Odra

Odra, known in German as the Oder, is a major Central European river that rises in the northern Czech Republic and flows generally northward through Poland before reaching the Baltic Sea. In its upper and middle reaches, the river forms part of the border between Poland and Germany, and it continues through western Poland to the coast, discharging into the Baltic Sea via the Szczecin Lagoon and the Oder estuary.

The Odra is about 854 kilometers long, with a drainage basin of roughly 119,000 square kilometers. Its watershed encompasses parts of the Czech Republic, Poland, and Germany, supporting a mix of urban, agricultural, and natural areas. The river sustains important interstate water management and navigation networks in the region.

Key cities along the Odra include Wrocław, Opole, Brzeg, Kędzierzyn-Koźle, and Szczecin in Poland, as well as Frankfurt (Oder) on the border in Germany. The Odra Waterway provides inland shipping routes linking central Europe to the Baltic, and the river supports cross-border cooperation in transport, flood management, and environmental protection.

Ecologically, the Odra basin includes multiple protected areas and is subject to ongoing efforts to balance navigation, industry, agriculture, and biodiversity. The river has also played a significant historical and cultural role in the region, shaping trade, settlements, and cross-border relations. The name Odra is used in Polish and Czech, while the German form is Oder, reflecting the river’s long, multi-lingual history in the central European landscape.