List of rivers by length
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View of the Nile River, from a cruiseboat, between Luxor and Aswan in Egypt.
This is a list of the longest rivers on Earth. It includes river systems over 1,000 kilometers.
Contents[hide]
1 Definition of length
2 List of rivers longer than 1000 km
2.1 Notes
3 River systems that may have existed in the past
3.1 Amazon-Congo
3.2 West Siberian Glacial Lake drainage
3.3 Nile
3.4 Eridanos
3.5 Po
4 See also
5 References
6 Notes
//
[edit] Definition of length
This section does not cite any references or sources.Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2009)
The length of a river is very hard to calculate, the source, the identification of the mouth, and the scale of 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 long been disagreement as to whether the Amazon or the Nile is the world's longest river. But some researchers accept that Amazon in fact is longer, because of its icy birth and recent satellite based studies [1][2][3]
The source of a river is not 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 Jefferson River, a tributary of the Missouri River which in turn is a tributary of the Mississippi. However, a different (and shorter) tributary is identified as the Mississippi. When the river is measured from mouth to farthest source, it is called the Mississippi-Missouri-Jefferson. 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 longest continuous river channel in a given river system, regardless of name.
The mouth of a river is hard to determine in cases where the river has a large estuary that gradually widens and opens into the ocean; examples are the River Plate and the Saint Lawrence River. Some rivers like the Okavango or Colorado do not have a mouth; instead they dwindle to very low water volume and eventually evaporate, or sink into an aquifer, or get diverted for agriculture. The exact point where these rivers end will vary seasonally.
The length of a river between source and mouth may be hard to determine due to issues of map scale. Small scale maps (those showing large areas) tend to generalize, or "smooth" lines more than large scale maps (those showing small areas). According to the generally accepted ideal, length measurements should be based on maps that are of a large enough scale to show the width of the river, and the path measured is the path a small boat would take down the middle of the river.
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. 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 meandering 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 218 miles (351 km).[4]
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.
Some researchers hold that in fact Amazon is born in the Andes' mountains, and is frozen at its start: these conclusions lead to an even longer length than that shown below for reference:
[edit] List of rivers longer than 1000 km
This article or section may contain previously unpublished synthesis of published material that conveys ideas not attributable to the original sources. See the talk page for details. (June 2009)
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.
Continent color key
Africa
Asia
Australia
Europe
North America
South America
River
Length (km)
Length (miles)
Drainage area (km²)
Average discharge (m³/s)
Outflow
Countries in the drainage basin
1.
Amazon[5]
6,992
4,344
6,915,000
219,000
Atlantic Ocean
Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guyana
2.
Nile
6,650
4,132
6,678,000
5,100
Mediterranean Sea
Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Egypt, Democratic Republic of the Congo
3.
Yangtze(Chang Jiang)
6,300
3,917
1,800,000
31,900
East China Sea
China
4.
Mississippi – Missouri
6,275
3,902
2,980,000
16,200
Gulf of Mexico
United States (98.5%), Canada (1.5%)
5.
Yenisei – Angara – Selenga
5,539
3,445
2,580,000
19,600
Kara Sea
Russia, Mongolia
6.
Yellow(Huang He)
5,464
3,398
745,000
2,110
Bohai Sea(Balhae)
China
7.
Ob – Irtysh
5,410
3,364
2,990,000
12,800
Gulf of Ob
Russia, Kazakhstan, P.R. China, Mongolia
8.
Congo – 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
9.
Amur – Argun(Heilong Jiang)
4,444
2,763
1,855,000
11,400
Sea of Okhotsk
Russia, P.R. China, Mongolia
10.
Lena
4,400
2,736
2,490,000
17,100
Laptev Sea
Russia
11.
Mekong(Lancang Jiang)
4,350
2,705
810,000
16,000
South China Sea
Laos, Thailand, P.R. China, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar
12.
Mackenzie – Peace – Finlay
4,241
2,637
1,790,000
10,300
Beaufort Sea
Canada
13.
Niger
4,200
2,611
2,090,000
9,570
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
14.
Paraná(Río de la Plata)
3,998
2,486
3,100,000
25,700
Atlantic Ocean
Brazil (46.7%), Argentina (27.7%), Paraguay (13.5%), Bolivia (8.3%), Uruguay (3.8%)
15.
Volga
3,645
2,266
1,380,000
8,080
Caspian Sea
Russia (99.8%), Kazakhstan (minor)
16.
Shatt al-Arab – Euphrates
3,596
2,236
884,000
856
Persian Gulf
Iraq (60.5%), Turkey (24.8%), Syria (14.7%)
17.
Purus
3,379
2,101
63,166
8,400
Amazon
Brazil, Peru
18.
Murray – Darling
3,370[6]
2,094
1,061,000
767
Indian Ocean
Australia
19.
Madeira – Mamoré
3,239
2,014
850,000
17,000
Amazon
Brazil, Bolivia, Peru
20.
Yukon
3,700
2,300
850,000
6,210
Bering Sea
United States (59.8%), Canada (40.2%)
21.
Indus(Sindhu)
3,180
1,976
960,000
7,160
Arabian Sea
Pakistan (93%), India, China, Afghanistan
22.
São Francisco
3,180*(2,900)
1,976*(1,802)
610,000
3,300
Atlantic Ocean
Brazil
23.
Syr Darya – Naryn
3,078
1,913
219,000
703
Aral Sea
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan
24.
Salween(Nu Jiang)
3,060
1,901
324,000
3,153[7]
Andaman Sea
P.R. China (52.4%), Myanmar (43.9%), Thailand (3.7%)
25.
Saint Lawrence – Niagara – Detroit – Saint Clair – Saint Marys – Saint Louis
3,058
1,900
1,030,000
10,100
Gulf of Saint Lawrence
Canada (52.1%), United States (47.9%)
26.
Rio Grande
3,057(2,896)
1,900(1,799)
570,000
82
Gulf of Mexico
United States (52.1%), Mexico (47.9%)
27.
Lower Tunguska
2,989
1,857
473,000
3,600
Yenisei
Russia
28.
Brahmaputra
2,948*
1,832*
1,730,000
19,200[8]
Bay of Bengal
India (58.0%), P.R. China (19.7%), Nepal (9.0%), Bangladesh (6.6%), Disputed India/P.R. China (4.2%), Bhutan (2.4%)
29.
Danube(Duna)
2,850*
1,771*
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%),
30.
Tocantins
2,699
1,677
1,400,000
13,598
Atlantic Ocean, Amazon
Brazil
31.
Zambezi(Zambesi)
2,693*
1,673*
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
32.
Vilyuy
2,650
1,647
454,000
1,480
Lena
Russia
33.
Araguaia
2,627
1,632
358,125
6,172
Tocantins
Brazil
34.
Amu Darya
2,620
1,628
534,739
1,400
Aral Sea
Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan
35.
Japurá(Rio Yapurá)
2,615*
1,625*
242,259
6,000
Amazon
Brazil, Colombia
36.
Nelson – Saskatchewan
2,570
1,597
1,093,000
2,575
Hudson Bay
Canada, United States
37.
Paraguay(Rio Paraguay)
2,549
1,584
900,000
4,300
Paraná
Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Argentina
38.
Kolyma
2,513
1,562
644,000
3,800
East Siberian Sea
Russia
39.
Ganges/Padma(Ganga)
2,510
1,560
907,000
12,037[9]
Brahmaputra, Bay of Bengal
India, Bangladesh, Nepal
40.
Pilcomayo
2,500
1,553
270,000
Paraguay
Paraguay, Argentina, Bolivia
41.
Upper Ob
2,490
1,547
Ob
Russia
42.
Ishim
2,450
1,522
177,000
56
Irtysh
Kazakhstan, Russia
43.
Juruá
2,410
1,498
200,000
6,000
Amazon
Peru, Brazil
44.
Ural
2,428
1,509
237,000
475
Caspian Sea
Russia, Kazakhstan
45.
Arkansas
2,348
1,459
505,000(435,122)
1,066
Mississippi
United States
46.
Ubangi – Uele
2,300
1,429
4,003
Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic
47.
Olenyok
2,292
1,424
219,000
1,210
Laptev Sea
Russia
48.
Dnieper
2,287
1,421
516,300
1,670
Black Sea
Russia, Belarus, Ukraine
49.
Aldan
2,273
1,412
729,000
5,060
Lena
Russia
50.
Negro
2,250
1,450
720,114
26,700
Amazon
Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia
51.
Columbia
2,250 (1,953)
1,450 (1,214)
415,211
7,500
Pacific Ocean
United States, Canada
52.
Colorado (western U.S.)
2,333
1,450
390,000
1,200
Gulf of California
United States, Mexico
53.
Pearl – Xi Jiang
2,200
1,376
437,000
13,600
South China Sea
P.R. China (98.5%), Vietnam (1.5%)
54.
Red
2,188
1,360
78,592
875
Mississippi
United States
55.
Ayeyarwady(Irrawaddy)
2,170
1,348
411,000
13,000
Andaman Sea
Myanmar
56.
Kasai
2,153
1,338
880,200
10,000
Congo
Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo
57.
Ohio – Allegheny
2,102
1,306
490,603
7,957
Mississippi
United States
58.
Orinoco
2,101
1,306
1.380,000
98,000
Atlantic Ocean
Venezuela, Colombia, Guyana
59.
Tarim
2,100
1,305
557,000
Lop Nur
P. R. China
60.
Xingu
2,100
1,305
Amazon
Brazil
61.
Orange
2,092
1,300
Atlantic Ocean
South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho
62.
Northern Salado
2,010
1,249
Paraná
Argentina
63.
Vitim
1,978
1,229
Lena
Russia
64.
Tigris
1,950
1,212
Shatt al-Arab
Turkey, Iraq, Syria
65.
Songhua
1,927
1,197
Amur
P. R. China
66.
Tapajós
1,900
1,181
Amazon
Brazil
67.
Don
1,870
1,162
425,600
935
Sea of Azov
Russia, Ukraine
68.
Stony Tunguska
1,865
1,159
240,000
Yenisei
Russia
69.
Pechora
1,809
1,124
322,000
Barents Sea
Russia
70.
Kama
1,805
1,122
507,000
Volga
Russia
71.
Limpopo
1,800
1,118
413,000
Indian Ocean
Mozambique, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Botswana
72.
Guaporé (Itenez)
1,749
1,087
Mamoré
Brazil, Bolivia
73.
Indigirka
1,726
1,072
360,400
1,810
East Siberian Sea
Russia
74.
Snake
1,670
1,038
279,719
1,611
Columbia
United States
75.
Senegal
1,641
1,020
419,659
Atlantic Ocean
Senegal, Mali, Mauritania
76.
Uruguay
1,610
1,000
370,000
Atlantic Ocean
Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil
77.
Blue Nile
1,600
994
Nile
Ethiopia, Sudan
77.
Churchill
1,600
994
Hudson Bay
Canada
77.
Khatanga
1,600
994
Laptev Sea
Russia
77.
Okavango
1,600
994
Okavango Delta
Namibia, Angola, Botswana
77.
Volta
1,600
994
Gulf of Guinea
Ghana, Burkina Faso, Togo, Côte d'Ivoire, Benin
82.
Beni
1,599
994
Madeira
Bolivia
83.
Platte
1,594
990
Missouri
United States
84.
Tobol
1,591
989
Irtysh
Kazakhstan, Russia
85.
Jubba – Shebelle
1,580*
982*
Indian Ocean
Ethiopia, Somalia
86.
Içá (Putumayo)
1,575
979
Amazon
Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador
87.
Magdalena
1,550
963
Caribbean Sea
Colombia
88.
Han
1,532
952
Yangtze
P. R. China
89.
Lomami
1,500
932
Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
89.
Oka
1,500
932
Volga
Russia
91.
Pecos
1,490
926
Rio Grande
United States
92.
Upper Yenisei
1,480
920
Yenisei
Russia, Mongolia
93.
Godavari
1,465
910
Bay of Bengal
India
94.
Colorado (Texas)
1,438
894
Gulf of Mexico
United States
95.
Río Grande (Guapay)
1,438
894
Ichilo
Bolivia
96.
Belaya
1,420
882
Kama
Russia
97.
Cooper – Barcoo
1,420
880
Lake Eyre
Australia
98.
Marañón
1,415
879
Amazon
Peru
99.
Dniester
1,411 (1,352)
877 (840)
Black Sea
Ukraine, Moldova
100.
Benue
1,400
870
Niger
Cameroon, Nigeria
100.
Ili(Yili)
1,400
870
Lake Balkhash
P. R. China, Kazakhstan
100.
Warburton – Georgina
1,400
870
Lake Eyre
Australia
103.
Sutlej
1,372
852
Chenab
China, India, Pakistan
104.
Yamuna
1,370
851
Ganges
India
105.
Vyatka
1,370
851
Kama
Russia
106.
Fraser
1,368
850
220,000
3,475
Pacific Ocean
Canada
107.
Mtkvari (Kura)
1,364
848
Caspian Sea
Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Turkey, Iran
108.
Grande
1,360
845
Paraná
Brazil
109.
Brazos
1,352
840
Gulf of Mexico
United States
110.
Cauca
1,350
839
Magdalena
Colombia
111.
Liao
1,345
836
Bo Hai
P. R. China
112.
Yalong
1,323
822
Yangtze
P. R. China
113.
Iguaçu
1,320
820
Paraná
Brazil, Argentina
113.
Olyokma
1,320
820
Lena
Russia
113.
Rhine
1,233
768
198,735
2,330
North Sea
Germany, France, Switzerland, Netherlands, Austria, Liechtenstein, Italy (minimal)
116.
Northern Dvina – Sukhona
1,302
809
357,052
3,332
White Sea
Russia
117.
Krishna
1,300
808
Bay of Bengal
India
117.
Iriri
1,300
808
Xingu
Brazil
119.
Narmada
1,289
801
Arabian Sea
India
120.
Ottawa
1,271
790
Saint Lawrence
Canada
121.
Zeya
1,242
772
Amur
Russia
122.
Juruena
1,240
771
Tapajós
Brazil
123.
Upper Mississippi
1,236
768
Mississippi
United States
124.
Athabasca
1,231
765
95,300
Mackenzie
Canada
124.
Elbe – Vltava
1,231
765
148,268
711
North Sea
Germany, Czech Republic
126.
Canadian
1,223
760
Arkansas
United States
127.
North Saskatchewan
1,220
758
Saskatchewan
Canada
128.
Draa
1,218
994
Atlantic Ocean
Morocco
129.
Vaal
1,210
752
Orange
South Africa
130.
Shire
1,200
746
Zambezi
Mozambique, Malawi
131.
Nen(Nonni)
1,190
739
Songhua
P. R. China
132.
Kızıl River
1,182
734
115,000
400
Black Sea
Turkey
133.
Green
1,175
730
Colorado (western U.S.)
United States
134.
Milk
1,173
729
Missouri
United States, Canada
135.
Chindwin
1,158
720
Ayeyarwady
Myanmar
136.
Sankuru
1,150
715
Kasai
Democratic Republic of the Congo
137.
James (Dakotas)
1,143
710
Missouri
United States
138.
Kapuas
1,143
710
South China Sea
Indonesia
139.
Desna
1,130
702
88,900
360
Dnieper
Russia, Ukraine
140.
Helmand
1,130
702
Hamun-i-Helmand
Afghanistan, Iran
141.
Madre de Dios
1,130
702
Madeira
Peru, Bolivia
142.
Tietê
1,130
702
Paraná
Brazil
143.
Vychegda
1,130
702
Northern Dvina
Russia
144.
Sepik
1,126
700
77,700
Pacific Ocean
Papua New Guinea, Indonesia
145.
Cimarron
1,123
698
Arkansas
United States
146.
Anadyr
1,120
696
Gulf of Anadyr
Russia
147.
Jialing River
1,119
695
Yangtze
P. R. China
148.
Liard
1,115
693
Mackenzie
Canada
149.
White
1,102
685
Mississippi
United States
150.
Huallaga
1,100
684
Marañón
Peru
151.
Kwango
1,100
684
263,500
2,700
Kasai
Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo
152.
Gambia
1,094
680
Atlantic Ocean
The Gambia, Senegal, Guinea
153.
Chenab
1,086
675
Indus
India, Pakistan
154.
Yellowstone
1,080
671
114,260
Missouri
United States
155.
Aras
1,072
665
102,000
285
Kura
Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran
156.
Chu River
1,067
663
62,500
none
Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan
157.
Donets
1,078 (1,053)
670 (654)
Don
Ukraine, Russia
158.
Bermejo
1,050
652
Paraguay
Argentina, Bolivia
159.
Fly
1,050
652
Gulf of Papua
Papua New Guinea, Indonesia
160.
Guaviare
1,050
652
Orinoco
Colombia
161.
Kuskokwim
1,050
652
Bering Sea
United States
162.
Tennessee
1,049
652
Ohio
United States
163.
Vistula
1,047
630
194,424
1,080
Baltic Sea
Poland
164.
Daugava
1,020
634
87,900
678
Gulf of Riga
Latvia, Belarus, Russia
165.
Gila
1,015
631
Colorado (western U.S.)
United States
166.
Loire
1,012
629
Atlantic Ocean
France
167.
Essequibo
1,010
628
Atlantic Ocean
Guyana
168.
Khoper
1,010
628
Don
Russia
169.
Tagus(Tajo/Tejo)
1,006
625
80,100
Atlantic Ocean
Spain, Portugal
[edit] 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. Likewise, 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 has been considered longer, but recent information indicates that the Amazon may be longer. Differences in the recorded length of the Amazon mainly depend on whether or not it is valid to take a course south of the Ilha de Marajó at the Amazon's mouth. 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 100km, 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"[10]. However, the origin of the river at Nevado Mismi had already been known more than one decade earlier (see Jacek Palkiewicz), although satellite based measuring from this origin to the Amazon mouth has resulted in more than 6,900 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 exact percentage of each river in countries may be disputed (including the effects of political frontier disputes) or unknown.
The Mississippi River just north of St. Louis.
Saint Lawrence River along the New York-Quebec border.
[edit] River systems that may have existed in the past
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
View of the Nile River, from a cruiseboat, between Luxor and Aswan in Egypt.
This is a list of the longest rivers on Earth. It includes river systems over 1,000 kilometers.
Contents[hide]
1 Definition of length
2 List of rivers longer than 1000 km
2.1 Notes
3 River systems that may have existed in the past
3.1 Amazon-Congo
3.2 West Siberian Glacial Lake drainage
3.3 Nile
3.4 Eridanos
3.5 Po
4 See also
5 References
6 Notes
//
[edit] Definition of length
This section does not cite any references or sources.Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2009)
The length of a river is very hard to calculate, the source, the identification of the mouth, and the scale of 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 long been disagreement as to whether the Amazon or the Nile is the world's longest river. But some researchers accept that Amazon in fact is longer, because of its icy birth and recent satellite based studies [1][2][3]
The source of a river is not 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 Jefferson River, a tributary of the Missouri River which in turn is a tributary of the Mississippi. However, a different (and shorter) tributary is identified as the Mississippi. When the river is measured from mouth to farthest source, it is called the Mississippi-Missouri-Jefferson. 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 longest continuous river channel in a given river system, regardless of name.
The mouth of a river is hard to determine in cases where the river has a large estuary that gradually widens and opens into the ocean; examples are the River Plate and the Saint Lawrence River. Some rivers like the Okavango or Colorado do not have a mouth; instead they dwindle to very low water volume and eventually evaporate, or sink into an aquifer, or get diverted for agriculture. The exact point where these rivers end will vary seasonally.
The length of a river between source and mouth may be hard to determine due to issues of map scale. Small scale maps (those showing large areas) tend to generalize, or "smooth" lines more than large scale maps (those showing small areas). According to the generally accepted ideal, length measurements should be based on maps that are of a large enough scale to show the width of the river, and the path measured is the path a small boat would take down the middle of the river.
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. 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 meandering 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 218 miles (351 km).[4]
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.
Some researchers hold that in fact Amazon is born in the Andes' mountains, and is frozen at its start: these conclusions lead to an even longer length than that shown below for reference:
[edit] List of rivers longer than 1000 km
This article or section may contain previously unpublished synthesis of published material that conveys ideas not attributable to the original sources. See the talk page for details. (June 2009)
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.
Continent color key
Africa
Asia
Australia
Europe
North America
South America
River
Length (km)
Length (miles)
Drainage area (km²)
Average discharge (m³/s)
Outflow
Countries in the drainage basin
1.
Amazon[5]
6,992
4,344
6,915,000
219,000
Atlantic Ocean
Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guyana
2.
Nile
6,650
4,132
6,678,000
5,100
Mediterranean Sea
Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Egypt, Democratic Republic of the Congo
3.
Yangtze(Chang Jiang)
6,300
3,917
1,800,000
31,900
East China Sea
China
4.
Mississippi – Missouri
6,275
3,902
2,980,000
16,200
Gulf of Mexico
United States (98.5%), Canada (1.5%)
5.
Yenisei – Angara – Selenga
5,539
3,445
2,580,000
19,600
Kara Sea
Russia, Mongolia
6.
Yellow(Huang He)
5,464
3,398
745,000
2,110
Bohai Sea(Balhae)
China
7.
Ob – Irtysh
5,410
3,364
2,990,000
12,800
Gulf of Ob
Russia, Kazakhstan, P.R. China, Mongolia
8.
Congo – 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
9.
Amur – Argun(Heilong Jiang)
4,444
2,763
1,855,000
11,400
Sea of Okhotsk
Russia, P.R. China, Mongolia
10.
Lena
4,400
2,736
2,490,000
17,100
Laptev Sea
Russia
11.
Mekong(Lancang Jiang)
4,350
2,705
810,000
16,000
South China Sea
Laos, Thailand, P.R. China, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar
12.
Mackenzie – Peace – Finlay
4,241
2,637
1,790,000
10,300
Beaufort Sea
Canada
13.
Niger
4,200
2,611
2,090,000
9,570
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
14.
Paraná(Río de la Plata)
3,998
2,486
3,100,000
25,700
Atlantic Ocean
Brazil (46.7%), Argentina (27.7%), Paraguay (13.5%), Bolivia (8.3%), Uruguay (3.8%)
15.
Volga
3,645
2,266
1,380,000
8,080
Caspian Sea
Russia (99.8%), Kazakhstan (minor)
16.
Shatt al-Arab – Euphrates
3,596
2,236
884,000
856
Persian Gulf
Iraq (60.5%), Turkey (24.8%), Syria (14.7%)
17.
Purus
3,379
2,101
63,166
8,400
Amazon
Brazil, Peru
18.
Murray – Darling
3,370[6]
2,094
1,061,000
767
Indian Ocean
Australia
19.
Madeira – Mamoré
3,239
2,014
850,000
17,000
Amazon
Brazil, Bolivia, Peru
20.
Yukon
3,700
2,300
850,000
6,210
Bering Sea
United States (59.8%), Canada (40.2%)
21.
Indus(Sindhu)
3,180
1,976
960,000
7,160
Arabian Sea
Pakistan (93%), India, China, Afghanistan
22.
São Francisco
3,180*(2,900)
1,976*(1,802)
610,000
3,300
Atlantic Ocean
Brazil
23.
Syr Darya – Naryn
3,078
1,913
219,000
703
Aral Sea
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan
24.
Salween(Nu Jiang)
3,060
1,901
324,000
3,153[7]
Andaman Sea
P.R. China (52.4%), Myanmar (43.9%), Thailand (3.7%)
25.
Saint Lawrence – Niagara – Detroit – Saint Clair – Saint Marys – Saint Louis
3,058
1,900
1,030,000
10,100
Gulf of Saint Lawrence
Canada (52.1%), United States (47.9%)
26.
Rio Grande
3,057(2,896)
1,900(1,799)
570,000
82
Gulf of Mexico
United States (52.1%), Mexico (47.9%)
27.
Lower Tunguska
2,989
1,857
473,000
3,600
Yenisei
Russia
28.
Brahmaputra
2,948*
1,832*
1,730,000
19,200[8]
Bay of Bengal
India (58.0%), P.R. China (19.7%), Nepal (9.0%), Bangladesh (6.6%), Disputed India/P.R. China (4.2%), Bhutan (2.4%)
29.
Danube(Duna)
2,850*
1,771*
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%),
30.
Tocantins
2,699
1,677
1,400,000
13,598
Atlantic Ocean, Amazon
Brazil
31.
Zambezi(Zambesi)
2,693*
1,673*
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
32.
Vilyuy
2,650
1,647
454,000
1,480
Lena
Russia
33.
Araguaia
2,627
1,632
358,125
6,172
Tocantins
Brazil
34.
Amu Darya
2,620
1,628
534,739
1,400
Aral Sea
Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan
35.
Japurá(Rio Yapurá)
2,615*
1,625*
242,259
6,000
Amazon
Brazil, Colombia
36.
Nelson – Saskatchewan
2,570
1,597
1,093,000
2,575
Hudson Bay
Canada, United States
37.
Paraguay(Rio Paraguay)
2,549
1,584
900,000
4,300
Paraná
Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Argentina
38.
Kolyma
2,513
1,562
644,000
3,800
East Siberian Sea
Russia
39.
Ganges/Padma(Ganga)
2,510
1,560
907,000
12,037[9]
Brahmaputra, Bay of Bengal
India, Bangladesh, Nepal
40.
Pilcomayo
2,500
1,553
270,000
Paraguay
Paraguay, Argentina, Bolivia
41.
Upper Ob
2,490
1,547
Ob
Russia
42.
Ishim
2,450
1,522
177,000
56
Irtysh
Kazakhstan, Russia
43.
Juruá
2,410
1,498
200,000
6,000
Amazon
Peru, Brazil
44.
Ural
2,428
1,509
237,000
475
Caspian Sea
Russia, Kazakhstan
45.
Arkansas
2,348
1,459
505,000(435,122)
1,066
Mississippi
United States
46.
Ubangi – Uele
2,300
1,429
4,003
Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic
47.
Olenyok
2,292
1,424
219,000
1,210
Laptev Sea
Russia
48.
Dnieper
2,287
1,421
516,300
1,670
Black Sea
Russia, Belarus, Ukraine
49.
Aldan
2,273
1,412
729,000
5,060
Lena
Russia
50.
Negro
2,250
1,450
720,114
26,700
Amazon
Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia
51.
Columbia
2,250 (1,953)
1,450 (1,214)
415,211
7,500
Pacific Ocean
United States, Canada
52.
Colorado (western U.S.)
2,333
1,450
390,000
1,200
Gulf of California
United States, Mexico
53.
Pearl – Xi Jiang
2,200
1,376
437,000
13,600
South China Sea
P.R. China (98.5%), Vietnam (1.5%)
54.
Red
2,188
1,360
78,592
875
Mississippi
United States
55.
Ayeyarwady(Irrawaddy)
2,170
1,348
411,000
13,000
Andaman Sea
Myanmar
56.
Kasai
2,153
1,338
880,200
10,000
Congo
Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo
57.
Ohio – Allegheny
2,102
1,306
490,603
7,957
Mississippi
United States
58.
Orinoco
2,101
1,306
1.380,000
98,000
Atlantic Ocean
Venezuela, Colombia, Guyana
59.
Tarim
2,100
1,305
557,000
Lop Nur
P. R. China
60.
Xingu
2,100
1,305
Amazon
Brazil
61.
Orange
2,092
1,300
Atlantic Ocean
South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho
62.
Northern Salado
2,010
1,249
Paraná
Argentina
63.
Vitim
1,978
1,229
Lena
Russia
64.
Tigris
1,950
1,212
Shatt al-Arab
Turkey, Iraq, Syria
65.
Songhua
1,927
1,197
Amur
P. R. China
66.
Tapajós
1,900
1,181
Amazon
Brazil
67.
Don
1,870
1,162
425,600
935
Sea of Azov
Russia, Ukraine
68.
Stony Tunguska
1,865
1,159
240,000
Yenisei
Russia
69.
Pechora
1,809
1,124
322,000
Barents Sea
Russia
70.
Kama
1,805
1,122
507,000
Volga
Russia
71.
Limpopo
1,800
1,118
413,000
Indian Ocean
Mozambique, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Botswana
72.
Guaporé (Itenez)
1,749
1,087
Mamoré
Brazil, Bolivia
73.
Indigirka
1,726
1,072
360,400
1,810
East Siberian Sea
Russia
74.
Snake
1,670
1,038
279,719
1,611
Columbia
United States
75.
Senegal
1,641
1,020
419,659
Atlantic Ocean
Senegal, Mali, Mauritania
76.
Uruguay
1,610
1,000
370,000
Atlantic Ocean
Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil
77.
Blue Nile
1,600
994
Nile
Ethiopia, Sudan
77.
Churchill
1,600
994
Hudson Bay
Canada
77.
Khatanga
1,600
994
Laptev Sea
Russia
77.
Okavango
1,600
994
Okavango Delta
Namibia, Angola, Botswana
77.
Volta
1,600
994
Gulf of Guinea
Ghana, Burkina Faso, Togo, Côte d'Ivoire, Benin
82.
Beni
1,599
994
Madeira
Bolivia
83.
Platte
1,594
990
Missouri
United States
84.
Tobol
1,591
989
Irtysh
Kazakhstan, Russia
85.
Jubba – Shebelle
1,580*
982*
Indian Ocean
Ethiopia, Somalia
86.
Içá (Putumayo)
1,575
979
Amazon
Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador
87.
Magdalena
1,550
963
Caribbean Sea
Colombia
88.
Han
1,532
952
Yangtze
P. R. China
89.
Lomami
1,500
932
Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
89.
Oka
1,500
932
Volga
Russia
91.
Pecos
1,490
926
Rio Grande
United States
92.
Upper Yenisei
1,480
920
Yenisei
Russia, Mongolia
93.
Godavari
1,465
910
Bay of Bengal
India
94.
Colorado (Texas)
1,438
894
Gulf of Mexico
United States
95.
Río Grande (Guapay)
1,438
894
Ichilo
Bolivia
96.
Belaya
1,420
882
Kama
Russia
97.
Cooper – Barcoo
1,420
880
Lake Eyre
Australia
98.
Marañón
1,415
879
Amazon
Peru
99.
Dniester
1,411 (1,352)
877 (840)
Black Sea
Ukraine, Moldova
100.
Benue
1,400
870
Niger
Cameroon, Nigeria
100.
Ili(Yili)
1,400
870
Lake Balkhash
P. R. China, Kazakhstan
100.
Warburton – Georgina
1,400
870
Lake Eyre
Australia
103.
Sutlej
1,372
852
Chenab
China, India, Pakistan
104.
Yamuna
1,370
851
Ganges
India
105.
Vyatka
1,370
851
Kama
Russia
106.
Fraser
1,368
850
220,000
3,475
Pacific Ocean
Canada
107.
Mtkvari (Kura)
1,364
848
Caspian Sea
Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Turkey, Iran
108.
Grande
1,360
845
Paraná
Brazil
109.
Brazos
1,352
840
Gulf of Mexico
United States
110.
Cauca
1,350
839
Magdalena
Colombia
111.
Liao
1,345
836
Bo Hai
P. R. China
112.
Yalong
1,323
822
Yangtze
P. R. China
113.
Iguaçu
1,320
820
Paraná
Brazil, Argentina
113.
Olyokma
1,320
820
Lena
Russia
113.
Rhine
1,233
768
198,735
2,330
North Sea
Germany, France, Switzerland, Netherlands, Austria, Liechtenstein, Italy (minimal)
116.
Northern Dvina – Sukhona
1,302
809
357,052
3,332
White Sea
Russia
117.
Krishna
1,300
808
Bay of Bengal
India
117.
Iriri
1,300
808
Xingu
Brazil
119.
Narmada
1,289
801
Arabian Sea
India
120.
Ottawa
1,271
790
Saint Lawrence
Canada
121.
Zeya
1,242
772
Amur
Russia
122.
Juruena
1,240
771
Tapajós
Brazil
123.
Upper Mississippi
1,236
768
Mississippi
United States
124.
Athabasca
1,231
765
95,300
Mackenzie
Canada
124.
Elbe – Vltava
1,231
765
148,268
711
North Sea
Germany, Czech Republic
126.
Canadian
1,223
760
Arkansas
United States
127.
North Saskatchewan
1,220
758
Saskatchewan
Canada
128.
Draa
1,218
994
Atlantic Ocean
Morocco
129.
Vaal
1,210
752
Orange
South Africa
130.
Shire
1,200
746
Zambezi
Mozambique, Malawi
131.
Nen(Nonni)
1,190
739
Songhua
P. R. China
132.
Kızıl River
1,182
734
115,000
400
Black Sea
Turkey
133.
Green
1,175
730
Colorado (western U.S.)
United States
134.
Milk
1,173
729
Missouri
United States, Canada
135.
Chindwin
1,158
720
Ayeyarwady
Myanmar
136.
Sankuru
1,150
715
Kasai
Democratic Republic of the Congo
137.
James (Dakotas)
1,143
710
Missouri
United States
138.
Kapuas
1,143
710
South China Sea
Indonesia
139.
Desna
1,130
702
88,900
360
Dnieper
Russia, Ukraine
140.
Helmand
1,130
702
Hamun-i-Helmand
Afghanistan, Iran
141.
Madre de Dios
1,130
702
Madeira
Peru, Bolivia
142.
Tietê
1,130
702
Paraná
Brazil
143.
Vychegda
1,130
702
Northern Dvina
Russia
144.
Sepik
1,126
700
77,700
Pacific Ocean
Papua New Guinea, Indonesia
145.
Cimarron
1,123
698
Arkansas
United States
146.
Anadyr
1,120
696
Gulf of Anadyr
Russia
147.
Jialing River
1,119
695
Yangtze
P. R. China
148.
Liard
1,115
693
Mackenzie
Canada
149.
White
1,102
685
Mississippi
United States
150.
Huallaga
1,100
684
Marañón
Peru
151.
Kwango
1,100
684
263,500
2,700
Kasai
Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo
152.
Gambia
1,094
680
Atlantic Ocean
The Gambia, Senegal, Guinea
153.
Chenab
1,086
675
Indus
India, Pakistan
154.
Yellowstone
1,080
671
114,260
Missouri
United States
155.
Aras
1,072
665
102,000
285
Kura
Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran
156.
Chu River
1,067
663
62,500
none
Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan
157.
Donets
1,078 (1,053)
670 (654)
Don
Ukraine, Russia
158.
Bermejo
1,050
652
Paraguay
Argentina, Bolivia
159.
Fly
1,050
652
Gulf of Papua
Papua New Guinea, Indonesia
160.
Guaviare
1,050
652
Orinoco
Colombia
161.
Kuskokwim
1,050
652
Bering Sea
United States
162.
Tennessee
1,049
652
Ohio
United States
163.
Vistula
1,047
630
194,424
1,080
Baltic Sea
Poland
164.
Daugava
1,020
634
87,900
678
Gulf of Riga
Latvia, Belarus, Russia
165.
Gila
1,015
631
Colorado (western U.S.)
United States
166.
Loire
1,012
629
Atlantic Ocean
France
167.
Essequibo
1,010
628
Atlantic Ocean
Guyana
168.
Khoper
1,010
628
Don
Russia
169.
Tagus(Tajo/Tejo)
1,006
625
80,100
Atlantic Ocean
Spain, Portugal
[edit] 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. Likewise, 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 has been considered longer, but recent information indicates that the Amazon may be longer. Differences in the recorded length of the Amazon mainly depend on whether or not it is valid to take a course south of the Ilha de Marajó at the Amazon's mouth. 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 100km, 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"[10]. However, the origin of the river at Nevado Mismi had already been known more than one decade earlier (see Jacek Palkiewicz), although satellite based measuring from this origin to the Amazon mouth has resulted in more than 6,900 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 exact percentage of each river in countries may be disputed (including the effects of political frontier disputes) or unknown.
The Mississippi River just north of St. Louis.
Saint Lawrence River along the New York-Quebec border.
[edit] River systems that may have existed in the past
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