The longest rivers in the world (2024)

FAQs

What is the top 10 longest river in the world? ›

According to the U.S. Geological Survey and Britannica, the difference between their lengths is just 132 miles — less than the drive from Washington to Philadelphia. They have the Nile's 4,132 miles barely edging out the Amazon's 4,000.

Measuring from the headwaters of the most distant source, the five longest rivers in the world are the Nile (in eastern and northeastern Africa), the Amazon–Ucayali–Apurímac (in South America), the Yangtze (in China), the Mississippi–Missouri–Red Rock (in the United States), and the Yenisey–Baikal–Selenga (in northern ...

The Congo is the deepest river in the world. Its headwaters are in the north-east of Zambia, between Lake Tanganyika and Lake Nyasa (Malawi), 1760 metres above sea level; it flows into the Atlantic Ocean.

Mississippi river in the United States is first in terms of discharge (5,93,000 cubic feet/sec) and has an average width of two miles during its entire flow. Many other rivers in the United States are wider than the Mississippi at some point of time.

Gambia River, river in western Africa, 700 miles (1,120 km) long, rising in the Republic of Guinea and flowing westward through The Gambia into the Atlantic Ocean. Its major tributaries are the Sandougou and the Sofianiama.

Amazon river in South America is the largest river in the world while Nile river in Africa is the longest river in the world.

The Amazon River is an extraordinary river system with numerous tributaries. It is not only the river with the world's highest amount of water but it also has the largest rainforest area at one stretch and one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on earth.

What is the longest river on Earth in miles? ›

The Nile is credited as the longest river in the world. Its main source is Lake Victoria in east central Africa. From its farthest stream in Burundi, it extends 6,695 km (4,160 miles) in length.

In fact, Montana's Roe River flows for a mere 201 feet (61 meters) between Giant Springs and the Missouri River. The Roe River was named the world's shortest river in the 1989 Guinness Book of World Records. Before that year, the title had belonged to the 440-foot-long (134-meters-long) D River in Lincoln City, Oregon.

USGS lists the Missouri as the longest American river (2,540 miles) and the Mississippi River as the 2nd (at 2,340 miles). Both fall far behind the Nile (4,132 miles), Amazon (4,000 miles), and Yangtze (3,915 miles) as the world's top three longest rivers.

While debate as to whether the Amazon or the Nile is the world's longest river has gone on for many years, the historic consensus of geographic authorities has been to regard the Amazon as the second longest river in the world, with the Nile being the longest.