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The 9 Longest Rivers in the World
From the Nile to the Congo (Howstuffworks): Rivers are great collectors. As freshwater molecules flow along the landscape, gravity forces them to seek the lowest possible ground, where they gather with other water molecules.
The collected water soon becomes a trickle. Trickles join together to form small creeks, which then join to form larger streams and, ultimately, rivers.
A watershed is an area of land that drains all the water in a particular area to a single point: the place where a river meets the ocean. The size of a watershed can be big or small, depending on the landscape, and some watersheds can be massive.
Massive watersheds often make for humongous rivers. Where a few creeks and streams running together end and a river begins is difficult to determine, but in order to rank rivers by their length, they’ve got to start somewhere and a bit of arbitrary fudging has to happen in order to measure them.
However, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, “the length [of a river] may be considered to be the distance from the mouth to the most distant headwater source (irrespective of stream name) or from the mouth to the headwaters of the stream commonly identified as the source stream.”
So, here they are, from the Nile to the Congo — the nine longest rivers in the world:
1. The Nile River The longest river in the world is different, depending on who you ask.
Is it the Nile in Africa or the Amazon in South America? They’re comparable in length, but in 2009, a study in the International Journal of Digital Earth determined the Nile to be a bit longer at 4,132 miles (6,650 kilometers).
The Nile also is recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world’s longest river.
The Nile has two major tributaries — the White Nile and the Blue Nile, which meet up in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan.
The Nile drains an area of 1,293,056 square miles (3,349,000 square kilometers) of Sudan, Ethiopia, Egypt, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Eritrea and Democratic Republic of the Congo, before emptying into the Mediterranean Sea.
2. The Amazon River The Amazon River flows through Peru, Colombia and Brazil. Although the Nile is officially the longest river in the world, many disagree with that assessment and insist the Amazon is longer.
Certainly, it’s the world’s largest river based on the enormous volume of water it deposits into the Atlantic Ocean every day; it has a greater output of fresh water than the next seven largest rivers combined.
It also has the largest drainage area — 2,400,000 square miles (6,300,000 square kilometers) — which occupies almost 40 percent of the entire continent of South America.
Be that as it may, most researchers agree that it is only 4,000 miles (6,500 kilometers) long compared with the Nile’s 4,132 miles (6,650 kilometers).
3. The Yangtze RiverMost of the world’s longest rivers are in Asia, and the Yangtze is the longest of them all.
It’s actually pretty comparable in length to the Nile and Amazon rivers, measuring 3,900 miles (6,300 kilometers) long.
It is also the longest river that flows entirely within the borders of a single country, and it drains a fifth of the land area of China, a country which makes up 6.3 percent of the world’s landmass.
The mighty Yangtze River has over 700 tributary rivers and streams and its 698,265-square-mile (1,808,500-square-kilometer) watershed is home to a third of the population of China.
4. The Missouri River The longest river in North America and the fourth-longest river in the world starts as the Missouri River, which drains 500,000 square miles (1,300,000 square kilometers) of the Rocky Mountains of the U.S., as well as two Canadian Provinces.
The 2,341-mile-long (3,767-kilometer-long) Missouri meets the Mississippi River — America’s second-longest, which is only slightly shorter than the Missouri — near St. Louis, Missouri, and together their waters flow to the Gulf of Mexico.
The river system drains 32 U.S. states.
5. The Yenisey River The Yenisey River in Siberia, at 2,167 miles (3,487 kilometers) long, empties into the Arctic Ocean, and is fed by Lake Baikal, the deepest, oldest lake in the world — as well as one of the clearest.
The 616-mile (992-kilometer) Selenga River begins in northern Mongolia, empties into Lake Baikal, and then the lake spits out the Angara River, which becomes the Yenisey.
Put together, the Yenisey-Angara-Selenga river system, the fifth longest river in the world, is 3,442 miles (5,539 kilometers) long.
6. The Yellow River China’s Yellow River, also called the Huang He, is 3,395 miles (5,464 kilometers) long. Its headwaters are in the Bayan Har Mountains of central China and it flows east across nine provinces and into the Bohai Sea.
Its total drainage area is 307,000 square miles (795,000 square kilometers), and archaeological evidence points to the Yellow River watershed being the cradle of ancient Chinese civilization.
7. The Ob-Irtysh River The seventh-longest river in the world is the Ob-Irtysh river system. The Ob River originates in western Siberia in the Altai Mountains and is met by the Irtysh River that begins in Mongolia and flows through China and Kazakhstan before entering Russia.
Together the two rivers drain 1,154,445 square miles (2,990,000 square kilometers) of land and are 3,360 miles (5,410 kilometers) long.
8. The Rio de la Plata-Paraná-Rio Grande Rivers The Rio Grande, which feeds the Paraná River, which empties into the Rio de La Plata, which ultimately arrives at the Atlantic Ocean at the border or Uruguay and Argentina, is the eighth-longest river in the world and the second-longest river system in South America.
The river system is 3,032 miles (4,880 kilometers) long and drains an area of 997,175 square miles (2,582,672 square kilometers) of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia and Uruguay.
9. The Congo River The Congo River of west-central Africa is the ninth longest in the world and the second longest in Africa.
On a map, it looks a bit like a many-limbed tree, but the headwater stream farthest from its mouth into the Atlantic Ocean is the Chambeshi River high in the mountains of Zambia, giving it a length of 2,920 miles (4,700 kilometers).
The Congo river system drains 1,550,000 square miles (4,014,500 square kilometers) and is the second-largest discharge of any river in the world.
The former Governor of Oyo State, Chief Victor Omololu Olunloyo has died, few days before his 90th birthday.
The nonagerian who was also the Balogun of Oyo and Otun Bobasewa of Ife died in the early hours of Sunday.
His death was confirmed in a statement signed by a former Editor of the Nigerian Tribune, Barrister Oladapo Ogunwuyi.
The late Olunloyo served as the Governor of Oyo State from October 1, 1983 to 31 December 1983 when the military regime of General Muhammadu Bihari ousted the then civilian government.
Recall that, Olunloyo, a mathematician, engineer and renowned technocrat was the first Rector of the Ibadan Polythenic, and first Rector Kwara State Polythenic among other notable appointments.
His long record of service to the nation and humanity was a source of pride to his family and associates, even as they come to grip with this devastating loss.
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JUST IN: Lagos Police alert officers ahead of nationwide protest over living costs, free speech
The Lagos State Police Command has placed all its commanders and officers on alert ahead of a planned nationwide protest slated for April 7, 2025.
This directive follows intelligence reports indicating that certain groups, reportedly operating under the banner of civil society organisations, CSOs, are mobilising citizens for demonstrations across the country.
In a circular signed by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Tijani O. Fatai, the Command warned of coordinated efforts to stage protests focused on rising living costs and alleged government clampdowns on free speech.
The circular reads: “Intelligence report at the Command disposal reveals a plan by some subversive groups parading themselves as Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, and other misguided anti-government forces, to incite nationwide protest on 7th April 2025 aimed at drawing the attention of the Government to their perceived prevailing high cost of living and free speech suppression.
“Furthermore, the groups have flooded the social media platforms with narrations geared towards winning public sympathy, discrediting the government and galvanising support for the protest.
Experience has shown that criminals may want to seize the opportunity of the protest to cause mayhem, particularly to launch attacks on government facilities and opposition leaders to disrupt socio-economic activities in the State, amongst others.
“Consequently, the Commissioner of Police has ordered security measures to be beefed up around critical installations and other strategic locations across the State in order to forestall any untoward development before, during and after the proposed protest.
“ MISSION: This operation order is aimed at achieving the following; To ensure that the protest is carried out without any security hitch;
“To prevent criminals/hoodlums/miscreants from hijacking the protest and/or perpetrating any evil act before, during and after protest; to ensure notable points of convergence for such protest in the State, particularly, Gani Fawehinmi Park; National Stadium; Labour House, Yaba; Ikorodu Roundabout; Ikeja Underbridge; Obalende Underbridge; Ikotun Roundabout; Allen Roundabout; Iyana-Iba; Chevron Roundabout: Ajah; Oshodi; Iyana-Ipaja; Abule Egba; Trade-Fair; Cele Express/Oke-Afa/Ejigbo; Apple Junction, Ajao Estate, I jora-Olopa Underbridge; Ojuelegba; Falomo; Marina/Broad Street; Otedola Underbridge; Iponri/Breweries; Igando; LASU/Ojo; Mushin, Idi-Oro; Ketu/Mile 12 Underbridge.
“Berger Bridge; Pen-Cinema; Lekki Toll-Gate; Lekki/Ikoyi Link Bridge By Admiralty Way are well dominated by Policemen to forestall breakdown of law and order; to ensure adequate security around all critical infrastructures/installations, particularly, Eqbin Terminal, Ijede; INEC Offices; Print and Electronic Media Houses; Police facilities; State House Alausa/Marina; Secretariat Alausa; Filling Stations; National Theatre, Iganmu; Rice Mill, Imota; Food Hubs/Warehouses; Major Markets/Parks/Hospitals/Malls; Train Stations; LASWA Ferry Terminal at Bariga/Langbasa/Ikorodu; Cowrie, Victoria Island; LAMATA Bus Terminals at Abule-Egba/Iyana-Oworo/Ikotun/Igando/Ojodu/Oshodi/ Berger; Sangotedo; Fela Shrine; Federal/State High Court/Court of Appeal and other government facilities across the State; etc
“To ensure all Law abiding citizens go about their normal business throughout the period unhindered; to ensure free flow of traffic in the State throughout the period of the protest; to ensure security of lives and property in the state before, during and after the protest.
“FORCES AVAILABLE: Manpower for this operation will be drawn from Department of Operations, Ikeja, State Criminal and Intelligence and Investigation Department (SCIID), Yaba; Area Command Headquarters, Rapid Response Squad, Alausa; Task Force, Oshodi; PMF 2 Keffi; 20/22 PMF Ikeja: 23 Keffi; 43 Lion Building; 49 PMF Epe: 63 PMF Ikorodu, Counter Terrorism Unit Base 2, Special Protection Unit Bases 2, 16, 17 Lagos, and Anti Bomb Disposal Base 23, Lagos.”
Recall that the Take-It-Back (TIB) movement and several allied groups had announced a nationwide protest aimed at challenging the alleged misuse of the Cybercrime Act and what they describe as the unconstitutional “state of emergency” currently unfolding in Rivers State.
The planned demonstrations have attracted widespread attention from civil society organisations and rights activists, who accuse the administration of President Bola Tinubu of using the Cybercrime Act to suppress press freedom and silence dissenting voices including journalists, social media users, and government critics.
In a press briefing, TIB National Coordinator, Juwon Sanyaolu, outlined the key demands of the protest, chief among them being the repeal of the Cybercrime Act and an end to what he called “military-style governance” in Rivers State.
He condemned the alleged clampdown on democratic institutions and demanded the immediate reinstatement of the suspended State House of Assembly and the state’s executive structures.
Sanyaolu emphasised that the protests would not be restricted to the Federal Capital Territory but would spread across various parts of the country, with organisers planning multiple simultaneous demonstrations.
A multiple-vehicle accident in Lagos involving a container-laden truck that fell on its side and seven other vehicles occurred at the Cele Bus Stop axis of the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway.
According to a statement by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority via its X account today, emergency responders are already on the ground, and efforts are underway to address the situation.
The statement read, “A multiple accident has occurred at Cele on the Apapa-Oshodi Express, involving a container-laden truck that fell on its side and seven (7) other vehicles.
“Emergency responders are on the ground and en route, and casualties are being taken care of while our men are on the ground managing the traffic emanating from this.
”LASTMA also highlighted that the accident has caused significant traffic delays, with the backlog extending to Ijesha and spilling over to other areas.
“Traffic backlog is at Ijesha and spilling”, the traffic management agency added.
BREAKING: Former Oyo State Governor, Chief Victor Omololu Olunloyo is dead.
JUST IN: Lagos Police alert officers ahead of nationwide protest over living costs, free speech
JUST IN: Multiple accidents cause gridlock on Apapa-Oshodi Expressway in Lagos
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