8/14/22, 6:30 AM List of rivers by length

List of rivers by length

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: General Geography

This is a list of the longest rivers on Earth. It includes river systems over
1,000 kilometers.

Definition of length
The length of a river is not always easy to calculate. It depends on the
identification of the source, the identification of the mouth, and the precise
measurement of the river length between source and mouth. As a result, the
length measurements of many rivers are only approximations. In particular,
there has for long been disagreement whether the Amazon or the Nile is the View of the Nile River, the longest in the
world's longest river. world, from a cruiseboat, between Luxor and
Aswan in Egypt.
The source of a river may be hard to determine because a river typically has
many tributaries. Among the many sources, the one that is farthest away from
the mouth is considered as the source of the river, thus giving a maximal river length. In practice, the tributary with the
farthest source is not always the one given the name of the river. For example, the farthest source of the Mississippi River
system is the source of the Missouri River; but a different tributary is identified as the Mississippi. When the river is
measured from mouth to farthest source, it is called the Mississippi-Missouri. Also, it is hard to state exactly where a river
begins as very often rivers are formed by seasonal streams, swamps, or changing lakes. In this article, length means the length
of the river system, including all tributaries.

The mouth of a river may be hard to determine in cases where the river has a large estuary that gradually widens and opens
into the ocean; examples are the Amazon River and the Saint Lawrence River. Some rivers do not have a mouth, instead they
evaporate, and the exact point where the river ends will vary seasonally.

The length of a river between source and mouth may be hard to determine because of a lack of precise maps. In these cases,
the measured length of a river will depend on the scale of the map on which the measurement is based; in general, due to the
fractal quality of a river, the larger the scale, the longer the resulting length measurement. This issue was discovered by Lewis
Fry Richardson and also applies when measuring borders between countries and coastlines. Ideally, length measurements
should be based on maps that are of a large enough scale to show the width of the river.

Even when precise maps are available, the length measurement is not always clear. A river may have multiple arms. It may
depend on whether the centre or the edge of the river is taken as reference point. It may not be clear how to measure the
length through a lake: this may also vary by season. These points make it difficult, if not impossible, to get a precise
measurement of the length of a river or stream.

List of rivers longer than 1000 km

One should take the aforementioned discussion into account when using the data in the following table. For most rivers,
different sources provide conflicting information on the length of a river system. The information in different sources is
between parentheses.

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Nile River in Egypt.

Continent colour key

Africa Asia Europe North America Australia South America

Drainage Average
Length Length
River area discharge Outflow Countries in the drainage basin
(km) (miles)
(km²) (m³/s)
Sudan, Ethiopia, Egypt, Uganda,
Mediterranean Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi,
1. Nile 6,690 4,157 2,870,000 5,100
Sea Eritrea, Democratic Republic of the
Congo
6,387 3,969 Atlantic Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia,
2. Amazon

6,915,000 219,000
(6,762) (4,202) Ocean Ecuador, Venezuela
Yangtze 6,380 3,964 East China
3.

1,800,000 31,900

(3,602) P.R. China
(Chang Jiang) (5,797) Sea
Mississippi - 6,270 3,896 Gulf of
4.
2,980,000 16,200

(3,989) United States (98.5%), Canada (1.5%)
Missouri (6,420) Mexico
Yenisei -
5,550 3,449
5. Angara -
2,580,000 19,600

(2,800) Kara Sea Russia, Mongolia
(4,506)
Selenga
6. Ob' - Irtysh 5,410* 3,449* 2,990,000 12,800 Gulf of Ob Russia, Kazakhstan, P.R. China
Huang He 4,667 2,900 Bohai Sea
7.
745,000

(2,703) 2,110 P.R. China
(Yellow)
(4,350) (Balhae)

Amur Sea of
8.
4,368* 2,714* 1,855,000 11,400 Russia, PR China, Mongolia
(Heilong) Okhotsk
Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Congo 4,371 2,716 Atlantic Central African Republic, Angola,
9.
3,680,000 41,800

(2,902)
(Zaire)
(4,670) Ocean Republic of the Congo, Tanzania,
Cameroon, Zambia, Burundi, Rwanda
4,260 2,647
10. Lena
2,490,000 17,100

(2,734) Laptev Sea Russia
(4,400)
Mackenzie - 4,241 2,635
11.
1,790,000 10,300

(3,372) Beaufort Sea Canada
Peace - Finlay (5,427)
Nigeria (26.6%), Mali (25.6%), Niger
4,167 2,589 Gulf of (23.6%), Algeria (7.6%), Guinea (4.5%),
12. Niger
2,090,000 9,570

(2,571*)
(4,138*) Guinea Cameroon (4.2%), Burkina Faso (3.9%),
Côte d'Ivoire, Benin, Chad
13. Mekong 4,023 2,500 810,000 16,000 South China Laos, Thailand, P.R. China, Cambodia,

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Sea Vietnam, Myanmar

Brazil (46.7%), Argentina (27.7%),
Paraná 3,998 2,484 Atlantic
14. ( Río de
la Plata)
3,100,000 25,700

(2,920) Paraguay (13.5%), Bolivia (8.3%),
(4,700) Ocean
Uruguay (3.8%)
Murray - 3,750 2,330 Southern
15.
3,490,000 767

(2,187) Australia
Darling (3,520) Ocean
Russia (99.8%), Kazakhstan (minor),
16. Volga 3,645* 2,265 1,380,000 8,080 Caspian Sea
Belarus (minor)
Shatt al-Arab /
3,596 2,234 Iraq (40.5%), Turkey (24.8%), Iran
17. Arvandrud -
884,000

(1,859) 856 Persian Gulf
(2,992) (19.7%), Syria (14.7%)
Euphrates
3,379 2,100
18. Purus (2,948) (1,832) Amazon Brazil, Peru
(3,210) (1,995)
Madeira -
19. 3,239 2,013 Amazon Brazil, Bolivia, Peru
Mamoré
20. Yukon 3,184 1,978 850,000 6,210 Bering Sea USA (59.8%), Canada (40.2%)
Indus Pakistan, India, PR China, disputed
21.
3,180 1,976 960,000 7,160 Arabian Sea
(Sindhu) territory (Kashmir), Afghanistan (6.3%)
3,180* 1,976* Atlantic
22. São Francisco 610,000 3,300 Brazil
(2,900)
(1,802)
Ocean
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan,
23. Syr Darya 3,078 1,913 100,000   Aral Sea
Tajikistan
Salween P.R. China (52.4%), Myanmar (43.9%),
24.

(Salwin) (Nù 3,060 1,901 324,000   Andaman Sea

Jiāng)
Thailand (3.7%)
Saint
Lawrence -
Niagara-
Gulf of Saint
25. Detroit- Saint 3,058 1,900 1,030,000 10,100 Canada (52.1%), USA (47.9%)
Lawrence
Clair- Saint
Marys- Saint
Louis
3,057 1,900 Gulf of
26. Rio Grande
570,000

(1,799) 82 USA (52.1%), Mexico (47.9%)
(2,896) Mexico
Lower
27. 2,989 1,857 3,600 Yenisei Russia
Tunguska
India (58.0%), P.R. China (19.7%), Nepal
28. Brahmaputra 2,948* 1,832* 1,730,000 43,900 Bay of Bengal (9.0%), Bangladesh (6.6%), Disputed
India/P.R. China (4.2%), Bhutan (2.4%)
Romania (28.9%), Hungary (11.7%),
Austria (10.3%), Serbia (10.3%),
Germany (7.5%), Slovakia (5.8%),
Bulgaria (5.2%), Bosnia and
29. Danube 2,850* 1,771* 817,000 7,130 Black Sea Herzegovina (4.8%), Croatia (4.5%),
Ukraine (3.8%), Czech Republic (2.6%),
Slovenia (2.2%), Moldova (1.7%),
Switzerland (0.32%), Italy (0.15%),
Poland (0.09%), Albania (0.03%)
Atlantic
30. Tocantins 2,699 1,677 1,400,000   Ocean, Brazil
Amazon

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31. Zambezi 2,693* 1,673* 1,330,000 4,880 Mozambique Zambia (41.6%), Angola (18.4%),
(Zambesi) Channel Zimbabwe (15.6%), Mozambique
(11.8%), Malawi (8.0%), Tanzania
(2.0%), Namibia, Botswana
32. Vilyuy 2,650 1,647 Lena Russia
33. Araguaia 2,627 1,632     Tocantins Brazil
Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan,
34. Amu Darya 2,620 1,628 Aral Sea
Afghanistan
35. Japurá 2,615* 1,625*     Amazon Brazil, Colombia

(Rio Yapurá)
Nelson -
36. 2,570 1,597 1,093,000 2,575 Hudson Bay Canada, USA
Saskatchewan
37. Paraguay 2,549 1,584   4,300 Paraná Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Argentina

(Rio Paraguay)
East Siberian
38. Kolyma 2,513 1,562 Russia
Sea
Brahmaputra,
39. Ganges 2,510 1,560 14,270 India, Bangladesh, Nepal
Bay of Bengal
40. Pilcomayo 2,500 1,553 Paraguay Paraguay, Argentina, Bolivia
41. Upper Ob 2,490 1,547 Ob Russia
42. Ishim 2,450 1,522 Irtysh Kazakhstan, Russia
42. Juruá 2,410 1,498 Amazon Peru, Brazil
43. Ural 2,428 1,509 237,000 475 Caspian Sea Russia, Kazakhstan
44. Arkansas 2,348 1,459 505,000   Mississippi United States
(435,122)

Democratic Republic of the Congo,

45. Ubangi - Uele 2,300 1,429 Congo
Central African Republic
46. Olenyok 2,292 1,424 Laptev Sea Russia
47. Dnieper 2,287 1,421 516,300 1,670 Black Sea Russia, Belarus, Ukraine
48. Aldan 2,273 1,412 Lena Russia
49. Negro 2,250 1,450 Amazon Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia
2,250 1,450
50. Columbia Pacific Ocean United States, Canada
(1,953) (1,214)
Gulf of
51. Colorado 2,333 1,450 390,000 1,200 United States, Mexico
California
Pearl - Xi South China
52. Jiang 2,200 1,376 437,000 13,600 P.R. China (98.5%), Vietnam (1.5%)
Sea
(West)
(Si Kang)
53. Red 2,188 1,360 Mississippi United States
Ayeyarwady
54. 2,170 1,348 411,000 13,000 Andaman Sea Myanmar
River
Angola, Democratic Republic of the
55. Kasai 2,153 1,338 Congo
Congo
Ohio -
56. 2,102 1,306 490,603   Mississippi United States
Allegheny
Atlantic
57. Orinoco 2,101 1,306 41,000 30,000 Venezuela, Colombia
Ocean
58. Tarim 2,100 1,305 Lop Nur People's Republic of China
59. Xingu 2,100 1,305 Amazon Brazil
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60. Orange 2,092 1,300     Atlantic South Africa, Namibia, Botswana,

Ocean Lesotho
Northern
61. 2,010 1,249 Paraná Argentina
Salado
62. Vitim 1,978 1,229 Lena Russia
63. Tigris 1,950 1,212 Shatt al-Arab Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Iran
64. Songhua 1,927 1,197 Amur People's Republic of China
65. Tapajós 1,900 1,181 Amazon Brazil
66. Don 1,870 1,162 Sea of Azov Russia
Stony
67. 1,865 1,159 Yenisei Russia
Tunguska
68. Pechora 1,809 1,124 Barents Sea Russia
69. Kama 1,805 1,122 507,000 Volga Russia
Mozambique, Zimbabwe, South Africa,
70. Limpopo 1,800 1,118 Indian Ocean
Botswana
71. Guaporé 1,749 1,087 Mamoré Brazil, Bolivia
East Siberian
72. Indigirka 1,726 1,072 Russia
Sea
73. Snake 1,670 1,038 Columbia United States
Atlantic
74. Senegal 1,641 1,020 Senegal, Mali, Mauritania
Ocean
Atlantic
75. Uruguay 1,610 1,000 Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil
Ocean
76. Blue Nile 1,600 994 Nile Ethiopia, Sudan
76. Churchill 1,600 994 Hudson Bay Canada
76. Khatanga 1,600 994 Laptev Sea Russia
Okavango
76. Okavango 1,600 994 Namibia, Angola, Botswana
Delta
Gulf of Ghana, Burkina Faso, Togo, Côte
76. Volta 1,600 994
Guinea d'Ivoire, Benin
81. Beni 1,599 994 Madeira Bolivia
82. Platte 1,594 990 Missouri United States
83. Tobol 1,591 989 Irtysh Kazakhstan, Russia
Jubba -
84. 1,580* 982* Indian Ocean Ethiopia, Somalia
Shebelle
85. Içá 1,575 979 Amazon Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador

(Putumayo)
85. Magdalena 1,550 963 Caribbean Sea Colombia
87. Han 1,532 952 Yangtze People's Republic of China
88. Lomami 1,500 932 Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo
88. Oka 1,500 932 Volga Russia
90. Pecos 1,490 926 Rio Grande United States
91. Upper Yenisei 1,480 920 Yenisei Russia, Mongolia
92. Godavari 1,465 910 Bay of Bengal India
Gulf of
93. Colorado 1,438 894 United States
Mexico
94. Río Grande 1,438 894 Ichilo Bolivia

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(Guapay)
95. Belaya 1,420 882 Kama Russia
Cooper -
96. 1,420 880 Lake Eyre Australia
Barcoo
97. Marañón 1,415 879 Amazon Peru
1,411 877
98. Dniester Black Sea Ukraine, Moldova
(1,352) (840)
99. Benue 1,400 870 Niger Cameroon, Nigeria
Lake
99. Ili 1,400 870 People's Republic of China, Kazakhstan
Balkhash
Warburton -
99. 1,400 870 Lake Eyre Australia
Georgina
102. Yamuna 1,376 855 Ganges India
103. Sutlej 1,370 851 Chenab India, Pakistan
103. Vyatka 1,370 851 Kama Russia
105. Fraser 1,368 850 Pacific Ocean Canada
Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Turkey,
106. Kura 1,364 848 Caspian Sea
Iran
107. Grande 1,360 845 Paraná Brazil
Gulf of
108. Brazos 1,352 840 United States
Mexico
109. Liao 1,345 836 Bohai Sea People's Republic of China
110. Yalong 1,323 822 Yangtze People's Republic of China
111. Iguaçu 1,320 820 Paraná Brazil, Argentina
111. Olyokma 1,320 820 Lena Russia
Germany, France, Switzerland,
111. Rhine 1,320 820 North Sea Netherlands, Austria, Luxembourg,
Liechtenstein, Italy
114. Krishna 1,300 808 Bay of Bengal India
114. Iriri 1,300 808 Xingu Brazil
116. Narmada 1,289 801 Arabian Sea India
Saint
117. Ottawa 1,271 790 Canada
Lawrence
118. Zeya 1,242 772 Amur Russia
119. Juruena 1,240 771 Tapajós Brazil
Upper
120. 1,236 768 Mississippi United States
Mississippi
121. Athabasca 1,231 765 Mackenzie Canada
122. Canadian 1,223 760 Arkansas United States
North
123. 1,220 758 Saskatchewan Canada
Saskatchewan
124. Vaal 1,210 752 Orange South Africa
125. Shire 1,200 746 Zambezi Mozambique, Malawi
126. Nen
1,190 739 Songhua People's Republic of China
(Nonni)
127. Green 1,175 730 Colorado United States
128. Milk 1,173 729 Missouri United States, Canada

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129. Elbe 1,162* 722* North Sea Germany, Czech Republic

130. Chindwin 1,158 720 Ayeyarwady Myanmar
131. James 1,143 710 Missouri United States
South China
131. Kapuas 1,143 710 Indonesia, Malaysia
Sea
Hamun-i-
133. Helmand 1,130 702 Afghanistan, Iran
Helmand
133. Madre de Dios 1,130 702 Madeira Peru, Bolivia
133. Tietê 1,130 702 Paraná Brazil
Northern
133. Vychegda 1,130 702 Russia
Dvina
137. Sepik 1,126 700 Pacific Ocean Papua New Guinea, Indonesia
138. Cimarron 1,123 698 Arkansas United States
Gulf of
139. Anadyr 1,120 696 Russia
Anadyr
140. Liard 1,115 693 Mackenzie Canada
141. White 1,102 685 Mississippi United States
142. Huallaga 1,100 684 Marañón Peru
Atlantic
143. Gambia 1,094 680 The Gambia, Senegal, Guinea
Ocean
144. Chenab 1,086 675 Indus India, Pakistan
145. Yellowstone 1,080 671 Missouri United States
1,078 670
146. Donets Don Ukraine, Russia
(1,053) (654)
147. Bermejo 1,050 652 Paraguay Argentina, Bolivia
147. Fly 1,050 652 Gulf of Papua Papua New Guinea, Indonesia
147. Guaviare 1,050 652 Orinoco Colombia
147. Kuskokwim 1,050 652 Bering Sea United States
151. Tennessee 1,049 652 Ohio United States
152. Daugava 1,020 634 Gulf of Riga Latvia, Belarus, Russia
153. Gila 1,015 631 Colorado United States
154. Vistula 1,014 630 Baltic Sea Poland
Atlantic
155. Loire 1,012 629 France
Ocean
Atlantic
156. Essequibo 1,010 628 Guyana
Ocean
156. Khoper 1,010 628 Don Russia
Atlantic
158. Tagus 1,006 625 Spain, Portugal
Ocean
Atlantic
159. Colorado 1,000 620 Argentina
Ocean

Longest rivers that have probably existed in the past

Nile

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The Virunga Volcanoes started to form in the Miocene period, blocking the African Rift Valley. Before that, the water which
now accumulates in Lake Tanganyika drained northwards into the Albert Nile, which would make the Nile somewhere
around 1500 km = 900 miles longer, with its longest headwater in Zambia.

If this blockage did not happen until after the Messinian salinity crisis started, add a hundred miles or more for the added
northern extension of the Nile flowing across the dry bed of the Mediterranean Sea during the Messinian salinity crisis.

Amazon-Congo

The Amazon basin formerly drained westwards into the Pacific Ocean, until the Andes rose and reversed the drainage.

The Congo basin is completely surrounded by high land, except for its long narrow exit valley past Kinshasa, including
waterfalls around Manyanga. That gives the impression that most of the Congo basin was formerly on a much higher land
level and that it was rejuvenated by much of its lower course being removed.

In Permian and early Triassic times Africa and South America were close against each other with no sea between (see
continental drift and plate tectonics), and the Congo probably drained into the Amazon basin and eventually into the Pacific.
Including part of its course that was completely lost when the South Atlantic opened, its total course may have been anything
up to approximately 12000 km = 7200 miles long.

Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rivers_by_length"

This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia with only minor checks and changes (see
www.wikipedia.org for details of authors and sources) and is available under the
GNU Free Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.

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