The main rivers of the world

Longest rivers of the world

rank name river country length
(kilometers)		 length
(miles)
1. Nile North/East Africa 6,690 4,157
2. Amazon South America 6,436 4,000
3. Chang Jiang (Yangtze) China 6,250 3,884
4. Huang He China 5,463 3,395
5. Ob-Irtysj Russia 5,410 3,362
6. Amur Northeast Asia 4,415 2,744
7. Lena Russia 4,399 2,734
8. Congo Central Africa 4,373 2,718
9. Mackenzie Canada 4,241 2,635
10. Mekong Southeast Asia 4,183 2,600
11. Niger Africa 4,167 2,590
12. Yenisey Russia 4,092 2,543
13. Parana South America 3,998 2,485
14. Mississippi USA 3,765 2,340
15. Missouri * USA 3,725 2,315
16. Volga Russia 3,685 2,290
17. Purus * Brazil 3,379 2,100
18. Madeira * Brazil 3,239 2,013
19. Sao Francisco Brazil 3,199 1,988
20. Yukon Alaska/Canada 3,184 1,979
21. Rio Grande USA/Mexico 3,057 1,900
22. Lower Tunguska * Russia 2,989 1,857
23. Brahmaputra China/India 2,896 1,800
24. Indus Pakistan 2,896 1,800
25. Danube Europe 2,858 1,776
source: various.
note: * these rivers flow into another (larger) river.
note: the basis of this list is the length of the river, taking it as far as its name goes. To clarify this, the Mississippi is longest when one first measures the Missouri and then goes down via the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico. But as the Mississippi starts in Minnesota, only that length is taken.

Rivers with highest discharge

rank name river country length
(kilometers)		 water discharge (m³/sec) drainage area (km²)
1. Amazon South America 6,436 200,000 6,150,000
2. Congo Central Africa 4,373 40,000 3,820,000
3. Orinoco Venezuela 2,570 34,880 990,000
4. Ganges-Brahmaputra China/India 2,896 30,790 1,480,000
5. Chang Jiang China 6,250 28,540 1,940,000
6. Mississippi-Missouri USA 3,765 18,390 3,270,000
7. Yenisey Russia 4,092 17,760 2,580,000
8. Lena Russia 4,399 16,300 2,500,000
9. Mekong Southeast Asia 4,183 14,900 4,180,000
10. Parana-La Plata South America 3,998 14,900 2,830,000
source: Milliman and Meade, 1993.
note: the drainage area of a river is the total land and water surface area onto which falling precipitation will ultimately flow into the river.
note: length over the longest river when more than one major river is mentioned.