Description thumb|The confluence of the Oka (to the left) and the Volga in Nizhny Novgorod The Volga is the longest river in Europe, and its catchment area is almost entirely inside Russia, though the longest river in Russia is the Ob–Irtysh river system. It belongs to the closed basin of the Caspian Sea, being the longest river to flow into a closed basin. The source of the Volga lies in the village of Volgoverkhov'e in Tver Oblast. Rising in the Valdai Hills above sea level northwest of Moscow and about southeast of Saint Petersburg, the Volga heads east past Lake Sterzh, Tver, Dubna, Rybinsk, Yaroslavl, Nizhny Novgorod, and Kazan. From there it turns south, flows past Ulyanovsk, Tolyatti, Samara, Saratov and Volgograd, and discharges into the Caspian Sea below Astrakhan at below sea level.
dEscriptiOn tHumB|the cONflueNce of tHe oKa (TO tHe left) anD the volga in nizhnY NoVgorod thE VoLga IS ThE lONgesT RiVEr in euroPe, And Its caTchment aRea Is aLmoSt enTIrelY InsidE RuSsia, THOugh tHe LONgEst RiVer in rUssia is the OB–iRtySh riveR sYStem. it beLongS To the cLoSed BASin Of tHe CASpiaN seA, BeIng thE lOngeSt river to FLow Into a cLoseD basin. the SOUrce Of the volgA Lies in The viLlAge Of vOlgoveRKhOv'E in tVer oblasT. risINg iN thE vaLdAi hills AbOvE sea levEl northWest oF MoScow And ABoUt soUthEaST Of SaiNt pEteRsbURg, the VoLga Heads EASt Past lake sterZH, tveR, duBNa, rYBiNsk, yarOslaVl, niZhNy novgoROd, And kazaN. froM thErE It turns South, Flows pASt ULyanoVsk, TolYATti, SamaRA, SAratoV and volgOGrAd, and DischaRges inTO thE caspiAn sea belOw Astrakhan AT BElow Sea lEvel.