地理漫步·世界地理英语30篇（3）

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莱茵河：欧洲的液态高速公路

Flowing 1,233 kilometers from the Swiss Alps to the North Sea, the Rhine carries more cargo than any other European river.
Barges transport coal, grain, chemicals, and cars—accounting for over 40% of inland freight in Germany and the Netherlands.
Treaties signed since 1815 have kept the Rhine open to all nations, making it a rare example of long-term transboundary cooperation.
After severe pollution in the 1980s, the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine cut industrial discharges by 90%.
Salmon returned to Basel in 2012 after a 130-year absence, thanks to fish ladders and restored gravel spawning beds.
Floodplains were reconnected near Cologne to absorb overflow during high-water events, reducing pressure on urban levees.
Wine-growing villages line its steep banks, where south-facing slopes and slate soils create ideal microclimates for Riesling.
GPS-enabled navigation systems now guide ships through narrow locks, minimizing delays caused by human error or weather.