The Ems River
Ems River, a river in northwestern Germany. It begins in the Teutoburgerwald and flows generally northward for about 210 miles (338 km), emptying into the North Sea at the Dutch border. Near the river's broad mouth is Emden, the largest city and chief port on the river. Cities upstream include Leer, Meppen, Lingen, and Rheine. The Ems is linked to several canals, including the Kusten, Dortmund-Ems, and Mittelland, and provides an all-German shipping route from the Ruhr district to the North Sea.