Świna
River in Poland / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Świna (German: Swine; Pomeranian: Swina) is a channel in northwest Poland, between 2 and 4 km (1.2 and 2.5 miles) from the German border. It connects the Szczecin Lagoon with the Baltic Sea separating the islands of Uznam (German: Usedom) and Wolin (German: Wollin). It is a part of the Oder estuary, and carries about 75% of that river's waterflow (of the remainder, Peenestrom carries 15% and Dziwna 10%). It has a length of about 16 km (9.9 miles). Świnoujście is a major town at the end of the channel towards the Baltic Sea.
Świna | |
---|---|
Location | |
Country | Poland |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• location | Szczecin Lagoon |
Mouth | |
• location | Baltic Sea |
• coordinates | 53°55′21″N 14°16′52″E |
Length | 16 km (9.9 mi) |
The German Empire dammed and deepened the straits from 1874-1880 to create the Kaiserfahrt (Piast canal).[1] It connects the northern part of the Świna directly with the Szczecin Lagoon and the Pomeranian harbor of Szczecin (Stettin). The straits thus gained importance as a direct waterway to the industrial city. The territory along the straits' path was transferred from Germany to Poland following World War II.