Sava
river in Southeast Europe
The Sava is a river in 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 reaches Serbia, feeding into the Danube in its capital, Belgrade.
The Sava is 990 kilometres (615 miles) long, including the 45-kilometre (28 mi) Sava Dolinka headwater rising in Zelenci, Slovenia. It is the largest tributary of the Danube by volume of water, and the second-largest after the Tisza in terms of catchment area (97713km²) and length. It drains a significant portion of the Dinaric Alps region, through the major tributaries of Drina, Bosna, Kupa, Una, Vrbas, Lonja, Kolubara, Bosut and Krka. The Sava is one of the longest rivers in Europe and among the longest tributaries of another river.
The population in the Sava River basin is estimated at 8,176,000, and is shared by three capital cities: Ljubljana, Zagreb and Belgrade. The Sava is about 2⁄3-navigable for larger vessels: from the confluence of the Kupa in Sisak a few kilometers below Zagreb.
Etymology
The name is believed to be derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *sewh1- 'to press, push (forth); to take liquid, water' (whence the English word sup) and the ending *eh2, so that it literally means 'that which waters [the ground]'. The ancient Greeks called it Saos (Ancient Greek: Σάος).
The public source identifies “Sava” as river in Southeast Europe. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Sava, river and Southeast.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Sava”, the useful work is to connect “river in Southeast Europe” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Maps, plans, fabric surveys and administrative records can establish how the site’s name, extent and function changed over time. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 12, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q14383. VIAF identifies the subject as 110144647643939724008. Authority coordinates are 46.344, 14.155. 3 of 4 selected statements include explicit references; 3 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank.
A single description cannot reconcile every naming convention, rebuilding phase or administrative transfer associated with a place. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
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Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
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Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
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This entry incorporates text from “Sava” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.