Rivers are water currents that flow over the earth’s surface continuously. They are an important part of the water cycle as they are responsible for keeping the water moving and, in fact, they are responsible for making the sea salty. Although they are continuous flows, they rarely maintain a constant cause because they depend on the entry of precipitation and, furthermore, they can flow into the sea, a lake or another aqueous body.
They are also responsible for the runoff or filtration of water into the subsoil, in this way they generate springs and release water into ice bodies such as glaciers and snow layers. They are of utmost importance for the planet as they are one of the main sources of sweets so necessary for life on Earth.
Learning about them helps us appreciate the great importance they have on our planet and, with this, generate awareness about the responsible use of water. Little by little the rivers are disappearing for various reasons and it is necessary to conserve them. Here we present a list of the 5 longest rivers in the world that are home to millions of species that live in their rivers.
1 Amazon (7,062 km)
At more than 7 thousand kilometers in length, it is the longest river in the world, so much so that it alone transports more water than the Nile, the Yangtze River and the Mississippi combined. In addition, it is also estimated that of all the water that ends up in the oceans, 20% comes from the ocean. This great flow crosses three complete countries, as it originates in , crosses Colombia and finally flows into Brazil.
2 Nile River (6,853 km)
The Nile is the second longest river in the world and the largest in all of Africa. But for years it held the title of the longest river in the world until in 2007, with the help of technology, it was possible to verify that the Amazon extended it by at least 200 meters. The Nile rises in Lake Victoria in Tanzania and crosses a total of 10 countries before flowing into the Mediterranean Sea, where it forms the famous Nile Delta.
3 Yangtze River (6,300 km)
Asia is not far behind America and Africa, since its territories include the third largest lake on the globe. Known as the Yangtze River, it crosses the Asian giant from west to east, originating in the Tibetan plateau and then crossing almost completely and then emptying into the East China Sea. The largest dam in the world called the Three Gorges is located here.
4 Mississippi River (6,275 km)
America is fortunate to have two of the largest rivers, firstly the and secondly the Mississippi. This is positioned as the fourth longest in the world with 6,275 kilometers that run through ten states of the United States. In total it drains a basin of 3,238,000 square kilometers and has been positioned as an important navigation route since ancient times.
5 Yenisei River (5,539 km)
It is born in the Republic of Tuva and feeds on the rivers coming from the Eastern Sayan Mountains. It crosses Asiatic Russia, a region better known as Siberia and finally empties into the Kara Sea in the Ocean. It is often considered the boundary between the eastern and western parts of the region.