Jump to content

List of river systems by length

Page semi-protected
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The printable version is no longer supported and may have rendering errors. Please update your browser bookmarks and please use the default browser print function instead.

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]

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.

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 2,800 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] 209,000 Atlantic Ocean Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guyana
3. Yangtze–Jinsha–Tongtian–Dangqu
(Chang Jiang) 		6,300
(6,418) 		3,917
(3,988) 		1,800,000 30,166 East China Sea China
4. Mississippi–Missouri–Jefferson–Beaverhead–Red Rock–Hell Roaring 6,275
 3,902
 2,980,000 16,792 Gulf of Mexico United States (98.5%), Canada (1.5%)
5. Yenisey–Angara–Selenga–Ider 5,539
 3,445
 2,580,000 18,050 Kara Sea Russia (97%), Mongolia (2.9%)
6. Yellow River
(Huang He) 		5,464
 3,395
 745,000 2,571 Bohai Sea China
7. Ob–Irtysh 5,410 3,364 2,990,000 12,475 Gulf of Ob Russia, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia
8. Río de la Plata–Paraná–Rio Grande[12] 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
 2,490,000 15,500 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
 1,790,000 10,300 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[13][14] 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[15] 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] 850,000 6,210 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[16] 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[17] 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%)
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[18] 1,690 1,024,000 12,037[19] 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 1,093,000 2,575 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 1,562 644,000 3,800 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 Ob Russia
43. Ishim 2,450 1,522 177,000 56 Irtysh Kazakhstan, Russia
44. Ural 2,428 1,509 237,000 475 Caspian Sea Russia, Kazakhstan
45. Juruá 2,410 1,498 200,000 6,000 Amazon Peru, Brazil
46. Arkansas 2,348 1,459 505,000
(435,122) 		1,066 Mississippi United States
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 Ukraine, Belarus, Russia
49. Aldan 2,273 1,412 729,000 5,060 Lena Russia
50. Ubangi–Uele[20] 2,270 1,410 772,800 4,000 Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo
51. Negro 2,250 1,398 720,114 26,700 Amazon Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia
51. Columbia-Snake 2,250 1,398[21] 415,211 7,500 Pacific Ocean Canada (30%),United States (70%)
53. Pearl–Xi-Xun-Qian-Hongshui-Nanpan 2,200 1,376 437,000 13,600 South China Sea China (98.5%), Vietnam (1.5%)
54. Red (USA) 2,188 1,360 78,592 875 Mississippi United States
55. Kasai 2,153 1,338 880,200 10,000 Congo Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo
56. Ohio–Allegheny 2,102 1,306 490,603 7,957 Mississippi United States
57. Orinoco 2,101 1,306 1,380,000 33,000 Atlantic Ocean Venezuela, Colombia, Guyana
58. Tarim 2,100 1,305 557,000 Lop Nur China
58. Xingu 2,100 1,305 Amazon Brazil
60. Orange 2,092 1,300     Atlantic Ocean South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho
61. Brazos-Double Mountain Fork-North Fork-Blackwater Draw 2,060 1,280[22] Gulf of Mexico United States
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, Iran
65. Songhua 1,927 1,197 Amur 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 Yenisey Russia
69. Pechora 1,809 1,124 322,000 4,100 Barents Sea Russia
70. Kama 1,805 1,122 507,000 4,100 Volga Russia
71. Limpopo 1,800 1,118 413,000 Indian Ocean Mozambique, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Botswana
72. Chulym 1,799 1,118 134,000 Ob Russia
73. Guaporé (Itenez) 1,749 1,087 Mamoré Brazil, Bolivia
74. Indigirka 1,726 1,072 360,400 1,810 East Siberian Sea Russia
75. Senegal 1,641 1,020 419,659 Atlantic Ocean Guinea, Senegal, Mali, Mauritania
76. Uruguay 1,610 1,000 370,000 4,622[23] Atlantic Ocean Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil
77. Blue Nile 1,600 994 326,400 Nile Ethiopia, Sudan
77. Churchill 1,600 994 Hudson Bay Canada
77. Khatanga–Kotuy 1,600 994 Laptev Sea Russia
77. Okavango (Cubango) 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 1,599 994 283,350 8,900 Madeira Bolivia
83. Platte 1,594 990 Missouri United States
84. Tobol 1,591 989 Irtysh Kazakhstan, Russia
85. Alazeya 1,590 988 64,700 East Siberian Sea Russia
86. Jubba–Shebelle 1,580* 982* Indian Ocean Ethiopia, Somalia
87. Içá (Putumayo) 1,575 979 Amazon Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador
88. Magdalena 1,550 963 263,858 9,000 Caribbean Colombia
89. Han 1,532 952 Yangtze China
90. Kura/Mt'k'vari 1,515 941 188,400 575 Caspian Sea Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan
91. Oka 1,500 932 245,000 1,258 Volga Russia
91. Upper Murray 1,500[24] 932
 Lower Murray Australia
93. Guaviare 1,497 930 Orinoco Colombia
94. Pecos 1,490 926 Rio Grande United States
95. Murrumbidgee River 1,485 [15] 923 84,917 120 Murray River Australia
96. Upper Yenisey–Little Yenisey (Kaa-Hem) 1,480 920 Yenisey Russia, Mongolia
97. Godavari 1,465 910 312,812 3,061 Bay of Bengal India
98. Sutlej 1,450 900 Chenab China, India, Pakistan
99. Colorado (Texas) 1,438 894 Gulf of Mexico United States
100. Upper Columbia[25] 1,430 889[21] 292,316[25] 3,364[26] Columbia United States, Canada
101. Upper Tocantins 1,427 887 Tocantins Brazil
102. Belaya 1,420 882 142,000 858 Kama Russia
102. Cooper–Barcoo 1,420 880 Lake Eyre Australia
104. Marañón 1,415 879 Amazon Peru
105. Dniester 1,411 (1,352) 877 (840) 72,100 310 Black Sea Ukraine, Moldova
106. Benue 1,400 870 Niger Cameroon, Nigeria
106. Chari 1,400[27] 870 Lake Chad Chad, Cameroon, Niger, Nigeria
106. Ili (Yili) 1,400 870 140,000 480 Lake Balkhash China, Kazakhstan
106. Parnaíba 1,400 870 344,112 Atlantic Ocean Brazil
106. Warburton–Georgina 1,400 870 365,000 Lake Eyre Australia
111. Yamuna 1,370 851 366,223 2,950 Ganges India
111. Vyatka 1,370 851 129,000 890 Kama Russia
113. Fraser 1,368 850 220,000 3,475 Pacific Ocean Canada, United States[28]
114. Kura /Mtkvari 1,364 848 188,400 575 Caspian Sea Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Turkey, Iran-->
115. Grande 1,360 845 Paraná Brazil
116. Liao-Xiliao-Laoha 1,345 836 Bohai Sea China
117. Lachlan River 1,339 [15] 832 84,700 49 Murrumbidgee River Australia
118. Narmada 1,333 [29] 828 98,796 1,447 Arabian Sea India
119. Hai 1,329 826 318,200 717 Bohai Sea China
120. Yalong 1,323 822 Yangtze China
121. Iguaçu 1,320 820 Paraná Brazil, Argentina
121. Olyokma 1,320 820 Lena Russia
123. Northern Dvina–Sukhona 1,302 809 357,052 3,332 White Sea Russia
124. Krishna 1,300 808 Bay of Bengal India
124. Iriri 1,300 808 Xingu Brazil
126. Lomami[30] 1,280 795 Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo
127. Ottawa 1,271 790 146,300 1,950 Saint Lawrence Canada
128. Rio Grande de Santiago-Lerma 1,270 789 119,543 Pacific Ocean Mexico
129. Elbe–Vltava 1,252 778 148,268 711 North Sea Germany, Czech Republic
130. Zeya 1,242 772 Amur Russia
131. Juruena 1,240 771 Tapajós Brazil
132. Upper Mississippi 1,236 768 Mississippi United States
133. Rhine 1,233 768 185,000 [31] 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%)
134. Athabasca 1,231 765 95,300 Mackenzie Canada
135. Canadian 1,223 760 Arkansas United States
136. North Saskatchewan 1,220 758 Saskatchewan Canada
137. Vistula–Narew-Bug 1,213 754 194,424 1,080 Baltic Sea Poland, Belarus, Ukraine
138. Vaal 1,210 752 Orange South Africa
139. Shire 1,200 746 Zambezi Mozambique, Malawi
139. Ogooué (or Ogowe) 1,200 746 223,856 4,706 Atlantic Ocean Gabon, Republic of the Congo
141. Nen
(Nonni) 		1,190 739 Songhua China
142. Kızıl River 1,182 734 115,000 400 Black Sea Turkey
143. Markha 1,181 734 99,000 405 Vilyuy Russia
144. Milk 1,173 729

Missouri

United States, Canada
145. Mun - Chi 1,162 722 Mekong River Thailand
145. White 1,162 722[32] Mississippi United States
147. Chindwin 1,158 720 Ayeyarwady Myanmar
148. Sankuru 1,150 715 Kasai Democratic Republic of the Congo
149. Wu 1,150 715 80,300 1,108 Yangtze China
150. Red (Asia) 1,149 714 143,700 2,640 Gulf of Tonkin China, Vietnam
151. James (Dakotas) 1,143 710 Missouri United States
152. Kapuas 1,143 710 98,749 6,507 Natuna Sea Indonesia
153. Desna 1,130 702 88,900 360 Dnieper Russia, Belarus, Ukraine
153. Helmand 1,130 702 Hamun-i-Helmand Afghanistan, Iran
153. Madre de Dios 1,130 702 125,000 4,915 Beni Peru, Bolivia
153. Tietê 1,130 702 Paraná Brazil
153. Vychegda 1,130 702 121,000 1160 Northern Dvina Russia
158. Sepik 1,126 700 77,700 Pacific Ocean Papua New Guinea, Indonesia
159. Cimarron 1,123 698 Arkansas United States
160. Anadyr 1,120 696 Gulf of Anadyr Russia
160. Paraíba do Sul 1,120 696 Atlantic Ocean Brazil
162. Jialing River 1,119 695 Yangtze China
163. Liard 1,115 693 Mackenzie Canada
164. Mamberamo River 1,112 691 78,992 5,923 Pacific Ocean Indonesia
165. Cumberland 1,105 687 46,830 862 Mississippi United States
166. Huallaga 1,100 684 Marañón Peru
166. Kwango 1,100 684 263,500 2,700 Kasai Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo
166. Draa 1,100 684 Atlantic Ocean Morocco
169. Gambia 1,094 680 Atlantic Ocean The Gambia, Senegal, Guinea
170. Tyung 1,092 679 49,800 Vilyuy Russia
171. Barito River 1,090 680 81,675 5,497 Java Sea Indonesia
172. Chenab 1,086 675 Indus India, Pakistan
173. Yellowstone 1,080 671 114,260 Missouri United States
173. Ghaghara 1,080 671 127,950 2,990 Ganges India, Nepal, China
175. Huai River 1,078 670 270,000 1,110 Yangtze China
176. Aras 1,072 665 102,000 285 Kura Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran
177. Chu 1,067 663 62,500 none Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan
177. Sanaga-Djérem 1067 663 140,000 2,072 Bight of Biafra Cameroon, Nigeria, Central African Republic
179. Seversky Donets 1,053 (1,078) 654 (670) 98,900 159 Don Russia, Ukraine
180. Bermejo 1,050 652 Paraguay Argentina, Bolivia
180. Fly 1,050 652 Gulf of Papua Papua New Guinea, Indonesia
180. Kuskokwim 1,050 652 Bering Sea United States
183. Tennessee 1,049 652 Ohio United States
184. Oder–Warta 1,045 649 118,861 550 Baltic Sea Poland, Germany, Czech Republic
185. Aruwimi[30] 1,030 640 Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo
186. Chambal 1,024 636 Yamuna India
187. Daugava 1,020 634 87,900 678 Gulf of Riga Latvia, Belarus, Russia
188. Gila 1,015 631 Colorado (western U.S.) United States
189. Loire 1,012 629 115,271 840 Atlantic Ocean France
190. Essequibo 1,010 628 Atlantic Ocean Guyana
190. Khopyor 1,010 628 61,100 150 Don Russia
192. Tagus
(Tajo/Tejo) 		1,006 625 80,100 444 Atlantic Ocean Spain, Portugal
193. Flinders River 1,004 [15] 624 109,000 122 Gulf of Carpentaria Australia

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".[33] 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.[34]

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,[34] 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.[35] 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.[36]

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
  1. ^ "Where Does the Amazon River Begin?". National Geographic News. 2014-02-15. Archived from the original on February 15, 2014. Retrieved 2018-12-25.
  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.
  11. ^ Roach, John (18 June 2007). "Amazon Longer Than Nile River, Scientists Say". National Geographic. Archived from the original on August 22, 2007. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  12. ^ "Río de la Plata". Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on 9 May 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
  13. ^ "Scientists pinpoint sources of four major international rivers". Xinhua News Agency. 22 August 2011. Archived from the original on December 30, 2013. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
  14. ^ "Brahmaputra River". Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on 2020-04-26. Retrieved 2017-04-11.
  15. ^ a b c d "Longest Rivers". Geoscience Australia. 15 May 2014. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  16. ^ Syvitski, James P. M., Vörösmarty, Charles J., Kettner, Albert J., Green, Pamela (2005). "Impact of Humans on the Flux of Terrestrial Sediment to the Global Coastal Ocean". Science. 308 (5720): 376–80. Bibcode:2005Sci...308..376S. doi:10.1126/science.1109454. PMID 15831750. S2CID 11382265. Archived from the original on 2006-09-19. Retrieved 2006-02-27.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ "The Mighty Colorado River – Once Known as Merely Grand". Colorado LegiSource. 2021-05-06. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  18. ^ Parua, Pranab Kumar (3 January 2010). The Ganga: water use in the Indian subcontinent. Springer. p. 272. ISBN 978-90-481-3102-0. Retrieved 17 May 2011.
  19. ^ "Ganges–Farakka". Archived from the original on 2018-03-10. Retrieved 2007-03-27.
  20. ^ 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.
  21. ^ a b "The Columbia River and Its Tributaries". USGS Volcanoes. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  22. ^ Kammerer, J.C. (1987). "Largest Rivers in the United States". United States Geological Survey. Archived from the original on 2020-05-13. Retrieved 2006-07-15. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  23. ^ "Uruguay River". Comisión Técnica Mixta de Salto Grande. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  24. ^ "Longest Rivers". Murray Darling Basin Authority. 24 November 2015. Archived from the original on 7 February 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  25. ^ a b "USGS Water Resources: About USGS Water Resources". water.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  26. ^ "USGS Gage #12472800 on the Columbia River below Priest Rapids Dam, WA (Water-Data Report 2013)" (PDF). National Water Information System. U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  27. ^ "Chari River". Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on 21 May 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  28. ^ "The Chilliwack River Valley: An Outdoor Enthusiast's Paradise". Camping & RVing BC. Camping and RVing British Columbia Coalition. 10 October 2017. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
  29. ^ "Narmada Basin" (PDF). India WRIS. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 November 2021. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  30. ^ a b 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. 333. ISBN 978-92-5-102983-1.
  31. ^ If the Meuse is considered a tributary, the Rhine basin is 218,300 km2.
  32. ^ Rogers, Aaron W. "White River - Encyclopedia of Arkansas". www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net. Archived from the original on 27 October 2018. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  33. ^ Daily Telegraph, Monday 18 June 2007, page 18
  34. ^ a b "Amazon river flowed into the Pacific millions of years ago". mongabay.com. 24 October 2006. Archived from the original on 2017-12-12. Retrieved 2017-12-11.
  35. ^ Vaikmäe, R., Edmunds, W. M., and Manzano, M., (2001) "Weichselian palaeoclimate and palaeoenvironment in Europe: Background for palaeogroundwater formation Archived 2023-12-21 at the Wayback Machine", in "Palaeowaters in Coastal Europe: Evolution of Groundwater Since the Late Pleistocene" (W. M. Edmunds and C. J. Milne (eds)). London:The Geological Society. p. 177
  36. ^ Bridgland, D. R., and D'Olier, B. (1995) "The Pleistocene evolution of the Thames and Rhine drainage systems in the southern North Sea Basin (abstract) Archived 2022-06-27 at the Wayback Machine", Geological Society, London, Special Publications, v. 96, p. 27–45, in Lyell Collection. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_river_systems_by_length&oldid=1257077730"