Rivers are the literal life “lines” of the world. Every River is mostly fresh water and wherever they flow, life blooms. Ancient people used to roam around for months to find a riverbank to finally settle in. Vegetation reaches peak with the fertile river sand and water. Animals find their way to live close to this water source. And not only this, but humans have now come up with Water Adventure Sports too that makes rivers dangerously fun. So today we have brought the list of the 10 Longest Rivers in the World (by length) that have been satisfying the thirst of living beings from decades and centuries.
Surprisingly, out of all the water on the surface of the earth, only 3 percent is freshwater. And of freshwater, 99 percent is held by glaciers and underground and only the remaining 1 percent is distributed among the rivers, lakes, and swamps. But for us humans, our rivers and lakes are the primary sources of acquiring drinkable or even commonly usable water. And even that minor percentage of river water has been sufficient for us till now. So it looks like Mother Nature has been doing her job amazingly and now it is our duty to not pollute and exploit her in return anymore.
So take the pledge to do your bit to save our nature and take a look at this list of the Top 10 Longest Rivers in the World and be amazed by these beauties of nature:
Also, check out these List of 15 Highest Waterfall in India
Top 10 Longest Rivers in the World
1. The Nile River – Africa (6650 Km)
According to the United States Geological Survey, the Nile River is the world’s longest river, stretching 4,132 miles across northern Africa. The huge river flows from south to north through ten nations, including Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, and Egypt, before emptying into the Mediterranean Sea. It’s Africa’s actual “artery.” The countries along the Nile River have a population of over 300 million people. According to Reuters, the Nile Basin supports around 40% of Kenya’s population, despite the fact that it only covers a tenth of semi-arid Kenya.
According to the BBC, the Nile is rich with species, the most well-known—and most feared—of which is the Nile crocodile, which lies almost completely submerged in the water as it waits for passing victims.
According to Seven Natural Wonders, hippopotamuses, elephants, buffalo, wildebeest, gazelle, and other species drink from the Nile.
The Nile’s fauna is just one of the attractions of a river trip across this famous waterway. Sonesta Nile Cruises offers 3-, 4-, and 7-night cruises between Aswan and Luxor, Egypt, that include visits to the region’s most famous temples, tombs, and ruins. Nile River Cruises’ two-story pontoon boat offers one-day tours from Bujagali, Uganda.
2. Amazon River – Brazil, Colombia, Peru (6575 Km)
Nothing compares to the Amazon in terms of adventure and intrigue. According to Project Amazonas, the Amazon’s typical discharge of water into the Atlantic Ocean is roughly 175,000 m3 per second, or between one-fifth and one-sixth of the total discharge into the oceans of all the world’s rivers. The Amazon River is the world’s second longest river, extending about 4,000 miles from its origins in the Ucayali-Apurmac river system across South America.
The Amazon River has the most diverse biodiversity of any river on the planet. According to Discover Peru, its waterways are home to 2,500 distinct kinds of fish (but scientists believe there are many more that have yet to be discovered). Exotic animals such as the endangered Amazon River dolphin (or pink dolphin), squirrel-sized tamarin monkeys, and three-toed sloths call the enormous river home.
With so much to see and experience in the region, it’s not a surprise that there’s an abundance of cruises and tours of the Amazon River. G Adventures Riverboat Adventure is led by an Amazon Reserve naturalist guide while Avalon Waterways’ Amazon River Cruises brings the comforts of a five-star hotel on a 147 ft-long boat.
With so much to see and do in the region, it’s no surprise that the Amazon River has a plethora of cruises and tours. G Adventures Riverboat Adventure is led by an Amazon Reserve naturalist guide, but Avalon Waterways’ Amazon River Cruises offers all of the amenities of a five-star hotel on a 147-foot-long boat.
3. Yangtze River – China (6300 Km)
The Yangtze River is the world’s third longest river, measuring 3,915 miles in length. Culturally, historically, and economically, it is China’s most important water system. According to Slate, the river and its basin “have been the focus of much of China’s economic modernization” since 1950. Its banks are home to about 400 million people or roughly one-third of the country’s population.
According to Travel China Guide, the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze is the world’s largest dam project and hydroelectric power facility, and the river is widely regarded as a dividing line between North and South China.
According to the World Wildlife Fund, it runs from the Tibetan Plateau to the East China Sea’s estuary near Shanghai, generating a diverse range of natural ecosystems that provide critical habitat for species such as the snow leopard, giant panda, and Yangtze finless porpoise.
Travel China Guide offers a variety of Yangtze River excursions, ranging from budget to luxury. Victoria Cruises, an American cruise operator, is also sailing the Yangtze, with lectures on Chinese history and culture, Tai Chi training, and calligraphy displays lead by experienced river guides.
4. Mississippi River – U.S. (6275 Km)
According to the National Park Service, the Mississippi River flows 2,350 miles from its source at Lake Itasca through the heart of the continental United States to the Gulf of Mexico, making it America’s third longest river. The Mississippi-Missouri River system, on the other hand, is 3,710 miles long, making it the world’s fourth largest river.
The Mississippi River is one of North America’s most famous waterways, as well as a haven for wildlife. According to the National Wildlife Federation, the Mississippi River Delta offers a wide range of habitats, including wet woods with cypress trees, freshwater marsh, brackish marsh, salt marsh, and sandy beaches, ranging from uplands to the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico and all in between. These environments sustain a diverse range of wildlife, both migratory and year-round.
5. Yenisei River – Mongolia and Russia (5539 Km)
According to The Atlantic, the Yenisei River is the largest river system flowing to the Arctic Ocean, stretching 3,443 miles and providing power, transportation, food, sport, and more to more than a million people. According to Freshwater Ecoregions of the World, it is the world’s fifth longest river and home to 55 native fish species, including two endemics: Gobio sibiricus (a gobionine cyprinid) and Thymallus nigrescens (a grayling).
Tours of the Yenisei River are available from Norilsk, Russia, through firms like as travel. The river cruise makes stops in villages and towns along the way, including Tutukhansk and Yenisseysk, two of Siberia’s oldest cities.
6. Yellow River – China (5464Km)
The Yellow River is the world’s sixth longest river, with an estimated length of 3,395 miles. According to the World Wildlife Fund, the river (or Huang He) originates in the Bayankala Mountains in western China and travels through nine provinces before emptying into the Bohai Sea.
According to Travel China Guide, this enormous river is known as the “Mother River of China” since it is thought to be the cradle of Chinese culture and the spiritual home of the Chinese people.
A sail down this river is an excellent way to learn about a country’s rich history and culture. Multiday trips of the river and the adjacent forest parks, deserts, grasslands, Hukou Waterfall (the traditional Yellow River feature), the Loess Plateau, and old cities are available from companies like China Highlights.
7. Ob River – Russia (5410 Km)
The Ob River and its primary tributary, the Irtysh, originate in the Altay Mountains of southwestern Siberia and flow 3,364 miles before draining into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world’s seventh longest river. According to a Christian Science Monitor article, the Ob is primarily used for irrigation, drinking water, hydroelectric energy, and fishing, and for many years, it was the only road in or out of a wide expanse of Siberian wilderness.
Visitors can explore the Ob River area by traveling to Novosibirsk, where the Ob Sea, an artificial lake constructed by a dam on the Ob River, has numerous excellent beaches. The city, Russia’s third largest, is a major Trans Siberian Railway station. According to the School of Russian and Asian Studies website, it is home to an opera house, theatres, and the Central Siberian Botanic Garden.
8. Paraná River – Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina (4880 Km)
The Paraná River flows for 3,032 miles through Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina, joining first with the Paraguay River and then with the Uruguay River farther downstream to form the Ro de la Plata, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean. According to Nature.org, the Parana River, along with Paraguay, provides water and energy to South America’s largest city, So Paulo; floods the world’s largest wetland, the Pantanal; and thunders over the world’s second-largest waterfall, Iguaçu Falls.
Small-ship cruises on the Paraná River are offered by tour operators like waterways, and firms like Tafari Travel combine a bike tour of Tigre with a boat on the Paraná River through the ancient Tigre delta.
9. The Congo River – Africa (4700 Km)
The Congo is the world’s ninth longest river, stretching 2,290 miles, but it is also the world’s deepest, with measured depths exceeding 720 feet, according to the US Geological Survey. It stretches across the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, Angola, Tanzania, Cameroon, Zambia, Burundi, and Rwanda. The Congo is “so massive that its source waters in the highlands of eastern Africa take more than six months to escape into the Atlantic Ocean,” according to a New York Times article. Because of its immensity, beauty, and mystery, the river has served as the setting for literary works such as Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness.”
Many local tour companies provide Congo River expeditions and safaris, allowing guests to get up up and personal with this huge natural wonder while also seeing the area’s villages, plants and forests, and wildlife (the river is home to more than 700 fish species, of which nearly 500 are endemic). Safari Guides, Congo Travel, and Tours, and Go Congo Tours all offer tours.
10. Amur River (4480 Km)
According to the World Wildlife Fund, the Amur River is the longest undammed river in the Eastern Hemisphere, stretching 1,755 miles along the boundary of eastern Russia and northern China. It runs eastward from the sacred peak of Burkan Khaldun in northeastern Mongolia, where Genghis Khan was born until it reaches the Strait of Tartary. According to InternationalRivers.org, the river not only serves as a symbol of China-Russia relations, but it also passes through five diverse biological zones, ranging from grasslands and boreal woods to desert and tundra.
Several local firms offer tours of the Amur River as well as glimpses into the civilizations that dwell along the river, such as the Nanay and Ulchi peoples. Fishing and picnics on the Amur coast are also included in certain tour packages, such as those offered by Nata-Tours.
Conclusion
Even today, after humans have upset the balance of the nature, majority of the human cities and towns around the globe get their daily water supply from nearby rivers. And like every other natural resource that we have, rivers are now polluted too. One person cannot change the world, but one person can spark a little change that can go a long way. So save water and save nature.
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