river A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of wate ...

Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...

Danube The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , pa ...

Maritsa Maritsa or Maritza ( bg, Марица ), also known as Meriç ( tr, Meriç ) and Evros ( ell, Έβρος ), is a river that runs through the Balkans in Southeast Europe. With a length of ,Iskar (368 km).

Regions

A country rich in water resources, Bulgaria has a large number of rivers that are divided into several regions based on their mouth's location. Rivers of northern Bulgaria, with the exception of the very east of the region, are typically tributaries of the

Danube The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , pa ...

. Notable rivers in the area are the Iskar, Vit,

Ogosta The Ogosta ( bg, Огоста , Latin: ''Augusta''), is the largest river in Northwestern Bulgaria, a right tributary of the Danube. It originates at Chiprovska Mountain, 2,168 meters high section of the Western Balkan Mountains, at about an altitu ...

,

Osam The Osam ( bg, Осъм ) is a river in northern Bulgaria. Its drainage basin is in between that of the river Vit to the west and the Yantra system to the east. Поречието на р. Осъм The river has two main tributaries in its upper ...

and

Yantra Yantra () (literally "machine, contraption") is a geometrical diagram, mainly from the Tantric traditions of the Indian religions. Yantras are used for the worship of deities in temples or at home; as an aid in meditation; used for the benefits ...

. The rivers in the eastern part of the country are typically short (except for

Kamchiya The Kamchiya (also Kamchia and Kamčija, bg, Камчия ) is a river in eastern Bulgaria. From its longest source, Golyama Kamchiya (Big Kamchiya), it has a total length of (. The river Kamchiya proper starts from the confluence of the two ...

) and flow into the

Black Sea The Black Sea is a marginal mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bounded by Bulgaria, Georgia, Roma ...

. Notable rivers in the region include the

Kamchiya The Kamchiya (also Kamchia and Kamčija, bg, Камчия ) is a river in eastern Bulgaria. From its longest source, Golyama Kamchiya (Big Kamchiya), it has a total length of (. The river Kamchiya proper starts from the confluence of the two ...

,

Batova The Batova ( bg, Батова) is a river in northeastern Bulgaria. The river flows in a wide valley between the Dobruja plateau to the north and the Franga plateau to the south, ultimately flowing directly into the Black Sea. The Batova is only 3 ...

, Provadiyska, Devnenska,

Ropotamo The Ropotamo ( bg, Ропотамо , from the Ancient Greek word Ροπόταμος ''ropotamos'' meaning "border river") is a river in south-eastern Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bu ...

,

Veleka The Veleka ( , ) is a river in the very southeast of Bulgaria (Burgas Province), as well as the very northeast of European Turkey. It is 147 km long, of which 108 km lies in Bulgaria Rezovska The Rezovo (also Rezovska, Rezvaya and Rezve; bg, Резовска река ; tr, Mutludere ) is a river in the extreme southeast of Bulgaria and northernmost part of European Turkey. The river is situated in Bulgaria's Strandzha Nature Park. ...

. Most of the rivers that rise in southern Bulgaria have their mouths in the

Aegean Sea The Aegean Sea ; tr, Ege Denizi (Greek language, Greek: Αιγαίο Πέλαγος: "Egéo Pélagos", Turkish language, Turkish: "Ege Denizi" or "Adalar Denizi") is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Asia. It ...

outside Bulgarian territory. A notable exception is the Iskar that takes its source from

Rila Rila ( bg, Рила, ) is the highest mountain range of Bulgaria, the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula and Southeast Europe. It is situated in southwestern Bulgaria and forms part of the Rila–Rhodope Mountains, Rhodope Massif. The highest summit is Mus ...

and runs through Stara Planina forming a gorge to reach the Danube. Depending on their location, they are divided into two regions, a Western Aegean and Eastern Aegean one. The former embraces the Struma and Mesta, while rivers in the latter include the

Arda Arda or ARDA may refer to: Places *Arda (Maritsa), a river in Bulgaria and Greece * Arda (Italy), a river in Italy *Arda (Douro), a river in Portugal * Arda, Bulgaria, a village in southern Bulgaria * Arda, County Fermanagh, a townland in County ...

,

Maritsa Maritsa or Maritza ( bg, Марица ), also known as Meriç ( tr, Meriç ) and Evros ( ell, Έβρος ), is a river that runs through the Balkans in Southeast Europe. With a length of ,Tundzha The Tundzha ( bg, Тунджа , tr, Tunca , el, Τόνζος ) is a river in Bulgaria and Turkey (known in antiquity as the Tonsus) and the most significant tributary of the Maritsa, emptying into it on Turkish territory near Edirne. The rive ...

.

List

Bulgaria map drainage divide and river bassins

*

Archar River The Archar ( bg, Арчар, ) or Archaritsa ( ) is a river in the western Danubian Plain of northern Bulgaria and a right tributary of the Danube. It originates in the western Balkan Mountains and is around 60 kilometres in length, with a drain ...

*

Arda Arda or ARDA may refer to: Places *Arda (Maritsa), a river in Bulgaria and Greece * Arda (Italy), a river in Italy *Arda (Douro), a river in Portugal * Arda, Bulgaria, a village in southern Bulgaria * Arda, County Fermanagh, a townland in County ...

*

Batova reka The Batova ( bg, Батова) is a river in northeastern Bulgaria. The river flows in a wide valley between the Dobruja plateau to the north and the Franga plateau to the south, ultimately flowing directly into the Black Sea. The Batova is only 39 ...

* Bistritsa * Bunayska *

Danube The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , pa ...

* Deleynska reka * Devil's River *

Dospat Dospat ( bg, Доспат) is a town in the very south of Bulgaria, part of Smolyan Province, situated in the Rhodope Mountains, close to Dospat Dam. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Dospat Municipality. As of December 2010, t ...

* Dzhulyunitsa * Erma * Fakiyska reka * Iskar ** Cherni Iskar ** Palakaria *

Kamchiya The Kamchiya (also Kamchia and Kamčija, bg, Камчия ) is a river in eastern Bulgaria. From its longest source, Golyama Kamchiya (Big Kamchiya), it has a total length of (. The river Kamchiya proper starts from the confluence of the two ...

** Golyama Kamchiya (Bulgarian: ''Big Kamchiya'') **

Luda Kamchiya Luda Kamchiya ( bg, Луда Камчия , ) is a river in eastern Bulgaria, the main tributary of the Kamchiya river.Victor Fet, Alexi Popov; Biogeography and ecology of Bulgaria; 2007p.601/ref> The river has a total length of 180 km and a ...

(Bulgarian: ''Mad Kamchiya'') * Kajalijka (river flowing through Iskra and Bryagovo into the Maritsa) * Kriva *

Krumovitsa The Krumovitsa ( bg, Крумовица) is a river in the eastern Rhodope Mountains of Bulgaria. The river valley is formed by the Krumovitsa River and the Djushun River together with the surrounding low mountain slopes. Geography and geology Th ...

* Lebnitsa * Lom *

Luda Reka The Erythropotamos ( el, Ερυθροπόταμος, meaning "red river") or Luda reka ( bg, Луда река, meaning "mad river") is a river in southern Bulgaria (Haskovo Province) and northeastern Greece ( Evros regional unit). Its Turkish na ...

(Bulgarian ''Mad River'') ** Byala reka (Bulgarian: ''White river'') *

Luda Yana The Luda Yana ( bg, Луда Яна, "Crazy Yana") is a 74 km-long river in southern Bulgaria, a northern tributary of the Maritsa River. It runs through the towns of Panagyurishte and Strelcha, as well as a number of villages, including P ...

(Bulgarian: ''Mad Yana'') *

Maritsa Maritsa or Maritza ( bg, Марица ), also known as Meriç ( tr, Meriç ) and Evros ( ell, Έβρος ), is a river that runs through the Balkans in Southeast Europe. With a length of ,Matevir * Mechka (Bulgarian: ''Bear'') * Mesta **

Bela Mesta Bela may refer to: Places Asia *Bela Pratapgarh, a town in Pratapgarh District, Uttar Pradesh, India *Bela, a small village near Bhandara, Maharashtra, India *Bela, another name for the biblical city Zoara * Bela, Dang, in Nepal * Bela, Janakpur, ...

(Bulgarian: ''White Mesta'') ** Cherna Mesta (Bulgarian: ''Black Mesta'') *

Ogosta The Ogosta ( bg, Огоста , Latin: ''Augusta''), is the largest river in Northwestern Bulgaria, a right tributary of the Danube. It originates at Chiprovska Mountain, 2,168 meters high section of the Western Balkan Mountains, at about an altitu ...

*

Osam The Osam ( bg, Осъм ) is a river in northern Bulgaria. Its drainage basin is in between that of the river Vit to the west and the Yantra system to the east. Поречието на р. Осъм The river has two main tributaries in its upper ...

* Provadiyska reka (Bulgarian: ''River of

Provadia Provadia ( bg, Провадия ) is a town in northeastern Bulgaria, part of Varna Province, located in a deep karst gorge (Provadia syncline) along the Provadiya River not far from the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. It is the administrative centre ...

'') * Pyasachnik (Bulgarian: ''Sandstone'') *

Rezovo Rezovo ( bg, Резово, ) is a village and seaside resort in southeastern Bulgaria, part of Tsarevo Municipality, Burgas Province, in the coastal Strandzha geographical region. Geography The village is in Strandzha Nature Park. Lying at th ...

*

Ropotamo The Ropotamo ( bg, Ропотамо , from the Ancient Greek word Ροπόταμος ''ropotamos'' meaning "border river") is a river in south-eastern Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bu ...

*

Rusenski Lom The Rusenski Lom ( ) is a river in northeastern Bulgaria, the last major right tributary of the Danube. It is formed by the rivers Beli Lom and Cherni Lom, the former taking its source south of Razgrad and the latter southeast of Popovo. The so ...

**

Beli Lom Beli may refer to: People * Beli ap Rhun (c. 580–c. 599), king of Gwynedd * Beli I of Alt Clut (perhaps died ''c''. 627), Brittonic king * Beli II of Alt Clut (died ''c''. died 722), Brittonic king * Ljubiša Preletačević Beli (bo ...

(Bulgarian: ''White Lom'') ** Cherni Lom (Bulgarian: ''Black Lom'') * Rusokastrenska reka (Bulgarian: ''River of Rusokastro'') *

Sazliyka The Sazliyka or Rakitnitsa ( bg, Сазлийка,, ; also transliterated ''Sazlijka'' or ''Sazliika'') is a river in southeastern Bulgaria, a left tributary of the Maritsa. It originates in the Sarnena Sredna Gora mountains. In its upper course un ...

* Shirokolashka reka (Bulgarian: ''River of

Shiroka Laka Shiroka Laka ( bg, Широка лъка ) is a village in the very south of Bulgaria, located in Smolyan municipality, Smolyan Province. It is a proclaimed architectural and folklore reserve and lies in the central Rhodope Mountains, 23 km (14 ...

'') * Sredetska * Stara reka (Bulgarian: ''Old river'') * Struma ** Rilska reka * Strumeshnitsa *

Stryama The Stryama ( bg, Стряма , known in Antiquity as ''Syrmus'') is a river in southern Bulgaria, an important left tributary of the Maritsa. The river is 98.7 km long and has a drainage basin of 1,490 km2. The Stryama has its sourc ...

* Suha reka (Bulgarian: ''Dry river'') *

Timok The Timok (Serbian and Bulgarian: Тимок; ro, Timoc), sometimes also known as Great Timok ( sr, Велики Тимок, Veliki Timok; ro, Timocul Mare), is a river in eastern Serbia, a right tributary of the Danube. For the last 15 k ...

* Topolnitsa (in Bulgarian, ''Topola'' means ''poplar'') * Tsibritsa *

Tundzha The Tundzha ( bg, Тунджа , tr, Tunca , el, Τόνζος ) is a river in Bulgaria and Turkey (known in antiquity as the Tonsus) and the most significant tributary of the Maritsa, emptying into it on Turkish territory near Edirne. The rive ...

* Vacha * Varbitsa *

Veleka The Veleka ( , ) is a river in the very southeast of Bulgaria (Burgas Province), as well as the very northeast of European Turkey. It is 147 km long, of which 108 km lies in BulgariaVit **

Beli Vit The Vit also Vid ( bg, Вит; la, Utus) is a river in central northern Bulgaria with a length of 188 km. It is a tributary of Danube. The source of the Vit is in Stara Planina, below Vezhen Peak at an altitude of 2,030 m, and it empties into ...

(Bulgarian: ''White Vit'') ** Cherni Vit (Bulgarian: ''Black Vit'') * Voynishka reka (Bulgarian: ''Soldier's river'') *

Yantra Yantra () (literally "machine, contraption") is a geometrical diagram, mainly from the Tantric traditions of the Indian religions. Yantras are used for the worship of deities in temples or at home; as an aid in meditation; used for the benefits ...

** Rositsa * Zlatna Panega (Bulgarian: ''Golden Panega'') Note: in

Bulgarian Bulgarian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Bulgaria * Bulgarians, a South Slavic ethnic group * Bulgarian language, a Slavic language * Bulgarian alphabet * A citizen of Bulgaria, see Demographics of Bulgaria * Bul ...

, ''reka'' means ''river''.

Regions

List

See also