râul

Râul is the Romanian term for a river, a natural watercourse that typically flows from higher ground toward a larger body of water, such as a sea, lake, or another river. In geography, a river is characterized by a defined channel, bed, and banks, and by its drainage basin, or catchment, which collects precipitation and feeds the river.

Rivers form through inputs of water from springs, rainfall, and snowmelt, and follow a course shaped by geology and climate. Along the way they may have tributaries and create features such as valleys, floodplains, and meanders. The flow regime can be perennial, with water year-round, or intermittent, depending on climate and groundwater storage. Rivers transport water, sediment, nutrients, and organisms, and they erode their banks and bed while depositing sediments at their mouth or in floodplains.

Human use and impact are central to river dynamics. Rivers provide water for drinking and irrigation, support hydropower, enable transportation in some regions, and offer recreational and cultural value. They sustain diverse ecosystems and habitat networks. Activities such as damming, water withdrawals, pollution, and channel alterations can modify flow, temperature, and habitat, sometimes reducing biodiversity; restoration and sustainable management aim to balance utilization with conservation.

In Romania, râul is a common reference for the extensive river network that shapes the landscape. The Danube forms part of the southern border and drains into the Black Sea, while other notable Romanian rivers include the Mureș, Olt, Jiu, Prut, and Siret, among many tributaries.