15 February: The River Danube

This date in 1867 Johann Strauss' Blue Danube Waltz was played for the first time at a concert in Vienna. 10 things you might not know about The River Danube.

1. It is 1,770 miles/2,850 km long, making it the second longest river in Europe after the Volga, and the longest river in the European Union.
2. It flows through ten countries: Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova and Ukraine. Four capital cities are on its banks: Bratislava, Budapest, Belgrade and Vienna, which is the most populous city on the Danube.
3. The river begins as two small streams which join together to become the Danube in Donaueschingen, Germany. A stone statue stands at the spot where they join to symbolise the start of the Danube.
4. The Danube connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Black Sea, making it one of Europe’s most important shipping routes, capable of accommodating large shipping vessels.
5. Just before the Danube pours into the Black Sea, it splits into three branches, the Chilia, Sulina, and Sfântu Gheorghe.
6. The Danube has 133 Bridges crossing it.
7. Along its course, the Danube is a source of drinking Water for about 20 million people. The river gathers waters from more than 300 tributaries, which between them have more than 700 dams.
8. The river’s name derives from 'danu' or 'don', which are names of Celtic gods. It has had several names through ancient history. The ancient Greeks called it the Istros, meaning 'strong, swift'; the Thraco-Phrygian name was Matoas, meaning ‘bringer of luck’; the Romans called it Danubius, Danuvius, Ister or Hister.
9. There are several sunken ships underneath its waters. In 1944, the Germans scuttled hundreds of ships in the Danube to avoid capture by the Soviet Union. You can see them when the water level is low.
10. The Danube figures prominently in the Bulgarian National Anthem, although the country which has the biggest portion of the river running through it is Romania (29%).

Character birthday

Exo-Force, power armour wearer who is a member of Combat Team Gamma. Born in Jamaica, Joel Campbell came to England to university on a scholarship from Hyperion Engineering. After university he worked for Hyperion on a machine for drilling holes under the sea for oil rigs. As a sideline, he invented a suit of power armour which was watertight, airtight and could withstand the pressure of the deep ocean. He mentioned his project to his supervisor, who persuaded him to adapt it for use in the Combat Team Programme.