Pärnu

Pärnu is an Estonian river. It empties into Pärnu Bay, a tributary of the Riga Gulf. With a basin size of 6,920 km2 and an average discharge of 64.4 m3/s, it is one of Estonia's longest rivers at 144 km.

With a length of 144 kilometers (89 miles), the Pärnu is Estonia's second longest river, and one of just ten rivers in the country that exceed 100 kilometers (62 mi).

It has a catchment area of 6,920 square kilometers (2,670 square miles), accounting for about one-sixth of Estonia's landmass and being one of only 15 catchment regions of Estonian rivers that exceed 1,000 square kilometers (390 sq mi). Its main tributaries join the river from the upland of Sakala, and its sources are in the karst upland of Pandivere in north-eastern Estonia. The river Pärnu crosses through most of Estonia's landscape types due to its length. Agriculture dominates the river's environs, and its higher portions in Järva County are regarded some of Estonia's most fertile land. The river flows through forests and wetlands in the area near Paide town. The river empties into Pärnu Bay, and the city of Pärnu is located where the river meets the sea.

The river's catchment region is mostly made up of Lower Silurian deposits to the north of the river from the sea to where it joins with the Navesti, and Middle Devonian deposits to the south of this line. Sandstone outcroppings, rocks, and caverns along the river near Tori. In its northern and eastern reaches, the river runs over a thin layer of dirt (ranging from 5 meters [16 feet] to as little as 1 meter [3.3 feet]), whereas closer to the sea, the topsoil can be as deep as 60 meters (200 ft)

On the banks of the Pärnu River are the cities of Pärnu, Paide, Tori, and Türi.

The river has long been a focal point for human activity in the area; the oldest found settlement in Estonia, in the town of Sindi, was discovered beside the river and dated to around 7,500 BC.

Length: 144 km (89 mi)