View source for Timok

{{Short description|River in Serbia and Bulgaria}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Infobox river
| name               = Timok
| native_name        = {{native name list |tag1=sr|name1={{lang|sr-Cyrl|Тимок}} / {{lang|sr-Latn|Timok}} |tag2=bg|name2=Тимок |tag3=ro|name3=Timoc}}
| name_other         = Great Timok
| name_etymology     = 
<!---------------------- IMAGE & MAP -->
| image              = April2003 (22) Timok.JPG
| image_size         = 250px
| image_caption      = View of the Timok at [[Baley, Bulgaria|Baley]], Bulgaria
| map                = 
| map_size           = 
| map_caption        = 
| pushpin_map        = 
| pushpin_map_size   = 
| pushpin_map_caption= 
<!---------------------- LOCATION -->
| subdivision_type1  = Country
| subdivision_name1  = [[Serbia]], [[Bulgaria]]
| subdivision_type2  = 
| subdivision_name2  = 
| subdivision_type3  = 
| subdivision_name3  = 
| subdivision_type4  = 
| subdivision_name4  = 
| subdivision_type5  = City
| subdivision_name5  = Serbia: [[Zaječar]], [[Brusnik, Zaječar|Brusnik]]<br>Bulgaria:  [[Bregovo]], [[Baley, Bulgaria|Baley]]
<!---------------------- PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS -->
| length_km          = 202
| length_ref = <ref name="Yearbook"/>
| width_min          = 
| width_avg          = 
| width_max          = 
| depth_min          = 
| depth_avg          = 
| depth_max          = 
| discharge1_location= [[River mouth|mouth]]
| discharge1_min     = 
| discharge1_avg     = {{convert|31|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}
| discharge1_max     = 
<!---------------------- BASIN FEATURES -->
| source1            = [[Zaječar]], Serbia
| source1_location   = Junction of the [[Beli Timok]] and the [[Crni Timok]]
| source1_coordinates= {{coord|43|55|12|N|22|17|52|E|display=inline}}
| source1_elevation  = 
| mouth              = [[Danube]]
| mouth_location     = north of [[Bregovo]], Bulgaria / east of [[Negotin]], Serbia
| mouth_coordinates  = {{coord|44|12|49|N|22|40|13|E|display=inline,title}}
| mouth_elevation    = 
| progression        = {{RDanube}}
| river_system       = 
| basin_size_km2     = 4626
| basin_size_ref = <ref name=ICPDR />
| tributaries_left   = [[Crni Timok]]
| tributaries_right  = [[Beli Timok]]
| custom_label       = 
| custom_data        = 
| extra              = 
}}

The '''Timok''' ([[Serbian language|Serbian]] and [[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]]: Тимок; {{langx|ro|Timoc}}), sometimes also known as '''Great Timok''' ({{langx|sr|Велики Тимок|Veliki Timok}}; {{langx|ro|Timocul Mare}}), is a river in eastern [[Serbia]], a right tributary of the [[Danube]]. For the last 15&nbsp;km of its run it forms a border between eastern Serbia and western [[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]], until its confluence (as ''Veliki Timok''), the Timok is 202&nbsp;km long.<ref name="Yearbook">{{Serbia Yearbook 2017|pages=16}}</ref> The area of the river basin is {{convert|4626|km2|abbr=on}}.<ref name=ICPDR>[https://www.icpdr.org/main/sites/default/files/FAP12_Velika_Morava.pdf Velika Morava River Basin], [[International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River|ICPDR]], November 2009, p. 2</ref> Its average [[discharge (hydrology)|discharge]] at the [[River mouth|mouth]] is {{cvt|31|m3/s}}.{{GeoSource|Danube||12}} The [[Timok Valley]] is known for the most important Vlach population in Eastern Serbia.

Its name stems from antiquity, in [[Latin]] it was known as ''Timacus'' and in [[Ancient Greek]] ''Timachos'', Τίμαχος.<ref>The Cambridge Ancient History Vol. 10, John Boardman, p 579, 1996, {{ISBN|978-0-521-85073-5}}</ref> 

This in turn comes from [[Proto-Indo-European language|Proto-Indo-European]] *tm̥Hes-, zero-grade of *témHes-, *témHos- (“darkness”), an s-stem from the root *temH- (“dark”), also present in the names of the [[Thames]] and [[Timiș|Tamiš/Temes/Timiș]], 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]] ("White Timok") and [[Crni Timok]] ("Black Timok") at [[Zaječar]]. The Beli Timok is formed by the confluence of the rivers [[Svrljiški Timok]] ("[[Svrljig]] Timok") and [[Trgoviški Timok]] ("[[Trgovište (Knjaževac)|Trgovište]] Timok") at [[Knjaževac]].

Tributaries of the Timok are [[Duboki Dol River|Duboki Dol]], [[Beslarica River|Beslarica]], [[Golami Dol River|Golami Dol]], [[Kijevska River|Kijevska]], [[Bračevicka River|Bračevicka]], [[Studena Voda River|Studena Voda]], [[Pivnica River|Pivnica]] and [[Eleshchev River|Eleshchev]] from the right, and [[Lipovička River]], [[Crni Timok|Crna reka]], [[Jelašnica River|Jelašnička reka]], [[Salaš River|Salaška reka]], [[Ogašu Taba River|Ogašu Taba]], [[Brusnički River|Brusnički potok]], [[Urovica River|Urovički potok]], [[Plandište River|Plandište]], and [[Sikolska River|Sikolska river]] from the left.

== Course ==

The Timok turns north-west after its formation at Zaječar, running next to the villages of [[Vražogrnac]], Trnavac, Čokonjar, and [[Brusnik, Zaječar|Brusnik]]. Passing between the last two it leaves the [[Timok Valley]] and enters the [[Negotin Valley]].

In the lower course the Timok has no major settlements on the Serbian side (though flowing only 7&nbsp;km from [[Negotin]]). Some 15&nbsp;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]] and the Bulgarian village of [[Baley, Bulgaria|Baley]]. 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 m<sup>3</sup>/s, but it can grow to 40 m<sup>3</sup>/s, and the Timok is part of the [[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]] or Thraco-[[Celts|Celtic]] [[Timachi]] in the I to III century common era, and [[Slavs|Slavonic]] [[Timočani]] in the VI to IX and to a rebellion against Serbian king [[Milan I of Serbia|Milan Obrenović IV]] in 1883, known as the [[Timok Rebellion]].

== Economy and ecology ==

At [[Čokonjar]], 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]] and [[Heavy metals|heavy metal]] [[Industry (economics)|industry]] in Bor and [[Krivelj]] and is consequently polluting the Danube with [[lead]], [[copper]] and [[cadmium]].

The river valley is a natural route for the road and railway [[Niš]] - [[Prahovo]].

== See also ==
* [[Rivers in Serbia]]
* [[Rivers in Bulgaria]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
* ''Mala Prosvetina Enciklopedija'', Third edition (1985); Prosveta; {{ISBN|86-07-00001-2}}
* Jovan Đ. Marković (1990): ''Enciklopedijski geografski leksikon Jugoslavije''; Svjetlost-Sarajevo; {{ISBN|86-01-02651-6}}

==External links==
{{commons category-inline|Timok}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Rivers of Serbia]]
[[Category:Timok Valley]]
[[Category:Nišava District]]
[[Category:Zaječar District]]
[[Category:Bor District]]
[[Category:Rivers of Bulgaria]]
[[Category:Landforms of Vidin Province]]
[[Category:International rivers of Europe]]
[[Category:Bulgaria–Serbia border]]
[[Category:Lowest points of countries]]