The mightiest rivers in the world

Rivers have always been a fundamental source of life for human development, as evidenced by the fact that millions of people have developed near or alongside them. The supply of fresh water is decisive both for the consumption of the population and for the cultivation, fishing or hunting of local animals, and even today we continue to depend in part on them. While rivers usually flow into the sea, ocean, or another river, they sometimes end up drying up if something prevents them from meeting another body of water. The amount of water that circulates through them is what we call flow. The mightiest rivers in the world They are the ones that have the most amount of water circulating through them.

In this article we are going to make known which are the largest rivers in the world and their main characteristics.

Characteristics of the largest rivers in the world

Rivers are watercourses, they follow their course through channels, so they do not stay still, but move and generate energy. They are also landscape sculptors. The following parts of the river can be identified:

• Source. This is the starting point of a river, which can be spring water, glacial meltwater, lake, or groundwater. It tends to be high ground where rivers run down steep slopes.
• Boca. It is where a river ends and joins the sea, ocean, or another body of water such as a lake or reservoir.
• Confluence. This is where two rivers meet.
• Tax. A small river or stream connected to a river.
• watershed. Each area drained by a river. The two basins are separated by a dividing line ("basin" for short) that marks the geographic boundary between the two.
• Canal. A narrow path formed by the action of water; a river flows through a channel, and the path of a river is called a "route".
• Bed. Channel bottom.
• shores. As their name suggests, they are the edges of the river on both sides of the channel.

Rivers are also "fed" by runoff, which flows into the sea. Runoff is nothing more than rainwater that runs off the surface but can reach rivers.

The mightiest rivers in the world

The Ganges River

The Ganges and its tributaries are an undisputed icon when it comes to India, draining a fertile basin of more than 900.000 square kilometers that supports a huge population. It ranked last on the list with a flow rate of 14.270 m³/s, Although its level of pollution places it at the top of the 10 most polluted rivers in the world. You can learn more about the Ganges River and its importance.

Although various initiatives have been launched to treat its waters and prevent it from continuing to cause such high levels of marine pollution (545 million kilograms of plastic waste per year), all have failed. The Ganges is an international river that originates in the western Himalayas and flows between India and Bangladesh. This river is central to local culture and religion, making it an interesting case study. ecosystems and their conservation.

lena river

The Lena River is a long river, which we can find in Siberia, which runs through the Irkutsk Oblast and the Sakha Republic, and finally joins the Laptev Sea (Arctic Ocean), forming a delta of 10.800 square kilometers.

Despite the lack of rainfall in the region, the Seine's flow rate remains at 16.400 cubic meters per second, making it the ninth largest river in the world. The Lena River has an interesting tourist attraction, the Lena Pillars, rock formations on the riverbanks, surrounded by history and legends. You can read more about other sites here. impressive estuaries in the world that are the source of life.

Mississippi River

The Mississippi River is famous for running through up to 10 central states (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana), in The 10 states are ranked as the eighth largest river in the world with a flow of 18.000 m³/s.

It was already an essential element of population development in pre-Columbian times., but today it remains an economic and cultural backbone of the United States. At 6.275 kilometers (if we consider the Mississippi-Missouri system), it is the fourth longest river in the world. For a detailed analysis, visit the article on the Mississippi River.

Río de la Plata

The Río de la Plata has a vast hydrological basin (the second largest in South America) that brings together the waters of the Paraná and Uruguay rivers, which join together to form it, as well as various tributaries and wetlands. It was named after the Jordan River by Amerigo Vespucci, but later local influences gave it the name we know today. For more information, see the article on the River Plate and its relevance.

Its upper and middle reaches are shallow and do not have salinity intrusion, but from Punta del Este in Uruguay to Samboronbón Bay in Argentina, since this part is already a marine estuary, its depth increases and its salinity increases significantly. Atlantic. It is 325 kilometers long, has an area of ​​234 kilometers at its widest point and It has an average flow of 22.000 cubic meters per second.

The Black River

The Rio Negro, although sixth on this list, is the largest of all the Amazon tributaries, along with the largest blackwater river in the world. It is born in Colombia, in the subsoil of Guayana, where it is known as the Guainha River, which also passes through Venezuela and flows into Brazil to the state of Amazonas, where it joins the great river of the same name.

It has a length of 2.250 kilometers and a depth approximately constant 80 meters, resulting in a flow rate of 29.300 cubic meters per second. This river is a perfect example of how aquatic ecosystems are vital for biodiversity.

Madeira river

The Madeira River is one of the largest tributaries of the Amazon, with a total length of 3.250 kilometers and a flow of 31.200 cubic meters per second. Also known as the Cuyari River, it flows through northern South America, forming a 100-kilometre border between Bolivia and Brazil, and is navigable by sea vessels most of the year.

Today, it remains a very important economic factor because, in addition to the 900 species of fish found along the river, Port Velho is a very important location for trade and supplies to other Brazilian cities. Unlike other rivers, the Madeira River does not flow into an ocean, but into the Amazon. To learn more about the .

Yangtze River

Although it is the longest river in China, the literal translation of its name as "Long River" is not in vain, the third longest river in the world, the Yangtze River is the fourth largest river on earth with 31.900 cubic meters per second. The river flows into the sea after passing through 10 provinces in China, and over 70% of rice and fish production occurs in the basin.

However, due to industrial and domestic discharges, the river is currently experiencing unsustainable pollution and is also severely affecting the flora and fauna that depend on it. You can read more about the yangtze river and its environmental impact.

Orinoco river

The Orinoco River is one of the most important rivers in South America and has an enormous historical and economic influence in Venezuela, where it mainly flows. The total length is more than 2.000 kilometers and the flow is 33.000 cubic meters per second, ranking third in the world.

One of the charms of this river is all the wonderful stories and legends told from its source in Venezuela to its mouth in the Atlantic Ocean, such as the Piedra del Medio, the discovery of Toninas (pink dolphins), or the mysterious Hydra. For more information, you can consult the Orinoco river.

Congo River

Formerly known as the Zaire River, the Congo River is a Central African river that flows through four countries (Zambia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, and Republic of the Congo) and it is the second largest river in the world (41.800 m³/s). Its length means that it crosses the equator twice along its route, which also sails between Kisangani and Lake Malebo.

Its entrance faces the Atlantic Ocean, but rapids at the end of the street prevent access to the river from the sea. For a more detailed analysis, see the article on the Congo river.

Amazon River

The most important and recognized river on our planet as it holds the title of longest and mightiest (250.000 m³/s) of all the rivers on earth. It is more than 7.000 kilometers long and can travel through nine countries in South America.

The Amazon river basin concentrates a fifth of the total fresh water on earth, its mouth is in the Atlantic Ocean, it is the source of life of the Amazon jungle. Carbon dioxide is present in our atmosphere.

All these rivers have a great impact, not only on the areas they flow through, but also on the oceans they flow into, as they represent a great source of hydrology and an important natural resource for flora and fauna around the world. In addition, they have important effects on the cycles and processes of our planet, so high levels of pollution, as in the case of the Ganges, they can have very negative effects outside their region. Water is the main source of life on our planet and we must love it in all its forms, from rivers and lakes to oceans and seas, because all forms of life depend on it to survive from the beginning.