Despite its relatively small size, the island of Great Britain is rich in water resources. The country's territory is covered with a dense network of rivers and lakes. An interesting fact is that most of the rivers in Great Britain flow from west to east, and then flow into the North Sea.
Thames
The Thames has a channel length of 346 kilometers. It is the longest river in England and the second longest in the entire United Kingdom. Its origin is located in Thames Head, in Gloucestershire. It flows into the North Sea, forming an estuary at the end. The river is of particular importance as it flows through the capital of England - the city of London. But only a short stretch of the river passes through London. In London, the Thames is completely dependent on the tides, which are up to 7 meters high and can reach the gateway in the city of Teddington. The watershed of the Thames covers a large area of the west and south-east of England. The river is fed by more than 20 tributaries. There are more than 80 islands on the Thames with areas in which both salt and fresh water flows simultaneously, which guarantees the diversity of the flora and fauna of the river.
Severn
The Severn River is the longest in the entire United Kingdom. The length of the Severn is 354 kilometers, but according to this indicator it is inferior to the Shannon River, which is located not on the island of Great Britain, but on the British Isles. The headwaters of the Severn lie at an altitude of over 600 meters, in the area of Plyimon summit, which belongs to the Cambrian Mountains. The main source of the river is in the area of the city of Lanidlois, Powys region, Welsh county of Ceredigion. Continuing further, Severn crosses counties such as Worcestershire, Shropshire and Gloucestershire, as well as cities such as Worcester, Shrewsbury and Gloucester. Descending in the village of Upperley, Gloucestershire, the river reaches a speed of 107 meters per second, making it the fastest and fastest river in England and Wales. After the Second Severn Crossing Bridge, which is located near the villages of Sandbrook and Severn Beach, the river splits and transforms into an estuary.
Mersey
The River Mersey is located in the northwest of England and is 113 kilometers long. Mersey originates near the city of Stockport, which is located in the county of Greater Manchester. The river ends not far from the coast of the city of Liverpool, in County Marsyside. The river is formed by only three tributaries: Goyt, Esrow and Tame.
The rest of the rivers of Great Britain
In total, over 30 large and 50 small rivers flow in the UK. The most important rivers for the economic and transport development of the island are the rivers Esk, Line, Liddell Water, Petteril, Eden, Caldu, Jelt, Umpul, Derwent, Eyan, Calder, Irt, Daddon, Leuven, Ea, Kent, Craik, Ui, Dee, and See also Thames, Severn and Mersey above.
