1,345. Just like its eastern counterpart the Rio Grande, the Colorado river creates a mainstay for potable water for over 40 million people. Or if they have why plastic and … During the dry season, the river divides into hundreds of shallow branches with low banks where wildlife drinks and flourishes. The river has seen some of the most historical events in France’s history from invasions to the 1900 summer Olympics. These serene waters create a popular tourist attraction for people from Jakarta and Bogor. The large mountains and valleys that surround the water way create some of the best photo ops of any river in the world. The Danube once served as the final frontier to the Roman Empire, blocking the northern tribes on many fronts. 1,350. From the falls to Lake Kariba, the Zambezi offers some of the most breathtaking and challenging white-water trips in the world. This is a list of the longest rivers on Earth. From its origin in Germany, it passes through twenty different cities before hitting Austria. This is the world’s longest river. Millions of people across India and Bangladesh live by the river Ganga that serves as a trans-boundary to Asia. The Nile creates such a unique change in the landscape that it can be seen from space. Find all major rivers of world. That is of course during the nine months of the year it flows. It connects many beautiful lakes and cities throughout northern Europe. 6671. While being one of the largest rivers in Europe, 65% of its annual discharge occurs during March and April where spring floods rush with melting snow. Named after the first governor of New South Wales, Sir Thomas Brisbane, the river flows from Mount Stanley approximately 344 km into the Moreton Bay and the Coral Sea. These regions include the upper, middle, lower and delta. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Many forts, strongholds, and castles have been built over the last two millennia on the river Rhine, making it a national symbol of Germany and a vital waterway for trade, commerce, and sightseeing. Here are the top ten most powerful rivers in the world. Omissions? Kwando River. During the gold rush, many mines and tunnels also changed the river as needs for transports came up. The Amur River. While the dam was completed in 1935, many other dams and aqueducts were completed. If you are looking for beauty in nature, put this river on your bucket list. Armenia. On the world scale, the Mississippi river flows the fourth longest behind the Amazon, Nile, and Congo. List of rivers. P. R. China. Below is the list of 10 most famous rivers in the World. Since then many municipalities have worked together with local businesses in a clean up effort. As it flows southwest, it passes through the famous Grand Canyon which was carved by the river over millennia of the river flowing. It congregates over 2,107 square km along its course supporting the rainforest life before opening into dense mangrove swamps. The city itself has 37 separate bridges that create a network of roadways across the river. Severe pollution threatens not only the millions of people depending on the river, but the fish, amphibians that call the river home and the animals that live from the water. While only 29 km in length, the scenery is dominated by the Fagraskogarfjall mountains and creates a beautiful connection to nature. In the modern age, the River Loire is known as the Garden of France due to the clusters of Chateaux and vineyards that dot the landscape. Along this short distance, numerous Buddhist and Shinto temples dot the landscape giving this river a particularly spiritual presence. It is the largest dam in the world (about 1 ½ miles in length and over 300 feet thick). This river contests for the longest flowing river in the world originating from two primary tributaries called the Blue Nile and the White Nile. The Danube gives another example on the list of a civilization cradle, boasting life for human history in several ways. The major rivers of the world. and its length: Lastly, the Amazon Basin marks the world’s largest basin covering over 40% of South America. Most of the river has been dredged for larger ships to be able to navigate through. World’s Top 10 Largest Rivers 10. The mouth itself can be accessed from the Cape Whale route. In fact, over 5,600 different species of fish can be found along the amazing length of river, many of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world. It sources in Sierra de las Minas mountain range and flows north through many small cities and joins up with the Polochic River. The river starts at Dail Peek and travels into the fourth largest drainage basin in the world until finally reaching the Bering Sea at over 200,000 cubic feet per second. Rivers are water sources that play an important role in any country’s economy. Stuck with the Rivers of the World One Clue Crossword Bonus puzzle? A river does not require a record to be beautiful. Some of the largest engineering feats work on the Colorado River, including the Hoover Dam. Improve your GK Quotient and help yourself score better on any competitive exam and get your dream Sarkari Naukri without any worries. While this river may be tiny compared to many others on this list, it shows wonderful locations to connect with nature and a small tourist destination. Eventually these create floods that wreak havoc across the region. Much of the Mekong River flows among the various countries in southeast Asia. After the Cahora Bassa Dam, the Zambezi opens to the lower region and the delta. It is the longest river in Quebec and joins up the to St. Lawrence River at Montreal. Overall, the river served a purpose to help sustain life, but has been heavily modified from the original course. While this river may not come across as majestic as the other rivers in Africa, it remains a notable fixture and important river to many people. Since then, the Yarra river progressively changes to the needs of the city. The river boasts a popular spot for hikers travelling across the Besseggen, photographers, and water enthusiasts. 10. The primary reason for this comes from the sheer number of cities and provinces this river travels through. Water Basin: 3,400,000 km2 Length: 6,650 Km This reflects the lack of roadways in the region, but you can still get where you are going by Ferry. Please select which sections you would like to print: Corrections? The River Niger in Mali. Which would you count as the longest? In Thailand though, the Mekong offers rich biodiversity in its lower basin. Some may argue that it is the largest, but it depends on where you want to count the origin point, one source looks at the mountains of Chile. Surrounded by majestic mountain views, the Argentina may be a blip on the map but shows some beautiful photo opportunities. The Volga shows another cradle of life type river along the list. The Congo flows over 4,700 km to basin over 4 million square km of Africa, which is almost 13% of the continent. The World Rivers article will give you information about all the major rivers in the world. List of world cities on river banks, list of European cities on rivers, List of American cities on rivers, List of Asia - Oceania cities on river banks, lis Most of the populations of these countries exists along the banks of the Nile. Magdalena River. Cities river flows through. Today, the Meuse River shows beautiful landscapes as it meanders through the countryside. The river dries up approximately 100 miles north of the exit into the Gulf of California, which has not made it that far since the 1960’s. Many lodges along the river cater specifically to fisherman who come from around the world to take a pick at the Atlantic salmon. The majority of the watershed supplies the agriculture basis of northern Italy which produces a huge amount of grain for cereals and rice. Rivers inspired many poets and painters in the past, and now photographers capture their beauty. The 50 Most Famous Rivers of the World [Update 2020: With photos and details]. This maritime route has served for shipping supplies, navigation, watermills, and even international trade. It offers a unique mouth that instead of a defined delta, it divides into two before hitting the sea. Updates? The Rhine connects many major cities throughout Germany. The upper and middle service large sections of forest with rapids and the Guiana Shield that quickly flows down to a large flood plane and then out to the Delta. However, in Thailand, the lower basin of the Mekong shows picturesque views and gentle waters. Other rivers that would make the Top 10 list include the Ganges, the Congo, the Orinoco, the Yangtze and the Madiera. The biggest portion of the controversy comes from the measurement itself. The Seine in Paris. These parts are known as the Le Grand Rhone and Le Petit Rhone, and form the Camargue region of France. This list is based upon the flow rate of the river itself. This river has twice the annual discharge of its northern counterpart the Loire. We wonder why the United Nations have not started cleanup operations in these locations. We need rivers for fresh water supply, food and transportation. With over 74,000 square km of watershed, the basin is heavily controlled through many important Italian cities including Turin and Ferrara. Here, only those rivers are shown whose discharge is more than 2,000 cubic metres per second (530,000 US gal/s; 440,000 impgal/s; 2,000,000 L/s). In this post we present 50 of the longest and largest rivers of the world. Out of all the rivers on this list, the Ganges may hold the record for supporting human life. This is a list of rivers by their average discharge, that is, their water flow rate. Rhine River begins from the Swiss canton of Graubunden in Swiss Alps and flows through Rhineland and empties into the North Sea in Netherlands. The European settlers found the river and took over, establishing their colony at Melbourne. The river hosts a source of natural beauty for the region, abundant fish and rife with vegetation. Not only does it provide a natural border, it supports many of these countries with agricultural, irrigation, potable water and trade routes. This 4,350 km river borders China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam before emptying into the South China Sea. After traveling southwards through the countryside it empties into the Pacific near Kaiapoi. The Amazon is responsible for up to 20% of all fresh water entering the ocean supply. In terms of long rivers, Europe isn’t anywhere near the top among the six main continents. 10. However, it flows north to northwest in a giant crescent shape that finally ends over 4,180 km away in the Niger Delta. While controversy still sparks about the length of world’s longest river, the Amazon boasts a couple of records that other rivers simply cannot match. The Congo comes in second place on many scales for rivers. To help alleviate the problem of brackish water, the Wivenhoe Dam was built to create Lake Wivenhoe and a long term potable water source for the city. Some of the notable selections along the river include the Crystal Pools from Gordon’s Bay and the Steenbras River Gorge. The Nile is the one of the candidate for the longest river in the world (some sources cite the Amazon River and The Mississippi as the longest). Hey, what is 100 miles between friends? This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/topic/list-of-rivers-2020029. Morghāb River. World: Rivers - Map Quiz Game: There are many rivers in the world, but none quite as impressive as the Amazon. 110. It also touts the largest in Europe through discharge and basin. While this does not match something the size of the Amazon, it is still one of the most diversified river basins in the world. Of its basin, the last 33 square km create an estuarine wetland of highly salinized water. Sadly, the Waimakariri is another river on this list that suffers from over pollution. An interesting fact about the Amazon comes from the fact that no bridge spans the entire width of the river. It spans a mammoth journey of 4,132 miles before the mouth meets the Mediterranean Sea in the form of a vast delta in Egypt. During November to April, the “green” season offers stronger currents and boasts a challenge for swimmers. Another major river in Europe that rises from the Swiss Alps is the Rhine River. 10. This tiny river flows through west Africa and empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The most distant source of the Nile can be traced to Rwanda or Burundi flowing north through Tanzania, Lake Victoria, Uganda and South Sudan. Countries the longest rivers in the world flows through. Just like the Amazon, the Congo serves a huge portion of the rainforests with fresh water. If you are looking for some serene nature while adventuring, Guatemala may be hiding a few gems you did not consider. The main tributaries are White Nile and the Blue Nile which considered being the primary stream. For context, the volume of an Olympic-size swimming pool is 2,500 cubic metres. Nestled in the mountainous region between France and Italy, the Argentina flows pristinely towards the Ligurian Sea. This hue comes from the glacier runoff that contains clay. After the fall of the Roman Empire it became a central trading route through most of Europe and connected the world through its 2,415 km route. The river does offer some of the most beautiful scenery across middle America, with three distinct sections. Chelif River. While not as impressive as the Mississippi, it still covers over 170,000 square miles with its drainage basin feeding many different states. The delta in Vietnam offers one of the natural phenomena in the world where the river flow inverts with the tides causing flooding along the flat delta. The river basin itself feeds all northern France and parts of Belgium. The difficult waters from this river have divided the people in the region more than uniting them. Iguaçu. The Cahora Bassa Dam in Mozambique provides power to the country and South Africa. The mouth of the river that empties into the Pacific offers some picturesque moments of the turbulent waters. During the iron age, the river worked as a trade route for the Mediterranean, Greeks and Romans. Not only did native Americans live for thousands of years on the rivers and tributaries, it built a foundation for trade systems up and down the river from New Orleans all the way to St. Louis. Originating near Kemble in the UK, this river flows through Oxford, Reading and all greater London area. This list is based upon the flow rate of the river itself. From its sources, the longest reaches of this river clock in at 777 km passing through Paris and emptying into the English Channel at Le Havre. The Rhine River is the longest river in Netherlands covering a distance of 764 miles. The Ottawa River flows through Ontario and Quebec and is named after the Algonquin word meaning “to trade”. Since it is one of the most powerful rivers in the world, it could potentially service all of Africa with hydroelectricity, of which forty hydropower plants already exist along the length of the river. 1,323. Mekong River. In the modern day, logging in the northern changes the northern portions of the river, destroying many Marshlands that feed the Yarra River. In fact, the river is regarded as the cradle of China’s prosperity and the birthplace of the civilization. The biggest factors to the measurements come from the time of year, the scale of measurements and the techniques. It is still extensively used for recreational use along many of the parks and waterways of the river. While it is used for navigation, the seasonal changes across its length can create heavy rapids, waterfalls, and be challenging to transverse. The river originates along the Guinea Highlands less than 250 km from the Atlantic Ocean. No list of rivers could be complete without the Nile River. The River Thames may offer some of the most visually stunning sights on this list. The total area covered by the River Lena basin is 2.4 million square kilometers, making it one of the largest rivers in the world by area. The basin and tributaries for this river expand into a further nine more countries. These events include the Punic wars between Roman and Carthaginian forces, the home to one of the earliest Cistercian monasteries in Spain, and the alleged starting grounds for the Spanish Civil war in 1938, known as the Battle of the Ebro. Panj River. Many people may recognize its unique waterfalls, Victoria falls and Chavuma Falls more than they may know the name of Zambezi. The Mekong River is located in China. It also holds the title of the only river to cross the equator twice. This gorgeous picture snapped near Puncak comes from the Angke River that flows from the mountain near the picturesque Telaga Warna Lake. First of all, this River is only a few hundred miles from spanning the entire width of South America from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic. P. R. China. Read More, List of river islands in India. They could be used in the classroom in lots of different ways: Print the posters and use them on a classroom display about rivers. Of course, you could travel the entire length and see some of the best historical sights in western and northern Europe. and display its location with its mouth and the crossed states. This is another river that boosted human civilization. Piercing between the Trois Eveches giant mountains, the Verdon River is one of the gorgeous rivers in the world. A list of the most important rivers in the world. The Angara river rises from Lake Baikal near Listvyanka and flows through the Irkutsk Oblast of Russia and finally joins the Yenisei Rivernear Strelka. Starting in Mid-June, the fishing season opens up to allow fishers to come and catch their fill. It creates the second largest river in central and Western Europe after the Danube, running at 1,230 km overall. Many regions of the river can be treacherous or difficult to navigate due to the chaotic flows and seasons. While many beautiful rivers run through Iceland, the Hitara may offer some of the most beautiful photogenic rivers in the country if not the world. Helmand River. The heavy brownish red silt gives it the hue, which in turn creates such a rich soil and farmlands for the cities it passes through. While it may not be the longest river in Spain, it certainly is the most widely known and most important. Due to the unique silt composition, subaqueous dams slowly build up from the fine silt run off. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. The lower dam is a gravity concrete arch type located above Gordon’s bay near Cape Town in South Africa.