When did the Amazon become the longest river? The longest river in the world is the Nile or the Amazon? Amazon - river or fresh sea

Not so long ago, it was written in black and white in school textbooks that the longest river in the world is the Nile (6670 km). But soon scientists changed their minds, giving this primacy to the Amazon.

This happened for several reasons. Firstly, the Nile became shorter after the Aswan Dam was built on it in 1960, and secondly, the Amazon has several mouths (Marañon and Ucayali) and recently its length has been measured from the source of the Ucayali. From this point, the length of the South American river is more than 7000 km!

In addition to being the longest river in the world, the Amazon has several other championships. This is the largest river in terms of basin size and the deepest (thanks to heavy tropical rainfall, it brings 643 billion liters of water to the Atlantic Ocean every hour).

The Amazon is filled with more than 500 tributaries. The most significant of them are Rio Negro on the left, and Madeira on the right. If we sum up the length of all the branches of this champion river, then its total length will be more than 25,000 km!

No wonder the Indians, admiring the beauty of the mighty Amazon, nicknamed it “the queen of rivers.” The waters of the longest river in the world come into contact with the foothills of the Peruvian Andes, the dense tropical forests of Bolivia and Ecuador, the “floating islands” of Colombia, and guarana and cassava plantations in Brazil.

Off the coast of the Amazon, in a lush plant kingdom, among vines and a dense tangle of palm leaves, jaguars and anacondas await their victims, tapirs (herbivores that look like pigs) hide from predators, capybaras graze (the largest rodents in the world), monkeys frolic , frogs are hiding. More than 2 thousand species of fish live in the muddy waters of the Amazon, due to the silt carried by the flow, including the famous “underwater wolves” - piranhas, huge stingrays and river sharks.

The longest river in the world - the Amazon - fully lives up to its name, which has been happening since the times of the Spanish conquistadors (16th century). The conquerors were so surprised by the strength of the Indian women, who fought equally with the men, that they named the river after their tribe (“de los Amazonas”). Its steep banks make it almost impossible to approach it. They are not only steep and clayey, but also swampy or often flooded. Driftwood floating with the flow, constant whirlpools and disgusting mud - everything speaks of the violent nature of the warlike Amazon.

As a harmless example of the conquest of the shrewd Amazon, one should remember Martin Arrow, whose story became the subject of the documentary film “Big River Man” (2009). This fearless Slovenian swimmer, having covered 5268 km by swimming in 66 days and, having entered the Guinness Book of Records, showed the full strength of the human spirit and proved the possibility of mutual understanding between man and nature.

Thanks to rivers, melt or rainwater returns back to the ocean. Therefore, these watercourses can safely be called the main part of the water cycle on the planet. Each river system has a separate character, which depends on the climate and topography of a particular area.

River length

When compiling the characteristics of rivers, the following factors are taken into account: length, water regime, flow, water content, width, and depth of the channel. First, they find the source, then determine the final place where it flows into the ocean or sea, after which they conduct research along the entire length. In order to understand which river is the longest, you need to correctly measure its size, which is sometimes not very easy. Determining the length between the mouth and the source is difficult due to the lack of accurate maps. Therefore, measurements will directly depend on the scales used. The most objective option would be to measure length by small map, this way it will be possible to show not only its size, but also the width of the flow. Despite the difficulties, scientists were still able to compile a list of the 5 longest rivers. However, after new expeditions the results may change.

Yenisei - fifth position on the list

One of the largest rivers in Russia is the Yenisei. Its length is approximately 5500 km and its depth is 70 meters. It rightfully occupies fifth position in the world list of “The Longest River on the Planet”. Thanks to her, the development of lands in the north of the country began several centuries ago. It is impossible not to note its importance for the state: the largest ports are located on the banks of the Yenisei, and the river itself is the country’s navigable artery. It flows in almost all geographical and climatic regions, serves as the border for the Eastern and Western Siberia. The river is replenished in various ways, but mainly due to snowmelt. High water is typical in the spring season. Also, due to the formation of ice “plugs”, the size of the river in some areas increases many times. It should be noted that there are about 40 species of fish in the Yenisei: from crucian carp to sturgeon. It is not uncommon to see some birds nesting on the river. A serious problem for the Yenisei is the hydroelectric power station, after the construction of which the water flow has greatly decreased, resulting in a significant threat to the flora and fauna of the river.

The longest river is the Mississippi

Fourth place went to the river, which originates in the USA. Its importance for the world is very difficult to overestimate; it is rightfully the greatest in the world. The area of ​​the Mississippi is a little more than 3,000 km, and together with the Missouri (the main tributary), this figure becomes twice as large - 6,000 km. The Mississippi is almost the longest river on the continent, second only to the Amazon. The food is varied: rain, mixed and snow. However, it is impossible to name the exact method of replenishing water for the entire river, since each region has different climatic conditions. It is characterized by high water in spring and summer. Also, often due to melting snow, severe floods form, which leads to floods. The Mississippi is a large and also the most important transport artery of the United States of America, which paves the way from the mainland to the Gulf of Mexico. Small water streams flow into the river, which originate in the mountains and rocks. Another interesting fact is that the distance from the Great Lakes to the nearest bay is the Mississippi basin. Tributaries from right side are in a dry climate, because of this it is impossible to call the river full-flowing (even at the confluence with the Missouri). It becomes a major river only at the point of connection with the Ohio.

Third place on the list - Yangtze

In third place is the longest river in Eurasia - the Yangtze. Her total area is 6300 km. It, being a high-water river, flows throughout the entire territory of the Republic of China. Its waters are often used to irrigate fields. It should be noted that the Yangtze is the main highway of China. The water flow is replenished with rainwater. The upper part of the river is fed by melting glaciers and snow. The river is also rich in fish. Its main inhabitants are carp, carp (black and white) and silver carp. The Yangtze is practically free of ice in winter time of the year. Only those areas that are calmest and located only in the upper reaches are susceptible to freezing. An interesting fact is that in different areas the river is called differently. For example, in the Himalayas - Dangku, and in Tibet - Jichu. The Yangtze originates in Himalayan ice and flows through their gorges. What is surprising is that in a small area the river sharply descends from a height of 5000 m to 1000 m. This is what makes it appearance the most attractive. In some areas, the Yangtze expands due to many tributary lakes and rivers. It also houses the world's largest hydroelectric power station, the Three Gorges.

African Nile River

In second place was the “blue vein” of Africa - the Nile. The longest river on Earth until the beginning of the 20th century. Its total length is 6800 km. The Nile has a sufficient number of tributaries, but the last 4 km before its confluence with Mediterranean Sea the river flows without them. It should be noted that the river has no analogues in the world in terms of its functional purpose. Residents of Africa call this river sacred; a temple was erected in its honor and a holiday was held. The Nile is the longest river in the country; it is still worshiped by the Greeks, Arabs, and Egyptians. Until the 19th century, this water flow completely determined the life of peoples. Due to certain factors, the river level could rise sharply many times, flooding the valleys. After the decision to build dams, a human-controlled irrigation system emerged. Today, the Nile fully meets the needs of the country. It flows through different climatic zones, is divided into several branches and irrigates massifs (the so-called “black earth”, formed several centuries ago). You can always see tourists, fishermen, peasants and traders on the banks of the river.

The longest river on Earth is the Amazon

The first place and absolute leadership belongs to the Amazon. It is located in South America and is the largest not only in length, but also in the size of the basin, as well as in terms of depth. The river is fed mainly by rain and groundwater. There is no snow or glacier feeding. In 2011, it was included in the list of wonders of the world. It is surrounded on all sides by forests various types: white, black and dry. Since the Amazon is the longest river, you can find many different fish and reptiles in it: piranhas, crocodiles, snappers, caimans, mammal fish, stingrays, etc. Its characteristic feature is that it often rises several meters, flooding large areas. The flora is quite rich, with more than 3,000 species.

Hydrologists' disputes

Deciding which is the longest river of peace, scientists are in constant debate. Until the beginning of the 20th century, many were convinced that Neil was a leader. However, after discovering the starting point of the Amazon in the south of Peru (previously it was believed that the source was located in the north of the country), Brazilian scientists found that the total length of the Nile is 100-150 m less. During the study, special beacons were installed, which made it possible to carry out additional calculations . The final result was announced in 2015, it confirmed the accuracy of the preliminary findings. And if we take into account all the branches of the Amazon tributaries, then its length will reach about 7000 km. It is rightfully called the deepest and longest river.

27.03.2013

There are many amazing things in the world long rivers, but which one is longest river in the world? And this complex issue which causes a lot of disagreement and controversy. Scientists have been debating this issue for a long time, arguing about the exact length of rivers, because for this it is necessary to know exactly where the river begins and where it ends, and there are still disputes about whether it is necessary to take into account the tributaries of rivers. And the most famous dispute between scientists is which river is longer, the Nile or the Amazon; they swapped places several times. But today scientists seem to agree, although not completely... This is10 longest rivers in the world.

10. Congo River - 4,700 km

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The water system is the Atlantic Ocean. The deepest and second longest (after the Nile) river in Africa. The only river that crosses the equator twice. A major shipping artery and source of fishing. Famous for the seven-step Stanley Falls and the cascade of Livingston Falls. The novels of J. Conrad “Heart of Darkness” and M. Crichton “Congo” are dedicated to the river.

9. Amur River - 5,052 km

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In ninth place in the top 10 longest rivers in the world, Amur, which flows through the territories of Russia, China and Mongolia. The water system is the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. The Chinese call it the River of the Black Dragon, which, according to legend, lives in its waters. It is distinguished by an unusually rich ichthyofauna. Up to 139 subspecies of fish are found here. The richest salmon river in Eurasia.

8. Lena River - 5,100 km

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It flows into the Laptev Sea. The name of the river is associated not with a popular female name, but with the Evenki word “Elu-Ene” - “big river”. It differs from other Russian rivers in its ice regime and powerful ice jams, which causes global floods. The banks of the Lena are sparsely populated.

7. Ob River with Irtysh - 5,410 km

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Flows into the Kara Sea. The area of ​​the water basin is 2,990 thousand sq. km. The third most water-bearing river in Russia after the Yenisei and Lena. In the southern part of the Ob, the Novosibirsk reservoir was built - a reservoir of water reserves and popular place recreation.

6. Yellow River - 5,464 km

"Yellow River". The name is justified by the color of the water, which is caused by the abundance of river sediments. Flows into the Yellow Sea. The average water flow in the river is 2000 cubic meters per second. In 11 AD. The Yellow River made a breakthrough into a new direction, which caused a huge environmental and humanitarian disaster and led to the fall of the Xin Dynasty. In 1938, Kuomintang troops organized the largest flood of the Yellow River in order to stop the advance of the Japanese army. It is the second largest river in China.

5. Yenisei River - 5,539 km

In fifth position in the top 10 longest rivers in the world, Yenisei. The name comes from the Evenk “Ionessi” - “big water”. Siberians affectionately call her Yenisei-father. Flows into the Kara Sea. The confluence of the Big and Small Yenisei in Kyzyl is the geographical center of Asia. The ill-conceived construction of hydroelectric power stations on the river and a mining and chemical plant in Krasnoyarsk led to climate change and other serious environmental consequences in this area.

4. Mississippi - 6,275 km

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Originates in Lake Ithaca in Minnesota and flows into Gulf of Mexico. Divided into Upper and Lower Mississippi. The largest tributary is the Ohio River. The longest tributary is the Missouri River. It is famous for the grandiose bridges built across it. She was a source of inspiration for many writers and musicians, such as M. Twain, W. Faulkner, J. Cash.

3. Yangtze River - 6,300 km

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Longest me and the high-water river of Eurasia. Cradle Chinese civilization and the main waterway of this country. The river is home to two endangered species - the Chinese allegator and the Chinese paddlefish. On July 16, 1966, the Great Mao swam 15 km down the river in 65 minutes, which made an indelible impression on local residents and served as a signal for the beginning of the Cultural Revolution.

2. River Nile - 6852 km

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A sacred river worshiped by the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans and many African peoples. A temple was built in her honor in Nilopolis and the festival of Niloa was held. It originates on the East African plateau and flows into the Mediterranean Sea. Plays a huge role in the development of agriculture in the surrounding lands. Nile cruises are a very popular tourist route.

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1. Amazon - 6,992 km

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The longest river in the world formed by the confluence of the Marañon and Ucayali rivers. It flows through the territories of Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia. Flows into the Atlantic Ocean. At a depth of 4 thousand kilometers, a unidirectional flows underneath it. underground river Hamza. In 2011 recognized as one of natural wonders Sveta. Nourishes the ecosystem of the Amazon jungle. It is also considered the most dangerous river in the world. But still it is the greatest river.

From space, the Earth is visible primarily in blue and white colors. This is not surprising, since two-thirds of its surface is covered with a layer of water. In addition to four oceans and numerous seas, there are also a huge number of rivers, swamps and lakes.
Water exhibits its most dynamic behavior precisely in rivers, which are always flowing somewhere, which distinguishes them from other natural bodies of water. Rivers begin with the smallest, imperceptible streams, and as they gain strength they can turn into huge water streams. The longest rivers cross continents, carrying water from their sources thousands of kilometers away. For humans, rivers have historically been of great importance - since ancient times, people built cities near rivers, took water from there for drinking and irrigating fields, and transported goods and heavy loads along them. Often the length of a river can be very difficult to measure: one has a difficult source, another has an ambiguous confluence.

1. Amazon (6992 km)

The world's deepest river, the Amazon, has always been considered the longest river South America, and for some time now, the world. This mighty river has the widest estuary and the largest drainage basin in terms of area. It provides 15% of the water discharge of all the world's rivers. Its source is the confluence of the Ucayali and Marañon rivers. To clarify the length of the river, we had to use satellite images. Different scientists calculate the length of the Amazon in different ways: taking into account the length from the source of the Marañon River, the length of the Amazon is 6992.06 km, taking into account the length of the Apachet River - approximately 7000 km, and if we take into account the Ucayaki River, then the length of the river becomes generally more than 7000 km. Thus, the Amazon was able to outstrip even the Nile in length.

2. Nile (6852 km)

Having lost the world championship to the Amazon, in Africa the Nile undoubtedly remained the leader in length. The Nile begins on the East African plateau and flows north, crossing Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt, where it flows into the Mediterranean Sea, forming a vast delta with fertile land.

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3. Yangtze (6300 km)

The great Chinese Yangtze River originates behind the clouds in Tibet - at an altitude of 5600 meters among glaciers, after which it crosses the entire country until it meets South China Sea. The basin of this mighty river covers an area of ​​1.8 million square meters. km. This is the third longest river in the world, and the first in all of Eurasia. China is divided by a river into northern and southern parts. For the country, the importance of the Yangtze cannot be exaggerated: a cascade of powerful hydroelectric power stations was built here, and the largest Chinese cities. In addition, together with the Yellow River, it is the most important river for China culturally and historically.

4. Yellow River (5464 km)

The Yellow River, which means “Yellow River”, is the second largest in China. It is not named so by chance - in its yellow-colored waters it carries millions of tons of loess from the Shaanxi Plateau. It also starts high in Tibetan mountains, then flows east until it flows into the Yellow Sea. The Yellow River is considered to be the cradle of the great Chinese civilization. The river constantly changes its course. The water from it is used not only for irrigation, but is also drunk by 140 million Chinese. There are also many large Chinese cities along the banks of the river.

5. Mekong (4500 km)

The “Nine Dragon River” or Mekong flows through Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and China. It is the largest waterway of the Indochina Peninsula. It starts on the Tibetan Plateau, but then turns to the southeast. Farmers water their rice fields with water from the Mekong, and its wide floods are very favorable for growing this crop. But the hydropower resources of the Mekong are extremely underutilized. The Mekong has one of the largest deltas in the world (in Vietnam). In recent years, the river delta has been threatened by flooding from rising sea levels and regular landslides.

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6. Lena (4400 km)

The largest Russian river, the Lena, has a basin located entirely within the country. It originates on the Baikal ridge, at an altitude of 1470 meters, where there is a small swamp. Below Yakutsk, two deep tributaries flow into the Lena - Vilyui and Aldan, making it a powerful water stream. The width of the river in this section is 10 kilometers, but in some places it overflows for 30 kilometers. Even further downstream they begin mountain ranges, preventing the river from overflowing too much and accelerating its flow. Finally, near its mouth, the Lena slows down, breaks up into many branches that form a vast delta, and then flows into the Laptev Sea. 4400 km is the length of the river taking into account the delta, and sometimes another value appears: 4294 km is the length of the river excluding the Bykovskaya channel.

7. Parana (4380 km)

This is the second river in South America after the Amazon. The Paraná flows from north to south of the mainland through Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina until it flows near Buenos Aires into La Plata Bay in the Atlantic Ocean. Parana is navigable for sea ​​ships all the way to the city of Rosario. The border of two states - Paraguay and Argentina - passes through the river (in its middle course), and downstream its bank has become the western border of the low-lying Mesopotamia region of Argentina.

8. Congo (4374 km)

One of largest rivers Africa is the Congo (or Zaire), which flows in the equatorial regions of the continent and is second in length only to the Nile. There are many states in the Congo Basin: the Central African Republic, Democratic Republic Congo, Zambia, Tanzania, Cameroon, Burundi, Angola, Rwanda. The area of ​​the Zaire basin is over 4 million square meters. km. This river, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean, is of great economic importance for the states of this region.

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9. Irtysh (4248 km)

The Irtysh carries its waters through the lands of China, Kazakhstan and Russia. This largest tributary of the Ob is the longest tributary in the world. The Irtysh-Ob river system, at 5,410 kilometers, is the longest in Russia, the second in Asia and the sixth in the world. Water is taken from the Irtysh for the Irtysh-Karaganda canal, laid to ensure irrigation and water supply to the region. From the downstream of the Ust-Kamenogorsk hydroelectric power station to the confluence with the Ob, that is, at a distance of 3,784 kilometers, regular navigation is carried out along the Irtysh.

10. Niger (4180 km)

The Niger River is very important for West Africa. It has a rather unusual trajectory, resembling the shape of a boomerang, which until recently confused geographers. The source of this river is located only 240 kilometers from the Atlantic coast, and, it would seem, should quickly merge into the nearby ocean in the form of a small river, however, Niger turned in the opposite direction, drawing for itself a much longer unusual path to the same Atlantic Ocean .

11. Mississippi (3770 km)

Mississippi is the longest river North America. It originates in northern Minnesota, in Lake Itasca, then flows south, flowing into the Gulf of Mexico. Its largest tributary is another large river, the Missouri, which follows closely behind it on our list of the world's longest rivers. The Mississippi Basin covers 31 US states and a couple of Canadian provinces, covering an area of ​​3.27 million square meters. km. Translated from the language of the Indians - the indigenous inhabitants of these places, Mississippi means "great (large) river." This river is of great importance for the country's economy - it carries a lot of shipping and carries a lot of passengers and cargo.

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12. Missouri (3767 km)

It was already mentioned above that the Missouri is the largest tributary of the Mississippi in terms of length, but in terms of length it is only 3 m behind. The source of the Missouri is in Rocky Mountains Montana. Flowing southeast, the river flows into the Mississippi near the city of St. Louis. Shipping on the Missouri is facing difficult times. The amount of cargo transported by barges has been inexorably declining for several decades. This was facilitated first by the construction of dams on the river, and then by increased competition among other modes of transport, mainly from rail transport. Various projects are currently being developed to revive the former navigability and the necessity of Missouri for the national economy.

13. Ob (3650 km)

The next great Siberian river, the Ob, crosses the entire territory of this region until it flows into the ocean in the north. The Ob originates in Altai, at the place where two rivers - Katun and Biya - merge. The Ob's catchment area is approximately 3 million square meters. km. The Ob, like other great Siberian rivers, is of great importance for the Russian economy: a number of hydroelectric power stations have been built on it, and it is used as a transport artery.

14. Volga (3530 km)

This largest and longest river in Europe begins on the Valdai Hills, after which it slowly flows along Central Russian Upland, before the Ural foothills it turns south and heads towards the Caspian Sea. It is noteworthy that at the mouth of the Volga it drops 28 meters below the level of the world ocean.

15. Yenisei (3487 km)

This is one of the mighty and long Siberian rivers begins near the Russian-Mongolian border. Then the Yenisei cuts through all of Siberia, dividing it into Eastern and Western, after which it flows into the Kara Sea. Many hydroelectric power stations have been built on the Yenisei, supplying electricity to Siberian enterprises; it is an important Siberian transport artery. But the emergence of numerous reservoirs had a bad impact on the local ecology.