World geography · Updated September 2026
Longest rivers in the world
Longest rivers: the Nile and the Amazon compete for first place depending on the source used. Then the Yangtze, Mississippi–Missouri, Yenisei–Angara and Yellow River.
Ask “what is the longest river?” and two names appear: the Nile in Africa and the Amazon in South America. Many encyclopaedias still list the Nile first (about 6,650 km). Some 21st-century surveys put a longer Amazon source in Peru and call the Amazon first.
For school, write: “Nile is traditionally longest; Amazon is the largest by water volume and may be longest on some modern measurements.” That sentence scores marks.
The Yangtze is Asia’s longest and the longest river in one country (China). The Mississippi–Missouri system is North America’s giant. Africa’s Congo is second on that continent by length and first by discharge after the Amazon.
Longest rivers in the world — key facts (2026)
| Topic | Fact |
|---|---|
| Traditional longest | Nile (Africa) — about 6,650 km |
| Largest by discharge | Amazon |
| Longest in Asia | Yangtze |
| Longest in North America | Mississippi–Missouri system |
| Longest in Europe (depending on source) | Volga (in Russia); some lists use the Ural or Danube for “in Europe only” |
| Longest in Australia | Murray–Darling system |
| Mouth of the Nile | Mediterranean Sea |
| Mouth of the Amazon | Atlantic Ocean |
Figures are the usual classroom and news-desk numbers for 2026. Border disputes and membership votes can change a count by one or two.
People also ask
Is the Nile or the Amazon longer?
Traditional school answer: Nile. Some research teams argue the Amazon is longer if you pick a different source stream. State both if the question is open.
Which river carries the most water?
The Amazon, by a large margin.
What is the longest river in India?
The Ganga (Ganges) is the longest inside India’s usual school list if you do not count the Brahmaputra’s Tibetan course as “in India.” The Indus and Brahmaputra are longer overall but start outside India.