Rivers are an important part of the earth's ecosystem, every year, on September 27, people celebrate World Rivers Day to increase awareness about the significance of rivers and why it is important to keep our rivers clean. Balance and a basic necessity for life, one of the most fascinating things about rivers is that unlike ponds or lakes, rivers connect many different areas. Rivers flow through different places, some spanning entire countries.
You've heard of at least a couple of them before. Today we take you on a tour of the 10 largest and most beautiful rivers in the world.
River Nile. (4,135 miles)
This beautiful river is located in the
northeastern part of Africa and flows towards the north. It is the longest
river in Africa. It spans the length of 11 countries, including Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan,
Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, the Republic of Sudan and Egypt, and Burundi.
Today, 95 percent of Egyptians live within a few kilometers of the Nile. Canals bring water from the Nile to irrigate fields and sustain cities. The Nile River supports agriculture and fishing. The Nile River has also served as an important transportation route for thousands of years. Today, some residents of Al-Qaira (Cairo) have started using private speedboats, water taxis, or ferries to avoid congested streets. Dams such as the Aswan High Dam in Egypt are built to control rivers and provide a source of hydroelectric power.
Amazon River. (4,000 miles)
This river is located in South America, some
say it is the longest and one of the most famous rivers in the world. It ranges
from the Andes to the Amazon rainforest. It is one of the most essential
aspects of the fragile rainforest ecosystem.
It is
estimated that about one-sixth of the freshwater that falls into the world's
oceans flows through the 320 km wide delta of the Amazon, where it meets the
Atlantic Ocean.
The Amazon River is the largest in the world by volume of water discharge. The Amazon River is considered by many scientists to be the second longest river in the world after the Nile River in Africa.
The Yangtze River. (3,915 miles)
This river is the longest river in Asia and the
third longest river in the world. It originates from the Tibetan Plateau flows
into the East China Sea, and has a length of 6300 km. The water here runs
throughout the year and is a huge part of Chinese history.
The Yangtze Basin supplies about half of all
the fish and two-thirds of the rice consumed in China. Industry and agriculture
contribute 40 percent of China's entire economy.
This vast river, the largest in Asia and the
third longest in the world is also important for the variety of animals and plants
that live in or around it. But due to the overuse of yang and increasing
pollution, wildlife is being affected.
The Yangtze and its river basin are home to 350 species of fish, 145 different amphibians, 166 reptiles, 762 species of birds, 280 mammals (including the giant panda), and more than 14,000 different plants.
The Mississippi River. (2,350miles)
The Mississippi River is one of the largest
rivers in the world and the second-longest river in all of North America. It is
2,350 miles long, beginning at Lake Itasca and flowing into the Gulf of
Mexico. It is a rich part of history throughout America.
The river reaches a depth of 191 feet in the
French Quarter, the maximum depth of the entire river. You can't swim in the
water because the current is so strong and the water is cloudy.
The Mississippi provides drinking water to millions of people and supports a $12.6 billion shipping industry, with 35,300 related jobs. It is one of the most important waterways on Earth, transporting trade and food for the world.
Yellow
River. (3,398miles)
The Yellow River is the world's sixth-longest
river and the second-longest river in China. Ancient cities, deserts, forest
parks, grasslands, and waterfalls can all be found along the river.
Huang He River, "Mother River,"
"Cradle of Civilization," and Pride and Pain of China are just a few
of the many titles for the Yellow River. Seven provinces are traversed by the
river. The river empties into the Bo Sea after starting in the Qinghai
Mountains.
The Chinese civilization originated in the Huang He Valley, also known as the Yellow River. One of the world's longest river systems, the Yellow River is the second-largest river in China.
Irtysh
River. (2,640miles)
It is another longest river in Asia at 2640
miles long. It originates from the Altai Mountains and flows through Siberia to
the Arabian Sea. It is a source of fresh water for Kazakhstan and Russia. It
covers a total of seven bridge systems.
The river regions of China and Kazakhstan rely heavily on the Irtysh for
their industrial enterprises along the river banks, hydroelectric dams and
reservoirs, agricultural irrigation, and mining and oil exploration services.
Predictions and adaptations for floods and droughts require an improved observation system. Another area of concern is intensive industrial and agricultural pollution. Pollution affects not only the local populace but also the flora and fauna. Because of this, UNESCO is in favor of the construction of biosphere reserves in the Irtysh River basin, such as Korgalzhyn, Alakol, Ak-Zhayik, and Katon-Karagay. Researchers from Gumilyov University and Xinjiang University in China are collaborating to enhance the transboundary Black Irtysh River's monitoring and predictive analysis.
Tiber
River in Rome. (1,530miles)
This river is located in Switzerland and Italy.
It is 15.3 miles long and passes through the Alps-Lugno range and joins the
Adige around the Glorens in Italy.
The sparkling mirror of the river is surrounded by numerous monuments of ancient and medieval architecture. Dozens of bridges connect the left and right banks of the Tiber, making Roman landscapes so beautiful and romantic.
Congo
River. (2485miles)
This river is the second longest river in
Africa and the deepest river in the world with a depth of 720 feet. It is known
as one of the most beautiful rivers in the world.
The river is also home to immense biodiversity: it is home to at least 700 species of fish and is home to the second-largest rainforest in the world. It also dumps water and sediment into one of the world's largest carbon sinks, the Congo plume in the Atlantic.
Lena
River. (2,734miles)
This river is in Siberia and flows into the
Arctic Ocean. It is one of the longest rivers in the world and flows 2734 miles
long. The lives of those who live along the banks of the Lena River are greatly
impacted by it. Many different crops, including potatoes, wheat, barley,
cucumbers, and onions, are farmed economically along the river's lowland
sections.
Here, animal ranching is also very common, made possible by the abundance of large pasture areas for animal grazing. The region surrounding the Lena River is also home to abundant mineral resources, including quantities of coking coal, iron ores, and precious metals like gold and diamonds, which are the two main components used to make steel. This area has further resources of natural gas and coal.
Amur
River. (2,734miles)
This river is the largest water channel in the world. It is an ecosystem of more than 100 different species of fish and the endangered Amur leopard is still present near this river. The Amur River (known as Heilong in China) flows for more than 4,000 km, starting in Mongolia and forming the border between northeastern China and southeastern Russia. Around it is a vast region of grasslands and forests, approximately 1.85 million square kilometers. The area is a key habitat for some critically endangered wild animals, such as the Amur tiger and Amur leopard, which are dangerously close to the brink of extinction.
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