For centuries, rivers have been an integral part of the world, providing food and habitat for wildlife and connecting remote cities and villages. The rivers on this list are iconic and span multiple countries and time zones. They are also visually stunning. [1]
A river is a naturally flowing freshwater watercourse that flows towards an ocean, sea, lake, or another river. The list of the world’s top ten longest rivers and their lengths and routes helps study the river’s course. Understanding the river’s system can also help you know the area’s demography. [3]
The world’s longest rivers are a fascinating subject. They’re generally long because of the area’s geology, but there are precisely the ten longest rivers in the world. Because of their size, some rivers are called one of the most beautiful in the world.
Before we get started, be sure to check out this amazing graphic from IlluminatingFacts.com on the Longest Rivers in the world.
So, let’s take a look at the ten longest rivers in the world!
1. Nile River
The Nile River has been around for almost 4 million years. It flows through Egypt and Sudan, which has nearly a total length of 6,600 kilometers (4,100 miles. To that conclusion, declared the longest river in the world. The measured depth of this river has an average of 1 meter (3 feet). The Nile’s source is Lake Victoria Nyanza, located in western Uganda. The Nile River dramatically impacts the people who live along its banks because they need to use it for food, water, and transportation.
Many different things make up this river, but one of the most important ones is how much water it carries. The Nile River is so big that it can have enough water to fill a city with water like Cairo once every year or two! It means that if a drought happens where you live, there will still be plenty of water left over for everyone else nearby. So, it makes it easier for individuals to find work during dry times since they don’t have to travel far away from where they live to look for work as other rivers do! [1]
2. Amazon River
Regarding water discharge, the Amazon River is the world’s most incredible. It is the second-longest river in the world, with over 6,400 km. The river is located in the northern portion of South America, flowing from west to east. This river is connected to several major river systems in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
However, its claim to be the world’s second-longest river is hotly contested, as Egypt’s Nile River has long held the title. Determining the Amazon’s origin is the source of the disagreement. This source is reportedly a glacial stream that rises from Nevado Mismi, a summit in the Peruvian Andes is located around 700 kilometers (430 miles) southeast of Lima. The Amazon began where The Cordillera Rumi Cruz is. [2]
3. Yangtze River
The Yangtze River is the world’s third-longest and China’s longest river. It flows through nine provinces and has a total length of 6,300 kilometers. The river flows through the lower part of the mountainous region of China and has a basin area of about 1.3 million square kilometers. The river has a drainage basin population of about 1.35 billion people and produces an annual flow of about 1,000 cubic kilometers. [3]
The river is the primary water resource for China’s industrial areas in the north and central regions. The river plays a significant role in China’s history, culture, and economy. Its existence was crucial to human settlement, the growth of agriculture, and the rise of civilization in East Asia, in addition to traversing several ecosystems in China.
4. Jefferson-Mississippi-Missouri River System
The Jefferson-Mississippi-Missouri River System is the fourth-longest and most important waterway in the United States. The river’s length measures up to 3,709 miles. The system provides water for major cities and agricultural areas in four states.
The river system begins in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado flows through the states of Wyoming, Montana, and South Dakota before emptying into the Missouri River near St. Louis. The Missouri River flows south to the Gulf of Mexico and then onto the Atlantic Ocean. [1]
The river system is vital for water resources, transportation, and recreational opportunities. It provides water for major cities, such as St. Louis, Kansas City, and Tulsa, and agricultural areas in Iowa, Nebraska, and Missouri.
5. Yenisei-Angara-Selenga River system
The Yenisei-Angara-Selenga River system drains a basin of about 8.5 million square kilometers in eastern Siberia and northeastern Russia. The river system includes the world’s fifth-longest, Yenisei, Angara, Lena, Kolyma, and Selenga rivers. The total length of the system is about 3,448 kilometers. [1]
The river system has a long and complex history. It was formed about 100 million years ago due to the collision of the Siberian and Pacific plates. Over the centuries, the river system has been the scene of many battles and conflicts. The river system has also been a major transportation route, serving as a vital waterway for trade and transportation.
6. Huang He River
The Huang He River is the world’s sixth-longest river and has an estimated length of 5,464 kilometers. Due to the color of its silt, they called it the Yellow river. The river originates in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province, in Western China. Huang He river passes through nine provinces before draining into the Bohai Sea close to the Shandong province city of Dongying. The Yellow River is well-known for its waterfalls, gorges, and rapids.
Because of its crucial role in the advancement of Chinese culture, Huang He called as “the cradle of Chinese civilization.”. Residential areas date back to the Paleolithic Era, similar to the Yangtze, and the fertile flood basins aided the growth of agricultural communities, which eventually merged with the less-developed settlements along the Yangtze’s southern reaches. [1]
7. Ob-Irtysh River
The Ob River and its major tributary, the Irtysh, run 3,362 miles from the Altay Mountains in southwestern Siberia to the Arctic Ocean, making it the world’s seventh-longest river. The Ob river is mainly used for irrigation, drinking water, hydroelectric energy, and fishing. For many years, the river was the only road in or out of a vast region of Siberian wilderness.
By traveling to Novosibirsk, the OB Sea has many lovely beaches. A dam on the OB River makes an artificial lake. Visitors can access the Ob River region. The third-largest city in Russia is a well-liked Trans Siberian Railway stop. It is home to a theater, an opera house, and the Central Siberian Botanic Garden. Visitors can also go on beautiful boat tours on the Ob River. [1]
8. Rio de la Plata
Rio de la Plata is a stunning coastal city in southern Argentina, with a total length of 3,032 miles that flows through Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina before joining the Paraguay and Uruguay rivers to form the Rio de la Plata, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean. With that, the
the river makes the eighth-longest river in the world.
The Paraná River and Paraguay supply water and energy to São Paulo, the largest city in South America. It also floods the Pantanal, the largest wetland on earth, and thunders over Iguaçu Falls, the second-highest waterfall in the world. [2]
9. Congo River
The Congo River is the world’s ninth-longest river, stretching 2,900 miles. It is also the world’s deepest, with measured depths exceeding 720 feet.
Due to the enormous source of water in the highlands of eastern Africa, it takes six months or more to exit into the Atlantic Ocean. Its size, beauty, and mystery have made it the perfect backdrop for literary works such as Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness.” [1]
Local tour operators offer Congo River expeditions and safaris. Visitors can get up close and personal with this mighty natural wonder while also seeing villages, plants and forests, and wildlife in the area (the river is home to more than 700 fish species, of which nearly 500 are endemic).
10. Amur River
The Amur River, also known as the Heilong Jiang, is the tenth-longest river in the world, running through northeastern China and Russia. Heilong Jiang translates to “black dragon river,” whereas Amur is derived from a term for “water.” The Amur River, which runs 1,755 miles along the border between eastern Russia and northern China, is the longest undammed river in the Eastern Hemisphere. Genghis Khan was born in northeastern Mongolia, and this river has its beginnings close to Burkan Khaldun, a sacred mountain. It travels eastward until it joins the Strait of Tartary. [1]
The river, a significant symbol of China-Russia relations, crosses five different natural areas, from grasslands and boreal woods to desert and tundra.
References
[1] Stephanie V., 2014, “World’s 10 Longest Rivers (PHOTOS)”. The Weather Channel. Available on: https://weather.com/travel/news/worlds-longest-rivers-photos-20140825 [accessed on September 15, 2022]
[2] Madhavi G., 2022, “Top 10 Longest Rivers in the World 2022″. Adda 24/7 Current Affairs. Available on: https://currentaffairs.adda247.com/longest-rivers-of-world/ [accessed on September 15, 2022]
[3] Matt W., 2015, “What are the longest rivers in the world?”. Phys Org. Available on: https://phys.org/news/2015-06-longest-rivers-world.html [accessed on September 15, 2022]