Why in the News?
French authorities have opened up the Seine River to public swimming for the very first time since 1923.
About the Seine River:
- Overview: it is a major waterway in northern France, flowing through some of the country’s most important cultural and economic regions.
- Length and Rank: It is approximately 777 km(483 miles) long, making it the second-longest river in France after the Loire.
- Source and Elevation: It originates from the Langres Plateau in the Burgundy region, near the town of Source-Seine, at an elevation of about 444–471 meters above sea level.
- Course Through France: It flows northwest, passing through regions such as Burgundy, Champagne, and Île-de-France, and cities like Troyes, Melun, Corbeil, and Paris.
- Path Through Paris: In Paris, the Seine winds through the city center for about 13 kilometers, forming the famous islands Île de la Cité and Île Saint-Louis.
- Tributaries: It is joined by several important tributaries, including the Marne, Yonne, Aube, and Oise rivers.
- Drainage Basin and Rainfall: Its drainage basin spans 76,000–79,000 square kilometers, receiving moderate rainfall of 650–750 mm annually, and covering much of northern France.
- Mouth and Termination: The river empties into the English Channel between Le Havre and Honfleur, on the Normandy coast.
- Economic Role: The Seine supports commercial navigation and shipping, especially through the ports of Rouen and Le Havre, and provides about 50% of Paris’s drinking water.
| [UPSC 2020] Consider the following pairs: River Flows into
1. Mekong Andaman Sea 2. Thames Irish Sea 3. Volga Caspian Sea 4. Zambezi Indian Ocean Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched? Options: (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 3 only (c) 3 and 4 only* (d) 1, 2 and 4 only |
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