Rivers- natural watercourses that are part of the hydrological cycle. There are many unique reservoirs on our planet that can change course, dry up seasonally and supply drinking water huge population. What do you think, what size can surprise the largest and longest rivers in the world? We will consider the deepest, longest, largest water streams, but keep in mind that rivers tend to dry up and change their dimensions. We present to your attention the ranking based on the latest valid data of 2017.
Top 10 largest and longest rivers in our world
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Opens the rating of the largest rivers on Earth "Niger" is the most valuable body of water in the territory West Africa. The length is 4180 kilometers. In size, it is second only to the Nile and the Congo, whose basins are also located on the territory of this continent.
The source of the river is located on the slope of the Leono-Liberian Upland, to be precise, in the southeastern part of Guinea. It is worth adding that the Niger flows into the gulf of the Atlantic Ocean. Thus, the possession of the delta is formed. Talking about myself major tributary, it is the river Benue.
Located in the Xinjiang Uygur region of China. The length of this reservoir reaches 4248 kilometers. Therefore, it is larger than the Ob itself. In total, the Ob, together with the Irtysh River, create the longest watercourse in Russia. It ranks second in the overall length ranking in Asia.
The area of the basin is 1643 thousand square kilometers. Their origins of birches from the border of Mongolia, as well as China. It is worth noting that this river is rich in freshwater fish.
The length is 4400 kilometers. The area is 2490 thousand square kilometers. Thus, the Lena is the longest river in the territory Central Siberia. If you do not take into account 106 kilometers of the Bykovskaya channel, the length is 4294 kilometers. A large area of the reservoir passes through the Irkutsk region. It is worth noting that Lena is considered the largest in Russia in terms of total area. At the same time, by location in the regions permafrost there are no analogues of Lena in the world. Winter fishing enthusiasts come here from all over the world.
In wide circles, the reservoir is known as the "River of the Nine Dragons". It flows through the territory of the following states:
- China;
- Laos;
- Thailand;
- Cambodia;
- Vietnam;
- Myanmar.
On the Indochina peninsula, the Mekong is the largest river, with a length of 4,500 kilometers. The area of the basin is 810 thousand square kilometers. Speaking of water consumption, the figure is approximately 15,000 m³ / s. Thus, it is impossible to overestimate the importance of this fresh water reservoir!
Another large river located in Central Africa. The length of a large river is 4700 kilometers. It is worth noting that it is the deepest and ranks second in terms of length in Africa. In terms of water content, it is second only to the Amazon. V upstream Congo exceeds the height of Kisangani.
This is a unique river that crosses the equator twice. The slope is 0.36 m/km. The total area of the entire basin is 4,014,500 square kilometers. The source starts from the DRC, runs along the border with Zambia. There are other data, according to which it emerges from the Chambeshi River. Depth - 230 meters.
This is a long river located in South America. Its length is 4880 kilometers. Affects several states at once, including Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. The area of the Parana River is 2,582,672 square kilometers. From interesting facts the following can be distinguished:
- The Parana flows into the Gulf of La Plata;
- shipping is well developed in the lower reaches of one of the longest rivers on the planet;
- in the middle reaches of the Parana there is a border between Argentina and Paraguay;
- the name is translated "big river" from the language of the ancient Guarani Indians.
Finding a fresh water reservoir larger than the Yellow River is quite difficult. One of the largest rivers in China and Asia as a whole, translated means "yellow", which is associated with the presence of a large amount of sediment. They give it a traditional and extraordinary yellowish tint. Not many people know that it was because of this river that flows into the yellow sea that the second body of water got its name.
The source of the Yellow River is located in the eastern part of Tibet, at an altitude of about 4 thousand meters. The total area is 745 thousand km².
The Yangtze translates as "long river". A really large river located in China is distinguished by its long length (6300 km), covering the territory of many countries of Eurasia. One of the largest rivers on the planet is considered the third on the Earth in terms of full flow. Its area is 1,808,500 square kilometers.
It is worth saying that the Yangtze covers many ecosystems, while it is home to unique endemic and rare, endangered species of marine animals. Particularly river dolphins.
The ex-leader in the top of the longest rivers today is the Nile, whose length is 6853 kilometers. The source of the fresh water reservoir originates in the East African Plateau. As a result, a huge delta with an area of 24 thousand square kilometers is formed. For the most part, the Nile flows in the desert.
The longest water system of the Nile, according to Brazilian researchers, is inferior to the Amazon, but most experts are convinced that it is the largest. However, the length of the Nile is inferior to the main competitor in this rating, so we placed the top in this way.
The longest river in the world- Amazon, the length of which is 6992 kilometers. The area is 7180 thousand square kilometers.
It should be recalled that in 2011 a world competition was held, in which the river received the status of one of the seven wonders of the world. For the most part, it flows in the Amazonian lowland, namely in the sublatitudinal zone. Forms a huge delta and flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The area of the largest river island is 100 kilometers.
The Amazon is the longest river in the world by volume. Its waters carry a fifth of the total reserves throughout the entire South American continent. fresh water. The Amazon itself originates from the mixing of two rivers - Marañon and Ucayali in the Andes mountain range on the territory of the state of Peru. The river ends its journey in Brazil, flowing into the Atlantic, changing the color and composition of ocean waters with its waters in an area up to 320 km. The very length of the River, based on the data of various scientific expeditions, is approximately 6259 - 6900 kilometers.
For a long time, the Amazon was recognized by scientists as the most full-flowing on the planet, but the African Nile surpassed it in length by about 300 kilometers. This opinion was a priority until the source of the river was found in the mountains of southern Peru. The data obtained during the study of the river allowed us to conclude that with the length of the Nile at 6,695 kilometers, from the source of the Ucayali, the length of the Amazon is 7,000 kilometers.
The volumes of water in the river are so great that even in particularly dry periods, the Amazon is 11 kilometers wide, while leaving more than 110 square kilometers of land under water. Accordingly, during the rainy season, the river increases in size by about 3 times, flooding the surface on a scale of almost 350 square kilometers of land. The mouth of the river itself is also impressive, being about 323 kilometers long, allowing it to be navigable by about 65%. Such large volumes of water in the river are natural because the Amazon's motion vector almost completely coincides with the equator and the reservoir itself is in fact almost all year round is in flood condition.
Due to the low level land in the area where the river flows into the Atlantic, during the ocean tides, a “poroka” can form (translated from Indian - “incredible noise”, “thundering water”). This is the result of the meeting of the waters of a mighty river with an ocean wave, during which a huge water shaft is formed, which rolls back to the movement of the river, crushing and breaking everything in its path. This phenomenon is so destructive in its power that it is capable of capsizing a ship. The wave reaches more than 4 meters in height and does not subside for more than half an hour, which allows it to devastate the surroundings in the region of 13 kilometers upstream of the river, at a speed of up to 25 km/h. The original inhabitants of the shores of the Amazon themselves personify vice with a merciless and cruel animal, as well as with the spirit of the great river, designed to protect it.
The very origin of the name of the river has two hypotheses. According to many, the Spanish conquistador Francisco de Orellano called the Amazons, who fought with the Jagua Indians and mistook them for women, since they had long hair and wore skirts. However, according to another theory, the name was formed from the Native American amassona (in the lane "destroyer of the boat").
The significance of the river for the planet is enormous, not only because of the huge reserves of fresh water, but also because of the almost unexplored world of flora and fauna living in the Amazon.
A huge number of plants found only in South America grow on the banks of the Amazon. Also, more than 1800 species of birds, 1500 species of fish, about 250 different animals live here. V river waters inhabited by unique living creatures, such as piranhas, river sharks, arapaima (the largest freshwater fish) or Boto (pink dolphin).
Describing animal world Amazons, you can not ignore the water boa, which is better known as Anaconda. The snake itself reaches a length of 20 meters and is able to swallow a pig at a time - a baker, a person or even a jaguar.
diversity flora The Amazon River impresses with its forms and uniqueness.
A variety of trees, shrubs, palm trees with unusual and rare wood. For example, cinchona or hevea, which are especially valued for their bark and are the best sources of rubber in the world. Also on the surface of the river, the largest water lily on the planet, called Victoria Regia, sways, the leaf of which resembles a large frying pan in shape and is able to hold a teenager on itself.
Often on the surface of the river you can find floating islands that slowly float with the flow. They are formed from trees that have fallen into the water, which are entwined with plants.
The Amazon is considered the longest river in the world. It draws its origins from South America, or rather in the Andes and Peru, formed from other smaller rivers Maranion and Ucayali (the length of each stream is at least 6500 km). Further pouring out, it flows into the Atlantic Ocean in Brazil. Due to its length and coverage of several states, the Amazon is considered navigable. It got its name due to the turbulent current and the huge height of the waves (it reaches 6-8 meters).
The length of the big river the world is about 6500-7000 km, thanks to this, more than half of Brazil is covered. And its width varies from season to season. During the period of heavy rains, the width increases by 2-3 times and reaches 40 km, and in the absence of them, only 11 km. The depth of the river varies depending on the area, the deepest point is more than 130 meters.
Thanks to the powerful flow of the Amazon, when it flows into the Atlantic Ocean, it changes its original color and chemical composition.
The river Nile takes its sources from East Africa and further, covering more than half of the mainland, extends along Egypt.
For many centuries, the Nile water stream was considered the largest in the world, but scientists have proven that it is the second longest, respectively, on the first Amazon. But despite this, the Nile is considered the longest river in Africa. The length is about 6800 km and the basin area is about 335000 km2.
The Nile is unusual in its color change, both in each of its sections, and depending on weather changes. During the heat, the Nile emerges from its bed and turns the soil orange-red.
The Nile River is divided into 5 sections:
- Victoria Nile. This section of the river originates from Lake Victoria, its length is more than 400 km.
- Albert Neal. A small part of the river flowing between Lake Albert and the Achva tributary.
- Bahr el-Jebel originates at the foot of the town of Juba, its length is about 1000 km.
- The White Nile flows through the plains to Sudan, and thanks to the muddy mountain tributary, the Sabat acquires a milky white color.
- The Blue Section of the Nile is the longest section of the Nile that flows into the Mediterranean Sea.
In the north of Cairo, a large number of branches from the Nile River, called the delta, begin. Thanks to the delta, the longest river in Africa, which is named after the letter "delta" that it looks like. The Nile Delta is similar in size to the Crimean peninsula.
The Yangtze is a river that runs through all of China. The length of the Yangtze is 6500 km, thanks to which this water stream has acquired its name, the meaning of which is “big river”. The sources of the Yangtze begin at an altitude of more than 5000 meters in the mountains of Tibet, which is located near the north of the Himalayas.
When the glacier melts, streams are formed, which, descending the mountain slope, connect with others and form a powerful Yangtze stream. Flowing through the province of Qinghai, the river slows down somewhat due to mixing with the swampy mass of the area.
Leaving Qinghai, the Yangtze rushes to the south, where on one side are the independent region of Tibet, Lhasa, and on the other, the province of Sichuan. Since this area is characterized by a large number of mountain ranges, the river flowing through their gorges forms a rapid current and then flows into the East China Sea.
The width of the river bed is two kilometers, but then it is divided into several more branches, although only two flow into the sea. More than 20% of all of China is the Yangtze basin, the deepest place is the Leaping Tiger Gorge, where the depth is about two kilometers.
Flowing into the Sichuan basin, the Yangtze calms down somewhat, because a mountain range stands in its way, through which it makes its way down, reaching up to 200 m in width and 100 m in depth.
The Mississippi is considered one of the longest rivers in Europe and washes about 40% of all states. The river starts from Lake Itasca, flowing throughout the country, it divides America into 2 parts, and ends in the Gulf of Mexico. Its length is 6000 km, as it also includes two other smaller rivers: the Jefferson and the Missouri.
The Mississippi has many different tributaries, one of which is the Ohio River. Mississippi is divided into several parts:
- Upper Mississippi.
- Middle Mississippi.
- Lower Mississippi.
At the very beginning of the river there are many waterfalls, one of which is St. Anthony, located not far from the city of St. Paul. The height of the waterfall is more than 15 meters.
After the waterfall, the path of the river passes between steep cliffs and becomes gentle. The height and number of cliffs on the Mississippi River depends on their location, the closer to the north, the higher they are and vice versa, respectively.
After the Missouri River flows into the Mississippi, it becomes wider and in places small islands are visible on it, which either appear or disappear. Somewhere in the beginning of autumn, the river begins to shallow, and only in spring it regains its former high water.
Due to its length (the Mississippi flows through 31 states, from Minnesota to Louisiana), it was ranked among the longest rivers in Europe.
The water flow of the Yenisei is considered the largest in Russia. In terms of its size, the Yenisei ranks fifth in the world. Its water flow includes many rivers: the Angara, the Selenga and other smaller rivers of the Mongolian Republic.
The Yenisei takes its origins from the small river Ider, which is located in the Khangai mountains of Mongolia, then joining the second river Delger-Muren and the third Selenga, it is part of Lake Baikal. The Angara flows out of Baikal and flows into the Yenisei. Thus, the length of the Yenisei is about 5500 km. It divides Siberia into parts: western and eastern.
She acquired her harmonious name thanks to the Evenki, who christened her Ioannessi, the meaning of which great river. Then they began to call it in the Russian manner the Yenisei.
The river itself is divided into the upper and lower Yenisei and has a large number of branches.
The river extends to the north, washes the rocky ridges of the Sayans and, through a small gap, stretches further into the Minusinsk basin. Three hydroelectric power stations have been built along the entire Yenisei River: Sayano-Shushenskaya, Mainskaya and Krasnoyarskaya.
After the reunion of the Yenisei with the Podkamennaya and Nizhnyaya Tunguska rivers, it expands by at least 5000 m. The width of the stream varies, in some places it reaches 15 km, and the depth is up to 20 meters. Along its course grow coniferous trees and larch.
The Yenisei, flowing through the taiga, enters the forest-tundra and moves towards the Arctic Ocean.
The river is rich in minerals, which provides all regions of Russia.
The Yellow River is a major river in China, with a length of more than 5,500 km. Its source begins at the Bayar-Khar ridge, belonging to the Kunlun mountain system. The seething mountain river rushes to the southeast and flows into the reservoirs of Tsarin and Narin. The Yellow River crosses many provinces in China such as Gansu, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Shandong, Henan and Qinghai. From the province of Shandong, the Yellow River flows into the Yellow Sea.
On the mighty Yellow River there are multimillion settlements: Yinchuan, Lanzhou, Wuhai, Baotou, Jinan and Zhengzhou. Encountering obstacles along the way, the Huang He flows through them in the form of a gorge and rushes to the plains of Northern China.
At the source of the Yellow River, the waters are crystal clear, but already in the middle of its path, they acquire a yellow tint, because of which the river got its name (Huang He - yellow river).
There is a Hukou waterfall on the river, which, resting against a rock, divides the Yellow River into two, and then small tributaries Ai and Huai flow into it. Not far from the Yellow Sea, the Huang He forms a delta larger than 7500 km2.
Depending on weather conditions, the river can exit its course, thereby flooding nearby areas, due to which changes in the course of the Yellow River occur. The turbulent streams of the river during bad weather cannot even hold dams.
The Ob is one of the deepest and largest rivers in the world.
The location of the Ob is the western part of Siberia, its flow is parallel to the Yenisei and is directed from south to north. Having reached the north, the Ob flows into the Kara Sea, where an 800-kilometer bay (estuary) is formed.
The length of the Ob is more than 3500 km, however, another river, the Irtysh, joins its tributaries, which is at least 4000 km and increases it
length. As a result, the Ob takes the honorable 7th place in the world.
The area of the river is about 2900 km2, but during the flood it can go out of its channel. The Ob is formed from the small river Katun, which is located on the Katun Ridge. Its length is more than 650 km. The Katun river flows along Gorny Altai and having connected with the water flow of the Biya, it creates a large water artery - the Ob.
The Ob is divided into three major parts:
- Upper Ob, which flows in Novosibirsk, Barnaul and Kamen-on-Ob to the Tom River.
- The middle Ob begins after the confluence with the Tom. In this place, the Chulym tributary joins them and the river gains its power. The depth in these places varies up to 8 meters.
- After a tributary of the Irtysh joins the Ob, the Lower Ob is formed, which stretches to the village of Peregrebnoye, where it bifurcates into the Greater and Lesser Ob.
Having reached Salekhard, the Ob regains its grandeur, forming a delta larger than 4.5 km2. Further, the Nadymsky and Khamanelsky tributaries depart from it, uniting, merge with the Kara Sea.
The channel of the Congo stretches throughout South Africa and joins the Atlantic Ocean. The length of the channel is about 4700 km, the depth is about 200 meters, and the size of the basin is 4 million km2.
The river was formed from two small water streams Chambezi and Lualaba. Lualaba is divided into a large number of waterfalls, turns to the west and forms the Congo River, then the entire path of the Congo flows through the flat terrain. Due to this, the water flow of the river is calm, but then the river narrows, as if squeezed between the banks, its depth increases, and accordingly the flow becomes faster. The presence of a turbulent stream and many waterfalls in the Congo has brought great benefits to the country in the form of energy independence, since more than 40 hydroelectric power stations are located throughout the river.
Basically, the riverbed passes through the republic of the same name. A large number of cities are located along it: Kindu, Kinshasa, Brazzaville, Matadi and Banana.
Bypassing the rocky shores, the river widens and forms Molebo Pool Lake. Then rocks again appear in the path of the river, and the Congo begins to narrow again, and its depth increases. After the river passes the city of Kinshasa, the large waterfalls of Livingstone again form on it. Near the city of Matadi, the channel of the Congo begins to expand, and after 1000 km it flows into the Atlantic Ocean.
The water flow of the Amur was formed from two small rivers Shilka and Argun, which are located in the eastern part of Eurasia. The Amur flows through several states: Russia, China and Mongolia, and ultimately becomes part of the Sea of Okhotsk. The size of the Amur area is more than 1.8 million km2, and the length is 2824 km.
The channel of the Amur is directed to the east, separating two great countries: Russia and China. Further, its channel changes its direction to the southeast, where small tributaries and rivers flow into it: Zeya, Bureya and Sungari. Due to this, the water flow of the Amur increases in volume. Then the river changes its direction to the northeast and joins the Ussuri River in Khabarovsk.
The rest of the river's path lies along the territory of Russia, bypassing Komsomolsk-on-Amur, the river turns north and joins the Amgun River. Having joined the Amgun, the Amur changes its course to the east towards the Tatar Strait and joins it.
Many rivers are divided into parts or sections, respectively, the Amur is also divided into 3 parts:
- The Upper Amur starts from the mouth and continues to the city of Blagoveshchensk.
- The Middle Amur starts from Blagoveshchensk and ends in Khabarovsk.
- The Lower Amur, respectively, takes its toll in Khabarovsk and ends at the mouth of the river.
In the spring, the Amur emerges from its channel and floods the surrounding area for several tens of kilometers.
The Lena River is one of the largest rivers in Russia, located in Siberia, not far from Lake Baikal. Its entire path lies along Siberia and Yakutsk, and then turning north, it flows into the Laptev Sea.
The length of the river is more than 4000 km, and its area is 2490000 km2. Along the entire length of the river there are many large settlements: Kirensk, as well as Yakutsk, specializing in the extraction of diamonds and gold.
The river originates from a small nameless mountain lake and is also divided into several parts:
- The Upper Lena starts from its mouth up to the Vitim water stream.
- The middle section starts respectively from the Vitim River and continues to the Aldan River.
- The lower section from the Aldan River to Vilyui.
After connecting with Vilyui, Lena expands, showing its grandeur and beauty of the Siberian river. At the very beginning of the river's path, the current is stormy due to its location between the rocks, but already near Kirensk its course noticeably calms down due to the connection with the Kirenga River. However, this gives the Lena additional volume, it expands and becomes deeper, and then flows further up to the Northern Arctic Ocean into which she falls.
Due to precipitation, the Lena increases, in some places the water level can rise by more than 10 meters and overflow its banks. Along the entire coast, the Siberian beauty is surrounded by coniferous trees, larch and cedars, which cut the river like a diamond.
What is a river, probably, everyone knows. The fact that the presence of rivers on our planet is important not only for the beauty of the landscape, for the animal and plant world, but also for nature in general, cannot be denied. All historical data testify that for a person it has always been convenient in all respects to settle on the banks of rivers. We can say that rivers connected people.
If you choose the largest rivers on earth, then you probably need to know the main characteristics that indicate the length of the river and its size. You also need to know about the annual flows of the river, area drainage basin, what is the maximum water flow of the river and many other indicators.
From the source (the place where the river originates) to the mouth (the place where the river flows into another body of water, for example, a lake, sea, ocean or flows into another river), following the riverbed, the length of the river is measured, otherwise - length. However, the procedure for measuring length is very not an easy task. As you know, the largest water arteries have wide channels, but the length of one coast may not coincide with the length of the opposite coast. Although, this problem was solved in a certain way: when they talk about the length of rivers, they take into account the length of the channel along the so-called fairway - this is the line of greatest depths.
The length of the rivers can change, as well as other obstacles. Whether a more or less simple task is to determine the location of the mouth of the river. However, there was also a "but" here. From this list of simple tasks go those rivers that have a wide mouth-estuary. In such cases, it is incredibly difficult to determine the end of the river and the definition of the beginning of the bay.
If we consider the mouth, which is called the delta, questions are possible: which of the branches is the most important? What is the widest? Which is the longest and most full-flowing? Sometimes these characteristics coincide, but rarely. If you determine the length of the water flow, you need to be extremely accurate, because even a few kilometers can change the location of the place occupied by one or another water artery in general list longest rivers in the world.
The longest rivers in the worldList of rivers over 3,000 km long. |
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| Name | Length, km | Location |
| Neil with Kagera | 6 671 / 6 852 / | Africa |
| Amazon with Marañon | 6 437 /6 992 / | South America |
| Mississippi with Missouri | 6 420 (3 950)* | North America |
| Yangtze | 5 800 | Asia |
| Ob with Irtysh | 5 410 (3 650)* | Siberia |
| Huanghe | 4 845 | Asia |
| Missouri | 4 740 | North America |
| Mekong | 4 500 | Asia |
| Cupid with Argun | 4 444 (2 824)* | Asia |
| Lena | 4 400 | Asia |
| Paraná | 4 380 | South America |
| Congo | 4 374 | Africa |
| Mackenzie with Peace and Finlay | 4 241 | North America |
| Niger | 4 180 | Africa |
| Yenisei | 4 287 | Asia |
| Murray/Murray with Darling | 3 750 | Australia |
| Volga | 3 531 | Europe |
| Yukon | 3 185 | North America |
| indus | 3 180 | Asia |
| Euphrates with Murat | 3 065 | Eurasia |
| St. Lawrence | 3 058 | North America |
* In parentheses, the length of the main river |
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The source cannot be determined painstaking work. For example, on the Valdai Hills there is a spring from which a stream originates, which, from its headwaters, is called the Volga. A chapel was built in this place. And the place of origin in this example is determined with maximum accuracy. If the river flows out of the lake, then in this case it will also not be difficult to determine the place of the source. By the way, the Neva flows out of Lake Ladoga (Shlisselburg area).
However, doubts still sometimes torment. There are times when the tributary is longer than the river itself. For example, the length of the Missouri River is 4710 km, but the section of the Mississippi above the confluence of the Missouri is less than twice as long - 2240 km. The Irtysh River is 4248 km long, and the section of the Ob River above the mouth of the Irtysh is 3176 km long.
We were able to note that historically it turned out that sometimes a tributary can be longer than a river. However, when determining the length of a river, the length of its tributary is always taken into account (for example, the Amur with the Argun, Mississippi and Missouri and others).
It also happens that rivers form two smaller rivers that have merged together. The well-known Nile was formed by the confluence of the Blue Nile and the White Nile. The Amur River - from the confluence of the Argun and Shilka, the Pyanj - from the confluence of the Vakhandarya and Pamir, and the Amu Darya - from the confluence of the Pyanj and Vakhsh. Along the way from source to mouth, some sections of the river are different names. In this case, to determine the total length of the river, the longest branch is taken into account. But if this sleeve was formed from the confluence of two rivers, then, again, they consider the length, based on the longest river.
Three rivers over the past 40-50 years have had the right to claim the "mark" of the longest river in the world.
Initially, the Mississippi and Missouri were considered the longest rivers. Soon, when the memory returned to the geographers, they remembered the fact that the Nile River itself does not originate at all from the confluence of the Blue and White Nile, but only receives one name. The White Nile flows out of Lake Victoria, at the same time, the river flows into it in the upper reaches of the Rukar, a little further - Katera. After counting, they got a longer path of the river than the path of the Mississippi and Missouri.
Many years passed, and the Nile remained the longest river. And here again the scientists were puzzled. They remembered that the confluence of two rivers form the Amazon. These are the rivers Marañona and Ucayali. For many years, the Maranion branch was considered the most full-flowing and the most important. However, geographers have recently been able to admit that the Ucayali River is still longer than the Marañon. The Ucayali River forms the confluence of the Urumaba and Tambo rivers.
In addition, there have always been disputes about which stream of the main artery of South America is considered to be its source.
Sometimes, the tributaries of the rivers are so long that they can claim the place of the longest water flows. The Missouri, in turn, is the seventh longest in the world, however, it is considered only the main tributary of the Mississippi. This allows the latter to take third place among other rivers of the entire globe.
Rarely argue about the catchment areas of different rivers. Sometimes the thought arises, during the study of landforms, that a certain area should be considered a river basin, although moisture from it does not enter the river, because there is a desert there.
This ambiguity does not allow one to correctly determine the western boundary of the Nile basin in its currents: lower and middle. But most often, the territory of the catchment areas is not difficult to determine.
There is a well-established rule according to which the size of the catchment area is the greater, the greater the volume of the annual flow of the river. In such data, the Amazon basin took the first place. The second place was taken by the Congo River. It yields to the Amazon twice, and according to the calculation of the flow of water for the year - five times. The reason is clear, because in the Congo region the amount of precipitation is much less, although they are located with the Amazon in almost the same latitudes. The Yangtze occupies the third place in terms of annual flows. This is facilitated by heavy rains. They also favored the Orinoco to take fourth place, and in terms of basin area they are in the top ten.
And the number of such examples is endless. But the conclusion is the same: no two are the same. natural conditions, and each river lives its own life with its own indicators. But the most common indicator is the length of the river.
The longest river in the world When asked what is the longest river, not everyone can answer correctly. Moreover, the length of reservoirs is constantly changing due to human factor. In this regard, it is recommended to read the text below in order not to ask such questions again.
Is the longest river in the world the Nile or the Amazon? Nature on our planet is incredibly diverse and amazing. Yes, one can endlessly admire the creations created by human genius, but no one can compare with the beauty and power that nature has created. The water arteries of the globe deserve special attention, and the most important of them are the Nile River and the Amazon. So what longest river in the world Nile or Amazon? Even at school, all students will unconditionally answer this question in chorus: “Of course, Neil!”. But now scientists are arguing whether this is actually the case.
Official data indicate that the length of the Nile is 6695 km. The river originates from Lake Victoria and flows into the Mediterranean Sea, crosses the territory of Egypt, Sudan and Uganda. In ancient times, it was this river that became the main source for life and the birth of one of the first human civilizations.
The climate on planet Earth is changing rapidly. And this is the "merit" of the human factor. What seemed unbelievable yesterday is a harsh reality today. This is what prompted Brazilian scientists in 2005 to recalculate the length of reservoirs, since it was not clear which is the longest river in the world, the Nile or the Amazon. It turned out that the river has become 57 km shorter. Now the length is 6852 km, which is 140 km shorter than the Amazon. Don't forget about building aswan dam, which also led to the shallowing of the Nile reservoir.
Based on the foregoing, it is safe to say that the longest river in the world is the Amazon, which was officially approved in 2013.
What is the longest river in the world Recent high school graduates learned in geography lessons what is the longest river in the world. However, at present, this knowledge can be safely questioned. The fact is that the construction of the Aswan Dam in the 60s, as well as the influence of some natural factors led to the fact that the once most powerful river became 140 km shorter. And this means that now the Amazon owns the palm. This river has several tributaries - Ucayali and Marañon - and more recently, scientists discovered that the length of the South American river crossed the line of 7 thousand km due to the fact that it was led from the source of Ucayali. More Amazon Records
Today, the longest river in the world is not the only record held by a South African river. The Amazon is the largest basin in size and the most full-flowing river, for which a special “thank you” to heavy rainfall. The river throws about 200 cubic meters of water into the Atlantic Ocean, which means that the Amazon is able to provide each inhabitant of the globe with 1 liter of fresh water per second. By the way, about 1/5 of all fresh water directly that enters the oceans falls on the Amazon.In some places, the width of the longest river in the world reaches such dimensions that it can easily be called a sea, since there is no way to see the opposite bank without an optical device.
In addition, the longest river can boast of its rich biodiversity- along the banks of the Amazon there are rare representatives of flora and fauna.
The length of the Amazon River is 6992 km.More recently, in 2013, the length of the Amazon River took the palm from the Nile and now it is the longest river in the whole world. It originates in Peru. Then, flowing through a narrow mountain valley, it forms several waterfalls and only after 700 km after its beginning it becomes a wide navigable river. By the way, in some places the distance between the banks is 1600 m. The Amazon flows through the Andes, then directs its waters through the wooded plain of South America and after that it turns into a full-fledged navigable river, continuing its movement through the lowlands of Peru and Brazil, and only after that it flows into into the Atlantic Ocean.
The name of the river was due to the legend, which said that along the banks lived a tribe of female warriors "Amassona" who destroyed boats.
tributaries
In total, the Amazon has more than 200 tributaries. The most important of them are Ucayali and Marañon. Recently, the length of the Amazon has increased due to the fact that it was led away from the source of the Ucayali, which means that the total length of the Amazon River has exceeded 7000 km. About 17 rivers of the first magnitude flow into it, the length of which varies from 1500 km to 3500 km. Several particularly prominent tributaries surpass the Rhine in their length and full flow, but even the largest of them do not have any effect on the measured course of the Amazon.The entrance to the reservoir is dangerous not only because the length of the Amazon River is incredibly long, but also according to legends. She, like those female warriors who lived along its banks, is impulsive and unpredictable, unlike the Nile with its calm and balanced character. The thing is that the Amazon flows through different belts in the equatorial direction and overflows to incredible limits due to constant rains. The shores of the Amazon are amazing representatives of tropical flora and fauna.
Shipping Opportunities
The length of the Amazon River also forms a continuous route for heavy ships - this is the distance from the mouth to the Andean slopes. The South American river is also favorable to sailing ships, since the upper trade winds dominate in most of its part. The total length of the navigable part of the Amazon is 9,900 km. Many navigators, scientists and travelers aspired to this rebellious element, tried to find out all its secrets and mysteries. Some of them discovered the estuary (Vikenty Pinzon), others (Francis de Orellana) told about the beautiful Amazons, and still others (the expedition of Gerndon and Gibbon, the Prussian prince Adalbert, etc.) were able to explore this natural landmark, which is still different to this day rebelliousness and obstinacy.
The length of the Nile River is 6670 km.One of the most majestic rivers on Earth is the Nile. The mere fact that the very first civilization in the history of mankind arose on its shores thousands of years ago speaks volumes. Even ancient people recognized the deep-sea Nile as a life source, they worshiped him, made sacrifices, asked him for help and advice, and also built the greatest structures along the banks, many of which have survived to this day. But no one knew where the beginning of the longest river in the world, which ends its course in the Mediterranean Sea.
Where is it - the beginning of the Nile?
Actually, this question is not so easy to answer. In its course through the territory of the African continent, the length of the Nile River has many water arteries, so the ancient Egyptians and the very first researchers could not answer exactly where the deep-sea reservoir originates from.John Hoenig, who was an officer in the British Army, accidentally discovered Lake Victoria. It was at this time that a firm conviction appeared that the White Nile begins its course from here. A little later Henry English journalist partially confirmed this hypothesis when he went in search of the missing Livingston. He decided to explore this region. As a result, it turned out that Lake Tanganyika has nothing to do with the Nile, unlike Lake Victoria, which is the source of the river.
Length
From the beginning to the Mediterranean, the length of the Nile River is 5600 km. But if we consider the length of the river from its beginning river system(source Rukarar), then its length in this case will be equal to 6758 km. The mighty river carries its waters to the north and constantly rushes down - it is for this reason that there are many rapids and waterfalls. The total water drop is about 700 meters.The turbulent stream ends its course at Lake Albert, from which the more calm and balanced Nile originates. This site belongs to Uganda, whose inhabitants cross the river by ferry. In South Sudan, the Nile River is 716 kilometers long and is called the Bahr el Jabel. The terrain in this region is flat and swampy - this led to the branching of the Nile into many branches. Further movement of water is directed to the capital of Sudan. It is in this place that the White and Blue Nile join forces and merge into one large river, which is called the Nile. A little north of Khartoum (the capital of Sudan), they are joined by the last tributary - the Atbara River, whose length is 800 km.
After that, the Nile moves through the Sahara and the Arabian Desert, through the territory of Egypt and, leaving Cairo, the Nile begins to branch into many branches, forming a delta, the length of which from north to south is 160 km. Many cities were founded on this place, among which the well-known Alexandria. Thus, the length of the Nile River is indeed a major factor in the origin of life along its banks.
The shores of the reservoir are fertile lands, many natural, architectural and historical sights, as well as incredible representatives of flora and fauna.
The longest river in Europe As you know, the longest river in Europe flows through the territory of only one country - Russia. It's about the mighty and majestic Volga, which originates on the Valdai Upland and flows into the Caspian Sea. The total length of the river is 3530 km, and the basin area ( 1361 thousand sq. km) in size exceeds a third of the entire European part of Russia. The very beginning of the longest river in Europe is a small stream, which was formed from a small source groundwater near the village of Volgoverkhovye. Gradually, taking about 150,000 large and small tributaries, the river gains its strength and flows into the Caspian Sea.
The main source of nutrition for the Volga is external melt water. rain and ground water, feeding the river in winter, play an insignificant role. That is why the hydrological regime can be divided into three periods: a long spring flood, summer and winter low water.
The mighty and longest river in Europe is the most important shipping channel in Russia. Conventionally, the water creation of nature can be divided into several sections: the Upper, Middle and Lower Volga, respectively. The flora and fauna along the river banks is ambiguous. So, the Lower Volga is the most diverse - it is for this reason that the Astrakhan reserve was formed in the river delta, the representatives of the flora and fauna of which are listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation.
The natural wealth of the river and its unique geographical position attracted people for a long time, they began to build small settlements here, which eventually turned into powerful cities, such as Kazan, Volgograd, Samara and Nizhny Novgorod.
Ecological situation
Environmentalists are very puzzled by the current situation that has developed on the river. According to monitoring data, the load on water resources 8 times higher than the permissible norms, and 65 out of 100 especially polluted cities are located near the Volga. The most serious environmental problems arise as a result of the construction of a large number of dams, the activities of large industrial enterprises, large quantity polluted drains and busy navigation.The main reason for the pollution of the longest river in Europe is the abundance of wastewater that appears as a result of the work of industrial and municipal enterprises, as well as the inefficiency of treatment facilities. As a result, the flora and fauna of the Volga delta suffer greatly - the data of some studies made it possible to identify mutations and congenital deformities of some representatives.
Development of special government programs aimed at improving the environmental situation in the region is the only right decision that can save the situation.
- ranks eleventh in the world ranking, but is the longest river in Russia. The total length is 4400 km. It originates on the Baikal Ridge, from a small lake. It is a shame to admit, but this small reservoir, which gives rise to a great and powerful river, does not even have a name. After Baikal, Lena makes a sharp turn towards Yakutsk and rushes to the north, flowing into the Laptev Sea. Scientists have not yet come to a consensus on what place along the length to give to the great Russian river. The fact is that the South American Parana River does not have a specific source, which is why its total length fluctuates. That is why some sources indicate that Lena is in 10th place, and some award her 11th position.
All this confusion does not affect the total length of the river from the mouth to the delta itself. Conventionally, the longest river in Russia is divided into three parts: the upper, middle and lower reaches. After the confluence of the Vilyui, the river spills into an incredible expanse, turning into that very powerful Siberian river.
The upper course (up to the depression of the Vitim River) Lena has a typically mountainous character. It is winding, fast and impetuous, in some of its places there are rapids. It calms down a little only near Kirensk, where the Kirenga River flows into it. Here, the mountains begin to recede a little, and they are replaced by majestic coniferous forests. Fir, cedar and spruce, mighty pine and light coniferous larch are the pride of Siberia.
The longest river in Russia becomes even more powerful after the right tributary of the Olekma flows into it. The famous Lena Pillars are one of the most striking sights located along the river. It is in this place that the national park of the same name was formed. Here it turns into a full-flowing river with a depth of up to 20 meters. Field of Yakutsk, two more tributaries flow into the Lena - the Aldan and Vilyui rivers. Here, the Russian beauty already has wide banks (about 10 meters on average), the width of which in some areas reaches 30 m.
The river is one of the cleanest in the world. This is probably due to the fact that coniferous forests grow on a larger area along the coast. The bed of the longest river in Russia has not been touched by “human genius”, there are not so many settlements, which means that the nature of the Lena has been preserved almost in its original form. Moreover, in some places not chosen by man, you can drink water directly from the river.
TOP 10 longest rivers in the world
The Amazon River The Amazon is one of the TOP 10 longest rivers in the world and is one of the most unique on the planet. It originates in the Peruvian Andes, flows through the territory of Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, and then carries its waters into the Atlantic Ocean. The largest river in the world has a length of about 6500 km and the largest basin in the world, over 7 million km2, which corresponds to the area of the Australian continent. Two large rivers, Ucayali and Marañon, form this grand natural wonder. History and geography
It is believed that several centuries ago, when the Spanish conquistadors conquered these lands, they were struck by the courage of Indian women. Therefore, since then, the Amazon River has been called the legendary female warriors. In fact, they were men, traditionally for the Indians, who had long hair and cane skirts.During a drought, the Amazon River extends 11 km in breadth, and during the rainy season it doubles or triples and overflows for tens of kilometers. The river is navigable for almost its entire length. It is filled with its waters by numerous tributaries, some of which reach 1500 km.
Animal world
Amazonia stretches along the equator with jungles, swamps and tributaries of rivers. For biologists, these regions are the unexplored pantry of the Earth. On an area of only 10 km2 there are from 1 to 1.5 thousand species of flowers, 700 - 750 various kinds trees, more than 100 species of mammals and at least 400 species of birds.Only a third of the vegetation has been thoroughly studied, its fourth part is used in folk medicine. The largest tropical forest grows along the river. These lands are called lungs of the planet. There are many unusual plants: 800 species of palm trees, 100-meter creepers and massive water lilies.
In the waters of the Amazon River can be found pink dolphin, five-meter bull shark, caiman, anaconda and piranhas. The most popular aquarium fish swim there - angelfish, guppies and swordtails. Many strange animals live on the coast: capybaras, tapirs, jaguars and many others.
environmental threat
Today, the mindless destruction of the Amazonian forests continues. On the large territories cutting down trees results in soil erosion. In addition, thousands of species of flora and fauna are disappearing. In connection with the construction of many artificial structures, the ecosystem of the river and its course are being disturbed.The Amazon River holds many secrets, attracting the attention of scientists around the world who expect many sensational discoveries from research. The main thing is to save this recognized wonder of the world from extinction.
is the second longest river in the world. Its length is about 6700 km. It plays a huge role in the life of a significant part of the African continent. The river originates in the East African Plateau and flows into the Mediterranean Sea. Its basin is 350 thousand km2. The Nile River, like several thousand years ago, is the main source of fresh water for millions of people, a means for irrigating land and a major waterway. The silt that remains on the fields after the spill, as before, is an excellent fertilizer. History and Geography
The Nile is mentioned in ancient sources. He was then known as Neylos. Even at the dawn of civilization, people understood its value for survival and prosperity, so they idolized it. The ancient Egyptians revered the river as the generous and caring god Hapi.Until now, there are disputes about the source of the Nile River. There are many assumptions about how Africa's largest waterway replenishes its waters, but all of them have remained speculation.
The tributaries of the river, the Blue Nile and the White Nile, are named so in accordance with the shades of the water surface. Many countries are located in these territories: Uganda, Kenya, Egypt, Tanzania, Ethiopia and others. One fifth of these lands are controlled by the Egyptian authorities. They are a huge tourist center and just a paradise for lovers of archeology and connoisseurs of monuments of ancient history and culture. Egyptian museums, the largest of which is located in Cairo, the pyramids, the Temple of Karnak, the Sphinx and the Valley of the Kings are just a few of the most famous sights located on the coast. unique river does not dry out in hot seasons, but spills, coloring the soil bright red.
Animals and plants
The Nile, as one of the TOP 10 longest rivers in the world, is the only source in a large area of dry land. It revives even the sands of the Sahara. There are many types of fish in the waters, of which the Nile perch can be distinguished, weighing up to 140 kg. Snakes, crocodiles, turtles live on the banks of the Nile River. Of the birds, the most famous are the ibis, heron, stork, lapwing and kite.Grow in the Nile Valley date palms, mimosa, cypress, papyrus; there are banana plantations.
Significance for people
Almost the entire population, more than 95% of Egypt and other states live exclusively in the coastal strip. The waters of the Nile are of great importance for agriculture. The Nile River is an advantageous means of transportation and an interesting tourist route.
Mississippi River Translated from the language of the Indians, the river Mississippi means Great River. Her greatness is sung by many writers and poets, such as Mark Twain, Theodore Dreiser, Mine Reed. It flows through the United States and divides them into two parts. This powerful stream flows through 10 US states and ends with a huge delta in the Gulf of Mexico. It is also the natural boundary of these administrative entities. The largest tributaries of the Mississippi: Missouri, Illinois, Red River. The Mississippi is about 4000 km long. In the list of great rivers, it is in fourth place. Geography and history
The Mississippi, which is also included in the TOP 10 longest rivers in the world, can be divided into two large parts, lower and upper. The border is the city of Cairo, Illinois. Throughout its rich history the river changed its course several times, both on a small scale and on a large scale. This inexplicable phenomenon also happened with numerous tributaries, some of them appeared, while others disappeared without a trace. The Mississippi River has even changed its place of confluence with the Gulf of Mexico more than once. Because of the incomprehensible and frequent changes that constantly occur with the river, Mark Twain called it the biggest liar in the world.Indians have settled on the banks of this mighty river since ancient times. The discoverer of the Mississippi River for Europeans is Hernando de Soto, who arrived in America in the sixteenth century. In this century, it was marked on several famous nautical charts. The Spaniards called it the "River of the Holy Spirit". In the seventeenth century it became part of France, later divided between Great Britain and Spain, and as a result of the Battle of Orleans in 1812, it became wholly owned by the United States.
The turbulent 19th century is considered the golden age for this river. Steamships sailed along it in large numbers, and new cities sprang up on its shores. The decisive moment in the civil war between the North and the South was the capture of this important trade and transport artery. As industry develops, the river becomes even more navigable. Many bridges, dams, dams and other structures appear on it.
Ecological problems
The thoughtless use of the Mississippi River basin has led to an environmental problem. Large-scale water pollution by household and industrial waste caused the emergence of a "dead zone" in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Significant floods occur on this river from time to time. The harm of these phenomena is sometimes very great. One of them flooded 7,000 km2 and caused more than $400 million in damage.
Yangtze River Translated from Chinese, the river means "long river", because it is not in vain that it is included in the TOP 10 longest rivers in the world. In ancient times its name was blue river”, but its muddy waters did not live up to this name. In the ranking of the longest rivers, it takes an honorable third place. The Yangtze stretches across the territory of China for 6300 km, its basin is about 2 million km2. It occupies an area where a third of the country's inhabitants live. The gorge through which it flows through the territory national park, in the west of the country, is included in the UNESCO heritage. The river plays an important role in China's economy. Here it is largest hydroelectric power station in the world. The rich delta region produces up to 20% of China's total GDP. History and geography
In the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the ancient civilization of South China was born. Finds on the shores near the historical area "Three Gorges" testify to vigorous activity man 25 thousand years ago. During the periods of Spring and Autumn, in the west of the river was the kingdom of Shu. These were rich lands where agriculture flourished due to the mild climate in the coastal areas. The confrontation between North and South China made it a natural border between them. A large number of important battles of antiquity took place here. Due to the large mass of impurities, due to its geographical location, the waters of the river have yellow. The water can rise up to 20 meters. On the river, in order to avoid large-scale floods, a large number of dams and dams have been erected. The water in the river is successfully used to irrigate fields over a large area, especially in the lower reaches. Its basin is the most significant waterway of the country.
The navigable segment has a considerable length. The total length of all river routes is about 20,000 km. It is the busiest river in the world. Freight transport volumes are approaching one billion tons per year. The Grand Canal connects the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers. A project was implemented to transfer water to the north from the south. Unlike the “turning back the rivers” in the Soviet Union, this is an innovative project, carefully thought out and cost-effective.
Animal world
The Yangtze River is a unique ecosystem and natural habitat for a large number of endangered species such as Chinese river dolphin, Chinese alligator, Korean alligator, Chinese paddlefish. In addition to the United States, alligators live only on the banks of the Yangtze. In China, some territories on the coast of this river are protected by the state as protected areas.
Huanghe is one of the largest waterway Asia. Its name, translated from Chinese, means Yellow River. It is associated with a yellow tint, which is given to its waters by abundant sediments. For this reason, the sea into which it flows is also called yellow. The river basin is considered the place of origin and formation of the Chinese ethnic group. The Yellow River begins in the east of the Tibetan Plateau and passes through a vast territory to the Bohai Bay, where it flows into the Yellow Sea. The length of this river is about 5000 km, its delta has a total area of more than 750 thousand km2. Because of geographical features The Yellow River threatens the surrounding areas with frequent and large-scale floods. To protect against this thunderstorm, built large system dams and dikes. Their total length is more than 5000 kilometers. But, as a result of dam breaks, even greater floods occur, and the channel also moves and a large number of people die. Another name for this river is "Mountain of China".
History and geography
The Yellow River has been famous for disasters since ancient times. It has always been prone to spills that lead to floods. They have happened about 1500 times in the last 3000 years. Its course has changed at least 12 times over the last millennium. In the eleventh century, the transition to a new direction caused a massive humanitarian catastrophe and caused the fall of the Xin Dynasty. These tragedies were of natural origin.In 1938, a dam break was organized, which was supposed to stop the Japanese army. It only stopped its movement, but on the other hand it claimed about a million lives of the Chinese themselves and 54 km2 of the inhabited territory were flooded. Floods and dam breaks claim the lives of millions of inhabitants of the China Plain. Scientists believe that the cause of these cataclysms in anthropogenic factors and that the construction of dams and other protective structures only provokes them.
More than 140 million people are provided with water at the expense of the Yellow River basin and from there it comes, watering a large number of fields located along this river. In its lower reaches there is a reserve "Sources of three rivers". It has hydroelectric power plants. The Grand Canal connects the two Great Rivers, the Yellow River and the Yangtze. The Huang He is navigable on separate stretches. Along it grew many cities.
Ecology of the Yellow River
China has published data that due to unreasonable use, 1/3 of the river is not suitable even for agricultural and industrial purposes. This tragedy has come reset industrial waste into the river. The increase in cities leads to water pollution by runoff. Activities for the restoration of the Yellow River ecosystem are controlled at the highest level.
Ob River with Irtysh River Ob with Irtysh- one of the greatest rivers of Russia. The Ob belongs to the basin of the Arctic Ocean, flowing through the territory of western Siberia. The Ob is formed at the place where the Katun and Biy merge together in the Altai Territory. Further, it moves in a northwestern direction, collecting the waters of numerous tributaries. The Ob path is distinguished by its picturesque and natural beauty. It is the tributaries that make it the deepest river in the country. Although even at the beginning of its journey, it carries 1,500 cubic meters per second. And this reaches half the water content of the Irtysh, which is its main tributary, at its mouth. Further, the Ob follows picturesque plains, forest-steppe zones, reservoirs, and endless forests. There are many truly great cities on the Ob River, including Novosibirsk, Barnaul, Nizhnevartovsk, Surgut, Nefteyugansk.
The most significant moment of its course, which is noted especially by travelers, can be called its confluence with the Irtysh. This is no less interesting river, characterized by impressive dimensions. In total, the delta of the Ob River with the Irtysh reaches 4 thousand square kilometers. The length of the Ob River is 3650 km, and from the source of the Irtysh it exceeds 5400 km. That is why, looking at the map, it may seem that the Irtysh is the main river, and the Ob is just its tributary.
The Irtysh itself begins on the border of Mongolia and China. The Chinese call it Ertsisikhe. It is in this place that the long and thorny path of the Irtysh begins. Moving towards the confluence with the Ob River, the Irtysh loses a lot of water. It gives a significant part to Ulungur Lake, as well as to some other channels. The river flows through China, Kazakhstan and Russia.
On the border with China, the first navigable routes along the Irtysh begin. Today, powerful hydroelectric power stations are also located on the waters, which are becoming one of the main sources of energy. Along its course, the Irtysh has surprisingly picturesque places, burnt steppes, and forest zones.
Interestingly, the confluence of the Ob River with the Irtysh led to the flooding of the valley. Also in this place is an amazing chapel - floating. She appeared here only a few years ago, but has already managed to become incredibly popular - one of the main attractions of this place. It is located on the border of two mighty rivers. On both sides of it are waters that stretch to high shores covered with taiga. There are many legends about the Ob River with the Irtysh. One of them calls them brother and sister.
Yenisei- the river, which is considered one of the largest on the planet. It begins with two sources - Ka-Khem and Biy-Khem. From the last source, the length of the Yenisei River is usually calculated. The river itself begins as a narrow brook, flowing near the topographers hill and moving along the slope of the Eastern Sayan. In total, the length of the Yenisei is about 5075 kilometers. Of particular importance is the basin area, which is 2580 thousand square kilometers. This makes the Yenisei the second largest in Russia and the seventh largest in the world. The geographical network of the river is striking in its dimensions. In total, it is represented by 198,620 rivers, which stretch for 884,754 kilometers.
The Yenisei River moves from south to north, conditionally dividing the country in half. hallmark becomes a diversity of the pool, which is represented by three independent parts. The upper expanses of the river are represented by rocky formations. In the middle, as well as in the lower channels, the river separates the Western and Central Siberian plateaus.
The Yenisei is called the most abundant river in the country. Every year, it takes out at least six hundred cubic meters of water into the Red Sea, which is much more than all the rivers of the European part of the country together. It is on the Yenisei River that the most powerful hydroelectric power stations of Eurasia are located. This is Krasnoyarsk and Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP. Also today, the upper stream of the Yenisei River has turned into a reservoir due to the construction of a dam along the river through the Western Sayan.
The nutrition of the Yenisei is represented by a mixed type, however, a significant amount is often snow, which is represented by about 50%. Additionally allocate rain food as a percentage of 36-38% to total and underground - less than 16%. A significant part of the river is characterized by summer floods, spring floods, and reduced runoff in winter.
The amount of flow is quite voluminous and reaches 624 cubic kilometers, which brings the river to the first place in the country in terms of this indicator. The freezing of the river occurs from October and begins from the lower reaches. The opening occurs at the end of April, starting from the upper reaches.
There are many cities on the Yenisei, including Kyzyl, Divnogorsk, Lesosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk. In addition, the territory of the river is an important shipping route. Flights move regularly, starting from the Signified, pumping up the mouth. It reaches 3013 kilometers in length.
Lena River Lena- a majestic river flowing through the northern part of the country, flowing into the Laptev Sea. Some call this reservoir a kind of pioneer. He became the first who began to make his way to the sea through boundless Siberia after the melting of glaciers. Interestingly, many associate the name of the river with female name. However, in reality, there is nothing in common between these concepts. The "name" of the river means the word "Elyu-Ene", which refers to the Evenki language of the Tungus-Manchurian group. Translated into Russian, it means "Big River". That is how the explorer Pyanda called the river, who was engaged in its research in the period from 1619 to 1623.
The source of the river is a mountain stream, which is located at an altitude of 1650 meters. Following the flow, the Lena River changes its character, just like a person, it shows different temperaments. At the beginning of the journey, she copies a violent choleric, on average she resembles a calm phlegmatic, in the lower she represents an extraordinary sanguine, and in her delta - a melancholic. The main sections of the river differ in the nature of the flow:
- Upper - from the source to the village of Kachug.
- Middle - from the village of Kachug to Zhigansk.
- Lower - from Zhigansk to its mouth.
Here in the river delta are located and ecological territories. Among them are the reserves Ust Lensky - Sokol and Delta, it is also worth noting the Lena-Ustye reserve, which is considered the largest in the country. In total, 32 fish species, 402 plant species, 33 mammal species and 109 bird species can be found here.
The Lena River is one of the ten largest countries in the world. It is also considered one of the cleanest in the world due to the lack of hydroelectric power plants and dams. That is why it is possible in many places of the river to drink water from it without boiling and without any negative consequences for your health. There is often sludge on the river. It represents the freezing of the river from the ice and the rise on the surfaces of pieces of ice, which can form congestion due to the filling of the channel.
Amur River River Amur flows through the territory of Russia, Mongolia and China, occupying the expanses of the eastern part of Eurasia. The Amur begins at an altitude of 303 meters on the slopes of Western Manchuria. It was formed as a result of the confluence of the Argun and Shilka rivers. It is believed that the river flows into the Tatar Strait of the Sea of Okhotsk. However, a number of scientists dispute this opinion, arguing that it flows into the Sea of Japan. In total, the length of the river reaches 2824 meters, and the basin area exceeds 1,855,000 square kilometers. It is interesting that during its history the river had many different names. The Chinese called it "Heilong Jiang" or the black dragon, the Mongols called it the black river or "Khan Moron", and the Manchus called it "Amar". However, it was the name of the Amur River, which was given by the Russians, that stuck better than others.
Fluctuations in the level of the river can be observed throughout the year. This is explained monsoon rains. The minimum and maximum of water has a significant difference, reaching 10-15 centimeters. Today, scientists are dealing with river flooding due to seasonal rains. Spills are often observed in summer and spring time of the year. In the first case, the cause is frequent precipitation, and in the second - the melting of snow and ice. Annual runoff also affects water regime the Amur River. He can be:
- Small.
- Downgraded.
- Moderate.
- High.
A huge number lives in the Amur River aquatic life. There are 136 species of fish, among which 40 are commercial. The rest are protected by law or are not of interest for the catch. Of particular interest are endemic fish, among which are Chinese perch, yellow-cheeked, killer whale, snakehead, kaluga.
The Amur flows through numerous settlements. The largest among them are Blagoveshchensk, Khabarovsk, Nikolaevsk-on-Amur, Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Heihe Amursk. At the same time, the river takes water from various tributaries. The Zeya becomes the largest, which acts as the left tributary of the Amur, but at the same time exceeds it in width and depth. The right tributary is the Bureya, which carries its waters through the territory of China. Among the other tributaries, the Sungari, Amgun, Ussuri are distinguished. The last river represents a natural border between China and Russia.
The Congo River, also called Zaire, is located in Central Africa. Its channel is located on the territory of the state of the same name. Europeans were introduced to this river by the Portuguese Diogo Kan. It happened in 1482 during one of Diogo's voyages.
This reservoir is called the deepest and most amazing on the planet. The length on average reaches 4344-4700 kilometers, and total area basin reaches 3,680,000 square kilometers. The Congo flows into the Atlantic Ocean in a deep channel. This river is the second longest in Africa and the second in terms of water content, second only to the Amazon.
Most great depths located in the lower reaches of the reservoir. At this point, the river flows through a hill, overcoming a gorge only 300 meters wide. Waterfalls are also formed here, which are named after Livingston. They fall from a height of 270 meters. Here there are the greatest depths exceeding 230 meters.
The high water on the Congo River is observed twice a year. In December and May at the mouth the river reaches the high level. It reaches its minimum mark in August and March. The waters of the Congo can be seen far into the Atlantic Ocean during this process.
The reservoir is famous huge amount fishes. Here it is possible to catch Nile perch, mormyrops, catfish of the Congo River and other freshwater inhabitants. The most interesting representative of the waters can definitely be called tiger fish. This is enough large predator with large teeth, which is put on a par with piranha in its danger. Its dimensions can reach up to 70 kg. locals are ready to tell many legends associated with tiger fish, including stories about its attacks on people. Although in reality this predator prefers small fish.
The Congo is an important navigable river in Africa. It is considered its main waterway. In total, shipping routes reach 20 thousand km in length. In addition, the river acts as the main source of hydropower in view of the transfer of significant masses of water. To date, it has three large-scale hydroelectric stations.
The Congo River is deservedly called one of the most beautiful and picturesque in the whole world. Along its course, there are evergreen tropical forests, amazing valleys, majestic mountain ranges. The funnel-shaped mouth just before the river flows into the Atlantic Ocean attracts attention. It is believed that the Congo is the richest river in the world for minerals. There are deposits of cobalt, radium, copper ore, uranium, silver, nickel, as well as some other metals.
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