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List of river systems by length

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The Nile as seen from a cruise boat between Luxor and Aswan in Egypt

This is a list of the longest rivers on Earth. It includes river systems over 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) in length.

Definition of length

There are many factors, such as the identification of the source,[1] the identification or the definition of the mouth, and the scale of measurement[2] of the river length between source and mouth, that determine the precise meaning of "river length". As a result, the length measurements of many rivers are only approximations (see also coastline paradox). In particular, there seems to exist disagreement as to whether the Nile[3] or the Amazon[4] is the world's longest river. The Nile has traditionally been considered longer, but in 2007 and 2008 some scientists claimed that the Amazon is longer[5][6][7] by measuring the river plus the adjacent Pará estuary and the longest connecting tidal canal.[8] A peer-reviewed article published 2009 in the International Journal of Digital Earth concludes that the Nile is longer.[9]

While this does tie in with the coastline paradox in that the length increases with the resolution of the measurement, it does not tend to infinity because a river's length is not a fractal. However, the path along the river's deepest point is fractal in the same way that the coastline is.

Even when detailed maps are available, the length measurement is not always clear. A river may have multiple channels, or anabranches. The length may depend on whether the center or the edge of the river is measured. It may not be clear how to measure the length through a lake or reservoir. Seasonal and annual changes may alter both rivers and lakes. Other factors that can change the length of a river include cycles of erosion and flooding, dams, levees, and channelization. In addition, the length of meanders can change significantly over time due to natural or artificial cutoffs, when a new channel cuts across a narrow strip of land, bypassing a large river bend. For example, due to 18 cutoffs created between 1766 and 1885, the length of the Mississippi River from Cairo, Illinois, to New Orleans, Louisiana, was reduced by 351 kilometres (218 miles).[10]

These points make it difficult, if not impossible, to get an accurate measurement of the length of a river. The varying accuracy and precision also makes it difficult to make length comparisons between different rivers without a degree of uncertainty. There is no strictly agreed upon standard for dealing with the nuances of measuring rivers and as such the true length of a river isn't necessarily a single, discrete, correct number, nor is it static.

List of river systems longer than 1,000 km

For most rivers, different sources provide conflicting information on the length of a river system. The information in different sources is between parentheses.

Legend of colors used in main table, by continent
Continent color key
Africa Asia Australia Europe North America South America
Rank River Length (km) Length (miles) Drainage area
(km2)
[citation needed] 		Average discharge
(m3/s)
[citation needed] 		Outflow Countries in the drainage basin [citation needed]
1. Nile–White Nile–Kagera–Nyabarongo–Mwogo–Rukarara[n 1] 6,650[3]
(7,088)[9] 		4,130[3]
(4,404)[9] 		3,254,555[12] 1,584 Mediterranean Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Egypt, Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan
2. Amazon–Ucayali–Tambo–Ene–Mantaro[n 1] 6,400[4]
(6,575)[9] 		3,976[4]
(4,086)[9] 		7,000,000[4] 230,000[13] Atlantic Ocean Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guyana
3. Yangtze–Jinsha–Tongtian–Dangqu
(Chang Jiang) 		6,300
(6,418) 		3,917
(3,988) 		1,808,500[14] 30,146[15] East China Sea China
4. Mississippi–Missouri–Jefferson–Beaverhead–Red Rock–Hell Roaring 6,275
 3,902
 2,980,000 16,792[16] Gulf of Mexico United States (98.5%), Canada (1.5%)
5. Yenisey–Angara–Selenga–Ider 5,539 3,445 2,442,735[17] 19,499[17] Kara Sea Russia (97%), Mongolia (2.9%)
6. Yellow River (Huang He) 5,464 3,395 752,546 2,571 Bohai Sea China
7. Ob–Irtysh 5,410 3,364 2,917,508[17] 12,889[17] Gulf of Ob Russia, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia
8. Río de la Plata–Paraná–Rio Grande[18] 4,880
 3,030
 2,582,672 22,000 Río de la Plata Brazil (46.7%), Argentina (27.7%), Paraguay (13.5%), Bolivia (8.3%), Uruguay (3.8%)
9. Congo–Lualaba-Luvua-Luapula-Chambeshi
(Zaïre) 		4,700
 2,922
 3,680,000 41,800 Atlantic Ocean Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Angola, Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Cameroon, Zambia, Burundi, Rwanda
10. Amur–Argun–Kherlen (Heilong Jiang) 4,444 2,763 1,855,000 11,400 Sea of Okhotsk Russia, China, Mongolia
11. Lena 4,400 2,736 2,418,974[17] 17,773[17] Laptev Sea Russia
12. Mekong (Lancang Jiang) 4,350 2,705 810,000 16,000 South China Sea China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam
13. Mackenzie–Slave–Peace–Finlay 4,241 2,637 1,717,754[17] 9,211[17] Beaufort Sea Canada
14. Niger 4,200 2,611 2,090,000 5,589 Gulf of Guinea Nigeria (26.6%), Mali (25.6%), Niger (23.6%), Algeria (7.6%), Guinea (4.5%), Cameroon (4.2%), Burkina Faso (3.9%), Côte d'Ivoire, Benin, Chad
15. Brahmaputra–Yarlung Tsangpo 3,969 2,466 712,035 19,800[19][20] Ganges India (58.0%), China (19.7%), Nepal (9.0%), Bangladesh (6.6%), Disputed India/China (4.2%), Bhutan (2.4%)
16. Murray–Darling–Culgoa–Balonne–Condamine 3,672[21] 2,282 1,061,000 767 Southern Ocean Australia
17. Tocantins–Araguaia 3,650 2,270 950,000 13,598 Atlantic Ocean (Marajó Bay), Amazon Delta Brazil
18. Volga 3,645 2,266 1,380,000 8,080 Caspian Sea Russia
19. Shatt al-Arab–Euphrates–Murat 3,596 2,236 884,000 856 Persian Gulf Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Iran
20. Madeira–Mamoré–Grande–Caine–Rocha 3,380 2,100 1,485,200 31,200 Amazon Brazil, Bolivia, Peru
21. Purús 3,211 1,995 63,166 8,400 Amazon Brazil, Peru
22. Yukon 3,185 1,980[10] 820,856[17] 6,576[17] Bering Sea United States (59.8%), Canada (40.2%)
23. Indus–Sênggê Zangbo 3,180 1,976 960,000 7,160 Arabian Sea Pakistan (93%), India and China
24. São Francisco 3,180*
(2,900) 		1,976*
(1,802) 		610,000 3,300 Atlantic Ocean Brazil
25. Syr Darya–Naryn 3,078 1,913 219,000 703 Aral Sea Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan
26. Salween (Nu Jiang) 3,060 1,901 324,000 3,153[22] Andaman Sea China (52.4%), Myanmar (43.9%), Thailand (3.7%)
27. Saint Lawrence–Niagara–Detroit–Saint Clair–Saint Marys–Saint Louis–North (Great Lakes) 3,058 1,900[10] 1,030,000 10,100 Gulf of Saint Lawrence Canada (52.1%), United States (47.9%)
28. Rio Grande 3,057 1,900[10] 570,000 82 Gulf of Mexico United States (52.1%), Mexico (47.9%)
29. Lower Tunguska 2,989 1,857 473,000 3,600 Yenisei Russia
30. Colorado-Green (western U.S.) 2,945 1,830[23] 390,000 1,200 Gulf of California United States, Mexico
31. Danube–Breg (Donau, Dunăre, Duna, Dunav, Dunaj) 2,888* 1,795* 817,000 7,130 Black Sea Romania (28.9%), Hungary (11.7%), Austria (10.3%), Serbia (10.3%), Germany (7.5%), Slovakia (5.8%), Bulgaria (5.2%), Croatia (4.5%), Ukraine (3.8%), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Slovenia[24]
32. Irrawaddy River–N'Mai River–Dulong River–Kelaoluo–Gada Qu 2,809* 1,745.8* 404,200* 13,000* Andaman Sea China, Myanmar
33. Zambezi (Zambesi) 2,740* 1,703* 1,330,000 4,880 Mozambique Channel Zambia (41.6%), Angola (18.4%), Zimbabwe (15.6%), Mozambique (11.8%), Malawi (8.0%), Tanzania (2.0%), Namibia, Botswana
34. Vilyuy 2,720 1,700 454,000 1,480 Lena Russia
35. Padma-Ganges-Alaknanda (Ganga) 2,704[25] 1,690 1,024,000 12,037[26] Bay of Bengal India, Bangladesh, Nepal
36. Amu Darya–Panj 2,620 1,628 534,739 1,400 Aral Sea Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan
37. Japurá (Caquetá) 2,615* 1,625* 242,259 6,000 Amazon Brazil, Colombia
38. Nelson–Saskatchewan–South Saskatchewan–Bow 2,570 1,597 1,111,890[17] 3,343[17] Hudson Bay Canada, United States
39. Paraguay (Rio Paraguay) 2,549 1,584 900,000 4,300 Paraná Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Argentina
40. Kolyma 2,513 1,562 533,013[17] 3,234[17] East Siberian Sea Russia
41. Pilcomayo 2,500 1,553 270,000 200 Paraguay Paraguay, Argentina, Bolivia
42. Upper Ob–Katun 2,490 1,547 1,040,000 Ob Russia
43. Ishim 2,450 1,522 177,000 56 Irtysh Kazakhstan, Russia
44. Orange 2,432 1,511 973,000 365 Atlantic Ocean South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho
45. Ural 2,428 1,509 237,000 475 Caspian Sea Russia, Kazakhstan
46. Juruá 2,410 1,498 200,000 6,000 Amazon Peru, Brazil
47. Arkansas 2,348 1,459 505,000
(435,122) 		1,066 Mississippi United States
48. Songhua 2,309[27] 1,435 557,180 2,410 Amur China
49. Olenyok 2,292 1,424 219,000 1,210 Laptev Sea Russia
50. Dnieper 2,287 1,421 516,300 1,670 Black Sea Ukraine, Belarus, Russia
51. Aldan 2,273 1,412 729,000 5,060 Lena Russia
52. Ubangi–Uele[28] 2,270 1,410 772,800 4,000 Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo
53. Negro 2,250[29] 1,398 720,114 34,573[30] Amazon Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia
53. Columbia-Snake 2,250 1,398[31] 415,211 7,500 Pacific Ocean Canada (30%),United States (70%)
55. Tapajós-Teles Pires 2,210 1,290 494,254 13,540 Amazon Brazil
56. Pearl–Xi-Xun-Qian-Hongshui-Nanpan 2,200 1,376 437,000 13,600 South China Sea China (98.5%), Vietnam (1.5%)
57. Red (USA) 2,188 1,360 78,592 875 Mississippi United States
58. Kasai 2,153 1,338 880,200 10,000 Congo Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo
59. Ohio–Allegheny 2,102 1,306 490,603 7,957 Mississippi United States
60. Orinoco 2,101 1,306 1,380,000 33,000 Atlantic Ocean Venezuela, Colombia, Guyana
61. Tarim 2,100 1,305 1,020,000 Lop Nur China
61. Xingu 2,100 1,305 520,292 10,023 Amazon Brazil
63. Jubba–Shebelle 2,064[32] 1,282 749,000 Indian Ocean Ethiopia, Somalia
64. Brazos-Double Mountain Fork-North Fork-Blackwater Draw 2,060 1,280[33] 116,000 237.5 Gulf of Mexico United States
65. Northern Salado 2,010 1,249 203,000 Paraná Argentina
66. Içá (Putumayo) 2,005 1,246 120,545 7,034.6 Amazon Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador
67. Vitim 1,978 1,229 225,000 1,937 Lena Russia
68. Chenab 1,974 675 160,000 977.3 Indus India, Pakistan
69. Tigris 1,950 1,212 375,000 1,014 Shatt al-Arab Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Iran
70. Don 1,870 1,162 425,600 935 Sea of Azov Russia, Ukraine
71. Stony Tunguska 1,865 1,159 240,000 1,750 Yenisey Russia
72. Pechora 1,809 1,124 312,041[17] 4,823[17] Barents Sea Russia
73. Kama 1,805 1,122 507,000 4,100 Volga Russia
74. Limpopo 1,800 1,118 413,000 313.4 Indian Ocean Mozambique, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Botswana
75. Chulym 1,799 1,118 134,000 Ob Russia
76. Guaviare 1,760 1,090 151,607 6,778.9 Orinoco Colombia
77 Marañón 1,737 1,079 364,873 16,708 Amazon Peru
78. Indigirka 1,726 1,072 360,400 1,810 East Siberian Sea Russia
79. Platte 1,690 1,050 219,900 199.3 Missouri United States
80. Senegal 1,641 1,020 419,659 680 Atlantic Ocean Guinea, Senegal, Mali, Mauritania
81. Khatanga–Kotuy 1,636 1,017 264,999[17] 6,757[17] Laptev Sea Russia
82. Upper Jubba-Ganale Dorya 1,634[32] 1,015 214,441[32] 316[32] Jubba River Ethiopia (69%), Somalia (27%), Kenya (5%)
83. Uruguay 1,610 1,000 370,000 4,622[34] Atlantic Ocean Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil
84. Churchill 1,609 1,000 281,300 1,200 Hudson Bay Canada
85. Blue Nile 1,600 994 326,400 1,548 Nile Ethiopia, Sudan
85. Okavango (Cubango) 1,600 994 530,000 475 Okavango Delta Namibia, Angola, Botswana
85. Volta 1,600 994 407,093 1,210 Gulf of Guinea Ghana, Burkina Faso, Togo, Côte d'Ivoire, Benin
88. Beni 1,599 994 283,350 8,900 Madeira Bolivia
89. Shilka-Onon 1,592 989 206,000 440 Amur Russia (86%), Mongolia (14%)
90. Tobol 1,591 989 426,000 805 Irtysh Kazakhstan, Russia
91. Alazeya 1,590 988 64,700 320 East Siberian Sea Russia
92. Kafue 1,576 979 155,000 320 Zambezi Zambia (99.6%), Democratic Republic of the Congo (0.4%)
93. Yalong 1,571 976 128,444 1,810 Yangtze China
94. Magdalena 1,550 963 263,858 9,000 Caribbean Colombia
95. Han 1,532 952 174,300 1,632 Yangtze China
96. Kura/Mt'k'vari 1,515 941 188,400 575 Caspian Sea Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan
97. Oka 1,500 932 245,000 1,258 Volga Russia
97. Upper Murray 1,500[35] 932 260,000 Lower Murray Australia
99. Yana-Sartang 1,492 927 238,000 1,110 Laptev Sea Russia
100. Pecos 1,490 926 115,000 7.5 Rio Grande United States
101. Murrumbidgee River 1,485 [21] 923 84,917 120 Murray River Australia
102. Upper Yenisey–Little Yenisey (Kaa-Hem) 1,480 920 360,000 Yenisey Russia, Mongolia
103. Godavari 1,465 910 312,812 3,061 Bay of Bengal India
104. Sangha-Ngoko-Dja 1,459 907 233,740 Congo Cameroon (45%), Republic of Congo (31%), Central African Republic (25%)
105. Vaal 1,458 906 196,438 125 Orange South Africa
106. Sutlej 1,450 900 395,000 2,946.66 Chenab China, India, Pakistan
107. Ili (Yili) 1,439 870 140,000 480 Lake Balkhash China, Kazakhstan
108. Olyokma 1,436 892 210,000 2,110 Lena Russia
109. Upper Columbia[36] 1,430 889[31] 292,316[36] 3,364[37] Columbia United States, Canada
110. Upper Tocantins 1,427 887 310,000 Tocantins Brazil
111. Belaya 1,420 882 142,000 858 Kama Russia
111. Cooper–Barcoo 1,420 880 270,000 Lake Eyre Australia
113. Dniester 1,411 (1,352) 877 (840) 72,100 310 Black Sea Ukraine, Moldova
114. Taz 1,401 871 150,000 1,450 Taz Estuary Russia
115. Benue 1,400 870 319,000 3,477 Niger Cameroon, Nigeria
115. Chari 1,400[38] 870 548,747 1,059 Lake Chad Chad, Cameroon, Niger, Nigeria
115. Parnaíba 1,400 870 344,112 Atlantic Ocean Brazil
115. Warburton–Georgina 1,400 870 365,000 Lake Eyre Australia
119. Colorado (Texas) 1,387 862 103,000 73.9 Gulf of Mexico United States
120. Yamuna 1,376 855 366,223 2,950 Ganges India
121. Apaporis 1,370 851 57,430.6 4,092 Japurá Colombia (93%), Brazil (7%),
121. Nen (Nonni) 1,370 851 270,000 Songhua China
121. Vyatka 1,370 851 129,000 890 Kama Russia
124. Fraser 1,368 850 220,000 3,475 Pacific Ocean Canada, United States[39]
125. Grande 1,360 845 143,000 Paraná Brazil
126. Kızıl River 1,355 734 115,000 400 Black Sea Turkey
127. Madre de Dios 1,347 837 125,000 4,915 Beni Peru, Bolivia
128. Liao-Xiliao-Laoha 1,345 836 232,000 500 Bohai Sea China
129. Lachlan River 1,339 [21] 832 84,700 49 Murrumbidgee River Australia
130. Narmada 1,333 [40] 828 98,796 1,447 Arabian Sea India
131. Hai 1,329 826 318,200 717 Bohai Sea China
132. Branco-Uraricoera 1,326 824 192,393 6,469 Rio Negro Brazil (96%), Guyana (7%), Venezuela (1%)
133. Iguaçu 1,320 820 67,537 1,746 Paraná Brazil, Argentina
134. Taseyeva-Chuna 1,319 820 128,000 740 Angara Russia
135. Javari 1,309 814 109,680 2,503 Amazon Brazil (78%), Peru (22%)
136. Northern Dvina–Sukhona 1,302 809 350,496[17] 3,416[17] White Sea Russia
137. Inírida 1,300 808 53,816.9 3,385 Guaviare Colombia
137. Iriri 1,300 808 141,943 3,028 Xingu Brazil
137. Neva-Vuoksi 1,300 808 282,300 2,628 Gulf of Finland Russia, Finland, Belarus
140. Ruki 1,296 805 173,800 4,450 Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo
141. Krishna 1,290 800 258,948 2,213 Bay of Bengal India
142. Lomami[41] 1,280 795 110,000 Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo
143. Ottawa 1,271 790 146,300 1,950 Saint Lawrence Canada
144. Rio Grande de Santiago-Lerma 1,270 789 119,543 320 Pacific Ocean Mexico
145. Guaporé (Itenez) 1,260 780 341,000 2,430 Mamoré Brazil, Bolivia
146. Red (Canada)-Assiniboine-Souris 1,260 780 287,500 244 Lake Winnipeg Canada (56%), US (44%)
147. Elbe–Vltava 1,252 778 148,268 711 North Sea Germany, Czech Republic
148. Zeya 1,242 772 233,000 1,810 Amur Russia
149. Juruena 1,240 771 192,628 4,936.7 Tapajós Brazil
150. Upper Mississippi 1,236 768 450,000 4,800 Mississippi United States
151. Rhine 1,233 768 185,000 [42] 2,330 North Sea Germany (57.3%), Switzerland (15.1%), Netherlands (12.3%), France (12.2%), Luxembourg (1.4%), Austria (1.3%), Belgium (0.4%), Liechtenstein (0.1%), Italy (0.03%)
152. Athabasca 1,231 765 95,300 783 Mackenzie Canada
153. Markha 1,231 765 99,000 405 Vilyuy Russia
154. Canadian 1,223 760 123,220 182.2 Arkansas United States
155. North Saskatchewan 1,220 758 122,800 238 Saskatchewan Canada
156. Kansas-Republican 1,218 757 155,690 205 Missouri US
157. Vistula–Narew-Bug 1,213 754 194,424 1,080 Baltic Sea Poland, Belarus, Ukraine
158. Awash 1,200[43] 746 69,197[32] 152[32] Lake Abbe Ethiopia, Djibouti
158. Shire 1,200 746 160,000 486 Zambezi Mozambique, Malawi
158. Ogooué (or Ogowe) 1,200 746 223,856 4,706 Atlantic Ocean Gabon, Republic of the Congo
161. Fimi-Lukenie 1,194 742 133,432 Kasai Democratic Republic of the Congo
162. Mobile 1,192 741 115,000 1,900 Gulf of Mexico US
163. Lukuga 1,184 736 244,500 Lualaba Tanzania (62%), Democratic Republic of the Congo (26%), Zambia (6%), Burundi (5%), Rwanda (2%)
164. Min-Dadu 1,182 734 133,000 2,850 Yangtze China
165. Markha 1,181 734 99,000 405 Vilyuy Russia
166. Aripuanã 1,175 730 147,224 4,064 Madeira Brazil
167. Milk 1,173 729 62,000 17.5

Missouri

United States, Canada
168. Mun - Chi 1,162 722 119,180 725 Mekong River Thailand
168. White 1,162 722[44] 71,910 834.8 Mississippi United States
170. Chindwin 1,158 720 114,685 4,740 Ayeyarwady Myanmar
171. Sankuru 1,150 715 150,000 Kasai Democratic Republic of the Congo
171. Wu 1,150 715 80,300 1,108 Yangtze China
173. Red (Asia) 1,149 714 143,700 2,640 Gulf of Tonkin China, Vietnam
174. James (Dakotas) 1,143 710 54,240 18.3 Missouri United States
175. Kapuas 1,143 710 98,749 6,507 Natuna Sea Indonesia
176. Paraíba do Sul 1,137 696 56,000 Atlantic Ocean Brazil
177. Yobe-Hadejia 1,135 705 183,009 Lake Chad Nigeria (68%), Niger (32%)
178. Desna 1,130 702 88,900 360 Dnieper Russia, Belarus, Ukraine
178. Helmand 1,130 702 150,000 Hamun-i-Helmand Afghanistan, Iran
178. Tietê 1,130 702 72,168 937 Paraná Brazil
178. Vychegda 1,130 702 121,000 1160 Northern Dvina Russia
182. Sepik 1,126 700 77,700 5,000 Pacific Ocean Papua New Guinea, Indonesia
182. Sobat-Pibor 1,126 700 225,000 412 White Nile South Sudan (60%), Ethiopia (29%), Kenya (10%), Uganda (2%)
184. Orkhon 1,124 698 132,835 66 Selenga Mongolia
185. Cimarron 1,123 698 49,100 32.9 Arkansas United States
186. Anadyr 1,120 696 191,000 2,020 Gulf of Anadyr Russia
187. Jialing River 1,119 695 160,000 Yangtze China
188. Liard 1,115 693 277,100 2,434 Mackenzie Canada
189. Omolon 1,114 692 113,000 Kolyma Russia
190. Mamberamo River 1,112 691 78,992 5,923 Pacific Ocean Indonesia
191. Cumberland 1,105 687 46,830 862 Mississippi United States
192. Bani 1,100 684 146,570 Niger Mali (80%), Ivory Coast (15%), Burkina Faso (5%), Guinea (0.1%)
192. Huallaga 1,100 684 90,000 3,800 Marañón Peru
192. Kwango 1,100 684 263,500 2,700 Kasai Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo
192. Draa 1,100 684 95,000 Atlantic Ocean Morocco
196. Gambia 1,094 680 78,000 Atlantic Ocean The Gambia, Senegal, Guinea
197. Tyung 1,092 679 49,800 Vilyuy Russia
198. Barito River 1,090 680 81,675 5,497 Java Sea Indonesia
199. Maya 1,087 675 171,000 1,180 Aldan Russia
200. Yellowstone 1,080 671 114,260 390 Missouri United States
200. Ghaghara 1,080 671 127,950 2,990 Ganges India, Nepal, China
202. Huai River 1,078 670 270,000 1,110 Yangtze China
203. Aras 1,072 665 102,000 285 Kura Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran
204. Chu 1,067 663 62,500 none Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan
204. Sanaga-Djérem 1,067 663 140,000 2,072 Bight of Biafra Cameroon, Nigeria, Central African Republic
206. Seversky Donets 1,053 (1,078) 654 (670) 98,900 159 Don Russia, Ukraine
207. Bermejo 1,050 652 125,000 Paraguay Argentina, Bolivia
207. Cunene 1,050 652 108,943 Atlantic Ocean Angola (85%), Namibia (15%)
207. Fly 1,050 652 75,800 6,500 Gulf of Papua Papua New Guinea, Indonesia
207. Kuskokwim 1,050 652 120,000 1,900 Bering Sea United States
211. Tennessee 1,049 652 105,870 1,998 Ohio United States
212. Oder–Warta 1,045 649 118,861 550 Baltic Sea Poland, Germany, Czech Republic
213. Apure 1,038 645 167,000 2,300 Orinoco Venezuela (99.8%), Colombia (0.2%)
214. Logone 1,033 642 78,000 492 Chari Chad (53%), Cameroon (34%), Central African Republic (14%)
215. Aruwimi[41] 1,030 640 116,100 2,200 Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo
216. Chambal 1,024 636 143,219 456 Yamuna India
216. Pur 1,024 636 112,000 Taz Estuary Russia
218. Daugava 1,020 634 87,900 678 Gulf of Riga Latvia, Belarus, Russia
219. Gila 1,015 631 151,000 7 Colorado (western U.S.) United States
220. Essequibo 1,014 630 156,828[45] 5,136[45] Atlantic Ocean Guyana, Venezuela
221. Loire 1,012 629 115,271 840 Atlantic Ocean France
222. Khopyor 1,010 628 61,100 150 Don Russia
223. Tagus (Tajo/Tejo) 1,006 625 80,100 444 Atlantic Ocean Spain, Portugal
224. Flinders River 1,004 [21] 624 109,000 122 Gulf of Carpentaria Australia
225. Koksoak 1,000 621 136,262[17] 2,800 Ungava Bay Canada
225. Usumacinta 1,000 621 134,400 Gulf of Mexico Mexico, Guatemala

Notes

  • When the length of a river is followed by an asterisk, it is an average of multiple information sources. If the difference in lengths between given information sources is significant, all lengths are listed. But if the lengths from secondary information sources are similar, they are averaged and that figure has an asterisk.
  • Scientists debate whether the Amazon or the Nile is the longest river in the world. Traditionally, the Nile is considered longer, but recent information suggests that the Amazon may be longer. Differences in the recorded length of the Amazon mainly depend on whether the course south of the Ilha de Marajó at the Amazon's mouth is to be treated as part of the Amazon, or as part of the separate Tocantins River. New evidence, (dated 16 June 2007) obtained from a high-altitude scientific venture in the Andes, claims that "the Amazon is longer than the Nile by 100 km, with its longest headwater being the Carhuasanta stream originating in the south of Peru on the Nevado Mismi mountain's northern slopes and flowing into the Río Apurímac".[46] However, the origin of the river at Nevado Mismi had already been known more than one decade earlier (see Jacek Palkiewicz), and satellite based measuring from this origin to the Amazon mouth has resulted in not more than 6,400 km.
  • Generally, the most commonly used/anglicised name of the river is used. The name in a native language or alternate spelling may be shown.
The Mississippi River just north of St. Louis
Saint Lawrence River along the New York-Quebec border

River systems that may have existed in the past

Amazon–Congo

The Amazon basin formerly drained westwards into the Pacific Ocean, until the Andes rose and reversed the drainage.[47]

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 the Congo River was rejuvenated by much of its lower course being removed, likeliest when Africa split from South America when Gondwanaland broke up due to continental drift, and before that, the Congo would likely have flowed into the Amazon,[47] producing a river around 6000 miles or 10,000 km long.

West Siberian Glacial Lake drainage

Main article: West Siberian Glacial Lake

This river would have been about 10,000 km (6,200 mi) long, in the last ice age. Its longest headwater was the Selenga river of Mongolia: it drained through ice-dammed lakes and the Aral Sea and the Caspian Sea to the Black Sea.

Lobourg

During the last glacial maximum, much of what is now the southern part of the North Sea was land, known to archaeologists as Doggerland. At this time, the Thames, the Meuse, the Scheldt, and the Rhine probably joined before flowing into the sea, in a system known by palaeogeographers as the Loubourg or Lobourg River System.[48] There is some debate as to whether this river would have flowed southwest into what is now the English Channel, or flowed north, emerging into the North Sea close to modern Yorkshire. If the latter hypothesis is true, the Rhine would have attained a length of close to 1,650 kilometres (1,030 mi). The former hypothesis would have produced a shorter river, some 1,400 kilometres (870 mi) in length. Current scientific research favours the former opinion, with the Thames and Rhine meeting in a large lake, the outflow of which was close to the present-day Straits of Dover.[49]

See also

Notes and references

Notes
  1. ^ a b The Nile is usually said to be the longest river in the world, with a length of about 6,650 km,[3] and the Amazon the second longest, with a length of at least 6,400 km.[4] In 2007 and 2008, some scientists claimed that the Amazon has a length of 6,992 km and was longer than the Nile, whose length was calculated as 6,853 km.[6][11][7] They achieved this result by adding the waterway from the Amazon's southern outlet through tidal canals and the Pará estuary of the Tocantins.[citation needed] The dispute is: "Is the channel south of Isla de Marajó to be treated as part of the Amazon, or as part of the Rio Tocantins?"[citation needed] A peer-reviewed article, published in 2009, states a length of 7,088 km for the Nile and 6,575 km for the Amazon, measured by using a combination of satellite image analysis and field investigations to the source regions.[9] According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, as of 2020, the length of the Amazon remains open to interpretation and continued debate.[4][8] Note that disputed values have been put in parentheses.
References
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  2. ^ for more on this, see coastline paradox
  3. ^ a b c d "Nile River". Encyclopædia Britannica. 2020. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Amazon River". Encyclopædia Britannica. 2020. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  5. ^ Amazon Longer Than Nile River, Scientists Say Archived 15 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ a b "Amazon river 'longer than Nile'". BBC News. 16 June 2007. Archived from the original on 26 September 2010. Retrieved 3 August 2010.
  7. ^ a b "Studies from INPE indicate that the Amazon River is 140km longer than the Nile". Brazilian National Institute for Space Research. Archived from the original on 11 April 2011. Retrieved 3 August 2010.
  8. ^ a b "How Long Is the Amazon River?". Encyclopedia Britannica. Archived from the original on 2018-12-24. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
  9. ^ a b c d e f Liu, Shaochuang; Lu, P; Liu, D; Jin, P; Wang, W (2009-03-01). "Pinpointing the sources and measuring the lengths of the principal rivers of the world". Int. J. Digital Earth. 2 (1): 80–87. Bibcode:2009IJDE....2...80L. doi:10.1080/17538940902746082. S2CID 27548511. Archived from the original on 2018-12-23. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
  10. ^ a b c d J.C. Kammerer (1 September 2005). "Largest Rivers in the United States". US Geological Survey. Archived from the original on 13 May 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
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  28. ^ Bossche, J.P. vanden; G. M. Bernacsek (1990). Source Book for the Inland Fishery Resources of Africa, Volume 1. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. p. 338. ISBN 978-92-5-102983-1. Archived from the original on 2023-11-10. Retrieved 2016-10-28.
  29. ^ Ziesler, R.; Ardizzone, G. D. (1979). Las aguas continentales de América Latina: = The inland waters of Latin America. COPESCAL documentos técnicos. FAO. Roma: Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Agricultura y la Alimentación. ISBN 978-92-5-000780-9.
  30. ^ Marinho, Rogério Ribeiro; Filziola, Naziano Pantoja; Martinez, Jean-Michel; Harmel, Tristan (2022-01-13). "Suspended sediment transport estimation in Negro River (Amazon Basin) using MSI/Sentinel-2 data". Revista Brasileira de Geomorfologia (in Portuguese). 23 (1). doi:10.20502/rbg.v23i1.2076. ISSN 2236-5664.
  31. ^ a b "The Columbia River and Its Tributaries". USGS Volcanoes. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  32. ^ a b c d e f Lehner, Bernhard; Verdin, Kristine; Jarvis, Andy (2008-03-04). "New Global Hydrography Derived From Spaceborne Elevation Data". Eos, Transactions American Geophysical Union. 89 (10): 93–94. doi:10.1029/2008EO100001. ISSN 0096-3941.
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  42. ^ If the Meuse is considered a tributary, the Rhine basin is 218,300 km2.
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