The Danube Delta is the best preserved river delta in Europe and is scenically particularly attractive. This is where the Danube divides into three main and countless side branches before finally flowing into the Black Sea. This ecosystem covers an area of 5,000 km² (2,000 mi²) and is Europe’s largest wetlands and the largest continuous stretch of reed beds on earth. The Danube Delta provides a habitat for more than 5,000 species of plants and animals, mainly due to its scenic diversity: floating islands, lakes and original floodplain forests alternate with extremely arid areas and sand dunes, which explains the particularly wide range of flora and fauna. Ships have no difficulty navigating the delta as far as ‘Kilometre 0’, the Danube‘s first kilometre marker and the point at which the river, after its long journey right across Europe, flows into the Black Sea.