The Yenisei is a big river.
It flows through a place called Siberia. The river is very long. It flows into the cold sea. Many fish live in the water.
Many reindeer walk near the river too. Do you like big rivers?
The Yenisei is a very long river.
It flows through a place called Siberia. The river starts in Mongolia. It travels north through a big lake.
This lake is the oldest in the world. The river ends in a cold sea. Many fish live in the water. A huge herd of reindeer lives near the river too. The reindeer walk to the river for food. It is a very big and busy place.
The Yenisei is a very long river.
It is the fifth-longest river system in the world. It flows through central Siberia. The river starts in Mongolia. It travels north through Lake Baikal. This is the oldest lake on Earth.
The river then flows into the Arctic Ocean. It ends in the Yenisey Gulf.
Many animals live near the water. A huge herd of reindeer lives here. This is the largest herd in the world. There can be over one million reindeer. Many types of fish swim in the river. You might see a Siberian sturgeon.
The river is also used by people. Long ago, steamships traveled on the water. Now, there is a dam at Krasnoyarsk. This dam has an inclined plane. An inclined plane is a way to move boats over land. This helps boats move past the dam.
The Yenisey is a massive river system in central Siberia.
It is the fifth-longest river system on Earth. It also drains the largest amount of water into the Arctic Ocean. The river starts high up in Mungaragiyn-gol in Mongolia. From there, it flows north through Lake Baikal. This lake is the oldest and deepest in the world. The river eventually reaches the Yenisey Gulf in the Kara Sea.
Its delta sits between the Gyda and Taymyr Peninsulas.
Many different rivers flow into the Yenisey along its long path. These are called tributaries. Some of the largest ones include the Little Yenisey and the Great Yenisey. The Angara is another very important river that joins it. The river moves through places like Tuva, Khakassia, and Krasnoyarsk Krai. It acts like a giant divider in the land. It separates the Western Siberian Plain from the Central Siberian Plateau.
The water is quite deep in many spots. On average, the river has a steady depth. At its deepest points, it reaches much further down.
People have known about this river for a very long time. The first written mention of the river was in the 7th century. At that time, it was called "Kem" in Chinese records. Different groups of people used many different names for it. In the 1600s, Russian explorers reached the lower parts of the river. They likely took the name from the local Samoyed-speaking people. By the end of the 1500s, Dutch sailors were also looking for it. They called it names like "Gilissi" or "Geniscea."
These old names sound very similar to Yenisey.
Life thrives in and around the Yenisey waters. The river basin is home to 55 native fish species. You might find a Siberian sturgeon or a grayling swimming there. Large trees like Siberian pine and larch grow in the valley. Many birds, such as the hooded crow, live near the water.
A very special group of animals visits the river too. The Taimyr reindeer herd is the largest in the world. This huge herd can have over one million reindeer. They migrate to the river area to find food in the winter.
Humans have used the river for travel and power for years. In 1864, the first steamships began to travel the water. These ships brought supplies to land-locked parts of Siberia. Later, engineers used boats to help build the Trans-Siberian Railway. Today, the river is used in different ways. There is a large dam at Krasnoyarsk.
This dam has an inclined plane to help move boats. This special path lets boats move past the dam easily. It is a clever way to keep traveling on the water.
The Yenisey is a massive and vital river system in central Siberia. It ranks as the fifth-longest river system in the entire world. It is also the largest river system that drains into the Arctic Ocean. This massive flow of water drains a huge portion of central Siberia. The river acts as a natural boundary for the land. It separates the Western Siberian Plain in the west from the Central Siberian Plateau in the east.
The journey of the Yenisey begins high up in Mungaragiyn-gol in Mongolia. From its source, the river follows a northerly course through the landscape. It flows through Lake Baikal, which is the oldest and deepest lake on Earth. The river eventually reaches the Yenisey Gulf in the Kara Sea. Its delta is formed between the Gyda Peninsula and the Taymyr Peninsula.
The river is very deep in many places. Its maximum depth reaches 60 meters, while its average depth is 16 meters.
Many different rivers, known as tributaries, join the Yenisey along its path. These tributaries add more water to the main system. The largest tributaries include the Little Yenisey and the Great Yenisey. Other major rivers that flow into it are the Angara and the Podkamennaya Tunguska. The river flows through several Russian federal subjects. These include Tuva, Khakassia, and the Krasnoyarsk Krai. The river basin covers a vast area of 2,580,000 square kilometers.
History shows that people have known about this river for many centuries. The first written mention of the river dates back to the 7th century. At that time, Chinese records called it "Kem." This name appeared in the Book of Zhou and the History of the Northern Dynasties. Different groups used various names like "Jian River" or "Qian River." In the 1700s, Chinese maps still referred to it as the "Kem River."
The exact origin of these names remains a mystery to researchers.
By the 1600s, Russian explorers reached the lower parts of the river. They likely adopted the name "Yenisei" from Samoyed-speaking people. Around the same time, Dutch navigators were exploring the area. They used names like "Gilissi" or "Geniscea." These names are phonetically similar to the modern name. The Russian spelling has stayed mostly stable since the 17th century. Today, the name "Yenisei" is used globally to describe this great river.
The Yenisey basin supports a rich variety of life. There are 55 native fish species living in these waters. This includes the Siberian sturgeon and the grayling. The river valley is also home to many trees. Siberian pine and Siberian larch are very common in the area.
The river is also important for large animals. The Taimyr reindeer herd is the largest in the world. This herd has reached over one million individuals. They migrate to the river's winter grazing ranges.
Humans have used the Yenisey for transport and power for a long time. Steamers first arrived in 1864 to move supplies through the icy Kara Sea. These ships helped connect land-locked parts of Siberia to the world. Later, boats were used to bring rails and engines for the Trans-Siberian Railway. Today, the Krasnoyarsk Dam is a major feature on the river.
The dam includes a canal inclined plane. This allows boats to move past the dam safely.
This engineering helps keep the river a useful route for travel.
Where will your curiosity go next?
🖼️ Images & Media (5)
More to explore
✨ What else?
Related topics you might enjoy
🪜 Step back
Simpler topics to build understanding
What is Nepedia?
A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.