский край, r=Altaysky kray, p=ɐlˈtajskʲɪj kraj) is a federal subject of Russia (a krai). It borders clockwise from the west, Kazakhstan ( East Kazakhstan Region and Pavlodar Region), Novosibirsk an ...

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-ei ...

. It forms the Ob as it joins the Biya some southwest of Biysk.Катунь

Great Soviet Encyclopedia The ''Great Soviet Encyclopedia'' (GSE; ) is one of the largest Russian-language encyclopedias, published in the Soviet Union from 1926 to 1990. After 2002, the encyclopedia's data was partially included into the later ''Bolshaya rossiyskaya e ...

The Katun is long, and its

drainage basin A drainage basin is an area of land where all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth, or flows into another body of water, such as a lake or ocean. A basin is separated from adjacent basins by a perimeter, ...

covers ., erroneously named "БИЯ" It originates in the Katun

glacier A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. It acquires distinguishing features, such a ...

s on the southwestern slope of

Belukha Mountain Belukha Mountain (russian: Белуха, lit=whitey; Altai: Ӱч-Сӱмер, lit. 'three peaks'; kk, Мұзтау Шыңы, lit=icemount peak), located in the Katun Mountains, is the highest peak of the Altai Mountains in Russia and the highe ...

. The river freezes up in late November or early December and breaks up in early or mid-April. The main tributaries of the Katun are, from source to mouth: Koksa (left), Kucherla (right), Argut (right), Chuya (right), Ursul (left), Sema (left) and Isha (right). The river is navigable. Katun

In its upper reach of the Katun flows down the distant and sparsely populated area, but a few kilometers downstream near the village

Kuyus Kuyus (russian: Куюс; alt, Куйус, ''Kuyus'') is a rural locality (a selo) and the administrative centre of Kuyusskoye Rural Settlement of Chemalsky District, the Altai Republic, Russia. The population was 210 as of 2016. There are 6 stre ...

, the coastal population density grows steadily and the area downstream of the village Ust-Sema is the most populated. There are numerous buildings, holiday camps and various guest houses in the pine forest near the village. The main settlements along the Katun are, from source to mouth:

Ust-Koksa Ust-Koksa (russian: Усть-Кокса, alt, Кӧк-Суу Оозы, ''Kök-Suu Oozı'') is a rural locality (a selo) and the administrative center of Ust-Koksinsky District of the Altai Republic, Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Fe ...

, Katanda, Inya,

Chemal Chemal (russian: Чемал, ''Chemal''; alt, Чамал, ''Çamal'') is a rural locality (a selo) and the administrative center of Chemalsky District of the Altai Republic, Russia. Population: Climate Chemal has a warm-summer humid continental ...

Manzherok Manzherok (russian: Манжерок; alt, Ман-Јӱрек, ''Man-Ĵürek'') is a rural locality (a selo) in Manzherokskoye Rural Settlement of Mayminsky District, the Altai Republic, Russia. The population was 1567 as of 2016. There are 44 str ...

Souzga Souzga (russian: Соузга; alt, Суску, ''Susku'') is a rural locality (a selo) and the administrative centre of Souzginskoye Rural Settlement of Mayminsky District, the Altai Republic, Russia. The population was 1267 as of 2016. There ar ...

, Aya,

Mayma Mayma (russian: Майма, alt, Майма) is a rural locality (a selo) and the administrative center of Mayminsky District of the Altai Republic, Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning ...

, Srostki and

Verkh-Katunskoye Verkh-Katunskoye (russian: Верх-Катунское) is a rural locality (a selo) and the administrative center of Verkh-Katunsky Selsoviet, Biysky District, Altai Krai, Russia. The population was 2,723 as of 2013. There are 29 streets. Geog ...

References

Rivers of Altai Krai Rivers of the Altai Republic {{Russia-river-stub

See also

References