The longest river in the world is the Nile. The longest river in the world is the Amazon. Amazon - river or fresh sea

Amur

Almost on the state border between Russia and China, the Amur flows, its length is 4500 km, while its area reaches 1.85 km2. The river flows into the waters of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, and its coast has become a haven for rare species of birds and animals.

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The Earth is in third place in terms of distance from the Sun and in fifth place among all the planets in the Solar System in size.

Age– 4.54 billion years

Average radius – 6,378.2 km

Average circumference – 40,030.2 km

Square– 510,072 million km² (29.1% land and 70.9% water)

Number of continents– 6: Eurasia, Africa, North America, South America, Australia and Antarctica

Number of oceans– 4: Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic

Population– 7.3 billion people. (50.4% men and 49.6% women)

Most populous states: Monaco (18,678 people/km2), Singapore (7607 people/km2) and Vatican City (1914 people/km2)

Number of countries: total 252, independent 195

Number of languages ​​in the world– about 6,000

Number of official languages– 95; the most common: English (56 countries), French (29 countries) and Arabic (24 countries)

Number of nationalities– about 2,000

Climate zones: equatorial, tropical, temperate and arctic (main) + subequatorial, subtropical and subarctic (transitional)

Congo

Congo is located in central Africa and is considered the second largest (after the Nile) on the continent. Its total length is 4,700 km, and the area of ​​the water basin is 4 million km 2. Congo is also known as Zaire. The river provides water to the people of Angola, Congo, Zambia, Tanzania, Cameroon, Rwanda and Burundi. Zaire flows into the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

Parana

This river is considered the second longest on the South American continent, second only to the Amazon. The length of the Parana is 4880 km, and the area of ​​the basin is 2.58 km 2. Flowing through Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia and Argentina, it flows into the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The Paraná is rightfully considered the main waterway of South America. Shipping is well developed here.

Ob

One of the largest rivers in Siberia with a length of 5410 km and a basin area of ​​3 million km 2. The source of the Ob is located in the Altai Territory and flows into the waters of the Arctic Ocean. It is considered the longest in Russia. Power plants and reservoirs were built on its rapids.

Yellow River

The second name of this famous river is Yellow. It flows through most of China and is considered the country's second largest river. The total length of the Yellow River is about 5464 km, and the area of ​​its basin is 750 thousand km 2. Thanks to the Shaanxi Plateau, the water in the Yellow River has a yellowish tint. Hence the second name of the river. Over the course of many centuries, the Yellow River, considered the cradle of local civilization, changed its course many times. Over time, many large cities arose on the banks of the Yellow River, which take water from here for drinking and household needs.

Yenisei

It is the Yenisei that holds the title of the longest river flowing through Siberia. It originates at the border with Mongolia, and it flows into the waters of the Red Sea. The total length of the Siberian record holder is as much as 5539 km, and the basin area is 2.8 million km 2. Numerous power plants were opened on the banks of the Yenisei, producing electricity for numerous industrial enterprises in the region. Industrial development has had a negative impact on the local environment.

Mississippi

The record holder of the continent of North America, with a total length of 6275 km and a basin area of ​​3.27 million km 2. The Mississippi begins in northern Minnesota near Lake Missouri, and its waters flow into the Gulf of Mexico. Translated from the language of the indigenous aborigines, the word “Mississippi” means “big river”. This waterway is of great importance for the industry and economic development of the country. Shipping is developed here.

Yangtze

The largest river in China. The total length is 6300 km, the basin area is 1.8 million km 2. The beginning of the Yangtze is located in the Himalayan glaciers region. Flowing through the country and dividing it in half, it flows into the waters of the South China Sea. The Yangtze is important for the country and is home to major cities.

Amazon

The formation of the Amazon was facilitated by the confluence of two large rivers. Its length is 6400 km, the basin area is 7 million km 2. The Amazon flows through Peru, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Guyana and Ecuador. In addition, many of the continent's major rivers flow into it. It, in turn, flows into the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. A huge number of animals live on the banks of the Amazon.

Nile

The length of the record holder is 6650 km, the basin area is 3 million km 2. The Nile is located in the northeast of the African continent, carrying its waters to the Mediterranean Sea. You can see it in Ethiopia, Kenya, Egypt, Sudan, as well as Uganda and Eritrea. The longest river in the world plays a vital role in the life of the local population. It is home to major ports and power plants. It is considered the cradle of ancient civilization.

From space, the Earth is visible primarily in blue and white colors. This is not surprising, since two-thirds of its surface is covered with a layer of water. In addition to four oceans and numerous seas, there are also a huge number of rivers, swamps and lakes.
Water exhibits its most dynamic behavior precisely in rivers, which are always flowing somewhere, which distinguishes them from other natural bodies of water. Rivers begin with the smallest, imperceptible streams, and as they gain strength they can turn into huge water streams. The longest rivers cross continents, carrying water from their sources thousands of kilometers away. For humans, rivers have historically been of great importance - since ancient times, people built cities near rivers, took water from there for drinking and irrigating fields, and transported goods and heavy loads along them. Often the length of a river can be very difficult to measure: one has a difficult source, another has an ambiguous confluence.

1. Amazon (6992 km)

The world's deepest river, the Amazon, has always been considered the longest river in South America, and for some time now in the world. This mighty river has the widest estuary and the largest drainage basin in terms of area. It provides 15% of the water discharge of all the world's rivers. Its source is the confluence of the Ucayali and Marañon rivers. To clarify the length of the river, we had to use satellite images. Different scientists calculate the length of the Amazon in different ways: taking into account the length from the source of the Marañon River, the length of the Amazon is 6992.06 km, taking into account the length of the Apachet River - approximately 7000 km, and if we take into account the Ucayaki River, then the length of the river becomes generally more than 7000 km. Thus, the Amazon was able to outstrip even the Nile in length.

2. Nile (6852 km)

Having lost the world championship to the Amazon, in Africa the Nile undoubtedly remained the leader in length. The Nile begins on the East African plateau and flows north, crossing Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt, where it flows into the Mediterranean Sea, forming a vast delta with fertile land.

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3. Yangtze (6300 km)

China's great Yangtze River rises above the clouds in Tibet - at an altitude of 5,600 meters among glaciers - and then crosses the entire country until it meets the South China Sea. The basin of this mighty river covers an area of ​​1.8 million square meters. km. This is the third longest river in the world, and the first in all of Eurasia. China is divided by a river into northern and southern parts. For the country, the importance of the Yangtze cannot be exaggerated: a cascade of powerful hydroelectric power stations was built here, and the largest Chinese cities were built along its banks. In addition, together with the Yellow River, it is the most important river for China culturally and historically.

4. Yellow River (5464 km)

The Yellow River, which means “Yellow River”, is the second largest in China. It is not named so by chance - in its yellow-colored waters it carries millions of tons of loess from the Shaanxi Plateau. It also begins high in the Tibetan mountains, then flows east until it flows into the Yellow Sea. The Yellow River is considered to be the cradle of the great Chinese civilization. The river constantly changes its course. The water from it is used not only for irrigation, but is also drunk by 140 million Chinese. There are also many large Chinese cities along the banks of the river.

5. Mekong (4500 km)

The “Nine Dragon River” or Mekong flows through Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and China. It is the largest waterway of the Indochina Peninsula. It starts on the Tibetan Plateau, but then turns to the southeast. Farmers water their rice fields with water from the Mekong, and its wide floods are very favorable for growing this crop. But the hydropower resources of the Mekong are extremely underutilized. The Mekong has one of the largest deltas in the world (in Vietnam). In recent years, the river delta has been threatened by flooding from rising sea levels and regular landslides.

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6. Lena (4400 km)

The largest Russian river, the Lena, has a basin located entirely within the country. It originates on the Baikal ridge, at an altitude of 1470 meters, where there is a small swamp. Below Yakutsk, two deep tributaries flow into the Lena - Vilyui and Aldan, making it a powerful water stream. The width of the river in this section is 10 kilometers, but in some places it overflows for 30 kilometers. Even further downstream, mountain ranges begin, preventing the river from overflowing too much and accelerating its flow. Finally, near its mouth, the Lena slows down, breaks up into many branches that form a vast delta, and then flows into the Laptev Sea. 4400 km is the length of the river taking into account the delta, and sometimes another value appears: 4294 km is the length of the river excluding the Bykovskaya channel.

7. Parana (4380 km)

This is the second river in South America after the Amazon. The Paraná flows from north to south of the mainland through Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina until it flows near Buenos Aires into La Plata Bay in the Atlantic Ocean. The Paraná is navigable for ships as far as the city of Rosario. The border of two states - Paraguay and Argentina - passes through the river (in its middle course), and downstream its bank has become the western border of the low-lying Mesopotamia region of Argentina.

8. Congo (4374 km)

One of the largest rivers in Africa is the Congo (or Zaire), which flows in the equatorial regions of the continent and is second in length only to the Nile. There are many countries in the Congo Basin: Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Tanzania, Cameroon, Burundi, Angola, Rwanda. The area of ​​the Zaire basin is over 4 million square meters. km. This river, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean, is of great economic importance for the states of this region.

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9. Irtysh (4248 km)

The Irtysh carries its waters through the lands of China, Kazakhstan and Russia. This largest tributary of the Ob is the longest tributary in the world. The Irtysh-Ob river system, at 5,410 kilometers, is the longest in Russia, the second in Asia and the sixth in the world. Water is taken from the Irtysh for the Irtysh-Karaganda canal, laid to ensure irrigation and water supply to the region. From the downstream of the Ust-Kamenogorsk hydroelectric power station to the confluence with the Ob, that is, at a distance of 3,784 kilometers, regular navigation is carried out along the Irtysh.

10. Niger (4180 km)

The Niger River is very important to West Africa. It has a rather unusual trajectory, resembling the shape of a boomerang, which until recently confused geographers. The source of this river is located only 240 kilometers from the Atlantic coast, and, it would seem, should quickly merge into the nearby ocean in the form of a small river, however, Niger turned in the opposite direction, drawing for itself a much longer unusual path to the same Atlantic Ocean .

11. Mississippi (3770 km)

The Mississippi is the longest river in North America. It originates in northern Minnesota, in Lake Itasca, then flows south, flowing into the Gulf of Mexico. Its largest tributary is another large river, the Missouri, which follows closely behind it on our list of the world's longest rivers. The Mississippi Basin covers 31 US states and a couple of Canadian provinces, covering an area of ​​3.27 million square meters. km. Translated from the language of the Indians - the indigenous inhabitants of these places, Mississippi means "great (large) river." This river is of great importance for the country's economy - it carries a lot of shipping and carries a lot of passengers and cargo.

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12. Missouri (3767 km)

It was already mentioned above that the Missouri is the largest tributary of the Mississippi in terms of length, but in terms of length it is only 3 m behind. The source of the Missouri is in the Rocky Mountains of Montana. Flowing southeast, the river flows into the Mississippi near the city of St. Louis. Shipping on the Missouri is facing difficult times. The amount of cargo transported by barges has been inexorably declining for several decades. This was facilitated first by the construction of dams on the river, and then by increased competition among other modes of transport, mainly from rail transport. Various projects are currently being developed to revive the former navigability and the necessity of Missouri for the national economy.

13. Ob (3650 km)

The next great Siberian river, the Ob, crosses the entire territory of this region until it flows into the ocean in the north. The Ob originates in Altai, at the place where two rivers - Katun and Biya - merge. The Ob's catchment area is approximately 3 million square meters. km. The Ob, like other great Siberian rivers, is of great importance for the Russian economy: a number of hydroelectric power stations have been built on it, and it is used as a transport artery.

14. Volga (3530 km)

This largest and longest river in Europe begins on the Valdai Upland, after which it slowly flows along the Central Russian Upland, before the Ural foothills it turns south and heads towards the Caspian Sea. It is noteworthy that at the mouth of the Volga it drops 28 meters below the level of the world ocean.

15. Yenisei (3487 km)

This one of the mighty and long Siberian rivers begins near the Russian-Mongolian border. Then the Yenisei cuts through the entire Siberia, dividing it into Eastern and Western, after which it flows into the Kara Sea. Many hydroelectric power stations have been built on the Yenisei, supplying electricity to Siberian enterprises; it is an important Siberian transport artery. But the emergence of numerous reservoirs had a bad impact on the local ecology.

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Water flows are extremely variable quantities. In different years, and even seasons, their length and volume of water changes. The debate about which river is the longest in the world continues to this day. However, the TOP 10 remains unchanged, only the places change.

South America is an amazing continent, home to the longest river in the world, the Amazon. It flows through several countries - Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru. The area of ​​its basin is approximately 7.05 million km², almost the territory of Australia.

The name of the longest river in the world comes from the legendary tribes of Amazons who inhabited its banks, with whom the discoverers of the mainland, the conquistadors, had to fight. Another curious fact: in the past, the Amazon repeatedly changed the direction of its flow until it “settled” on the final version - from west to east, crossing the entire continent.

Nile (6,700 km)

For a long time it was believed that the Nile was the longest river in the world, until a new tributary of the Amazon was discovered. The sources of the Nile are in Rwanda; in total, it passes through 10 African countries. For Egypt, whose territory accounts for a significant part of the river, it is of invaluable importance. It is along its banks that more than 95% of the state’s population lives.

Missouri-Mississippi (6,275 km)

Many Americans still believe that the Mississippi is the longest river in the world. Of course, because it is almost entirely located in the United States. In fact, its length is “only” 3,734 km. And if the Missouri had not turned from a full-fledged river into a tributary of the Mississippi, it would not have seen the top 10, like its ears.

Yangtze (5,800 km)

Translated from Chinese, the name means “long river”. It is the longest in Eurasia and is located in China. The waters of the Yangtze are home to many rare and endangered species, including alligators, sturgeon and river dolphins.

Yellow River (5,464 km)

The name of this river, also located in China, translates as “yellow”. It owes this to clay sediments that wash out from its banks and give the water a yellowish-turbid tint. Moreover, the sea into which the Yellow River flows was also named.

Ob (5,410 km)

The longest river in Russia, located in Western Siberia. It does not have many tributaries and is filled mainly by melting snow. The name most likely came from the translation of the word “snow” in the language of the Komi people.

Lena (5,100 km)

The largest of the rivers located entirely on the territory of the Russian Federation, in Eastern Siberia. For most of the year, the Lena is under a thick layer of ice, so shipping is rather poorly developed, and the banks are practically uninhabited.

Amur (5,052 km)

The next one of the top 10 longest rivers in the world is also located, for the most part, in Russia. It also flows through the territory of China and Mongolia. Interestingly, the unofficial name in Chinese sounds like “Heilongjiang” - black dragon river.

Congo (4,700 km)

In terms of flow, this river is second only to the Amazon. In some places its depth exceeds 250 meters. Most of the reservoir is located on the territory of the Republic of Congo. The river crosses the equator twice and flows into the Atlantic Ocean.

Mackenzie (4,240 km)

Canada, it turns out, is not only a country of lakes. The last of the 10 longest rivers in the world is located on its territory. Interestingly, it was originally called “ Disappointment" - a disappointment, but it was later renamed in honor of the discoverer, Alexander Mackenzie.

Previously, the longest river on the planet was considered the Nile, whose length from source to mouth is 6,670 kilometers. Amazing number! But now the Amazon has become the “record holder” - after its length began to be measured from the source of the Ucayali River flowing into it, the length of the river was a huge 6992 kilometers - this is more than the radius of the Earth!

Where is the Amazon?

The Amazon River is located in the north of the continent of South America. It covers the territory of several states: Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guyana. Refers to the Atlantic Ocean basin.

The longest river in the world, the Amazon, boasts other figures: it has the largest basin area in the world - the waters of its tributaries irrigate approximately 7.2 million square kilometers! It is also the most water-bearing river in the world; it carries 200 thousand cubic meters of water into the ocean - in a minute it carries so much water into the ocean that two liters could be allocated for each of the inhabitants of the Earth. It’s scary to imagine how much it will be in a year, and of all the fresh water in the world that flows into the oceans, a fifth flows through the Amazon. The river flows into the ocean with such force that it displaces salt water from it over a distance of 200 kilometers, creating a kind of fresh sea around the mouth.

Is the Amazon a river or a fresh sea?

I would like to call it a sea for another reason - the width of the river is so great that it is not possible to see the opposite bank everywhere, as if it were a real sea. And during a flood, the width of the river can reach fifty kilometers - largely because of the spills, not a single bridge has been built across the Amazon. But the depth is not so impressive - in wide places it is usually 60-70 meters, in narrow places it can reach 130. Due to the location of the river on the equator, it is strongly influenced by the seasons of both hemispheres, and this leads to an interesting effect: sometimes the right tributaries are filled with water, while the left ones become scarce, sometimes vice versa - which is why the life of the Amazon is compared to the beating of a heart.

Animal and plant life of the Amazon

The nature of the Amazon is striking in its diversity: according to scientists, for every 10 square kilometers there are 1,500 species of flowers, 750 species of trees, 400 species of birds and 1,254 species of mammals - and there are countless invertebrates. The river itself is home to 30 times more species of fish than all European species combined. All this riot is so great that many of the species living here have not yet been studied.

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Measuring the length of great rivers is not an easy task. To do this, you need to know exactly where the source is and where the mouth is. It is very difficult to find the correct source among the many branches and tributaries, so the most distant of the tributaries is taken as the starting point of the rivers. In addition, rivers change depending on the seasons. These and many other difficulties do not allow us to name the exact length of the river.

Amazon

Most likely the longest river, from its mouth to its most distant year-round source, is the Amazon. According to the latest data, its length is almost 7 thousand kilometers, to be more precise - 6992 km. It originates at the foot of the Andes and tends to the Atlantic Ocean through Brazil.

However, the title of longest river depends on how it is measured. Until the mid-20th century, geographers could not reach the distant sources of the Amazon, but GPS technologies made it possible to conduct a study in 2007 and collect more accurate data.

Until 2007, the longest river in the world was the Nile, whose length is 6852 km. The measurements of the two rivers are so close that the results may seem quite contradictory, especially since the 2007 study was partly funded by Brazil.

Nile

The great and longest African river flows from the mountains of Burundi and flows through Sudan and Egypt, forming the famous delta and emptying into the Mediterranean Sea. The ancient Egyptians traveled 2,700 km up the Nile, deep into modern Sudan. According to the ancient Greek geographer Ptolemy, the Nile originates in the “Mountains of the Moon” deep in the African continent. In the 19th century, English explorer John Henning Speke first sailed down the Nile to its source from Lake Victoria in modern-day Uganda. For many years after his journey, the great lake was considered the source of the Nile. In a straight line, the Nile covers about 3850 km, while the Amazon is only 1770 km.