Top 10 Longest Rivers in the World

Nile River stretches for 6,650 km (4,132 miles). The river's water resources are shared by eleven countries, namely, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan, Sudan, and Egypt. Particularly, the Nile River is the lifeline for life in Egypt and Sudan. In Vietnamese, the Nile River is phonetically transcribed as 'Nhĩ Lô,' as seen in Pham Phu Thu's book 'Westward Journal.' This river has the most significant impact in Africa, closely associated with the formation, development, and decline of many ancient kingdoms, contributing to the establishment of the Nile River Civilization.

The White Nile Expedition, led by South African Hendrik Coetzee, became the first to determine the entire length of the Nile River. The expedition traced the source of the Nile River in Uganda on January 17, 2004, and safely reached the Mediterranean Sea at Rosetta within 2 and a half months. On April 28, 2004, geologist Pasquale Scaturro and his colleague, kayaker and documentary filmmaker Gordon Brown, became the first to navigate the Blue Nile, from Lake Tana in Ethiopia to the beaches of Alexandria on the Mediterranean Sea. Although the expedition involved several others, Brown and Scaturro were the only ones to complete the entire journey. The research team used a detachable engine for most of the journey.

Yangtze River or Chang Jiang is the longest river in Asia and the third longest in the world after the Nile in Africa and the Amazon in South America. The Yangtze River stretches about 6,300 kilometers, originating from western China and flowing eastward into the East China Sea, China. The river's name originates from its length, Yangtze meaning long river. It is also known as the Chang Jiang. The Yangtze River is 6,300 kilometers (3,917 miles) long. It is the longest river in Asia. The Yangtze River provides significant benefits for tourism in China. For many centuries, the Yangtze River has been a vital transportation artery for goods, known as the 'Golden Waterway.' Some parts of the river are very dangerous due to rocks and unpredictable water levels.

Today, the Yangtze River is a bustling river with contributions to the economy of many nearby cities and villages, including China's top 5 largest cities like the ancient capital Nanjing. The middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River have a warm and humid climate, abundant rainfall, fertile land, and are areas of developed industry and agriculture in China. The Yangtze River is one of the most popular tourist destinations in China. Many tourists choose to take 4-5 day boat tours from Chongqing to admire the scenery along the riverbanks and stop at famous tourist spots like the Three Gorges Dam, the phantom city of Fengdu. Visitors can also stroll through the ancient city of Jingzhou, a famous location in the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Jingzhou holds a strategic military position, so during the Three Kingdoms period, battles aimed to control these districts.

The Amazon River is the longest river in the world, spanning 6,400 km (3,976 miles), and is currently the largest by water discharge, with a greater average flow than the next seven largest rivers combined. The Amazon flows through countries: Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guyana. In recent decades, there has been much debate about the actual length of the Amazon River. Studies conducted by Brazil and Peru in 2007 and 2008 concluded that the Amazon River is 6,992 km long, longer than the Nile, which they believed to be 6,853 km long. However, debates continue.

The Amazon River was discovered by Francisco de Orellana in 1542, initially named Riomar. According to research on sediment samples taken from two drill holes at the mouth of the Amazon River by scientists at the University of Liverpool (UK), the University of Amsterdam (Netherlands), and the Petrobras oil company of Brazil, it was determined to be 11 million years old and has been in its current form for 2.4 million years. Before this study, the exact age of the Amazon River remained a mystery. Researchers had been unable to penetrate the Amazon Fan - a sediment column up to 10 km thick - at the mouth of this river. Petrobras decided to drill two holes at the mouth of the Amazon River - one reaching 4.5 km below sea level - to collect sediment for research purposes.

The Yenisei River is one of the largest river systems flowing into the Arctic Ocean, with a length of 5,539 km (3,445 miles), making it the fifth longest river in the world. This river system has a smaller drainage area and length compared to the Mississippi-Missouri system in the United States but has a 1.5 times higher average water flow. It flows mainly through Russia (97%) and the remainder through Mongolia. The largest river systems flow into the Arctic Ocean. Originating in Mongolia, it later flows into Russian territory and empties into the Kara Sea. At its source, with many rapids, the river flows through sparsely populated areas. In the middle reaches, this river system is controlled by a series of large Russian hydroelectric dams. Flowing through sparsely populated taiga forests, the Yenisei River receives water from a series of tributaries and finally empties into the Kara Sea in a desolate tundra region, frozen for about 6 months each year.

During the Ice Age, the journey to the North Pole was blocked by ice. Although the exact details are unclear, some scholars believe that during that time, the Yenisei River, as well as the Ob River, flowed into a large lake that occupied most of western Siberia and eventually flowed into the Black Sea. The Yenisei River originates from two main branches: the Bolshoi Yenisei (Great Yenisei) or Bii-Khem, originating from the Tuva region on the S side of the Sayan Mountains to the E and N of the Tannu-Ola Mountains at coordinates 52°20′N 97°30′E, and the Malyy Yenisei (Little Yenisei) or Kaa-Khem, originating from the Darkhad Valley in Mongolia. Recent research has shown that the narrow flow in the Darkhad Valley is frequently blocked by ice, creating a large lake like Lake Khövsgöl nearby. When the ice rivers retreat (most recently about 9,300 years BCE), up to 500 km³ of water may be released, which could be catastrophic.

The Mississippi River is a river in North America. The name 'Mississippi' comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi, meaning 'great river'. The Mississippi is 6,275 km (3,902 miles) long. It flows primarily in the United States (98.5%), with the remainder in Canada (1.5%). It flows into the Gulf of Mexico. In the United States, the Mississippi collects water mainly from areas between the Rocky Mountain and Appalachian Mountain ranges, except various areas flowing into the Hudson Bay through the Red River into the Atlantic Ocean through the Great Lakes and the Saint Lawrence River; and into the Gulf of Mexico through the Rio Grande, Alabama River and Tombigbee River, Chattahoochee River and Apalachicola River, and many other smaller branches along the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi River is the main river of the second largest drainage system on the North American continent, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system.

Native Americans have lived along the Mississippi River and its branches for a long time. Most were hunters and gatherers, but some, like the Mound Builders, formed developed agricultural societies. The arrival of Europeans in the 16th century changed the native way of life as the first explorers, followed by settlers, ventured into the basin in increasing numbers. The river first served as a barrier, forming borders for New Spain, New France, and the early United States and later as a vital transportation and trade link. In the 19th century, during the height of manifest destiny ideology, the Mississippi and several western tributaries, especially the Missouri, formed the pathway for westward expansion of the United States.

The Ob River is a major river in western Siberia, Russia, and is the seventh longest river in the world. This tranquil river stretches 5,410 km (3,364 miles). It flows through Russia, Kazakhstan, China, and Mongolia. The river serves irrigation, hydroelectric power, and sustains local fishermen along its banks. The Ob River is primarily used for irrigation purposes, providing drinking water, hydroelectricity, and fishing. Over 50 species of fish inhabit this river, half of which are significant for the fishing industry. The Ob River originates at the confluence of the Biya and Katun rivers in the Altai Massif, a mountain range traversing Russia, Mongolia, China, and Kazakhstan. The name 'Ob' in Russian means 'both,' referring to the fact that the river is formed by the merging of these two streams.

Although the Ob River is primarily associated with Russia, its tributaries (meaning streams or rivers that flow into a main river rather than the sea) also pass through these adjacent areas. The largest tributary of the Ob is the Irtysh River and is sometimes considered part of the main stem rather than a secondary river. On the other hand, the Ob is a navigable river with a length of 2,900 km, serving as one of the most utilized routes for transporting goods from inland Russia to major commercial centers. It also serves as a conduit for importing and exporting agricultural and industrial products. Along the banks of the Ob, numerous industrial centers thrive, as well as diverse agricultural and fishing activities.

The Yellow River is the second longest river in China, after the Yangtze River (also known as the Chang Jiang), and the sixth longest in the world. The Yellow River spans 5,464km (3,395 miles). It is the second longest river in Asia after the Yangtze River. In Chinese history, the Yellow River is known for its notorious floods and dike breaches. Nowadays, it is plagued by water pollution, making life difficult for people living along its banks, with many riverside villages having to be abandoned. When viewed from above, the Yellow River resembles a lion crouching forward. Along the course of the Yellow River, from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau down to the provinces of Qinghai and Gansu, mountains are verdant; the areas of Sichuan and Shaanxi are mountainous; the regions of Ningxia and Inner Mongolia are vast plains; passing through Longmen Cave to the east of the Taihang Mountains, we can reach the North China Plain, and continuing on, one can step into the charming North China Plain or further to the charming coastal area of Bohai Sea.

The civilization of the Yellow River, according to historians and archaeologists, began around 2,500 BC to 1,066 BC and is divided into the following periods: the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors period, the Xia and Shang dynasties. The ancient territory of China was much smaller than it is today. China's terrain is diverse and abundant, with many mountains and plateaus in the west, dry climate, and vast plains in the east, conducive to agriculture. China is a place where humans settled very early. In 1929, at Zhoukoudian (southwest of Beijing), archaeologists discovered the fossilized bones of a primate living 400,000 years ago. In terms of ethnology, the inhabitants of the Yellow River basin belong to the Mongoloid race, in the Spring and Autumn period, they are called Hua Xia or simply Hua or Xia. Over about 1,500 years until Qin Shi Huang declared himself emperor, the territory of the Hua people expanded significantly to the south, encroaching on the Yangtze River basin, assimilating smaller ethnic groups to expand their borders, forming their own empire.

9. Paraná River

Paraná River is located in South America, flowing through the countries of Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina with a length of about 4,880 kilometers (3,030 mi). It is the second longest river in South America after the Amazon River and the 8th longest in the world. The name Paraná is shortened from the phrase 'para rehe onáva', originating from the Tupi language and meaning 'like the sea' ('as big as the sea'). Paraná confluences with the Paraguay River and then far downstream, it joins the Uruguay River to form the Río de la Plata before flowing into the Atlantic Ocean. Paraná stretches 4,880 km (3,030 mi), passing through the countries of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Uruguay. It is also one of the most dangerous rivers in the world due to frequent floods and strong currents. The fisheries resources along the Paraná and its tributaries are the main source of income for fishermen along both banks; some species (such as surubí and sábalo) are important for domestic consumption or export.

Paraná River together with its tributaries forms a large basin covering most of South America, basically including the entire Paraguay, parts of southern Brazil, northern Argentina, and encompassing a part of Bolivia's territory. If the Uruguay River is considered a tributary of the Paraná, the river basin would include Uruguay as well. The volume of water flowing into the Atlantic Ocean through the Río de la Plata is nearly equal to the volume of the Mississippi River basin. On the river basin, there are several major cities such as São Paulo, Buenos Aires, Asunción, and Brasília. The Paraná River, along with its tributary rivers, forms a major watershed spreading throughout much of the central and southern parts of the continent, basically including all of Paraguay, much of southern Brazil, northern Argentina, and even reaching Bolivia. If the Uruguay River is considered a tributary of the Paraná, this watershed extends to include much of Uruguay. The volume of water flowing into the Atlantic Ocean through the Río de la Plata is equivalent to that of the Mississippi River basin. This service supplies several major cities, including São Paulo, Buenos Aires, Asunción, and Brasília.

10. Amur River, Asia

Amur River (A-mua) or Heilong Jiang with a total length of up to 4,444 km, it becomes the 10th largest river in the world, forming a natural border between the Russian Far East and the Manchurian region (Heilongjiang province) of China. The Chinese call it Heilong Jiang. The river boasts a rich biodiversity, with the world's largest sturgeon species being particularly famous here. Recently, the water quality has deteriorated due to pollution. The Amur River is formed by the confluence of two rivers, the Argun and the Shilka, winding like a dragon, hence it is also known as the Black Dragon River. The river flows into the Tartar Gulf of the Pacific Ocean. Before the Russians set foot in the region in the 19th century, the Amur River was known to the Manchu people as sahaliyan ula, meaning Black river, a place where their ancestors lived for a long time and the Qing dynasty always regarded this river as a sacred one.

In many historical documents, two political entities are known as Inner Manchuria and Outer Manchuria (Manchuria belonging to Russia). China's Heilongjiang province lies to the south of this river and is named after the river's Chinese name, as well as Russia's Amur Oblast lying to the north of the river. The Amur River is a symbol and an important geopolitical factor in Russian-Chinese relations. The Amur River had special significance during the period following the political rift between China and the Soviet Union in the 1960s. For many centuries, the inhabitants of the Amur Valley included Tungusic peoples (Evenk, Solon, Ducher, Nani, Ulch), Mongols (Daur), some Ainu, and, near their habitat, Nivkh. For many of these groups, fishing in the Amur and its tributaries was their primary livelihood. Until the 17th century, these people were unknown to Europeans and even the Han Chinese on the mainland knew little about them, sometimes they were collectively called Dahuaren Nani applied to the Nanai and related groups, because their traditional clothes were made from fish skin.