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The Ob is a major river in Russia, located in western Siberia. Together with its tributary, the Irtysh, it forms the world's seventh-longest river system, stretching over 5,410 kilometres (3,360 miles). The river begins where the Biya and Katun rivers meet, both of which start in the Altai Mountains. It is one of three large Siberian rivers that flow into the Arctic Ocean, along with the Yenisei and the Lena.

The Ob flows first toward the northwest and then turns northward. The largest city along its banks is Novosibirsk, which is not only the biggest city in Siberia but also the third-largest city in all of Russia. The famous Trans-Siberian Railway crosses the river at this city.

The water from the Ob eventually reaches the Gulf of Ob, which is the longest estuary in the world.

Names

The river is called Ob in Russian, and this name might come from an old word meaning "river" or "water." Different groups of people who lived near the river had their own names for it. The Khanty people called it As, the Nenets people called it Kolta or Kuay, and the Siberian Tatars called it Umar or Omass.

Geography

Map including the mouth of the Ob River

The Ob River begins 25 km (16 mi) southwest of Biysk in Altai Krai where the Biya and Katun rivers meet. Both the Biya and Katun start in the Altai Mountains. The Ob River flows through Russia and has many tributaries that come from nearby countries such as Kazakhstan, a small part of China, and a tiny area of Mongolia.

The Ob River meets the large Irtysh river, which starts in China. Together, the Ob and Irtysh form a very long river system. The Ob winds west and north before turning northwest and then east, finally flowing into the Gulf of Ob, a big bay of the Kara Sea. The land around the Ob includes grassy areas, forests, swamps, tundra, and dry lands. In the winter, parts of the Ob freeze from November to April or even June.

Human use

The Ob River in Barnaul

The Ob River is very useful for people. It helps with farming by giving water, provides clean drinking water, makes electricity, and is full of many kinds of fish.

People have used the Ob for travel for a long time. Before trains were built, boats were the main way to move things across the land. Even today, the river helps connect towns and cities that trains cannot reach.

Pollution

The Ob river has faced more pollution since the middle of the 1900s.

The area around the Ob has many oil fields and oil and gas facilities, which add harmful substances to the river. In some parts, there is ten times more oil-related material than allowed, and the water has much less oxygen than it should. Studies have found that the river contains harmful chemicals like phenols, hydrocarbons, iron, manganese, copper, and phosphate from both natural and human activities.

Tributaries

The Irtysh is the main tributary of the Ob River. Other big tributaries join the Ob along its path.

Smaller rivers that flow into the Ob include the Pemboy, the Nadym, the Pur River, and the Taz.

from the left	from the right
Katun Peschanaya Anuy Charysh Aley Barnaulka Kasmala Shegarka Chaya Parabel Vasyugan Bolshoy Yugan Bolshoy Salym Irtysh Severnaya Sosva Shchuchya Synya Sob	Bolshaya Rechka Biya Chumysh Berd Inya Tom Chulym Ket Tym Kievsky Yogan Vakh Vatinsky Yogan Tromyogan Pim Lyamin Kazym Poluy

Cities

Some cities are found along the Ob River. These include Barnaul, Kamen-na-Obi, and Novosibirsk, which is Russia's third largest city and the biggest city in Siberia. Other cities along the river are Kolpashevo, Langepas, Megion, Nizhnevartovsk, Surgut, Khanty-Mansiysk, Beryozovo, Labytnangi, and Salekhard.