Great rivers of the world. The largest rivers in the world

The history of mankind has always been directly connected with water bodies - it's not only about origin, but also in the development of civilizations in the river basins and off the coast of the seas. In the Middle Ages, the powers with the fleet ruled the planet. To this day, the influence of water on human life is enormous. Therefore, the study of rivers can be not just a curious occupation, but also a way to better understand the history of mankind and the interrelationship of different processes. First of all, it is worth paying attention to the most large-scale, famous and significant water flows of the Earth.

Nile

Although not the most full-flowing river in the world, but the longest, and therefore the most important. It is located on the African continent. The Nile is the longest - its length, along with the tributary of Kagera is 6671 km. The river crosses the territory of Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan and Egypt, on the lands of the latter flowing into the Mediterranean Sea. The pool consists of two streams - the White and the Blue Nile, and occupies almost three thousand square kilometers. The main tributaries are Sobat, Atbar and Bahr al-Ghazal. On the banks of the Nile, one of the first civilizations known to mankind was born, and at the same time, this river for a long time remained unexplored. Until the nineteenth century, travelers traveled the continent trying to find the source, and this despite the fact that the first attempt was made by the Europeans back in 1613. In the pool is also Lake Victoria, replenishing the river with water due to frequent rains in this territory. A distinctive feature of the Nile is a large number of crocodiles - swimming in a pond is highly undesirable.

Amazon

Enumerating the great rivers of the world, it is impossible to forget about this. Amazon is the largest in South America, flows through the territories of Peru and Brazil, falling into the Atlantic Ocean. Its name is associated with the legend of the warlike tribe of women who once lived on the local shores. Their way of life was described by the traveler Carvajal, so brightly that there was no doubt about the authenticity of the stories. Europeans began to explore the world's largest rivers in the era of the Great Geographical Discoveries. In 1539, on the banks of the Amazon arrived Pissarro, trying to find gold. Hopes were not justified, but the Spaniards managed to study the basin of an unfamiliar river with a strong current. Amazon is the most full-flowing river in the world. Its pool is almost seven thousand square kilometers. Near the river about five hundred tributaries forming a dense network, the most important are Purus, Jurua, Madeira. The banks of the river are covered with impenetrable forests, and in the waters there live piranhas known all over the world .

Mississippi

For the inhabitants of North America this is the greatest river in the world. The Mississippi has many large tributaries - Missouri, Illinois, Red River, Arkansas, Ohio. Many waterways flow into the river. In the Indian name of this hydronyma means "the father of waters." The source is in Itasca Lake, located in the state of Minnesota. Like many other major rivers in the world, the Mississippi flows into the ocean - across the Gulf of Mexico. The coasts are almost completely protected by ramparts, in places they are fortified by dams. The mouth looks like a huge delta with six sleeves. The length of the river is almost four thousand kilometers. The Mississippi feed spring floods and floods, caused by heavy rain. Previously, along the banks grew a dense forest, but now there are many coastal cities.

Changjiang

Listing the largest rivers of the world, it is worth mentioning the one that flows through the territory of Asia. The Yangtze is the longest on the continent and the fourth on the planet. The length of the river is 5800 kilometers. The Yangtze River flows through China and flows into the South China Sea, which belongs to the Pacific Ocean basin. The first Europeans who found themselves on the banks called the Blue River, but in fact the water in it is yellowish, with a lot of sand. The source is located in Tibet. Almost half the length of the river is navigable. At moments of flooding, the water level rises by a dozen meters, at which time the opportunities for swimming along the Yangtze River are increasing. In the winter, it mills, and shipping stops. Several reservoirs and dams have been built along the riverbed to avoid flooding. The Yangtze Basin is extremely favorable for agriculture. The beaches are fertile soils, so the locals are engaged in the cultivation of rice. Like other great rivers of the world, falling into the sea, the Yangtze forms a vast delta of several tens of thousands of kilometers.

Ob

Enumerating the greatest rivers of the world, it is necessary to mention the Russian one. The Ob flows in the west of Siberia and flows into the Ob Bay, which belongs to the Arctic Ocean. At the confluence of Biya and Katun is the source, and the mouth creates a delta measuring several thousand square kilometers. Like other great rivers of the world, the Ob is very long - its length is almost four thousand kilometers. The tributaries include Vasyugan, Irtysh, Big Yugan and Northern Sosva, as well as Chumysh, Chulym, Ket, Tom and Vakh. On the shores is the largest city in the region, Novosibirsk. In addition, the pool is known for several oil fields. The Irtysh water is used to generate electricity, in addition, several large reservoirs have been built near it.

Yellow River

The great rivers of the world flowing through the territory of China are not limited to the Yangtze. There is also the Yellow River, which flows into the Yellow Sea and is part of the Pacific Ocean basin. The waters of the river are characterized by a yellowish tint caused by a large amount of silt. The length is almost five thousand kilometers, due to which the river is located in the sixth place in the world. However, the Yellow River basin is relatively small. Beginning its river takes in the Tibetan Highlands, then flows along the plain of Hetao, along the Loess Plateau and the Great Plain of China, and then flows into the Bay of Bohaiwan, where it forms a delta. Along the coast there are several large cities. However, living here is not too easy - the Yellow River regularly erodes dams, which leads to severe flooding.

Mekong

So it turns out that the most famous rivers of the world are most often located in Eurasia. So the Mekong - the most important water artery of Indochina - flows exactly there. This is the fourth longest river in Asia and the eighth is on the planet. The basin passes through the lands of China, Laos, Burma, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. The length is about four and a half thousand kilometers. The Mekong begins in the Tibetan Plateau, from where it travels to the Szechwan Alps, then to the east of the peninsula, it appears on the Kampuchea plain and splits into several branches in the delta. The tributaries are Tonle Sap, Moon, Bassac and Banghang. Up to Phnom Penh, the water area is called the Upper Mekong, and further - the Lower Mekong. The pool is ideal for navigation throughout the year. Uninterrupted traffic is possible for seven hundred kilometers. The river supplies monsoon rains that fall from June to October.

Amur

Complete the list, which includes the world's most famous rivers, is worth it. Cupid serves as a border between China and Russia. From its source, its length is almost four and a half thousand kilometers. It flows into the Tatar Strait, located between the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk. The area of the river occupies 1,856 square kilometers. The largest tributaries are Tunguska, Zeya, Bureya, Amgun and Goryun, as well as Ussuri and Sungari. Cupid is used as a transport highway, as well as for fisheries. In the waters you can get twenty-five valuable species of fish: pink salmon, carp, ketu, sturgeon and others. The name of the river means "black water" in Mongolian. In the Far East, the Amur is considered the main waterway. Half of its basin falls on the territory of China. From July to September, the river is flooded, sometimes they can be catastrophic. Some areas freeze in winter already from early November and are covered with ice until the very beginning of May.