The Rhine in North Rhine-Westphalia

1 - 2,000 years ago, the Romans called it Rhenus and believed it was a god. Some ancient inscriptions call it Rhenus Pater, meaning “Father Rhine.” The Rhine has always shaped the lives of the people who lived along its banks. It provided them with water and fish, and they could travel long distances and transport goods on it. But time and again, it overflowed its banks, reminding people how small and powerless they were compared with this mighty river. 2 - The Rhine is one of the longest rivers in Europe. It rises in Switzerland and flows into the North Sea in the Netherlands, 1,233 km later. Near Bonn, it crosses the border into North Rhine-Westphalia; near Emmerich, after 226 km, it leaves the state again. The major cities of Bonn, Cologne, Düsseldorf, and Duisburg lie along its banks. The nearby Ruhr region is connected to the river by tributaries and canals. 3 - The Rhine is one of the busiest waterways in the world. Major chemical plants have settled along the Rhine because the river makes it easy to transport raw materials to them. Ships can travel upstream as far as Basel and downstream to Rotterdam, Europe’s largest port. Other rivers and canals provide routes to Hamburg and Berlin. 4 - In the past, the Rhine was heavily polluted. Wastewater was discharged into the river without being treated. The water quality has since improved considerably, and many different fish species now live in the Rhine again. 5 - People have reinforced its banks, straightened its course, and blasted rocks out of the river so that ships can travel faster. The water now flows faster, but it can no longer spread out as easily. This makes flooding more severe when water levels rise sharply after heavy rain or snowmelt.