The Kupa () or Kolpa ( or ; from in
Roman times; ) river, a right tributary of the
Sava
The Sava, is a river in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, a right-bank and the longest tributary of the Danube. From its source in Slovenia it flows through Croatia and along its border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and finally reac ...
, forms a natural border between north-west
Croatia
Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...
and southeast
Slovenia
Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south and southeast, and a short (46.6 km) coastline within the Adriati ...
. It is long, with a length of serving as the border between Croatia and Slovenia and the rest located in Croatia.
Etymology
The name ''Colapis'', recorded in
antiquity, is presumed to have come from the
Proto-Indo-European
Proto-Indo-European (PIE) is the reconstructed common ancestor of the Indo-European language family. No direct record of Proto-Indo-European exists; its proposed features have been derived by linguistic reconstruction from documented Indo-Euro ...
roots ''*quel-'' 'turn, meander' and ''*ap-'' 'water', meaning 'meandering water'. An alternative interpretation is ''*(s)kel-''/''*skul-'' 'shiny, bright', meaning 'clear river'.
Course

The Kupa originates in Croatia in the mountainous region of
Gorski Kotar, northeast of
Rijeka
Rijeka (;
Fiume ( �fjuːme in Italian and in Fiuman dialect, Fiuman Venetian) is the principal seaport and the List of cities and towns in Croatia, third-largest city in Croatia. It is located in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County on Kvarner Ba ...
, in the area of
Risnjak National Park. It flows a few kilometers eastwards, receives the small
Čabranka River from the left, before reaching the Slovenian border.
It then continues eastwards between the
White Carniola region in the north and
Central Croatia in the south. The Kupa receives influx from the river
Lahinja
The Lahinja is a river in White Carniola, the extreme southeastern part of Slovenia. It is long and originates from several karst springs at the end of a steephead valley between the villages of Knežina, Belčji Vrh, and Mali Nerajec.
In ...
from the left in
Primostek, passes
Vrbovsko, and eventually detaches from the Slovenian border having passed
Metlika.
It then reaches the city of
Karlovac
Karlovac () is a city in central Croatia. In the 2021 census, its population was 49,377.
Karlovac is the administrative centre of Karlovac County. The city is located southwest of Zagreb and northeast of Rijeka, and is connected to them via the ...
, where it receives influx from two other rivers from the right,
Dobra and
Korana (which in turn is joined by
Mrežnica). The Kupa continues flowing to the east, where it merges with
Glina from the right, it then passes through two small towns called Šišinec and Brkiševina, and then proceeds to the town of
Sisak where it merges with
Odra from the left and, after passing through Sisak town centre, flows into the Sava River.
Pollution
Fairly unpolluted downstream to Karlovac, the upper Kupa is a popular place for bathing in summer. The section from
Stari Trg down to
Fučkovci since 2006 is part of the Slovenian Krajinski park Kolpa nature reserve.
The hydrological parameters of the Kupa are regularly monitored at
Radenci,
Kamanje,
Karlovac
Karlovac () is a city in central Croatia. In the 2021 census, its population was 49,377.
Karlovac is the administrative centre of Karlovac County. The city is located southwest of Zagreb and northeast of Rijeka, and is connected to them via the ...
,
Jamnička Kiselica and
Farkašić.
History
In 1899, the notary of
Brod, M. Pavelić, set out to excavate an easier path down to the source of the Kupa.
Gallery
Izvor rijeke Kupe.jpg, Main spring.
Izvor Kupe (9).jpg, Source canyon.
Valley of Kolpa river (49511580216).jpg, From ''Sodevska stena''.
Kupa-lauf.JPG, At Ozalj.
Kupa River from Šišinec .jpg, In Šišinec.
See also
*
Slovenian border barrier
References
Sources
*
Further reading
*
* Republished as
Biology
*
*
Ecology
*
Geology
*
External links
source of Kupa picturesAwarded "EDEN - European Destinations of Excellence" non traditional tourist destination 2010
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kupa (River)
Rivers of Croatia
Rivers of White Carniola
International rivers of Europe
Croatia–Slovenia border
Border rivers
Natura 2000 in Slovenia
Landforms of Karlovac County