The Danube is a key element in Europe's river system. All other big European rivers flow to the north, south or west. However, the Danube flows to the east and there is no other river in the world which is shared by so many nations.

    Bulgaria lies on the lower course of the Danube which spans 1113km from the Cataracts to the amazing 4300-square-kilometre delta where the turbulent waters come to a still.

    The river is Bulgaria's northern border. Rousse is the largest Bulgarian city on the Danube. The port is one of the largest in the lower course of the Danube, with modern facilities and a container terminal which most of the year can be approached by ships that can move as deep as 5.5 m. The Bridge continues to be the main way as it is the shortest railway connecting the north European countries and the Near East. The bridge is 2.8 km long and is suspended 30 m. above the water on two levels: for the trains and for the other vehicles. The middle part can go up and let larger ships pass under it. For many years the bridge was considered the major construction on the Danube. It is spanned between Rousse and Giurgiu in Romania.