This article lists rivers by their average discharge measured in descending order of their water flow rate. Here, only those rivers whose discharge is more than 2,000 m3/s (71,000 cu ft/s) are shown. It can be thought of as a list of the biggest rivers on earth, measured by a specific metric.
For context, the volume of an Olympic-size swimming pool is 2,500 m3. The average flow rate at the mouth of the Amazon is sufficient to fill more than 83 such pools each second. The combined flow of all the rivers in this list adds up to 1,192,134 m3/s.
No | Continent | River | Average discharge (m3/s) |
Length | Drainage area (km2) |
Outflow | Type | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(km) | (miles) | |||||||
1 | South America | Amazon | 224,000 | 6,992 | 4,344 | 6,915,000 | Atlantic Ocean | Primary river[1] |
2 | Asia | Ganges (Padma) | 43,900 | 3,200 | 1,988 | 1,999,000 | Bay of Bengal | Primary river |
3 | Africa | Congo (Zaire) | 41,200 | 4,370 | 2,716 | 3,822,000 | Atlantic Ocean | Primary river[1] |
4 | South America | Orinoco | 37,740 | 2,250 | 1,398 | 989,000 | Atlantic Ocean | Primary river[2] |
5 | South America | Guainía/Negro | 35,943 | 2,230 | 1,390 | 691,000 | Amazon River | Tributary river[3][failed verification] |
6 | Asia | Yangtze | 35,000 | 6,300 | 3,915 | 1,840,000 | East China Sea, Pacific Ocean | Primary river[1] |
7 | South America | Madeira | 31,200 | 1,450 | 900 | 1,376,000 | Amazon River | Tributary river[4][self-published source?][5][needs update] |
8 | South America | Río de la Plata | 27,225 | 290 | 180 | 3,182,064 | Atlantic Ocean | Primary river[6] |
9 | Asia | Brahmaputra | 19,825 | 3,969 | 2,466 | 651,335 | Ganges | Tributary river[7] |
10 | Asia | Yenisei | 19,800 | 3,438 | 2,136 | 2,580,000 | Kara Sea, Arctic Ocean | Primary river[1] |
11 | South America | Paraná | 19,706 | 4,880 | 3,050 | 2,582,672 | Río de la Plata | Tributary river[6] |
12 | Asia | Ganges at Farakka | 18,691 | 2,800 | 1,739 | 1,300,000 | Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean | Primary river[7] |
13 | North America | Mississippi | 18,434 | 3,766 | 2,340 | 3,248,000 | Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean | Primary river[8][9] |
14 | South America | Japurá (Caquetá) | 18,122 | 2,036 | 1,265 | 267,730 | Amazon River | Tributary river[10] |
15 | Asia | Lena | 17,067 | 4,294 | 2,668 | 2,490,000 | Laptev Sea, Arctic Ocean | Primary river[1][11] |
16 | North America | Saint Lawrence | 16,800 | 500 | 310 | 1,344,200 | Gulf of Saint Lawrence, Atlantic Ocean | Primary river[12] |
17 | South America | Marañón | 16,708 | 1,737 | 1,079 | 358,000 | Amazon River | Tributary river[citation needed] |
18 | Asia | Mekong | 16,000 | 4,023 | 2,500 | 811,000 | South China Sea, Pacific Ocean | Primary river[1] |
19 | Asia | Irrawaddy (Ayeyarwady) | 15,112 | 2,210 | 1,370 | 413,710 | Andaman Sea, Indian Ocean | Primary river[7] |
20 | South America | Tapajós | 13,540 | 840 | 520 | 492,481 | Amazon River | Tributary river[13][self-published source?] |
21 | South America | Ucayali | 13,385 | 2,670 | 1,659 | 351,549 | Amazon River | Tributary river[14] |
22 | Asia | Ob | 13,100 | 4,345 | 2,299 | 2,990,000 | Gulf of Ob, Arctic Ocean | Primary river[1] |
23 | South America | Tocantins | 11,796 | 2,699 | 1,677 | 764,183 | Atlantic Ocean, Pará | Primary river[note 1][15] |
24 | Asia | Amur | 11,330 | 4,444 | 1,755 | 1,855,000 | Sea of Okhotsk, Pacific Ocean | Primary river[16][17] |
25 | Africa | Kasai (Kwa) | 11,318 | 2,272 | 1,405 | 881,890 | Congo River | Tributary river[18] |
26 | South America | Purus | 10,970 | 3,211 | 1,995 | 371,042 | Amazon River | Tributary river[13] |
27 | North America | Mackenzie | 10,338 | 1,738 | 1,080 | 1,787,000 | Beaufort Sea, Arctic Ocean | Primary river[1] |
28 | South America | Xingu | 9,680 | 2,240 | 1,392 | 531,250 | Amazon River | Tributary river[13] |
29 | Asia | Pearl (Xi) | 9,500 | 2,400 | 1,491 | 437,000 | South China Sea | Primary river[19] |
30 | South America | Madre de Dios | 9,350 | 1,347 | 837 | 282,000 | Madeira River | Tributary river[citation needed] |
31 | South America | Putumayo (Içá) | 8,520 | 1,813 | 1,121 | 148,000 | Amazon River | Tributary river[citation needed] |
32 | Europe | Volga | 8,220 | 3,531 | 2,194 | 1,380,000 | Caspian Sea | Primary river[citation needed] |
33 | South America | Mamoré | 8,150 | 1,930 | 1,199 | 611,800 | Madeira River | Tributary river[citation needed] |
34 | North America | Ohio | 7,957 | 1,579 | 981 | 490,601 | Mississippi River[note 2] | Tributary river[20] |
35 | Asia | Yarlung Tsangpo | 7,529 | 2,800 | 1,739 | 340,000 | Ganges | Tributary river |
35 | South America | Guaviare | 7,529 | 1,497 | 930 | 140,000 | Orinoco River | Tributary river[2] |
36 | North America | Columbia | 7,504 | 2,044 | 1,243 | 668,217 | Pacific Ocean | Primary river[21] |
37 | Oceania | Fly | 7,500 | 1,060 | 649 | 76,000 | Gulf of Papua, Coral Sea, Pacific Ocean | Primary river[22] |
38 | South America | Magdalena | 7,200 | 1,540 | 963 | 257,438 | Atlantic Ocean | Primary river[citation needed] |
39 | South America | Uruguay | 7,058 | 1,838 | 1,140 | 353,451 | Río de la Plata | Tributary river[6] |
40 | Oceania | Sepik | 7,000 | 1,146 | 700 | 80,321 | Bismarck Sea, Pacific Ocean | Primary river[23] |
41 | North America | Yukon | 6,800 | 3,187 | 1,980 | 850,000 | Bering Sea, Pacific Ocean | Primary river[1] |
42 | South America | Napo | 6,660 | 1,075 | 665 | 100,518 | Amazon River | Tributary river[24] |
43 | Asia | Salween | 6,600 | 2,815 | 1,749 | 320,000 | Andaman Sea, Indian Ocean | Primary river[citation needed] |
44 | Europe | Danube | 6,546 | 2,860 | 1,777 | 801,463 | Black Sea, Atlantic Ocean | Primary river[25] |
45 | Asia | Kapuas | 6,500 | 1,143 | 710 | 98,749 | South China Sea, Pacific Ocean | Primary river[citation needed] |
46 | South America | Araguaia | 6,420 | 2,627 | 1,632 | 377,000 | Tocantins River | Tributary river[26][10] |
47 | South America | Juruá | 6,004 | 3,283 | 1,498 | 186,000 | Amazon River | Tributary river[13] |
48 | Africa | Ubangi (Oubangui) | 5,936 | 2,272 | 1,405 | 651,915 | Congo River | Tributary river[27] |
49 | South America | Meta | 5,694 | 1,200 | 742 | 103,000 | Orinoco River | Tributary river[2] |
50 | South America | Essequibo | 5,650 | 1,014 | 627 | 150,769 | Atlantic Ocean | Primary river[28] |
51 | Africa | Niger | 5,589 | 4,167 | 2,589 | 2,090,000 | Atlantic Ocean | Primary river[17] |
52 | Asia | Indus | 5,533 | 3,180 | 2,000 | 1,081,718 | Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean | Primary river[29][7] |
53 | Oceania | Mamberamo | 5,500 | 1,175 | 727 | 78,992 | Pacific Ocean | Primary river[30] |
54 | Asia | Barito | 5,497 | 1,090 | 550 | 81,675 | Java Sea, Pacific Ocean | Primary river[31] |
55 | Asia | Aldan | 5,489 | 2,273 | 1,412 | 729,000 | Lena River | Tributary river[10] |
56 | South America | Branco | 5,400 | 775 | 479 | 195,000 | Rio Negro | Tributary river[citation needed] |
57 | North America | Detroit | 5,300 | 44 | 28 | 1,800 | Lake Erie | Primary river[note 3][citation needed] |
58 | Asia | Mahakam | 5,000 | 980 | 609 | 77,095 | Makassar Strait, Pacific Ocean | Primary river[32] |
59 | South America | Caroní | 4,981 | 952 | 595 | 95,000 | Orinoco | Tributary river[2] |
60 | Africa | Ogooué (Ogowe) | 4,935 | 1,200 | 747 | 223,856 | Atlantic Ocean | Primary river[33] |
61 | South America | Paraguay | 4,696 | 2,621 | 1,629 | 1,120,154 | Parana River | Tributary river[6] |
62 | Asia | Chindwin | 4,636 | 1,207 | 750 | 114,000 | Irrawaddy (Ayeyarwady) River | Tributary river[citation needed] |
63 | South America | Javari | 4,545 | 1,184 | 732 | 98,366 | Amazon River | Tributary river[citation needed] |
64 | Europe | Pechora | 4,533 | 1,809 | 1,124 | 289,532 | Barents Sea, Arctic Ocean | Primary river[citation needed] |
65 | Asia | Angara | 4,530 | 1,779 | 1,100 | 1,079,000 | Yenisei River | Tributary river[citation needed] |
66 | Africa | Ruki | 4,450 | 1,300 | 804 | 173,790 | Congo River | Tributary river[34] |
67 | South America | Juruena | 4,350 | 1,240 | 770 | Tapajós | Tributary river[citation needed] | |
68 | Asia | Red (Hong) | 4,300 | 1,149 | 714 | 143,600 | Gulf of Tonkin, South China Sea, Pacific Ocean | Primary river[35] |
69 | Africa | Zambezi | 4,134 | 2,400 | 1,599 | 1,331,000 | Indian Ocean | Primary river[36] |
70 | Asia | Kolyma | 4,130 | 2,129 | 1,317 | 644,000 | East Siberian Sea, Arctic Ocean | Primary river[citation needed] |
71 | Europe | Kama | 4,100 | 1,805 | 1,122 | 507,000 | Volga River | Tributary river[citation needed] |
72 | South America | Apaporis | 4,092 | 1,370 | 847 | 54,300 | Japurá River | Tributary river[citation needed] |
73 | South America | Aripuanã | 4,087 | 870 | 540 | 145,000 | Madeira River | Tributary river[citation needed] |
74 | South America | Vaupés/Uaupes | 4,040 | 1,050 | 649 | 67,800 | Rio Negro | Tributary river[citation needed] |
75 | South America | Teles Pires | 4,000 | 1,638 | 1,013 | 141,718 | Tapajós River | Tributary river[citation needed] |
76 | Oceania | Digul | 4,000 | 853 | 45,600 | Arafura Sea | Primary river[citation needed] | |
77 | South America | Huallaga | 3,796 | 1,138 | 704 | 95,000 | Marañón River | Tributary river[citation needed] |
78 | Asia | Nizhnyaya Tunguska | 3,697 | 2,989 | 1,848 | 473,000 | Yenisei River | Tributary river[citation needed] |
79 | North America | Grijalva/Usumacinta | 3,661 | 1,000 | 620 | 134,400 | Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean | Primary river[37] |
80 | Asia | Rajang | 3,600 | 563 | 350 | 50,707 | South China Sea, Pacific Ocean | Primary river[38] |
81 | Asia | Meghna | 3,600 | 1,150 | 715 | 82,000 | Ganges | Tributary river |
82 | South America | Caura | 3,545 | 723 | 449 | 52,000 | Orinoco River | Tributary river[2] |
83 | Asia | Godavari | 3,505 | 1,465 | 910 | 312,812 | Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean | Primary river[citation needed] |
84 | Africa | Benue | 3,477 | 1,370 | 847 | 319,000 | Niger River | Tributary river[39] |
85 | North America | Fraser | 3,475 | 1,375 | 854 | 220,000 | Pacific Ocean | Primary river[citation needed] |
86 | Asia | Kaladan | 3,468 | 450 | 278 | 40,000 | Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean | Primary river[citation needed] |
87 | South America | Jutai | 3,462 | 1,200 | 742 | 74,000 | Amazon River | Tributary river[citation needed] |
88 | Europe | Northern Dvina | 3,332 | 744 | 462 | 357,052 | White Sea, Barents Sea, Arctic Ocean | Primary river[17][self-published source?] |
89 | Asia | Khatanga | 3,320 | 1,636 | 1,012 | 364,000 | Khatanga Gulf, Laptev Sea, Arctic Ocean | Primary river[citation needed] |
90 | Oceania | Purari | 3,300 | 630 | 390 | 33,670 | Gulf of Papua, Coral Sea, Pacific Ocean | Primary river[40] |
91 | Oceania | Kikori | 3,274 | 405 | 250 | 23,309 | Gulf of Papua, Coral Sea, Pacific Ocean | Primary river[citation needed] |
92 | South America | Inírida | 3,200 | 1,300 | 804 | 54,000 | Guaviare River | Tributary river[citation needed] |
93 | Oceania | Pulau | 3,133 | 569 | 353 | 37,164 | Arafura Sea, Pacific Ocean | Primary river[40] |
94 | Asia | Musi | 3,054 | 759 | 471 | 59,942 | South China Sea, Pacific Ocean | Primary river[41] |
95 | Asia | Ghaghara | 2,993 | 1,080 | 671 | 127,950 | Ganga River | Tributary river[42] |
96 | Asia | Irtysh | 2,980 | 4,248 | 2,627 | 1,673,470 | Ob River | Tributary river |
97 | Asia | Yamuna | 2,949 | 1,376 | 855 | 366,223 | Ganga River | Tributary river[42] |
98 | South America | São Francisco | 2,943 | 2,830 | 1,758 | 641,000 | Atlantic Ocean | Primary river[citation needed] |
99 | Asia | Srepok | 2,940 | 450 | 279 | 79,015 | Mekong | Tributary river[37] |
100 | Europe | Rhine | 2,900 | 1,233 | 820 | 198,735 | North Sea, Atlantic Ocean | Primary river[43] |
101 | South America | Beni | 2,875 | 1,100 | 680 | 131,500 | Madre de Dios River | Tributary river[citation needed] |
102 | Asia | Gan | 2,861 | 599 | 372 | 103,107 | Yangtze River | Tributary river[citation needed] |
103 | South America | Trombetas | 2,855 | 1,060 | 656 | 135,239 | Amazon River | Tributary river[citation needed] |
104 | Asia | Min | 2,850 | 735 | 133,000 | Yangtze River | Tributary river[44] | |
105 | Africa | Nile | 2,810 | 6,853 | 4,258 | 3,349,000 | Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic Ocean | Primary river[1] |
106 | North America | Koksoak | 2,800 | 137 | 85 | 133,400 | Ungava Bay, Arctic Ocean | Primary river[citation needed] |
107 | South America | Pastaza | 2,770 | 740 | 458 | 41,000 | Marañón River | Tributary river[citation needed] |
108 | South America | Iriri | 2,745 | 1,300 | 810 | 130,000 | Xingu River | Tributary river |
109 | South America | Tigre | 2,720 | 940 | 581 | 54,200 | Marañón River | Tributary river |
110 | South America | Cuyuni | 2,719 | 618 | 384 | 85,635 | Essequibo | Tributary river[45] |
111 | Africa | Kwango | 2,700 | 1,100 | 680 | 263,500 | Kasai River | Tributary river |
112 | Asia | Batang Hari | 2,643 | 800 | 497 | 46,504 | South China Sea, Pacific Ocean | Primary river[41] |
113 | Asia | Yellow | 2,571 | 5,464 | 3,395 | 752,000 | East China Sea, Pacific Ocean | Primary rivér |
114 | South America | Atrato | 2,569 | 750 | 466 | 36,231 | Atlantic Ocean | Primary river[46] |
115 | Asia | Pyasina | 2,550 | 818 | 508 | 182,000 | Kara Sea, Arctic Ocean | Primary river |
116 | Asia | Amu Darya | 2,525 | 2,400 | 1,491 | 534,739 | Aral Sea | Primary river |
117 | Africa | Sankuru | 2,500 | 1,200 | 756 | 156,000 | Kasai River | Tributary river |
118 | South America | Tietê | 2,500 | 1,150 | 715 | 150,000 | Paraná River | Tributary river |
119 | Asia | Koshi | 2,500 | 729 | 453 | 69,300 | Ganga River | Tributary river[42] |
120 | Africa | Sangha | 2,471 | 790 | 489 | 213,400 | Congo River | Tributary river |
121 | Africa | Cross | 2,465 | 489 | 304 | 53,590 | Gulf of Guinea, Atlantic Ocean | Primary river[37] |
122 | Asia | Songhua | 2,463 | 1,434 | 887 | 557,180 | Amur River | Tributary river |
123 | Asia | Kayan | 2,454 | 576 | 358 | 33,005 | Celebes Sea, Pacific Ocean | Primary river[47] |
124 | Europe | Neva | 2,445 | 74 | 46 | 281,000 | Baltic Sea, Atlantic Ocean | Primary river[48] |
125 | North America | Missouri | 2,445 | 3,767 | 2,341 | 1,371,010 | Mississippi River | Tributary river[17] |
126 | North America | Liard | 2,434 | 1,115 | 693 | 277,100 | Mackenzie River | Tributary river |
127 | South America | Guapore | 2,430 | 1,260 | 783 | 341,000 | Mamoré River | Tributary river |
128 | South America | Rio Grande | 2,400 | 1,360 | 841 | 143,000 | Paraná River | Tributary river |
129 | North America | Nelson | 2,370 | 2,575 | 1600 | 982,900 | Hudson Bay, Arctic Ocean | Primary river[citation needed] |
130 | South America | Cauca | 2,364 | 1,180 | 730 | 59,840 | Magdalena River | Tributary river |
131 | South America | Yarí | 2,360 | 620 | 383 | 31,650 | Japurá River | Tributary river |
132 | South America | Urubamba | 2,330 | 724 | 448 | 60,300 | Ucayali River | Tributary river |
133 | South America | Apure | 2,300 | 1,038 | 645 | 121,400 | Orinoco River | Tributary river[2] |
134 | Asia | Krishna River | 2,213 | 1,400 | 870 | 258,948 | Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean | Primary river |
135 | Africa | Aruwimi | 2,200 | 1,287 | 799 | 116,100 | Congo River | Tributary river[49] |
136 | Asia | Xiang | 2,157 | 948 | 589 | 94,721 | Yangtze River | Tributary river |
137 | South America | Curaray | 2,155 | 800 | 500 | 26,775 | Napo | Tributary river[50] |
138 | North America | St. Marys | 2,135 | 120 | 75 | 127,700 | Lake Huron | Tributary river |
139 | Asia | Jialing | 2,120 | 1,345 | 836 | 160,000 | Yangtze River | Tributary river[44] |
140 | Asia | Mahanadi | 2,119 | 900 | 560 | 141,600 | Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean | Primary river |
141 | North America | Peace | 2,110 | 1,923 | 1,195 | 306,000 | Slave River | Tributary river |
142 | Asia | Olyokma | 2,110 | 1,436 | 892 | 210,000 | Lena River | Tributary river |
143 | South America | Ji-Paraná | 2,100 | 820 | 510 | 76,127 | Madeira | Tributary river[51] |
144 | Africa | Sanaga | 2,072 | 1,067 | 663 | 132,990 | Gulf of Guinea, Atlantic Ocean | Primary river[49] |
145 | South America | San Juan | 2,055 | 380 | 240 | 15,000 | Pacific Ocean | Primary river |
146 | Asia | Hongshui | 2,049 | 669.6 | 416.1 | 141,674 | Xi River | Tributary river |
147 | Asia | Gandaki | 2,025 | 814 | 506 | 46,300 | Ganga River | Tributary river |
148 | Asia | Anadyr | 2,020 | 1,150 | 710 | 191,000 | Gulf of Anadyr, Bering Sea | Primary river[52] |
149 | South America | Ventuari | 2,000 | 520 | 322 | 40,000 | Orinoco River | Tributary river |
150 | South America | Vichada | 2,000 | 580 | 359 | 25,000 | Orinoco River | Tributary river |