Kama (river)

{{Short description|River in Russia; Volga tributary}}

{{for-multi|the river in Afghanistan historically known as the Kama|Kunar River|the river in Tibet|Kama Chu}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2013}}

{{more citations needed|date=January 2014}}

{{Infobox river

| name = Kama

| native_name = {{native name|ru|Кама}}

| image = Perm asv2019-05 img23 Kama River.jpg

| image_caption = The Kama River in the city of Perm

| map = Kamarivermap.png

| map_size =

| map_caption = Map of the Volga's watershed with the Kama's watershed highlighted

| mapframe = yes

| mapframe-zoom = 4

| source1 = Kama (river)

| source1_location = Kuliga, Udmurtia

| source1_coordinates = {{Coord|58.189|53.750|format=dms|display=i}}

| source1_elevation = {{convert|360|m|ft|abbr=on}}

| mouth = Volga River

| mouth_location = Kamsko-Ustyinsky District, Tatarstan

| mouth_coordinates = {{Coord|55|21|50|N|49|59|52|E|type:waterbody_region:RU|display=it}}

| mouth_elevation = {{convert|45|m|ft|abbr=on}}

| subdivision_type1 = Country

| subdivision_name1 = Russia

| length = {{convert|1,805|km|mi|abbr=on}}

| discharge1_avg = {{convert|4,100|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}
{{convert|4,320|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}

| basin_size = {{convert|507,000|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}

| progression = {{RVolga}}

| extra =

}}

The Kama ({{IPAc-en|UK|ˈ|k|æ|m|ə}} {{respell|KA-mə}}, {{IPAc-en|US|ˈ|k|ɑː|m|ə}} {{respell|KAH-mə}}; {{langx|ru|Кама}} {{IPA|ru|ˈkamə|}}; {{langx|udm|Кам}}), also known as the Chulman ({{IPAc-en|tʃ|uː|l|ˈ|m|ɑː|n}} {{respell|chool-MAHN}}; {{langx|tt|Чулман / Çulman}} {{IPA|tt|tɕuɫˈmɑn|}}), is a {{convert|1805|km|mi|adj=on}} long{{cite web|url= http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/Kama-River|title= Definition of Kama River in English|work= Oxford Dictionaries|publisher= Oxford University Press|access-date= 11 January 2014|archive-date= March 8, 2016|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160308204515/http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/kama-river|url-status= dead}}[http://textual.ru/gvr/index.php?card=179751 «Река КАМА»], Russian State Water Registry river in Russia. It has a drainage basin of {{convert|507000|km2}}. It is the longest left tributary of the Volga and the largest one in discharge. At their confluence, in fact, the Kama is even larger in terms of discharge than the Volga.

It starts in the Udmurt Republic, near Kuliga, flowing northwest for {{convert|200|km|mi}}, turning northeast near Loyno for another {{convert|200|km|mi}}, then turning south and west in Perm Krai, flowing again through the Udmurt Republic and then through the Republic of Tatarstan, where it meets the Volga south of Kazan.

Before the advent of railroads, important portages connected the Kama with the basins of the Northern Dvina and the Pechora. In the early 19th-century the Northern Ekaterininsky Canal connected the upper Kama with the Vychegda River (a tributary of the Northern Dvina), but was mostly abandoned after just a few years due to low use.

The Kama featured in the 2013 Russian film The Geographer Drank His Globe Away, in the climactic rapids scene.