Longer than the Nile or Mississippi. Rivers - The largest, longest and largest rivers in the world

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.

Determining which of the world's longest rivers is not an easy task. While for most of us the answer would be the Nile River, there are many scientists who consider the Amazon to be the true owner of that title. The difficulty in identifying the undisputed winner is that it is quite difficult to establish the beginning or source of the river. Large rivers such as the Nile and the Amazon have numerous sources, as well as countless large and small tributaries. Therefore, it is necessary to find the farthest source of the river if its true length is to be calculated. Often these sources are located in remote and inaccessible locations, making them difficult to find. Listed below are the five longest rivers/river systems in the world according to generally accepted standards. However, with the discovery of new sources of these rivers, their order may change.

What is longer, the Nile or the Amazon??

River Nile

For most people, the answer to the question: “What is the longest river on Earth?” - This is the Nile River. Although many perceive the Nile as the lifeline of Egypt, it is, in fact, an international river flowing through 11 African countries. However, it is the main source of water in two countries: Egypt and Sudan. The Blue and White Nile are two tributaries of the river, the latter being longer than the former. The source of the White Nile has not yet been fully determined, but it is believed to be somewhere in Burundi or Rwanda. According to some reports, Lake Victoria is believed to be the source of the White Nile, which in turn is fed by the Kagera River, the two main tributaries of which are the Ruvironza and Nyabarongo rivers in Burundi and Rwanda respectively. The Kagera is formed at the confluence of these two rivers near the border of Tanzania and Rwanda. The Blue Nile has a more definite origin in Ethiopia's Lake Tana. The two tributaries meet near the Sudanese capital Khartoum. The final course of the Nile River passes through Egypt before it forms a delta and flows into the Mediterranean Sea. According to some data, the length of the Nile is 6,853 km.

Amazon river

Amazon river

The Amazon is undoubtedly the largest river in the world by volume of water. However, its position as the world's longest river is highly disputed, as this title has long been assigned to the Nile River. The dispute arises over the definition of the origins of the Amazon. Until now, the upper reaches of the Apurimac River were considered the source of the Amazon River. However, a recent study in 2014 claims that the origins of the Amazon can be traced to the Cordillera Rumi Cruz, where the Peruvian Mantaro River originates. This river then joins the Apurimac River (the upper reaches of which were previously considered the source of the Amazon), and then other tributaries join the river downstream to form the Ucayali River, which finally merges with the Marañon River to form the main stem of the Amazon River. Thus, if the latest data is taken into account, this adds between 75 and 92 km to the length of the river. However, many believe that the Amazon is about 6,400 km long and therefore shorter than the Nile.

Other long rivers of the world:

Yangtze River

Yangtze River

The Yangtze River is the third longest river in the world and the longest river flowing within a single country. It is also the longest river in Asia. The Yangtze Basin is home to one third of the population of China, the most populous country on Earth. Two sources of the Yangtze River have been proposed. The Chinese government recognizes the Tuotuo tributary, located in the Tanggula Mountains, as the main source of the river. At an altitude of over 5,300 m above sea level, Tuotuo is the highest source of the Yangtze. However, according to new data, the source of the Yangtze River is located on Yari Hill, where its tributaries unite. The river covers a total distance of 6,300 km and flows into the East China Sea in Shanghai.

Mississippi-Missouri-Jefferson

Mississippi River

The river system, consisting of the Mississippi, Missouri and Jefferson rivers, is considered the fourth largest river system in the world. It passes through 31 US states and 2 Canadian provinces. The Mississippi River begins in northern Minnesota, where its source is Lake Itasca, and flows 3,734 km into the Gulf of Mexico. However, if we consider the Jefferson River as the most distant tributary of the Mississippi River, we get the Mississippi-Missouri-Jefferson River system, which is 5,969 km long. The Madison River joins the Jefferson River for 133 km to form the Missouri River, which finally merges with the Mississippi at the border between Illinois and Missouri, USA.

Yenisei-Angara-Selenga

Yenisei River

It is the fifth longest river system in the world and the largest discharge of water into the Arctic Ocean. The Selenge River is considered as the headwaters of this river system. It has a length of 992 km and flows into Lake Baikal. The Angara River originates from Baikal near Listvyanka and flows through the Irkutsk region of Russia, and then joins the Yenisei River near the village of Strelka. The Yenisei finally flows into the Arctic Ocean. The total length of this river system is about 5,539 km.

Table of the longest rivers on Earth

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.

Express information on the country

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.

Until recently, it was written in all school textbooks that the longest river in the world is the Nile. Its length is 6670 kilometers. However, already now many scientists give the palm to another river - the Amazon.

This happened for several reasons. Namely, the Nile became shorter after the Aswan Dam was built on it in 1960. Well, besides this, the Amazon River has several tributaries, these are the Ucayali and Marañon. And more recently, it began to be traced from the source of Ucayali. And from this point the length of the South American river exceeded 7 thousand kilometers. For comparison, this is the distance from Berlin to New York.

Fresh sea

However, the Amazon is not only the longest river in the world. She holds several more records. For example, it is the largest in terms of basin size and the deepest (special thanks to the heavy rainfall for this). Of course, the Amazon is the most water-bearing river in the world. The river throws approximately 200 thousand cubic meters of water into the Atlantic Ocean. By the way, in 30 seconds a reservoir can provide absolutely every inhabitant of the planet with one liter of fresh water. It turns out that a fifth of all fresh water that enters the World Ocean comes from the Amazon. And the force with which fresh water flows into the Atlantic displaces salt water at a distance of about 200 kilometers. Only for this, the famous Italian navigator Vicente Yañez Pinzón gave the Amazon another name - Mor Dulcea, which translates as “Fresh Sea”.

By the way, when you first meet a river, you actually want to call the Amazon a sea. In some places its width is so enormous that it is impossible to see the opposite bank. And the flood makes the longest river even wider. At such moments the width reaches fifty kilometers. Well, the depth is not so impressive; in the largest places it ranges from 50 to 80 meters. In narrow ones it is 130 meters. The Amazon is located parallel to the equator. This leads to the fact that it is strongly influenced by the summer season, in both hemispheres. Therefore, the right and left tributaries are replenished with water. And the water level can fall and rise. Experts compare the life of the Amazon to the pulsation of a giant heart. Throughout the year, the water level can fluctuate from 9 to 12 meters. In general, the Amazon is filled with more than five thousand tributaries. The right Madeira and the left Rio Negro deserve special attention. If you add up the length of all the branches of the champion river, then its length will be more than 25 thousand kilometers.

Royal flora and fauna

The Indians have always admired the beauty of the mighty Amazon and called it nothing less than the “queen of rivers.” The waters of this longest river on the planet pass at the foot of the Peruvian Andes, come into contact with the dense tropical forests of Ecuador and Bolivia, and also flow near the “floating islands” of Colombia, plantations of cassava bushes and guarana in Brazil. On the banks of the Amazon, in the plant kingdom, among a dense tangle of palm leaves and vines, live anacondas and jaguars looking for their victims. And vice versa, tapirs hide from predators, capybaras graze, monkeys play and frogs croak. Well, in the muddy waters of the river (due to the silt that is carried by the rapid flow of water) more than two thousand species of fish live. Overall, the Amazon has approximately 30 times more fish species than all European rivers. Among them are the famous piranhas, stingrays and river sharks (all these are “underwater wolves”). There are two types of river dolphins here, you can meet a giant otter, as well as an alligator and turtles. By the way, during the rainy season, pink river dolphins from the main river move into the flooded forest, where they can be found swimming or hunting near the trees. It is noteworthy that on one hectare of the river’s tropical forest you can find more than 200 varieties of trees. And that's not all, according to research, there can be up to 72 different species of ants on one tree. By the way, the longest river on Earth fully lives up to its name.

This has been happening since the time of the Spanish conquistadors (this is the 15th-16th centuries). Then the conquerors were extremely surprised by the strength of Indian women. They fought alongside men and were inferior to them in little way. Therefore, the mighty river was named after their tribe “de los Amazonas”. The river does not allow you to approach it because of its steep banks. They are not just clayey and steep, but swampy and sometimes flooded. The warlike and violent nature of the Amazon is also indicated by the driftwood floating with the current, the disgusting mud and constant whirlpools.

Taming of the Shrew

Man has been trying to conquer the great Amazon for a long time. Some do it out of sport, and some do it for selfish reasons. In the latter case, we are talking about cutting down the jungle, which is present in abundance on the banks of the river. Man mercilessly destroys nature, thereby depriving the planet of vital energy. Others behave much more harmlessly. The simplest example of conquest of a river is the story of Martin Strela. This young man showed his strengths and earned hero status in a documentary called Big River Man. The film was released in 2009. A fearless swimmer from Slovenia covered 5,268 kilometers of water in just 66 days. Thanks to this, the athlete was included in the Guinness Book of Records, thereby showing the strength of the human spirit and mutual understanding of nature and man.

By the way, there is not a single bridge across the Amazon River, about 7 thousand kilometers long. The only one appeared only in 2010. The crossing was made through one of the tributaries of the longest river - the Rio Negro. The bridge connects the major Amazon port of Manaus and the city of Iranduba. The length of this structure is quite impressive - 3 kilometers and 595 meters.

Breathe down your back

The length of the Nile is immediately behind the Amazon. Well, next on the list of the longest rivers are the Mississippi (with Missouri). This river in North America stretches for 6 thousand 420 kilometers. Next comes the Yangtze, its length is 5800 kilometers. Well, Ob closes the top five record holders. The Siberian River, including the Irtysh, stretches for 5,410 kilometers. By the way, this is the longest river in Russia.
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Nature is very diverse and amazing. You can argue for hours about which man-made attractions are better, but one thing is certain: natural wonders are always more beautiful. Today we will talk about the waterways of our planet, we will try to figure out which river is longer: the Amazon or the Nile. Or maybe someone else holds the title of longest in the world?

Eternal debate: Amazon or Nile

Man has always been interested in which mountain peaks are the highest on the planet, which lake has the largest area, which desert is the most extensive. Now we will try to figure out which river is longer. Amazon or two options that scientists have been struggling with in recent years. Until recently, the first place was occupied by the sacred Nile, which carries its waters from the depths of Africa through the sands of the Sahara. The South American river is recognized as the deepest, but in terms of length it was placed in a different place. But a recent expedition by Brazilian scientists discovered that the Amazon is longer. It is 6,800 kilometers long, and the river itself begins in the north of Peru, and not in the south, as previously thought. At that time, the length of the Nile was 6695 kilometers. The main thing when measuring rivers is to accurately determine the source, because the length can vary depending on it.

Natural record holders

So, we have already decided on the first two record holders. True, the debate about whether the Nile or the Amazon is longer will continue for a long time. But the names of other rivers that are the greatest in the world are known:

Amazing Amazon: origin of the name

So, we have already found out which river is longer, the Amazon or the Nile. Now let's talk about it, an absolute record holder, an amazing water artery. It was discovered by the conquistadors during their search for the fabulous golden country of Eldorado. They gave it the name after meeting Indians with long hair and believing that these were the legendary female warriors described by the ancient Greeks. According to another version, the European invaders were amazed that Aboriginal women fought equally with men, fiercely resisting the newcomers.

Queen of Rivers and its features

This is the name given to the Amazon by Indian tribes who have long lived on its banks. In their language it sounds like Parana Tingo. It carries a quarter of all water into the World Ocean, and this flow desalinates the Atlantic Ocean four hundred kilometers from its mouth!

They form three large sleeves and a huge number of small ones. Lost in it are the picturesque islands of Mexicona, Mariao, and Caviana. The Amazon boasts more than two hundred tributaries, many of which are deep and navigable. During the wet season in the tropics, a large amount of precipitation falls, so the river floods to incredible sizes, and the water level rises by ten to fifteen meters. The shores are covered with virgin forest, which is home to a unique fauna. In the Amazon itself there are various fish, dolphins, piraruku, and manatees.

colorful stream

The Amazon rushes in a powerful, seething stream, washing away silt from the bottom, which colors its waters white. Its tributary, the Rio Negro, on the contrary, is very clean and transparent, and the waves in it have an almost black tint (hence the name - Black River). In the place where they merge together, you can observe an interesting and unique phenomenon: water rushes in a two-color stream from the city of Manaus to the mouth along fifteen kilometers of the coast.

Amazing inhabitants of the Amazon

Because the Amazon is a unique and amazing river, the inhabitants in its basin are also unusual. Two and a half thousand species of fish (including the famous piranha with sharp teeth, the giant arapaima, and river sharks), huge anacondas, the largest capybara rodents, howler monkeys, tiny hummingbirds - this is just a short list of representatives of the fauna of the Amazon.

The flora is no less rich: slender palm trees and unique fruit heveas are entangled in vines that can support an adult. Victoria regia, a water lily with one and a half meter leaves, is blooming on the water surface. It’s not for nothing that this part of the world is called the “green lungs of the planet.” It’s only a pity that man and his economy are affecting the state of this natural miracle every day. Trees are being cut down, rare species of flora and fauna are rapidly becoming extinct.

Holy Nile

So, no one doubts which river is longer: the Amazon or the Nile. But although the South American took away the palm from the African, this did not make him any worse. The Nile is the main asset of the mainland, its main waterway, the cradle of ancient civilization and the source of life in the desert. The source of the sacred river is located on the East African plateau, and it flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile does not have as many tributaries as the Amazon. These are Bahr el-Ghazal, Sobat, Blue Nile, Achwa, Atbara. But they are all located in the first half of the river’s length, and for the last three thousand kilometers the Nile carries its waters through a semi-desert, without tributaries.

In the area, the Nile makes its way through the rocks, forming dangerous rapids and picturesque waterfalls. The delta of the African giant is huge. Its area is approximately equal to the area of ​​the Crimean Peninsula, and the river flows into the sea, dividing into several powerful branches. The Nile is navigable, and a cruise along it will give you the most positive emotions.

Instead of an epilogue

So which river is longer? It’s worth forgetting what they taught in schools: not the Nile, on whose banks rise pyramids, but the amazing Amazon, a river that has no analogues!