Rivers of the Earth

The 25 Longest Rivers

rank river landmass river
length		 system
length		 drainage
area		 average
discharge		 outflow
1 Nile Africa 6,690 km 6,690 km 2,870,000 km² 5,100 m³/s Mediterranean Sea
2 Amazon South America 6,296 km 6,296 km 6,915,000 km² 219,000 m³/s Atlantic Ocean
3 Chang Jiang (Long River) Eurasia 5,797 km 5,797 km 1,800,000 km² 31,900 m³/s East China Sea
4 Huang He (Yellow River) Eurasia 4,667 km 4,667 km 745,000 km² 2,110 m³/s Bo Hai (Yellow Sea)
5 Yenisey Eurasia 4,506 km 4,506 km 2,580,000 km² 19,600 m³/s Arctic Ocean
6 Irtysh Eurasia 4,438 km tributary of Ob’ River
7 Congo (Zaire) Africa 4,371 km 4,371 km 3,680,000 km² 41,800 m³/s Atlantic Ocean
8 Amur (Heilong) Eurasia 4,352 km 4,352 km 1,855,000 km² 11,400 m³/s Tatar Strrait
9 Lena Eurasia 4,268 km 4,400 km 2,490,000 km² 17,100 m³/s Arctic Ocean
10 Mackenzie North America 4,241 km 5,472 km 1,790,000 km² 10,300 m³/s Beaufort Sea
11 Niger Africa 4,184 km 4,184 km 2,090,000 km² 9,570 m³/s Gulf of Guinea
12 Mekong Eurasia 4,023 km 4,500 km 810,000 km² 16,000 m³/s South China Sea
13 Mississippi North America 3,779 km 6,420 km 2,980,000 km² 16,200 m³/s Gulf of Mexico
14 Missouri North America 3,726 km tributary of Mississippi River
15 Volga Eurasia 3,687 km 3,687 km 1,380,000 km² 8,080 m³/s Caspian Sea
16 Madeira South America 3,238 km tributary of Amazon River
17 Purús South America 3,207 km tributary of Amazon River
18 Paraná South America 3,200 km tributary of Rio de la Plata
19 Río São Francisco South America 3,198 km 3,198 km 610,000 km² 3,300 m³/s Atlantic Ocean
20 Yukon North America 3,185 km 3,185 km 850,000 km² 6,210 m³/s Bering Sea
21 Saint Lawrence North America 3,058 km 3,058 km 1,030,000 km² 10,100 m³/s Gulf of Saint Lawrence
22 Rio Grande (Río Bravo del Norte) North America 3,034 km 3,034 km 570,000 km² 82 m³/s Gulf of Mexico
23 Ob' Eurasia 2,990 km 3,650 km 2,990,000 km² 12,800 m³/s Gulf of Ob'
24 Indus Eurasia 2,897 km 3,180 km 960,000 km² 7,160 m³/s Arabian Sea
Brahmaputra (Tsangpo) Eurasia 2,897 km tributary of Ganges River

The 25 Longest River Systems

rank river landmass river
length		 system
length		 drainage
area		 average
discharge		 outflow
1 Nile Africa 6,690 km 6,690 km 2,870,000 km² 5,100 m³/s Mediterranean Sea
2 Mississippi North America 3,779 km 6,420 km 2,980,000 km² 16,200 m³/s Gulf of Mexico
3 Amazon South America 6,296 km 6,296 km 6,915,000 km² 219,000 m³/s Atlantic Ocean
4 Chang Jiang (Long River) Eurasia 5,797 km 5,797 km 1,800,000 km² 31,900 m³/s East China Sea
5 Mackenzie North America 4,241 km 5,472 km 1,790,000 km² 10,300 m³/s Beaufort Sea
6 Río de la Plata South America 190 km 4,700 km 3,100,000 km² 25,700 m³/s Atlantic Ocean
7 Huang He (Yellow River) Eurasia 4,667 km 4,667 km 745,000 km² 2,110 m³/s Bo Hai (Yellow Sea)
8 Yenisey Eurasia 4,506 km 4,506 km 2,580,000 km² 19,600 m³/s Arctic Ocean
9 Mekong Eurasia 4,023 km 4,500 km 810,000 km² 16,000 m³/s South China Sea
10 Lena Eurasia 4,268 km 4,400 km 2,490,000 km² 17,100 m³/s Arctic Ocean
11 Congo (Zaire) Africa 4,371 km 4,371 km 3,680,000 km² 41,800 m³/s Atlantic Ocean
12 Amur (Heilong) Eurasia 4,352 km 4,352 km 1,855,000 km² 11,400 m³/s Tatar Strrait
13 Niger Africa 4,184 km 4,184 km 2,090,000 km² 9,570 m³/s Gulf of Guinea
14 Volga Eurasia 3,687 km 3,687 km 1,380,000 km² 8,080 m³/s Caspian Sea
15 Ob' Eurasia 2,990 km 3,650 km 2,990,000 km² 12,800 m³/s Gulf of Ob'
16 Murray Australia 2,589 km 3,520 km 3,490,000 km² 767 m³/s Indian Ocean
17 Río São Francisco South America 3,198 km 3,198 km 610,000 km² 3,300 m³/s Atlantic Ocean
18 Yukon North America 3,185 km 3,185 km 850,000 km² 6,210 m³/s Bering Sea
19 Indus Eurasia 2,897 km 3,180 km 960,000 km² 7,160 m³/s Arabian Sea
20 Saint Lawrence North America 3,058 km 3,058 km 1,030,000 km² 10,100 m³/s Gulf of Saint Lawrence
21 Rio Grande (Río Bravo del Norte) North America 3,034 km 3,034 km 570,000 km² 82 m³/s Gulf of Mexico
22 Ganges Eurasia 2,414 km 3,000 km 1,730,000 km² 43,900 m³/s Bay of Bengal
23 Shatt al-Arab Eurasia 193 km 2,992 km 884,000 km² 856 m³/s Persian Gulf
24 Danube Eurasia 2,842 km 2,842 km 817,000 km² 7,130 m³/s Black Sea
25 Río Orinoco South America 2,062 km 2,740 km 1,000,000 km² 31,900 m³/s Atlantic Ocean

The 25 Largest Drainage Basins

rank river landmass river
length		 system
length		 drainage
area		 average
discharge		 outflow
1 Amazon South America 6,296 km 6,296 km 6,915,000 km² 219,000 m³/s Atlantic Ocean
2 Congo (Zaire) Africa 4,371 km 4,371 km 3,680,000 km² 41,800 m³/s Atlantic Ocean
3 Murray Australia 2,589 km 3,520 km 3,490,000 km² 767 m³/s Indian Ocean
4 Río de la Plata South America 190 km 4,700 km 3,100,000 km² 25,700 m³/s Atlantic Ocean
5 Ob' Eurasia 2,990 km 3,650 km 2,990,000 km² 12,800 m³/s Gulf of Ob'
6 Mississippi North America 3,779 km 6,420 km 2,980,000 km² 16,200 m³/s Gulf of Mexico
7 Nile Africa 6,690 km 6,690 km 2,870,000 km² 5,100 m³/s Mediterranean Sea
8 Yenisey Eurasia 4,506 km 4,506 km 2,580,000 km² 19,600 m³/s Arctic Ocean
9 Lena Eurasia 4,268 km 4,400 km 2,490,000 km² 17,100 m³/s Arctic Ocean
10 Niger Africa 4,184 km 4,184 km 2,090,000 km² 9,570 m³/s Gulf of Guinea
11 Amur (Heilong) Eurasia 4,352 km 4,352 km 1,855,000 km² 11,400 m³/s Tatar Strrait
12 Chang Jiang (Long River) Eurasia 5,797 km 5,797 km 1,800,000 km² 31,900 m³/s East China Sea
13 Mackenzie North America 4,241 km 5,472 km 1,790,000 km² 10,300 m³/s Beaufort Sea
14 Ganges Eurasia 2,414 km 3,000 km 1,730,000 km² 43,900 m³/s Bay of Bengal
15 Volga Eurasia 3,687 km 3,687 km 1,380,000 km² 8,080 m³/s Caspian Sea
16 Zambezi Africa 2,736 km 2,736 km 1,330,000 km² 4,880 m³/s Mozambique Channel
17 Nelson North America 644 km 644 km 1,093,000 km² 2,575 m³/s Atlantic Ocean
18 Saint Lawrence North America 3,058 km 3,058 km 1,030,000 km² 10,100 m³/s Gulf of Saint Lawrence
19 Río Orinoco South America 2,062 km 2,740 km 1,000,000 km² 31,900 m³/s Atlantic Ocean
Tarim (Dayan) Eurasia 2,090 km 2,090 km 1,000,000 km² 160 m³/s Lop Nur (salt lake)
21 Indus Eurasia 2,897 km 3,180 km 960,000 km² 7,160 m³/s Arabian Sea
22 Shatt al-Arab Eurasia 193 km 2,992 km 884,000 km² 856 m³/s Persian Gulf
23 Yukon North America 3,185 km 3,185 km 850,000 km² 6,210 m³/s Bering Sea
24 Danube Eurasia 2,842 km 2,842 km 817,000 km² 7,130 m³/s Black Sea
25 Mekong Eurasia 4,023 km 4,500 km 810,000 km² 16,000 m³/s South China Sea

The 25 River Systems with Greatest Average Discharge Rates

rank river landmass river
length		 system
length		 drainage
area		 average
discharge		 outflow
1 Amazon South America 6,296 km 6,296 km 6,915,000 km² 219,000 m³/s Atlantic Ocean
2 Ganges Eurasia 2,414 km 3,000 km 1,730,000 km² 43,900 m³/s Bay of Bengal
3 Congo (Zaire) Africa 4,371 km 4,371 km 3,680,000 km² 41,800 m³/s Atlantic Ocean
4 Río Orinoco South America 2,062 km 2,740 km 1,000,000 km² 31,900 m³/s Atlantic Ocean
Chang Jiang (Long River) Eurasia 5,797 km 5,797 km 1,800,000 km² 31,900 m³/s East China Sea
6 Río de la Plata South America 190 km 4,700 km 3,100,000 km² 25,700 m³/s Atlantic Ocean
7 Yenisey Eurasia 4,506 km 4,506 km 2,580,000 km² 19,600 m³/s Arctic Ocean
8 Lena Eurasia 4,268 km 4,400 km 2,490,000 km² 17,100 m³/s Arctic Ocean
9 Mississippi North America 3,779 km 6,420 km 2,980,000 km² 16,200 m³/s Gulf of Mexico
10 Mekong Eurasia 4,023 km 4,500 km 810,000 km² 16,000 m³/s South China Sea
11 Irrawaddy Eurasia 2,092 km 2,300 km 410,000 km² 15,400 m³/s Andaman Sea
12 Xi Jiang (Pearl River) Eurasia 1,989 km 2,130 km 437,000 km² 13,600 m³/s South China Sea
13 Ob' Eurasia 2,990 km 3,650 km 2,990,000 km² 12,800 m³/s Gulf of Ob'
14 Amur (Heilong) Eurasia 4,352 km 4,352 km 1,855,000 km² 11,400 m³/s Tatar Strrait
15 Mackenzie North America 4,241 km 5,472 km 1,790,000 km² 10,300 m³/s Beaufort Sea
16 Saint Lawrence North America 3,058 km 3,058 km 1,030,000 km² 10,100 m³/s Gulf of Saint Lawrence
17 Niger Africa 4,184 km 4,184 km 2,090,000 km² 9,570 m³/s Gulf of Guinea
18 Volga Eurasia 3,687 km 3,687 km 1,380,000 km² 8,080 m³/s Caspian Sea
19 Columbia North America 1,983 km 1,983 km 668,000 km² 7,480 m³/s Pacific Ocean
20 Indus Eurasia 2,897 km 3,180 km 960,000 km² 7,160 m³/s Arabian Sea
Magdalena South America 1,530 km 1,530 km 260,000 km² 7,160 m³/s Caribbean Sea
22 Danube Eurasia 2,842 km 2,842 km 817,000 km² 7,130 m³/s Black Sea
23 Essequibo South America 970 km 970 km 155,000 km² 6,430 m³/s Atlantic Ocean
24 Yukon North America 3,185 km 3,185 km 850,000 km² 6,210 m³/s Bering Sea
25 Nile Africa 6,690 km 6,690 km 2,870,000 km² 5,100 m³/s Mediterranean Sea

The Longest River on Each Continent

rank continent river river
length		 system
length		 drainage
area		 average
discharge		 outflow
1 Africa Nile 6,690 km 6,690 km 2,870,000 km² 5,100 m³/s Mediterranean Sea
2 South America Amazon 6,296 km 6,296 km 6,915,000 km² 219,000 m³/s Atlantic Ocean
3 Asia Chang Jiang (Long River) 5,797 km 5,797 km 1,800,000 km² 31,900 m³/s East China Sea
4 North America Mackenzie 4,241 km 5,472 km 1,790,000 km² 10,300 m³/s Beaufort Sea
5 Europe Volga 3,687 km 3,687 km 1,380,000 km² 8,080 m³/s Caspian Sea
6 Australia Darling 2,739 km tributary of River Murray
7 Ocean Islands Kapuas 1,143 km 1,143 km 88,800 km²   South China Sea

The Longest River System on Each Continent

rank continent river river
length		 system
length		 drainage
area		 average
discharge		 outflow
1 Africa Nile 6,690 km 6,690 km 2,870,000 km² 5,100 m³/s Mediterranean Sea
2 North America Mississippi 3,779 km 6,420 km 2,980,000 km² 16,200 m³/s Gulf of Mexico
3 South America