The Rhine originates at the Rheinwaldhorn Glacier in the Swiss Alps. It ultimately runs through six countries -- Switzerland, the Principality of Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, France and the Netherlands, before flowing into the North Sea at Rotterdam.
The Rhine is one of the longest rivers to flow through the continent of Europe. According to the website Roll, the Rhine is approximately 1,320 km in length. This is equal to 820 miles.
The length of the Rhine became the subject of debate as of March 2010. According to German website The Local, despite modern-day references listing the Rhine as having a length of 1,320 km, Bruno Kremer -- a biologist at University of Cologne -- has questioned this figure. For the first half of the century, the Rhine was in fact listed as being 1,230 km in length, but around 1930, Kremer believes ther the figure was confused and the length changed to 1,320 km. Kremer's personal measurements came to approximately 1,232 km. While it is yet to be officially confirmed, The Local claims the likes of the Rhine Museum in Koblenz have changed their figures since these findings.
