Natural water streams, flowing in their natural channel and replenished by surface and groundwater, slow or seething - all these are rivers. They are a source of fresh water, and without them it is impossible to imagine life on the entire Earth. Hundreds of thousands of years ago, large rivers became the cradles of ancient civilizations, and cities now line their coasts. We present to you the top 15 most big rivers in the world, which vary in length and pool area.
15. Volga. Length: 3530 km. Basin area: 1360 thousand km²
The first mention of the Volga is found in the works of Herodotus. It was also familiar to the Arabs, who called it Itil, which can be translated as “river of rivers.” This river is considered the “homeland” of barge haulers: up to 600,000 people could work on it during the season.
14. Yenisei. Length: 4102 km. Basin area: 2850 thousand km²
The Yenisei basin has more than 100,000 lakes, the largest and most famous of which is Baikal. The river allows the uninterrupted operation of two hydroelectric power stations - Sayan and Krasnoyarsk, thanks to which Siberia is provided with energy.
13. Niger. Length: 4160 km. Basin area: 2092 thousand km²
The Niger flows in West Africa. The river bed has an interesting shape: from a bird's eye view it resembles a boomerang. Another feature of the waterway is the presence of so-called “internal deltas”: in some places many branches and lakes have formed.
12. Mackenzie. Length 4240 km. Basin area: 1760 thousand km²
Mackenzie is located in the north of America and has a rather unusual economic use: in summer time it acts as a shipping canal, and in winter its bed turns into an ice road. The river was discovered by the Scottish traveler-naturalist A. Mackenzie and subsequently named in his honor. Before that, she bore the name “Disappointment” - “disappointment”. Apparently, she did not make the proper impression on the researcher.
11. Congo. Length: 4320 km. Basin area: 3691 thousand km²
The Congo is the deepest river in the world. Its depth reaches about 230 m. The uniqueness of the Congo lies in the fact that it crosses the equator twice. It is in its waters that the most evil and dangerous fish– Goliath (or tiger fish), therefore, when going on a “hunt”, you need to be very attentive and careful.
10. Lena. Length: 4400 km. Basin area: 2490 thousand km²
Interestingly, the source of the Lena is a small swamp, which is located about 12 km from Lake Baikal. Only after other tributaries flow into the river does it become full-flowing. The banks of this waterway are practically uninhabited and covered with dense coniferous forests, although sometimes you can find small but almost abandoned villages.
9. Cupid. Length: 4440 km. Basin area: 1855 2490 thousand km²
The Amur flows through Russia and China, and its residents call the river “Heihe,” which means “Black Dragon River.” This name has absolutely nothing to do with the color of the water: in China, black symbolizes something big, with enormous power. According to ancient legend, in ancient times two dragons lived in the river. One was black and good, and the other was evil and white. One day they fought in battle, and, naturally, good defeated evil.
8. Mekong. Length: 4500 km. Basin area: 810 thousand km²
The Mekong, which flows through Vietnam, China, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia, is the center of agriculture and trade for these countries. On its banks there are numerous rice fields and fruit plantations, and all the harvest is brought to floating markets.
7. Parana. Length: 4380 km. Basin area: 2970 thousand km²
The Parana River is located in South America and is the border between Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. The river received its name from the local Indians, who addressed it by the name “Tupi”. Literally translated, it means “big as the sea.” Some tribes considered it a river of misfortune. This may be due to the large number of rushing waterfalls.
6. Ob. Length: 5410 km. Basin area: 2990 thousand km²
Ob is the most big river in Russia and originates in Altai, flowing into the Kara Sea. In summer, the water in the river can warm up to +23° C, and in the lower reaches - up to 28° C. It is home to more than 50 different fish species, half of which are caught on an industrial scale.
5. Yellow River. Length: 5464 km. Basin area: 752 thousand km²
Pool yellow river provides drinking water more than 140 million Asians. Its waters are also used for irrigation. The Yellow River owes its name to limestone rocks that have a yellowish tint and lie in the riverbed.
4. Mississippi. Length: 5969 km. Basin area: 3229 thousand km²
The river flows through 10 states of America and is their border. Its name is immortalized in the works of Mark Twain, who called the river “the world’s first trickster” due to its very winding and unpredictable flow path.
3. Yangtze. Length: 5800 km. Basin area: 1818 thousand km²
The Chinese call the Yangtze the "blue river", but its waters that do not freeze all year round, are quite muddy and, most likely, the river got its name in contrast to the Yellow River. More than 300 species of fish live here, and birds also come here for the winter. Endangered animals can also be found in the waters of the Yangtze, including Chinese alligators.
2. Neil. River length: 6852 km. Basin area: 2870 thousand km²
The amazing Nile does not flow from north to south, but in the opposite direction and in literally pierces the Sahara, bringing life to its shores. It’s better to forget about swimming in the Nile. And it's not about scary alligators. Like many centuries ago, the Nile is used for various economic needs, and sanitary standards are not observed.
1. Amazon. Length: 6992 km. Basin area: 7180 thousand km²
When the river floods, it floods an area large enough to accommodate the whole of Great Britain. Rainforests, growing on its shores, are the “lungs” of our planet, and the jungle plants are located so closely that only 1% of sunlight reaches the surface of the earth.
The seventh wonder of the world is the Amazon River and its younger beautiful sisters.
Niger is the most valuable river in West Africa, the length of which is 4,180 kilometers. The source of the river is on the slope of the Leon-Liberian Upland. The Niger flows into the Gulf of the Atlantic Ocean. Thus, a delta domain is formed.
Irtysh is located in the Xinjiang Uyghur region of China. (What did you think?))) The length of the reservoir reaches 4248 kilometers. The Ob, together with the Irtysh River, creates the longest watercourse in Russia. It ranks second in the overall ranking in terms of length in Asia. The area of the basin is 1,643 thousand square kilometers. The river is rich in freshwater fish.
Length Lena is 4400 kilometers. and the area is 2490 thousand square kilometers. Thus, the Lena is the longest river in Central Siberia. Large territory The reservoir passes through the Irkutsk region. It is worth noting that in terms of total area Lena is considered the largest in Russia. Moreover, according to location in the regions permafrost There are no analogues to Lena in the world. Lovers of winter fishing come here from all over the world.
Mekong The reservoir is widely known as the “River of Nine Dragons”. Flows through the territory of China, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanyie On the Indochina Peninsula, the Mekong is the largest river, the length of which is 4,500 kilometers
River Congo, located in Central Africa, is also the deepest, with a length of 4,700 kilometers. This unique river, which crosses the equator twice.
Parana. It's about about a long river located in South America. Its length is 4880 kilometers. It flows through several countries, including Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. The area of the Parana River is 2,582,672 square kilometers.
Interesting Facts.
- The Paraná flows into La Plata Bay;
- in the lower reaches of one of the longest rivers on the planet, shipping is well developed;
- in the middle reaches of the Paraná there is a border between Argentina and Paraguay;
- The name translates as “big river” from the language of the ancient Guarani Indians.
Yellow River. Finding a fresh body of water larger than the Yellow River is quite difficult. One of the largest rivers in China and Asia in general means “yellow”, which is due to the presence large quantity sediment They give it a traditional and extraordinary yellowish tint. Not many people know that it was because of this river, which flows into the Yellow Sea, that the second body of water received its name. The source of the Yellow River is located in the eastern part of Tibet, at an altitude of approximately 4 thousand meters. The total area is 745 thousand km².
In translation YangtzeMeans " long river" A truly large river located in China has a long length (6300 km), covering the territory of many Eurasian countries. One of the largest rivers on the planet is considered the third deepest on Earth. Its area is 1,808,500 square kilometers.
Interesting.
- The Yangtze covers many ecosystems, and is home to unique endemic and rare, endangered species of marine animals. In particular, river dolphins.
The ex-leader in the top of the longest rivers today is Nile, whose length is 6853 kilometers. The source of the freshwater reservoir originates in the East African Plateau. Most of the Nile flows in the desert
And finally - the longest river in the world - the Amazon, the length of which is 6992 kilometers. The area covers 7180 thousand square kilometers. In 2011, a worldwide competition was held, within which the river received the status of one of the seven wonders of the world. For the most part, it flows in the Amazonian lowland, namely in the sublatitudinal zone. Forms a huge delta and flows into Atlantic Ocean. The area of the largest river island is 100 kilometers.
The shortest rivers
The shortest in the world are two American rivers: Roe River near the town of Great Falls, pcs. Montana, and Dee River in Lincoln City, PC. Oregon. The Roe River flows into the Missouri River; one of its branches is only 17.7 m long. The Dee River connects Devils Lake with the Pacific Ocean, and its total length is 37 + 1.5 m.
Roe River.
Longest rivers
The two longest rivers in the world are the Nile in Africa and the Amazon in South America.
River Nile, view from space.
The Amazon originates in Peru, where several streams merge to form the Apurimac River, which in turn becomes the Eni, Tambo and Ucayali Rivers. In the last section, 3,700 km long - from the confluence of the Ucayali and Marañon all the way to the mouth - the river is called the Amazon. The Amazon has several mouths, so it is not entirely clear where it ends. If you measure the river moving towards its outermost mouth, the length of the Amazon will be about 6,750 km.
Amazon River, view from space.
The Nile, stretching from Burundi to Mediterranean Sea, had a length of 6670 km until Lake Nasser, formed after the construction of the Aswan High Dam, absorbed several meanders, i.e. bends of the river bed, reducing its length by several kilometers.
Underwater river
In 1952, an underwater river was discovered, called the Cromwell Current. It carries its waters east along the equator under the surface Pacific Ocean at a depth in places reaching 400 m. The unusual river has a width of 300 km and a length of 6500 km.
underground river
In August 1958, using radioisotopes, a river flowing under the Nile was discovered. Its average annual water flow is 6 times greater than that of the Nile - 500 km 2.
Amazon River, view from space.
Most large swimming pool by the river
The largest basin in the world is near the Amazon River - it occupies 7,045,000 km 2.
The longest tributary of the river
One of the tributaries of the Amazon is Madeira (3380 km). Only 17 rivers in the world exceed it in length.
River Ob
The longest estuary by the river
The longest estuary is near the Ob River in northern Russia - its length is 885 km and its width is up to 80 km. The Ob is also the widest river, which, when frozen, is completely covered with ice.
Brahmaputra River
Largest river delta
The most extensive delta in the world is the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers in Bangladesh and West Bengal, India. It covers an area of 75,000 km2.
Largest river flow
Every second, the Amazon discharges 200,000 m3 of water into the Atlantic Ocean, and during flood periods more than 340,000 m3
The most powerful boron inriver
Of all the 60 places in the world where this phenomenon is observed, the most amazing boron (a sharp rise in the water level of a river during high tide) can be observed on the Hanchufe River in Eastern China. During spring tides, the wave moves up the river at a speed of 24 - 27 km/h, and its approach can be heard from a distance of 22 km.
Congo - reka record holder
The Congo is the only major river that crosses the equator twice. It is the deepest and second longest river in Africa, the second largest river in the world after the Amazon.
The Congo is the deepest river in the world; in some sections its depth is more than 230 meters, which is an absolute record on the planet. Mostly such places are located in areas of large waterfalls, such as Livingston Falls (when the water falls from a height of 270 meters).
Longest island river
The Kapuas River flows on the island of Borneo and is the longest river in Indonesia, with a length of 1143 km.
The dirtiest river
The Citarum River is located in Indonesia. The river is an economically important waterway for the area and is heavily polluted by human activity. About 5 million people live in the river basin.
The highest mountain river
The Brahmaputra River originates from the Tibetan Plateau (PRC) at an altitude of more than 3500 m. The river has several names, depending on the area where it flows: in Tibet - Matsang and Yarlung-Tsangpo, at the place where it breaks through the Himalayas - Siang and Dihang, in India - Brahmaputra, in Bangladesh - Jamuna.
The widest river in the world
La Plata is an estuary formed by the confluence of the Uruguay and Paraná rivers in South America. At the confluence of the rivers, the width of La Plata is 48 km, the river flows to the southeast, expanding to 220 km when it flows into the Atlantic Ocean.
To answer the question “What is the largest river in Russia?” You must first understand what the “large” parameter means. The category of large rivers includes lowland rivers with a drainage basin area of more than 50,000 km 2, as well as mountain rivers with a drainage basin area of more than 30,000 km 2.
Below is information on the largest rivers in Russia by drainage basin area. The table includes both the main rivers (flowing into the sea, ocean or large lake) and their tributaries with a drainage area of more than 50 thousand km 2. It should be noted that the drainage areas of the main rivers include the drainage areas of their tributaries.
First place In the list of the largest rivers in Russia, the Ob is ranked by a large margin - its drainage area is 2,990,000 km 2.
It flows from southeast to west, then north. The river flows not in one channel, but in several. The Ob is formed at the confluence of the Katun and Biya rivers near the village of Fominskoye in the Zonal District Altai Territory Russia. In northern Russia, the river flows into the Kara Sea, forming a bay 800 km long. The bay is called the Gulf of Ob. The length of the Ob is 3650 km.
The largest rivers in Russia by drainage basin area.
River name | Square catchment area, km² | Where does it flow |
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Ob Bay of the Kara Sea |
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Yenisei Bay of the Kara Sea |
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Laptev sea |
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Amur | Amur Estuary, Sea of Okhotsk |
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Irtysh | |||
Caspian Sea |
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Angara | Yenisei River |
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Aldan | Lena river |
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East-Siberian Sea |
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Kama | Volga river |
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Black Sea |
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Lower Tunguska | Yenisei River |
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Vilyui | Lena river |
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Tobol | Irtysh River |
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Taganrog Bay of the Azov Sea |
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Indigirka | East-Siberian Sea |
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Dvina Bay of the White Sea |
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Pechora Bay of the Barents Sea |
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Gulf of Finland Baltic Sea |
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Volga river |
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Podkamennaya Tunguska | Yenisei River |
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Ural | Caspian Sea |
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Amur river |
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Vitim | Lena river |
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Olenyok | Olenyok Bay, Laptev Sea |
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Olekma | Lena river |
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Anadyr | Anadyr Bay, Bering Sea |
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Ishim | Irtysh River |
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Aldan River |
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Tazovskaya Bay of the Kara Sea |
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White | Nizhnekamsk Reservoir, Kama River |
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Chulym | |||
Vyatka | Kama River |
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Northern Dvina River |
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Omolon | Kolyma River |
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Markha | Vilyui River |
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Seversky Donets | |||
Ket | |||
Dnepr River |
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Gulf of Riga Baltic Sea |
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Mezen Bay of the White Sea |
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Conda | Irtysh River |
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Amga | Lena river |
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Alazeya | East-Siberian Sea |
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Vasyugan | |||
Uda (Chuna) | Taseeva River, tributary of the Angara |
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Biryusa (She) | Taseeva River, tributary of the Angara |
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Irtysh River |
In second place– the Yenisei River with a drainage basin area equal to 2,580,000 km 2.
It originates at the confluence of the Small (Kaa-Khem) and Big (Biy-Khem) Yenisei rivers in the Republic of Tyva. Flows through Siberia. Divides Siberia into Western and Eastern. It flows into the Yenisei Bay of the Kara Sea. The length of the Yenisei is 3487 km.
Third place on the list of the largest rivers in Russia belongs to the Lena. The Lena drainage basin area is 2,490,000 km2.
It originates near Lake Baikal (Baikal Range) 145 km from the village of Kachug, Kachug district, Irkutsk region of Russia. The Lena River flows into the Laptev Sea 160 km from the settlement of Chekurovka, Bulunsky district of Yakutia. The length of Lena is 4400 km.
Fourth place– the Amur River with its drainage area equal to 1,855,000 km 2.
Amur River - flows on Far East Russia. It originates at the confluence of the Argun and Shilka rivers. It is a border river between Russia and China. It flows into the Amur Estuary of the Sea of Okhotsk. The length of the Amur River is 2824 km.
In fifth place on the list of the largest rivers in Russia is the Irtysh River, largest influx Obi.
The Irtysh is a river flowing in Russia, China and Kazakhstan. Left tributary of the Ob. It is the longest tributary river in the world. The length of the Irtysh is 4248 km.
Now, in order to avoid repeated counting, we will remove tributaries from the list of the largest rivers, leaving only the main rivers, obtaining the following table.
List of the largest main rivers of Russia by drainage basin area.
№ | River name | Catchment area, km² | Where does it flow |
1 | Ob | 2990000 | Ob Bay of the Kara Sea |
2 | Yenisei | 2580000 | Yenisei Bay of the Kara Sea |
3 | Lena | 2490000 | Laptev sea |
4 | Amur | 1855000 | Amur Estuary, Sea of Okhotsk |
5 | Volga | 1360000 | Caspian Sea |
6 | Kolyma | 647000 | East-Siberian Sea |
7 | Dnieper | 504000 | Black Sea |
8 | Don | 422000 | Taganrog Bay of the Azov Sea |
9 | Indigirka | 360000 | East-Siberian Sea |
10 | Northern Dvina | 357000 | Dvina Bay of the White Sea |
11 | Pechora | 322000 | Pechora Bay of the Barents Sea |
12 | Neva | 281000 | Gulf of Finland Baltic Sea |
13 | Ural | 237000 | Caspian Sea |
14 | Olenyok | 219000 | Olenyok Bay, Laptev Sea |
15 | Anadyr | 191000 | Anadyr Bay, Bering Sea |
16 | Pelvis | 150000 | Tazovskaya Bay of the Kara Sea |
17 | Western Dvina (Daugava) | 87900 | Gulf of Riga Baltic Sea |
18 | Alazeya | 64700 | East-Siberian Sea |
The first four positions are still occupied by the Ob, Yenisei, Lena and Amur rivers, but the Volga comes in fifth place, with a drainage area of 1,360,000.
It starts on the Valdai Hills from a spring in the village of Volgoverkhovye, Ostashkovsky district, Tver region. The Volga Delta begins near the city of Volgograd, Volgograd Region. And 60 km from the city of Astrakhan, Astrakhan region, the Volga River flows into the Caspian Sea. The length of the Volga is 3531 km.
Thus, the largest river in Russia in terms of drainage basin area is the Ob River.
River basin- this is a land area into which underground groundwater and various reservoirs flow. All of them enter the system of a certain river, but the regimes of surface and underground watersheds do not coincide. Since it is difficult to trace the sources of groundwater, the basis of the basin is made up of the tributaries of the river.
Water exchange between the main river, lakes and small rivers occurs regularly, which ensures the regime of the river basin. Between neighboring reservoirs there is a border along the line of watersheds.
Types of river basins
Scientists distinguish two types of river basins - drainage and drainage. Endorheic basins include water from rivers and lakes that are not connected to the oceans through the main river. They vary in location, shape and size. Accordingly, waste areas are those that, as a result, have access to the ocean.
All river basins are characterized by the length of the main river and the area of the river catchment area, the volume of water flow and the stability of the river bed, power sources and hydroregime conditions. According to their length, rivers are divided into large, medium and small. Rivers are fed by rainwater, snowwater, glaciers, underground water, and the waters of streams, lakes and small rivers are also important. Most often, river basins have mixed nutrition, when there are several sources of water.
Largest river basins in the world
It is believed that every river has a basin, regardless of whether it flows into another river, sea or ocean. The largest basins of the following rivers:
- Amazon;
- Congo;
- Mississippi;
- Parana;
- Yenisei;
- Lena;
- Niger;
- Amur.
Depending on the area of river basins, they have, first of all, a huge economic importance. Rivers are the main source of fresh water. Their waters are used to irrigate fields, irrigation systems are created, and water resources are used in industry (metallurgy, energy, chemical industry). River basins are not least important for fishing. One of the functions of rivers is recreational.
Thus, the main river, together with its tributaries and groundwater sources, forms a river basin. The more bodies of water that flow into the river, the more water the basin becomes. Since water resources are of paramount importance for people's lives, they are actively used in various spheres of the economy and everyday life. This leads to the depletion of some reservoirs, but to avoid this, it is necessary to rationally use the waters of the planet’s river basins.