Choosing the longest rivers in the world is not a trivial task. The beginning of the river is considered to be the tributary most remote from the mouth. However, its name does not always coincide with the name of the river, which introduces difficulties in measuring length. The error in the calculations may also be due to seasonal changes.

There are also difficulties with the mouth - some rivers simply do not have it (for example, Kubango). Or the mouth is a funnel-shaped estuary, expanding towards the ocean.

In our list we will name the ten longest river systems in the world, taking into account the length of their tributaries.

10. Congo - the length of 4700 km

It is the deepest river in the world (measured depth - more than 220 meters) and the second after the Amazon in the size of the catchment basin (3680000 sq. Km).

The river originates deep in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It is fed by the Lualaba River, which itself feeds on the Louvois and Luapula rivers. And those, in turn, are associated with Lake Mveru and Lake Bangvelo. The Chambesi River also flows into Luapula.

The Congo River makes up most of the border between the DRC and its eastern neighbor, the Republic of Congo.

The Congo River got its name from the Kingdom of the Congo, which was located on the left bank of the estuary. And the name Zaire, by which the river was known in the 16-17th centuries, comes from the Portuguese adaptation of the word nzere ("river") from the Kikongo language.

9. Amur - 5052 km

This majestic Far Eastern river originates in Western Manchuria where two large rivers merge - Shilka and Argun. Also, the Kerulen and Onon rivers are considered as the source of Amur.

Cupid flows east, along the Russian-Chinese border, and slowly turns into a large arc, receiving several tributaries.

The Chinese call Amur "the river of the Black Dragon." According to legend, the Black Dragon defeated the insidious White Dragon, who was the master of the river and in every way interfered with the locals. Amur is on the list of the largest rivers in Russia.

8. Lena - Vitim - 5100 km

The easternmost of the three great rivers of Siberia (including the Ob and Yenisei), which flow into the Arctic Ocean.

Lena, together with its right tributary Vitim, is the eighth of the largest rivers on Earth. And the only one in the world whose channel is entirely located in permafrost areas.

The source of Lena is a small swamp, which is located ten kilometers west of Lake Baikal.

Spring-summer floods lead to the fact that the river level rises by 10-15 meters. Because of this, its shores are sparsely populated. All surrounding buildings will be demolished during the spill.

7. Yenisei - 5238 km

Starting from the city of Kyzyl, the Yenisei River follows the northern course to the Kara Sea, where it forms the Yenisei Gulf. It serves as a natural border between Western and Eastern Siberia.

The largest tributaries of the Yenisei are: the Angara River, the Selenga River and the right tributary of the Selenga - Ider.

6. Ob - Irtysh - 5410 km

Meeting with each other, two huge Siberian rivers create the longest watercourse in Russia.

The Ob is shorter in length than the Irtysh. But at the same time, it is more full-flowing and in the Ob-Irtysh bunch plays the role of the main river. It is formed by the confluence of two Altai rivers - Katun and Biya.

The beginning of the Irtysh River is located in the mountains on the Mongolian-Chinese border. There she is known by the name Black Irtysh (or, in Chinese, Ertsisyhe). And the first 450 km of its path, the river flows through China. A much longer way - 1735 km she will have to go through the lands of Kazakhstan. And then she crosses the border with Russia in the Omsk region. And in the Khanty-Mansiysk region it meets the Ob River.

Thus, the Irtysh, although not the longest river in the world, bears the title of the longest tributary river.

5. Yellow River - 5464 km

Translated from Chinese, this river is called "Yellow" because of the color of the silt. It is the third of the longest rivers in Asia.

The Yellow River is known as the “cradle of China's civilization” because of the decisive role it played in the development of Chinese culture. As in the case of the Yangtze, the presence of settlements near the Yellow River dates back to the Paleolithic era, and fertile basins contributed to the growth of agricultural communities.

Before modern dams were built, the Yellow River was extremely prone to flooding. Because of this, she was given nicknames such as "The Sorrow of China" and "The Scourge of the Sons of Han." The worst flood in the modern history of mankind occurred in China in the spring of 1887 and, according to various sources, claimed from 1.5 to 7 million lives.

4. Yangtze - from 5800 to 6300 km according to various sources

The Yangtze River bears the title of the longest river in Asia. She has played a major role in the history, culture and economy of China and continues to do so to this day. Its existence was a key factor for the emergence of human settlements, the growth of agriculture and the development of civilization in East Asia.

Today, up to 20% of China’s gross domestic product (GDP) is produced in the prosperous Yangtze River Delta, and the Three Gorges Dam, located on the Yangtze River, is the first largest hydroelectric power station in the world. Due to the impact of human infrastructure, some sections of the river are currently protected reserves.

3. Mississippi - Missouri - Jefferson - from 6275 to 6420 km

This river, as its name implies, is completely connected with the United States of America. Although each river individually would not be in the top five, they are grouped into one because the Missouri River meets the Mississippi near the city of St. Louis, and the Missouri connects with the Jefferson River in Montana.

2. Nile - 6852 km

Most people answering the question: "What is the name of the longest river on Earth?" they will name the river Nile. Although this African blue vein flows predominantly through Egypt, it also passes through nine other African countries: Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Most of them are among the poorest countries in the world.

The largest lake in Africa, Lake Victoria, is considered the main source of the Nile.

About 300 million people depend on this river due to the need for water supply and irrigation of crops. There is even an Aswan waterworks that uses the energy of the Nile. Its construction was completed in 1970, and since then this system of structures has been used to provide electricity to the people of Egypt. It currently provides about 20 percent of the country's electricity. The Aswan Dam also controls the summer spill of the Nile, threatening massive floods.

1. Amazon - the longest river in the world 6992 km

It is the largest river in the world for catchment (6,915,000 sq. Km). For comparison: the drainage basin of the Nile - 3349000 square meters. km

The Amazon contains a staggering 20% ​​of the world's fresh water, and part of the river can exceed 190 kilometers wide when the Amazon “swells” during the rainy season. Even in dry conditions, the Amazon is so wide over its entire length that so far no bridge has spanned it. Some species of the most beautiful fish on Earth live here.

However, disputes about which the longest river in the world - the Amazon or the Nile - do not stop. It's all about determining the origin of the Amazon. Scientists and researchers have been trying to establish the source of the river since the 1600s. Over the years, five rivers in southwestern Peru have been honored to be called the source of the Amazon. In the end, the upper reaches of the Apurimak River began to be considered its source.

According to the results of a study conducted in 2014, it appears that the Amazon originates from the Cordillera Rumi Cruz mountain, located upstream of the Peruvian river Mantaro. This river then converges with the Apurimak River, and downstream, other tributaries that form the Ukayali River join them. And finally, as a result of the confluence of Ukayali and the Maranion River, the Amazon forms.

If you take into account the latest data, then from 75 to 92 kilometers is added to the length of the Amazon. So the question about what is the longest river on Earth can be confidently answered is the Amazon.

Table of the longest rivers in the world

The full list contains 171 rivers with a length of more than 1000 km.

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