geo.wikisort.org - River
The Merkys (Belarusian: Мяркіс Miarkis) is a river in southern Lithuania and northern Belarus. It flows for 13 km (8 mi) through Belarus, 5 km (3 mi) along the Belarusian–Lithuanian border, and 195 km (121 mi) through Lithuania before joining the Nemunas near Merkinė.
| Merkys | |
|---|---|
 Confluence of the Merkys and Neman at Merkinė | |
| Location | |
| Country | Lithuania (3,781 km2 or 1,460 sq mi), Belarus (635 km2 or 245 sq mi) |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | 18 km (11 mi) southwest from Ašmiany, Belarus |
| • elevation | 136 m (446 ft) |
| Mouth | Neman |
• location | near Merkinė |
• coordinates | 54°09′23″N 24°11′07″E |
| Length | 213 km (132 mi) |
| Basin size | 4,416 km2 (1,705 sq mi) |
| Discharge | |
| • average | 21 m3/s (740 cu ft/s) (near Varėna) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Neman→ Baltic Sea |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Šalčia, Verseka, Ūla |
| • right | Spengla, Varėnė |
Merkys is mostly fed by underground streams and therefore is cooler during summers and has smaller fluctuations in water level than other rivers in Lithuania.[1] Near Žagarinė (128 km or 80 mi before its mouth) the Merkys is connected with Lake Papys by a canal. The Vokė originates from this lake and consumes most of the Merkys' water. Before the canal average discharge of the Merkys is 3 m3/s (110 cu ft/s) and below it only 0.7 m3/s (25 cu ft/s).[1] At the end of the 19th century the drainage basin of the Merkys grew by some 410 km2 (160 sq mi) as its tributary Ūla overtook some of the Kotra's watershed area.[1]
The Merkys is a popular destination among water tourism enthusiasts as part of it belongs to the Dzūkija National Park and it flows into the Neman near the historical site of Merkinė. Archaeological findings show that people inhabited the area as early as the Mesolithic period. The Merkys is known for its diverse fauna, being declared a reservoir for trout in 1974.[1]
Name
The name of the river, Merkys, originate from merkti, an appellative word in the Lithuanian language meaning to soak.[2]
References
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Merkys. |
- Jonas Zinkus; et al., eds. (1987). "Merkys". Tarybų Lietuvos enciklopedija (in Lithuanian). Vol. III. Vilnius, Lithuania: Vyriausioji enciklopedijų redakcija. pp. 54–55.
- Zinkevičius, Zigmas (2007). Senosios Lietuvos valstybės vardynas. Vilnius: Science and Encyclopaedia Publishing Institute. p. 48. ISBN 5-420-01606-0.
Tributaries of the Neman River | ||
|---|---|---|
| Main tributaries of the left bank |
|  |
| Main tributaries of the right bank | ||
| Distributary |
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| Authority control |
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На других языках
[de] Merkys
Der Merkys (litauisch) (belarussisch Мяркіс Mjarkis / Meretsch; polnisch Mereczanka) ist ein 203 km langer Fluss, der in Belarus entspringt und einige Kilometer entlang der Grenze zu Litauen fließt. Der größere Teil, 185 km, liegt in Litauen.- [en] Merkys
[es] Río Merkys
El río Merkys (en el idioma bielorruso Мерычанка o Мяркіс (Merychyanka, Myarkis)) es un río que fluye por Lituania y Bielorrusia.[ru] Мяркис
Мярки́с (лит. Merkys, белор. Мяркі́с, Мерычанка) — река на юго-востоке Литвы, правый приток реки Неман.Другой контент может иметь иную лицензию. Перед использованием материалов сайта WikiSort.org внимательно изучите правила лицензирования конкретных элементов наполнения сайта.
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