# Timok

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River in Serbia and Bulgaria

For other uses, see [Timok (disambiguation)](/source/Timok_(disambiguation)).

Timok Great Timok View of the Timok at Baley, Bulgaria Native name Тимок / Timok (Serbian) Тимок (Bulgarian) Timoc (Romanian) Location Countries Serbia Bulgaria Towns Serbia': Zaječar Brusnik Bulgaria: Bregovo Baley Physical characteristics Source Zaječar, Serbia • location Junction of the Beli Timok and the Crni Timok • coordinates 43°55′12″N 22°17′52″E / 43.92000°N 22.29778°E / 43.92000; 22.29778 Mouth Danube • location north of Bregovo, Bulgaria / east of Negotin, Serbia • coordinates 44°12′49″N 22°40′13″E / 44.21361°N 22.67028°E / 44.21361; 22.67028 Length 202 km (126 mi)[1] Basin size 4,626 km2 (1,786 sq mi)[2] Discharge • location mouth • average 31 m3/s (1,100 cu ft/s) Basin features Progression ‹See Tfd› Danube→ Black Sea Tributaries • left Crni Timok • right Beli Timok

The **Timok** ([Serbian](/source/Serbian_language) and [Bulgarian](/source/Bulgarian_language): Тимок, [Romanian](/source/Romanian_language): *Timoc*), sometimes also known as **Great Timok** ([Serbian](/source/Serbian_language): Велики Тимок / *Veliki Timok*, [Romanian](/source/Romanian_language): *Timocul Mare*), is a river in eastern [Serbia](/source/Serbia), a right tributary of the [Danube](/source/Danube). For the last 15 km of its run it forms a border between eastern Serbia and western [Bulgaria](/source/Bulgaria).

It is a branchy system of many shorter rivers, many of them having the same name (Timok), only clarified with adjectives. From the farthest source in the system, that of the [Svrljiški Timok](/source/Svrlji%C5%A1ki_Timok), until its confluence (as *Veliki Timok*), the Timok is 202 km long.[1] The area of the river basin is 4,626 km2 (1,786 sq mi).[2] Its average [discharge](/source/Discharge_(hydrology)) at the [mouth](/source/River_mouth) is 31 m3/s (1,100 cu ft/s).[3] The [Timok Valley](/source/Timok_Valley) is known for the most important Vlach population in Eastern Serbia.

Its name stems from antiquity, in [Latin](/source/Latin) it was known as *Timacus* and in [Ancient Greek](/source/Ancient_Greek) *Timachos*, Τίμαχος.[4]

This in turn comes from [Proto-Indo-European](/source/Proto-Indo-European_language) *tm̥Hes-, zero-grade of *témHes-, *témHos- (“darkness”), an s-stem from the root *temH- (“dark”), also present in the names of the [Thames](/source/Thames) and [Tamiš/Temes/Timiș](/source/Timi%C8%99), possibly with extension "-q" for water (present in Latin "aqua").

## Drainage system

The Timok, also named *Veliki Timok* to distinguish it from its tributaries, is formed by the confluence of the rivers [Beli Timok](/source/Beli_Timok) ("White Timok") and [Crni Timok](/source/Crni_Timok) ("Black Timok") at [Zaječar](/source/Zaje%C4%8Dar). The Beli Timok is formed by the confluence of the rivers [Svrljiški Timok](/source/Svrlji%C5%A1ki_Timok) ("[Svrljig](/source/Svrljig) Timok") and [Trgoviški Timok](/source/Trgovi%C5%A1ki_Timok) ("[Trgovište](/source/Trgovi%C5%A1te_(Knja%C5%BEevac)) Timok") at [Knjaževac](/source/Knja%C5%BEevac).

Tributaries of the Timok are [Duboki Dol](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Duboki_Dol_River&action=edit&redlink=1), [Beslarica](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Beslarica_River&action=edit&redlink=1), [Golami Dol](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Golami_Dol_River&action=edit&redlink=1), [Kijevska](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kijevska_River&action=edit&redlink=1), [Bračevicka](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bra%C4%8Devicka_River&action=edit&redlink=1), [Studena Voda](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Studena_Voda_River&action=edit&redlink=1), [Pivnica](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pivnica_River&action=edit&redlink=1) and [Eleshchev](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eleshchev_River&action=edit&redlink=1) from the right, and [Lipovička River](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lipovi%C4%8Dka_River&action=edit&redlink=1), [Crna reka](/source/Crni_Timok), [Jelašnička reka](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jela%C5%A1nica_River&action=edit&redlink=1), [Salaška reka](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sala%C5%A1_River&action=edit&redlink=1), [Ogašu Taba](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Oga%C5%A1u_Taba_River&action=edit&redlink=1), [Brusnički potok](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Brusni%C4%8Dki_River&action=edit&redlink=1), [Urovički potok](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Urovica_River&action=edit&redlink=1), [Plandište](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Plandi%C5%A1te_River&action=edit&redlink=1), and [Sikolska river](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sikolska_River&action=edit&redlink=1) from the left.

## Course

The Timok turns north-west after its formation at Zaječar, running next to the villages of [Vražogrnac](/source/Vra%C5%BEogrnac), Trnavac, Čokonjar, and [Brusnik](/source/Brusnik%2C_Zaje%C4%8Dar). Passing between the last two it leaves the [Timok Valley](/source/Timok_Valley) and enters the [Negotin Valley](/source/Negotin_Valley).

In the lower course the Timok has no major settlements on the Serbian side (though flowing only 7 km from [Negotin](/source/Negotin)). Some 15 km before it empties into the Danube as its right tributary, the Timok becomes a border river, passing next to the Bulgarian town of [Bregovo](/source/Bregovo) and the Bulgarian village of [Baley](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Baley,_Bulgaria&action=edit&redlink=1). The river's mouth represents the northernmost point of Bulgaria, and is only 28 m above sea level, which makes it the lowest point of Serbia. The average discharge is 24 m3/s, but it can grow to 40 m3/s, and the Timok is part of the [Black Sea](/source/Black_Sea) drainage basin. The main (right) tributaries in this section are *Crna reka*, *Salaška reka*, *Sikolska reka* and *Čubarska reka* (Cyrillic: Црна река, Салашка река, Сиколска река and Чубарска река).

## Cultural Impact

Apart from the Timok Valley, the Timok gave its name to the two tribes who lived on its banks, [Thracian](/source/Thracian) or Thraco-[Celtic](/source/Celts) [Timachi](/source/Timachi) in the I to III century common era, and [Slavonic](/source/Slavs) [Timočani](/source/Timo%C4%8Dani) in the VI to IX and to a rebellion against Serbian king [Milan Obrenović IV](/source/Milan_I_of_Serbia) in 1883, known as the [Timok Rebellion](/source/Timok_Rebellion).

## Economy and ecology

At [Čokonjar](/source/%C4%8Cokonjar), the *Sokolovica* power plant was constructed in 1947–1951. Opportunities for higher electricity production are not used.

The river has been greatly ecologically damaged in recent years by the [mining](/source/Mining) and [heavy metal](/source/Heavy_metals) [industry](/source/Industry_(economics)) in Bor and [Krivelj](/source/Krivelj) and is consequently polluting the Danube with [lead](/source/Lead), [copper](/source/Copper) and [cadmium](/source/Cadmium).

The river valley is a natural route for the road and railway [Niš](/source/Ni%C5%A1) - [Prahovo](/source/Prahovo).

## See also

- [Rivers in Serbia](/source/Rivers_in_Serbia)

- [Rivers in Bulgaria](/source/Rivers_in_Bulgaria)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Yearbook_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Yearbook_1-1) [*Statistical Yearbook of the Republic of Serbia 2017*](http://publikacije.stat.gov.rs/G2017/PdfE/G20172022.pdf) (PDF) (in Serbian and English). Belgrade: [Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia](/source/Statistical_Office_of_the_Republic_of_Serbia). October 2017. p. 16. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0354-4206](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0354-4206). Retrieved 30 May 2018.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ICPDR_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ICPDR_2-1) [Velika Morava River Basin](https://www.icpdr.org/main/sites/default/files/FAP12_Velika_Morava.pdf), [ICPDR](/source/International_Commission_for_the_Protection_of_the_Danube_River), November 2009, p. 2

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Danube_12_3-0)** ["Danube River Basin District, Part A - Roof Report"](https://www.icpdr.org/main/sites/default/files/Roof%20report%202003%20-%20Main%20document_FINAL.pdf) (PDF). [ICPDR](/source/International_Commission_for_the_Protection_of_the_Danube_River). April 2004. p. 12.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** The Cambridge Ancient History Vol. 10, John Boardman, p 579, 1996, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-521-85073-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-521-85073-5)

- *Mala Prosvetina Enciklopedija*, Third edition (1985); Prosveta; [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [86-07-00001-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/86-07-00001-2)

- Jovan Đ. Marković (1990): *Enciklopedijski geografski leksikon Jugoslavije*; Svjetlost-Sarajevo; [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [86-01-02651-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/86-01-02651-6)

## External links

Media related to [Timok](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Timok) at Wikimedia Commons

Authority control databases: National Czech Republic

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Timok](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timok) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timok?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.