Longest Rivers in the World
Rivers are natural flowing streams of water that travel across the land, often starting from mountains or springs and ending in oceans, lakes or other rivers. They provide water for drinking, farming and animals. People use rivers for transportation and they are home to diverse plants and creatures. Rivers shape landscapes and have been important throughout history, supporting civilizations and ecosystems.
Check The Top 10 Longest Rivers in India 2023
When attempting to determine the world’s longest river, there are a few crucial elements to consider:
- The origin of the river (the point/source where the river starts)
- The river mouth (the point at which the river ejects and the sea/ocean/estuary begins)
With an overview of 10 of the world’s longest and largest rivers, their country of origin, and length, the demography of the country also needs to be understood.
Longest Rivers in the World by Length
A Nile River is considered to be the world’s longest river with a total of 6650 km, followed by Amazon (6575 km), Yangtze (6300 km) and Mississippi (6275km).
The Top Ten Longest Rivers of the world according to their length in Kms:
| River | Location | Length (in km) | Length (in miles) | Drainage Area | Mouth |
| Nile | Africa | 6650 | 4130 | 32,54,55 | Mediterranean Sea |
| Amazon | South America | 6575 | 4086 | 70,50,000 | Atlantic Ocean |
| Yangtze | China | 6300 | 3917 | 18,00,000 | South China Sea |
| Mississippi | USA | 6275 | 3902 | 29,80,000 | Gulf of Maxico |
| Yenisei River | Russia | 5539 | 3445 | 25,80,000 | Kara Sea |
| Yellow | China | 5464 | 3398 | 7,45,000 | Bohai Sea |
| Ob-Irtysh | Russia | 5410 | 3364 | 29,90,000 | Gulf of Ob |
| Parana | Uruguay | 4880 | 3030 | 25,82,672 | Rio da la Plata |
| Congo | Africa | 4700 | 2922 | 26,80,000 | Atlantic Ocean |
| Amur | Asia | 4480 | 2800 | 18,55,000 | Sea of Okhotsk |
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Longest Rivers in the World- Facts
Check the detailed description of Top 10 Longest River in the world.
1. Nile River- (length- 6650 Km)
The Nile River is thought to be the world’s longest river. The Nile River stretches about 6650 kilometers. The river’s source is thought to be Lake Victoria. Egypt, Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Burundi, Sudan, and South Sudan are all part of the river’s path. The river’s two tributaries are the Blue and White Niles. Although the Nile River is the longest river in the world for most of us, there is a group of scholars who believe the Amazon River is the genuine winner. Large rivers, such as the Nile and the Amazon, have a plethora of sources as well as several large and tiny tributaries. If the true length of a river must be calculated, it is necessary to locate its farthest source. Such sources are frequently found in remote and inaccessible regions, making their detection a difficult undertaking.
2. The Amazon River- (length- 6575 Km)
The Amazon River is without a doubt the world’s greatest river in terms of water flow volume. However, its claim to being the world’s second-longest river is hotly debated, as the distinction has long been held by Egypt’s Nile River. The conflict stems from the determination of the Amazon’s genesis. According to a study published in 2014, the Cordillera Rumi Cruz is where the Amazon began.
3. The Yangtze River- (length-6300 Km)
The Yangtze River is the world’s third-longest river and the world’s longest river that runs fully within a single country. It is also Asia’s longest river. One-third of the population of the world’s most populous country, China, lives in the Yangtze River basin. The Tuotuo tributary in the Tanggula Mountains is traditionally regarded as the river’s source by the Chinese government. However, according to fresh information, the Yangtze River’s source is on Jari Hill, where the Dam Qu tributary’s headwaters originate. These and other tributaries combine to form the Yangtze River, which empties into the East China Sea in Shanghai.
4. The Mississippi River- (length- 6275Km)
The Mississippi, Missouri, and Jefferson rivers make up the world’s fourth longest river system. The river system drains 31 states in the United States and two provinces in Canada. The Mississippi River originates in northern Minnesota, where Lake Itasca is thought to be its source, then flows into the Gulf of Mexico. When we consider the Jefferson River as the Mississippi River’s farthest source, we obtain the Mississippi–Missouri–Jefferson river system.
5. The Yenisei River- (length-5539 Km)
This is the world’s fifth-longest river system, and the Arctic Ocean’s largest. The Selenge River is considered the river system’s headwaters. The Selenge River flows into Lake Baikal and is 992 kilometres long. The Angara River begins near Listvyanka in Lake Baikal and flows through Russia’s Irkutsk Oblast before joining the Yenisei River near Strelka. Finally, the Yenisei empties into the Arctic Ocean. The total distance travelled was 5,539 kilometers.
6. The Yellow River- (length- 5464 Km)
This gigantic river, also known as the Huang He, is named after its colour, which is the result of massive volumes of loose debris in the water. Its basin is regarded as the birthplace of ancient Chinese civilisation, and it continues to possess significant symbolic and practical significance for the country.
7. The Ob-Irtysh River- (length- 5410 Km)
Along with the Yenisei and the Lena, the Ob-Irtysh, often known as the Ob River, is one of the three main Siberian rivers. It runs into the Arctic Ocean and originates in the Altas Mountains.
8. The Parana River- (length- 4880 Km)
The Parana River, located in South America, is one of the world’s longest rivers and the continent’s second-largest. Its name is a contraction of the Tupi phrase para rehe onáva, which means “like the sea.”
9. The Congo River- (length- 4700 Km)
The Congo River, formerly known as the Zaire River, flows in a curved path across Africa’s continent and is the only river to cross the equator twice. It’s also the world’s deepest river, with some sections reaching depths of over 700 feet.
10. The Amur River- (length- 4480 Km)
The Amur River, also known as the Heilong Jiang, is the world’s tenth longest river, running along the boundary between northeastern China and Russia. The Chinese Heilong Jiang translates to “black dragon river,” whereas the word Amur is supposed to come from a term for “water.”
