Interested in Belgian rivers? Find out about the most important rivers flowing through Belgium in our geographical information guide.
The country of Belgium has a number of rivers and their tributaries flowing through its body. All except one of these rivers drain into the North Sea. On the other hand there are some major rivers running through a number of countries having tributaries running through Belgium.
The main rivers of Belgium are as follows:
The Muese
Originating from Le Chatelet sur Meuse in France the Muese River makes its way through the Belgium Dutch border in order to enter the country. Many railway and road bridges have been built over the Muese River as it flows through Belgium. A couple of ferry crossings have also been constructed on the river.
The Muese River holds an integral place in the domestic navigation in Belgium. It connects the people of the region to the upward industrial zones and is a busy waterway in Belgium.
The Rhine
Measuring a staggering 1,320 km the Rhine River is one of the longest rivers of Europe. It flows through Germany, France, Denmark, Italy and Belgium. This is by far one of the most important rivers for Belgium serving as an important waterway for cross country travel. It also plays an important defensive feature for Belgium and many castles and fortresses have been built on the river throughout history.
The Scheldt
This is another important river that makes its way through the Western region of Belgium. The same river touches parts of France and Netherlands as well. The Scheldt River originates from France and makes its way into Belgium from Tournai. It goes all the way down to Antwerp from where it makes its way into Netherlands and eventually drains into the North Sea.
The entire body of the river has been made navigable starting from its mouth in France. The second largest port of Europe lies on the river banks of this very river in the region of Antwerp in Belgium. Several canal channels connect the Scheldt River with the other major rivers of Belgium including the Meuse, Rhine and Seine. The river also makes its way through Brussels and other important industrial areas like Liege, Dunkirk, Lille and Mons.
The Seine
This is perhaps the most popular river of Belgium although it may not be the most important with regards to navigational purposes. It is more of a tourist attraction with lots of excursion boats and water sports facilities developed for tourists. Recreational boating spreads the entire length of this waterway and is even more popular in France. There are a number of bridges going over the Seine River in Belgium.
The Yser
This is another river that originates from France and makes its way through Belgium before draining into the North Sea. The Yser River enters Belgium from the town of Diksmuide. It exits the country from the town of Nieuwpoort from where it drains into the North Sea. The Belgians have made use of the Yser River as a tactical defense strategy as they deliberately flooded it during the First World War. This prevented Germany from entering into Belgium from Niewpoort.
