Rhine

Don’t expect a new Silicon Valley to pop up on the Rhine, the Seine or the Thames any time soon.

During this period, the Thames was still connected to the Rhine - Germany's longest river - which today empties into the North Sea.

The country is essentially a large delta crossed by three major rivers, the Rhine, Schelde, and Maas, that flow into the unpredictable North Sea.

The Upper Rhine Graben serves as a vital record of ancient climate conditions.

The heatwave lowered levels in the Rhine River - a major shipping route - limiting the amount cargo ships can transport and raising freighting costs.