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The 9 Longest Rivers in the World

Published

2 years ago

December 26, 2024

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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.

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A Review of Akwa Ibom State Government’s July Delivery Meeting

Stakeholders at the meeting delivered goodwill messages, commending Governor Umo Eno for institutionalising the Delivery Meeting as a platform for transparency, accountability, and inclusive governance.

Published

11 hours ago

July 4, 2026

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Image: Governor Umo Eno

The Akwa Ibom State Government’s Monthly Delivery Meeting concluded its two-day July session, with Governor Umo Eno presiding over an extensive review of the administration’s strategic projects across key sectors.
Hon. Aniekan UmanahCommissioner for Information, reported that the meeting forms part of ongoing efforts to monitor implementation, evaluate progress, and ensure the timely delivery of projects under the ARISE Agenda.
In his opening remarks on Day Two, Governor Eno reiterated that the Delivery Meeting has become a vital accountability mechanism for tracking the performance of government projects and ensuring that every initiative delivers measurable value to the people of the State.
He stressed that the sessions provide an opportunity for honest appraisal, collective problem-solving, and improved coordination among implementing agencies as the administration continues to deliver on its commitments under the ARISE Agenda. Quoting the Greek philosopher Socrates, the Governor said, “An unexamined life is not worth living.”
Before the commencement of the Day Two session, Governor Eno paid an unscheduled visit to the ARISE Palm Resort, an audacious tourism project built on a 73-hectare gully reclamation site, to verify claims made during the previous day’s presentations and assess firsthand the level of progress on the facility, which is scheduled for commissioning later in the year.
The meeting received comprehensive presentations on key projects across multiple sectors of the state’s development programme, including agriculture, trade and investment, maritime and transportation, health, internal security, housing, tourism, local government administration, direct labour projects, and other flagship initiatives.
Under the agricultural sector, presentations were made on the Ibom Model Farm, Agric Equipment Leasing Company, Distribution of Oil Palm Seedlings Programme, Dakkada Global Oil Palm Project, and the Akwa Ibom Agricultural Development Programme (AKADEP), with emphasis on mechanised farming, food security, and job creation.
The Ministry of Trade and Investment presented updates on the International Market, Ikot Ekpene, highlighting its role in boosting commerce, attracting investment, and strengthening regional trade.
The meeting noted the significant progress recorded on the project and urged the contractors to sustain the pace of work.
In the maritime and transport sector, updates were presented on the Oron Maritime Infrastructure Project, which is aimed at improving maritime transportation, boosting commerce, and stimulating economic growth as part of the administration’s broader Blue Economy development initiatives.
The health sector presentation covered the Ibom International Hospital, General Hospitals in Ukanafun, Ibiono Ibom, Ikot Ekpene, Iquita-Oron, Ikot Ekpene Udo, and other State of Emergency Health Projects, reinforcing the government’s commitment to providing accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare services.
The Ministry of Internal Security and Waterways presented progress on the Counter Terrorism Unit Base, aimed at strengthening security infrastructure and enhancing public safety across the state.
The Ministry of Housing provided updates on the Doctors’ Residence and the Executive and Legislative Quarters, projects aimed at providing decent accommodation while supporting urban renewal and improving living standards.
In the tourism sector, progress on the Ibom International Hotel at the Convention Arena was reviewed, with emphasis on repositioning the facility to boost tourism, hospitality, and investment opportunities.
Updates from the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs covered the Chairmen’s Lodges, with an assurance that all 31 lodges will be completed by December 2026 to strengthen administrative efficiency at the grassroots level.
The Direct Labour Committee reported progress on the Youth Development Centres, the One Project Per Local Government Area (Phase II), the Judiciary Village, and the House of Assembly Complex, all aimed at strengthening governance infrastructure and promoting youth development.
Other strategic projects reviewed included the ARISE Shopping City, ARISE Park Beach Villas, AKBC Project, Model Secondary School, Senior Citizens Centre, and the Nigeria Formr Women Project, reflecting the administration’s broad development agenda across multiple sectors.
Stakeholders at the meeting delivered goodwill messages, commending Governor Umo Eno for institutionalising the Delivery Meeting as a platform for transparency, accountability, and inclusive governance.
Senator Effiong Bob commended the Governor for consistently engaging stakeholders in the governance process, noting that the ARISE Agenda is making measurable progress while praising the administration’s openness and transparency. Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Assam Assam, described the meeting as the most impactful yet, citing visible progress across sectors, particularly in healthcare infrastructure and service delivery.
The Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Udeme Otong, lauded the Governor’s leadership and assured him of the continued support and collaboration of the State House of Assembly.
The Oku Ibom Ibibio and President-General of the Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers, His Eminence, Ntenyin Dr. Solomon Etuk, JP, expressed pride in the administration’s developmental strides and commended Governor Eno’s inclusive approach to governance.
In his closing remarks, Governor Umo Eno appreciated all participants, Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Delivery Advisors, stakeholders, and contractors for their contributions to the two-day review exercise, noting that the sessions were rigorous but necessary in strengthening governance and ensuring accountability.
The Governor stated that the administration is entering its “harvest season” as it gradually winds down its first term, adding that observations from the meeting would be used to further improve service delivery and implementation efficiency.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to completing all ongoing projects within set timelines and urged implementing agencies to sustain the momentum and maintain high standards in project execution for the benefit of the people of Akwa Ibom State.
At the conclusion of the Delivery Meeting, Governor Eno led stakeholders on an inspection visit to the Ibom Convention Arena to assess ongoing work on the 200-bed Ibom International Hotel project, which is billed for commissioning later in the year.

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Explosion rocks Apapa tank farm; NPA, NIMASA move to curtail spread

Following the outbreak the fire service departments of both the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) moved in to curtail the spread of the inferno.

Published

18 hours ago

July 3, 2026

OCHEFA

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Panic erupted at the Lagos tank farm cluster at Ibafon, Apapa, on Friday morning after a fire broke out at the Bono Tank Farm, located within the Best Energy Tank Farm complex.

The inferno sent residents and workers in the area fleeing for safety as emergency responders moved in to contain the blaze.

Efforts to obtain comments from the management of Bono Tank Farm and Best Energy Tank Farm were unsuccessful, as phone calls and text messages sent to their representatives were neither answered nor acknowledged.

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FG slams 8-count charges on Adeyemi over fake agency ” I’m not a criminal”, he defends

It was learned that the alleged ‘‘fake’’ Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council was allocated N1.302 billion in the 2026 Budget of the Federal Government.

Published

23 hours ago

July 3, 2026

OCHEFA

34 Views

Photo: Gbajabiamila, and Adeyemi

The Federal Government has filed an 8-count charges against Adeniyi Adeyemi, convener of a purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, PFIPC, over the controversy trailing the agency.

Adeyemi, however, fought back claiming that he was given an appointment letter.

Adeyemi, during an appearance on Channels Television claimed that the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila gave him an appointment letter, insisting that he is not a criminal.

However, it was learned that the alleged ‘‘fake’’ Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council was allocated N1.302 billion in the 2026 Budget of the Federal Government.

In a statement on Wednesday, Bayo Onanuga, presidential spokesperson, said the charges were filed by the Police on November 27, 2025, against Adeyemi and two accomplices at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Onanuga said Adeyemi is expected to appear in court on July 27, 2026.