Rivers are some of the most fascinating natural wonders on Earth. These large bodies of freshwater flow downhill in ribbon-like courses due to the force of gravity. They feed lakes, seas, oceans, and other rivers. Rivers are often full of life and also can create marvelous landscapes such as the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Aside from being beautiful geographical features, they’ve also been some of the most important sites in human history. Many early human civilizations started on the basins of rivers. Most major cities around the world now stand on their banks. Among the thousands of rivers around the world, some stand out among the rest. Without further ado, here are 30 of the most famous rivers around the world along with bits of their history.
The Nile
Countries: Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, Egypt, Eritrea
Sources: White Nile and Blue Nile
Outflow: Mediterranean Sea
Length: 4,132 mi (6,650 km)
The Nile is certainly one of the most famous rivers in the world — who hasn’t heard of it? This famous river is the longest in Africa, and its length spans 10 countries, including Kenya and Egypt. Running more than 4,130 miles (6,650 km), it is largely regarded as the longest river in the world. The Nile river originates from two major tributaries: the White Nile and the Blue Nile. It flows northwards and meets the Mediterranean Sea at the Nile Delta in Egypt.
The Nile overflows annually and deposits silt along its banks, making the land quite fertile and habitable. It also provides a steady flow of fresh water, which is vital for sustaining life and allowing humans to cultivate crops and keep domesticated animals. Because of this, ancient humans have long settled along the banks since the Stone Age. The river was also crucial in the formation of some of the earliest recognizable civilizations — Ancient Egypt and the Sudanese Kingdoms.
The banks of the Nile are ideal locations for the papyrus plant to grow, and the Ancient Egyptians used these plants to make clothes, ropes, and paper. Nowadays, 95% of Egyptians live within a few miles from the Nile, and the river is still an important source of freshwater, hydroelectric power, and transportation.
The Amazon River
Countries: Peru, Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guyana
Source: Apurímac River (Rio Apurímac)
Outflow: Atlantic Ocean
Length: 3,977 mi (6,400 km)
In South America, a large river winds through one of the world’s most diverse ecosystems — the Amazon rainforest. The Amazon River begins high in the Andes mountains and empties into the Atlantic Ocean. This great river is home to over 5,600 species of fish, including 60 species of piranhas.
When it comes to famous rivers, you simply cannot overlook the Amazon. The Amazon River is a strong contender against the Nile for the title of the world’s longest river. Whether the Amazon is longer than the Nile has been the subject of much dispute for years, but most scholars agree that the Nile is longer. This makes the Amazon the second longest river in the world. Several factors complicate the exact measurement of the rivers, such as the measuring scales and techniques, as well as the location of their sources and outflows.
Despite disputes on being the world’s longest river, the Amazon is uncontested as the widest river in the world. Depending on the area, the river can have an average width of about 2 to 6 miles (3.2 to 9.6 km) during the dry season. During the wet season, however, some parts of the river can be up to 30 miles (48 km) wide.
The Amazon River also has the world’s largest drainage basin — the Amazon River basin covers the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. Moreover, the Amazon River has a water flow rate of 7,400,000 cu ft/s (209,000 m3/s). This amount of water discharge is enough to fill up 83 Olympic-sized swimming pools in a single second.