The five longest rivers in the world are the Nile, the Amazon, the Yangtze, the Mississippi–Missouri–Jefferson and the Yenisei–Angara–Selenge. Scientists have considered the Nile as the world's longest river, but as of 2015, recent information suggests that the Amazon may be longer than the Nile.Continue Reading
The Nile flows through 10 countries in the north-east of Africa and empties in the Mediterranean Sea. Multiple sources of information put the length of the Nile in a range between 4,132 miles and 4,258 miles. The recorded length for the Amazon also varies from 3,976 miles to 4,345 miles. The difference depends mainly on whether or not to count a course south of the Ilha de Marajó at the river's mouth. While its "world-longest river" title is debatable, the Amazon is definitely the largest river in the world in terms of water flow. It flows through seven countries in South America before emptying in the Atlantic Ocean.
Following the Nile and the Amazon are the Yangtze, the Mississippi–Missouri–Jefferson and the Yenisei–Angara–Selenge with approximate lengths of 3,988, 3,902 and 3,445 miles, respectively. The Yangtze is the longest river in Asia. It runs within the territory of China before flowing out into the East China Sea. The Mississippi–Missouri–Jefferson flows through 31 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces before emptying in the Gulf of Mexico. The world's fifth-longest river, the Yenisei–Angara–Selenge, travels across Russia and Mongolia.Learn more about Bodies of Water