Thames River facts | A river rich in story

The Thames River, which flows through a big city, is one of the cleanest in the world now. About 60 years ago, nothing could live in it, and scientists even said it was "biologically dead." But thanks to improvements in London's sewage system in the late 1960s, it's much cleaner today, although plastic waste is still a big problem.

There are around 125 different types of fish living in the Thames today, like shads, salmon, and eels. Sometimes, you might even spot seals, porpoises, or a rare northern bottlenose whale, like the one seen in 2006.

Long ago, during winter, the Thames used to freeze over, and people held Frost Fairs on the ice between 1608 and 1814. It was like a winter festival with food, drinks, sports, and even an elephant once walked across the frozen river!

The River Thames is the longest river in England, stretching 215 miles (346 km). It's divided into two parts: tidal and non-tidal. The tidal section, affected by tides from the North Sea, goes for 68 miles (109 km), and the non-tidal part is 147 miles (237 km) long.

Even though the Thames looks brown, after it's treated and cleaned, it provides about two-thirds of London's drinking water. So if you live in London, chances are you've had water from the Thames!

The oldest boat race in the world is Doggett’s Coat and Badge, which started in 1715. It's a rowing race for watermen and lightermen. Due to the pandemic, it had to be postponed for only the second time in over 300 years, from 2020 to 2021.

There are over 200 bridges crossing the Thames, from small wooden footbridges to grand ones like Tower Bridge. They make traveling along the Thames easier.

In 1251, King Henry III received a polar bear as a gift from the King of Norway, which he kept at the Tower of London. On hot days, the bear would swim in the Thames to cool off!

The Thames Path is a trail that follows the river for about 184 miles (296 km), making it the longest river walk in Europe. It goes from Gloucestershire to the Thames Barrier in London.

The Thames Barrier, built in 1982, is London's main defense against floods from high tides. It's the second largest flood barrier in the world, after one in the Netherlands. You can see this impressive structure on a river cruise during the summer.