Which European country contains most of the Danube Delta?

Romania contains most of the Danube Delta, while a smaller northern section lies in Ukraine.

The delta forms where the Danube, Europe’s second-longest river, reaches the Black Sea. Its channels divide into three principal branches—the Chilia, Sulina, and Sfântu Gheorghe—creating an intricate landscape of reed beds, lakes, sandbanks, and waterways. The Romanian portion is chiefly in Tulcea County; Ukraine’s share lies in Odesa Oblast.

The delta is one of Europe’s great wetland ecosystems and a major refuge for waterbirds, fish, and other wildlife. The Romanian delta became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991, and the wider cross-border biosphere reserve was recognized under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere programme in 1998.

Readers sometimes assume that a transboundary river feature must be evenly divided between countries. Here, Romania holds the overwhelming majority of the delta, while Ukraine controls the northern edge and part of the Chilia branch. The nearby city of Tulcea is a principal gateway to the Romanian delta.