Tysa

The Tysa (Ukrainian: Тиса) is a river in western Ukraine that forms part of the border region with Hungary and is a tributary of the Tisza, within the Danube river basin. It rises in the western Ukrainian Carpathians in Zakarpattia Oblast and flows generally eastward across Transcarpathia, before crossing into Hungary where it joins the Tisza.

In Ukraine, the river is relatively short, with the main Ukrainian stretch estimated at about 130 to 140 kilometers. The river’s drainage basin lies mainly in the Carpathian and Transcarpathian landscapes and covers several thousand square kilometers in total. The Tysa’s flow varies seasonally, contributing to irrigation and local water supplies, and the basin contains small-scale hydropower installations along its course in places.

Ecologically, the Tysa supports a mix of agricultural land, riparian habitats, and settlements. Because it runs through a border region, cross-border cooperation between Ukraine and Hungary influences water management, flood control, and environmental protection efforts. The river is part of the larger Tisza watershed, which ultimately drains into the Danube and Black Sea.

Historically, the Tysa region has been a corridor for settlement, agriculture, and trade, and its proximity to shifting borders has shaped local cultural and economic patterns. The name Tysa is the Ukrainian form of the river’s name and shares linguistic roots with the Tisza of Hungary, reflecting the cross-border nature of the river system.