Rijn

Rijn is the Dutch name for the Rhine, one of Europe’s principal rivers, running from the Swiss Alps to the North Sea. It originates from the confluence of the Vorderrhein and Hinterrhein near Reichenau in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. The river generally flows northward, forming part of the border between Switzerland and Liechtenstein along the Alpine Rhine, then continuing through Germany and into the Netherlands before reaching the North Sea.

In its course the Rhine passes Basel in Switzerland and a sequence of German cities including Mannheim, Ludwigshafen, Mainz, Koblenz, Bonn and Cologne. In the Netherlands it enters a delta system that becomes the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt complex, yielding several branches such as the Waal and Nederrijn, and ultimately discharges into the North Sea near the coast.

Key tributaries include the Aare (which joins the Rhine at Koblenz, Switzerland), the Main (flowing into Mainz), the Moselle (joining at Koblenz, Germany), the Neckar, and the Lahn. The river’s Dutch section features significant distributaries and a dense network of waterways used for navigation and drainage.

The Rhine is a major commercial artery, facilitating international freight and linking industrial regions in the Alps with northern Europe. It also holds cultural and historical significance; the Upper Middle Rhine Valley between Bingen and Koblenz is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the river has inspired legends and music, such as tales associated with the Lorelei. Environmental management—including flood control, water quality improvement and biodiversity protection—has been organized through international cooperation, notably the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine and the Rhine Action Programme.