Longest Rivers of the World

Here’s taking a look at the top 10 longest rivers in the world, starting from the river Nile to the Amur River. We would understand the source of a river, i.e. the origin of the river and its location at the mouth of where the river meets the sea. Since there cannot be an accurate way to measure these, they can only provide a fairly accurate estimation of both while measuring rivers.

Nile River

It is the longest river in the world, spanning a length of 6,650 Km. The river flows through countries such as South Sudan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, and Uganda. Known as the father of African rivers, it flows from the centre to the northeast portion of Africa. The river drains itself into the Mediterranean Sea. It supports efficient cultivation alongside the banks, thus making it an important river in Africa.

Amazon River

The Amazon River is around 6,575 Km long and flows through countries such as Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Columbia, Venezuela, and Guyana. It is known as the second-longest river in the world, and it starts from the high Andes mountains in the east of South America. It also flows through the biggest rainforest in the world. The river flows into the Atlantic Ocean.

Yangtze River

It is the longest river in China, covering a length of 6,300 Km. It is also the longest river in Asia and flows only in China. It is also called Chang Jiang, Da Jiang, and Jiang. It originates in the Tibetan plateau and drains itself into the East China Sea. Most of the river flows through the valleys of the mountains, after which it drains into the mouth of the East China Sea. It provides water for one-third of the population of China alone.

Mississippi River

This river flows through the U.S. and Canada and is around 5,970 Km long. The source of the river is Lake Itasca. It is home to a lot of wildlife and is home to around 40% of the annual waterfowl in the U.S. There are over 145 species of reptiles and amphibians residing in and near the river.

Yenisei River

It is the fifth-longest river in the world and runs across the countries of Mongolia and Russia. It is also known as the largest river which drains itself in the Arctic. The source of this river is in Mongolia, and it empties itself in Siberia, flowing northward towards the Kara Sea.

Yellow River

The second-longest river in China, the yellow river, has an estimated length of around 5,464 Km, and it originates from the mountains of Qinghai province in western China. It drains itself into the Bohai Sea. It is the birthplace of the ancient civilisation of the Chinese and is one of the most flooded rivers in the world.

Ob Irtysh River

The Ob River is the longest in Russia. It stretches across all of western Siberia and is utilised extensively for the transportation of goods and people. The river is frozen for around half of the year.

Río de la Plata

Even though the river is just 290 Km long, along with the Rio Grande and the Paraná, the river measures around 4,880 Km long. It is known as the widest river in the world. The shoreline of the river running in Argentina and Uruguay is densely populated and flows through both the country’s capital cities.

Congo River

It is the second-longest river in Africa and is considered the most mysterious river in the world. This river is considered essential for restoring the ecological health of the globe. It drains itself into the Atlantic Ocean and is home to diverse wildlife.

Amur River

The Amur River runs from the extreme eastern borders of Russia and the northeastern borders of China, covering a distance of 2,824 Km. In China, it is known as the Heilong Jiang, which means black dragon river. It runs from the monsoon rains and is responsible for several floods throughout the year.

Conclusion

The length of the river is measured from the origin of the river to the point where the river drains itself into the sea. The Nile is the longest river in the world, and it flows through most African countries. The Amazon River is the longest river that runs through the Amazon rainforest. Yangtze River on the other hand, is the longest river in China and also the longest river in Asia. The other major rivers across the world are the Ob River, Río de la Plata, Congo River, Amur River, Yenisei, and the Mississippi River.