Kamchiya
| Kamchiya (Камчия) | |
|---|---|
Kamchiya
|
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| Country | Bulgaria |
| Basin features | |
| Main source |
Bulgaria 710 m (2,330 ft) |
| River mouth | Black Sea, 25 km (16 mi) south of Varna |
| Basin size | 5,358 km2 (2,069 sq mi) |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Length | 244.5 km (151.9 mi) |
| Discharge |
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The Kamchiya (also Kamchia and Kamčija, Bulgarian: Камчия) is a 244.5 km long river in eastern Bulgaria, the longest river on the Balkan Peninsula to flow directly into the Black Sea. It starts from the confluence of two rivers springing from Eastern Stara Planina, Golyama Kamchiya (itself formed by the confluence of the rivers Ticha and Vrana) and Luda Kamchiya, flows eastward to the Black Sea and empties into it 25 km south of Varna, in the Resort of Kamchiya.
In antiquity, the river was known as Panisos; later, Slavs gave it the name of Ticha. Its contemporary name is considered to be of Cuman origin. The Romans built the stronghold Erite on its bank. The Kamchia bassin played a notable role in the history of the First Bulgarian Empire. Much of the Medieval Bulgarian Navy from the 9th to the 14th century was built at the river mouth thanks to the quality timber of the area. In the 18th century, Lipovans settled along the lower banks.
Running down through Eastern Stara Planina, Kamchiya meanders through the Longoz or alluvial longose grove, and through the Kamchia (biosphere reserve), a UNESCO-listed biosphere reserve protecting the primeval forest from intensive logging and drainage that had decimated it by mid-20th century. The river mouth forms a sand barrier and often overflows its banks to the valley. The old synclines of the river leave swampy areas called azmatsi. The reserve is 40 km long (stretching throughout the longose grove to the river mouth) and up to 5 km wide.
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Wikipedia