Northern Dvina River

Coordinates: 64°32′00″N 40°29′00″E / 64.53333°N 40.48333°E / 64.53333; 40.48333

The Northern Dvina (Russian: Се́верная Двина́, IPA: [ˈsʲevʲɪrnəjə dvʲɪˈna]; Komi: Вы́нва / Výnva, Finnish: Vienanjoki) is a river in northern Russia flowing through the Vologda Oblast and Arkhangelsk Oblast into the Dvina Bay of the White Sea. Along with the Pechora River to the east, it drains most of Northwest Russia into the Arctic Ocean. It should not be confused with Western Dvina.

The principal tributaries of the Northern Dvina are the Vychegda (right), the Vaga (left), and the Pinega (right).

Etymology

According to the Max Vasmer's Etymological Dictionary, the name of the river has been taken from the Western Dvina River. The toponym Dvina does not stem from a Uralic language; however, its origin is unclear. Possibly it is an Indo-European word which used to mean river or stream.

In the Komi language, the river is called Вы́нва / Výnva from vyn "power" and va "water, river" hence "powerful river".