The major rivers of the planet cross continents and countries, creating essential river networks. The Amazon stretches 6,992 kilometers, the Nile covers 6,852 kilometers, while the Yangtze River measures 6,300 kilometers. These waterways shape landscapes, sustain agriculture, and enable transportation. Each river has distinct geographical features, from the Mississippi Delta to the Congo rapids.
South America
AmazonA 6,992 km river crossing Peru, Colombia, and Brazil, it is the largest river in the world by discharge, forming thousands of meanders.
Egypt, Sudan
NileThe longest river in Africa crosses ten countries over 6,852 kilometers, from Lake Victoria to the Mediterranean, creating the Nile Delta.
Shanghai, China
Yangtze RiverThird longest river in the world at 6,300 kilometers, it runs through China from Tibet to the eastern regions, transporting thousands of boats annually.
United States
MississippiA 6,210 km river running across the United States from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, receiving numerous tributaries including the Missouri.
Siberia, Russia
YeniseiThe river forms a basin over 2.5 million square kilometers, originating in the Sayan Mountains before reaching the Arctic Ocean.
China
Yellow RiverStretching 5,464 kilometers, this river flows across northern China from west to east. Its drainage basin covers 745,000 square kilometers.
Siberia, Russia
ObAt 3,650 kilometers, this river runs through tundra and forest zones to join the Kara Sea in the north.
Central Africa
CongoThe second longest river in Africa, it crosses six countries and forms a broad mouth before emptying into the Atlantic Ocean.
Russia, China, Mongolia
AmurA 4,444 kilometer river that separates Russia from China. Its basin covers an area of 2,052,000 square kilometers in eastern Siberia.
Siberia, Russia
LenaThis 4,400-kilometer river originates in the mountains near Lake Baikal and flows through eastern Siberia towards the Laptev Sea.
Russia
VolgaThe longest river in Europe at 3,690 kilometers flows entirely in Russia, irrigating eleven major cities before forming a delta in the Caspian Sea.
Australia
MurrayAustralia's longest river traverses the states of Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia before draining into the Indian Ocean.
West Africa
NigerThe third longest river in Africa, it originates in Guinea and crosses the Sahel for 4,184 kilometers to the Niger Delta.
Canada
MackenzieA Canadian river measuring 4,241 kilometers, flowing from the Great Slave Lake to the Arctic Ocean through the Northwest Territories.
Southeast Asia
MekongA 4,350-kilometer river originating in Tibet, crossing six countries before emptying into the South China Sea.