The Rhine is Western Europe's biggest river. It begins at the foot of a glacier in the Swiss Alps and then flows through Switzerland to the Schaffhausen Falls.

After the falls near Basel, the Rhine is used as the border between Germany and France. From Basel to the sea it is navigable by large barges of 1200t. The video shows some of them in the Rhine Gorge.

The Rhine is very fast-flowing between Basel and Mainz, and so a canal has been built beside the river. The locks and barrages along this stretch generate hydro-electric power as well as allowing barges to reach Basel.

At Mainz the Rhine is joined by the Main. Frankfurt is the large city near the junction of the rivers. Then the Rhine flows through a big range of high hills called the Middle Rhine Highlands. Here it cuts a gorge and flows very quickly. There is no room to build a canal in this stretch, so the barges have to go full power upriver, and even then they make only a couple of knots of speed. Beside the river are the railway and road. The Rhine Gorge is one of the biggest natural tourist attractions in Europe.

At Koblenz the Rhine is joined by its biggest tributary, the Mosel. From here the Rhine flows through lowland countryside, and there are many cities and lots of industry. The most famous city of this area is Cologne.

The Rhine then flows out of Germany and enters the Netherlands for its final journey to the North Sea. Much of the Netherlands is built on the Rhine delta, and here there are many flood-protection walls (dykes) because much of the land is close to sea level. Rotterdam is the big city at the mouth of the Rhine.