List of rivers by discharge

This is a list of rivers by their average discharge, that is, their water flow rate. Here, only those rivers are shown whose discharge is more than 2,000 m3/s (71,000 cu ft/s). 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. Total annual runoff from all the rivers is nearly 31,400 billion m3; the average flow is nearly 995,000 m3/s

No Continent River Length (km) Length (miles) Drainage area (km2) Average discharge (m3/s) Outflow Reference
1 South America Amazon 6,400 3,976 7,050,000 209,000 Atlantic Ocean [1][2]
2 Africa Congo (Zaire) 4,370 2,716 4,014,500 41,200 Atlantic Ocean [1]
3 Asia Ganges/Brahmaputra/Meghna 2,704 1,680 1,731,334 38,129 Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean [3][4]
4 South America Orinoco 2,250 1,398 989,000 37,740 Atlantic Ocean [5][1][6]
5 South America Guainía/Negro 2,230 1,390 691,000 35,943 Amazon River [7]
6 South America Madeira 1,450 900 1,376,000 31,200 Amazon River [8][9]
7 Asia Yangtze 6,300 3,915 1,808,500 30,166 East China Sea, Pacific Ocean [1][2]
8 South America Río de la Plata 290 180 3,182,064 27,225 Atlantic Ocean [10][1]
9 Asia Brahmaputra 2,937 1,823 651,334 19,824 Ganges (Padma) [11]
10 South America Paraná 4,880 3,050 2,582,672 19,706 Río de la Plata, Atlantic Ocean [10]
11 South America Japurá (Caquetá) 2,036 1,265 267,730 18,620 Amazon River [12]
12 North America Mississippi 3,766 2,340 3,248,000 18,434 Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean [13] [14]
13 Asia Yenisei 3,438 2,136 2,580,000 18,050 Kara Sea, Arctic Ocean [15]
14 Asia Lena 4,294 2,668 2,490,000 17,067 Laptev Sea, Arctic Ocean [16][17]
15 North America Saint Lawrence 3,058 1,900 1,344,200 16,800 Gulf of Saint Lawrence, Atlantic Ocean [18]
16 South America Marañón 1,737 1,079 358,000 16,708 Amazon River
17 Asia Ganga (Ganges) 2,506 1,418 907,000 16,648 Padma River [19]
18 Asia Mekong 4,023 2,500 811,000 16,000 South China Sea, Pacific Ocean [1][2]
19 Asia Irrawaddy (Ayeyarwady) 2,210 1,370 411,000 15,112 Andaman Sea, Indian Ocean
20 South America Tocantins 2,699 1,677 920,000 13,600 Atlantic Ocean [20]
21 South America Tapajos 840 520 492,481 13,540 Amazon River [21]
22 South America Ucayali 2,670 1,659 351,549 13,385 Amazon River [22]
23 Asia Ob 3,697 2,299 2,990,000 12,692 Gulf of Ob, Arctic Ocean [1][2]
24 Asia Amur 4,352 2,714 1,855,000 11,330 Sea of Okhotsk, Pacific Ocean [23][1]
25 Africa Kasai (Kwa) 2,272 1,405 881,890 11,318 Congo River [24]
26 South America Purus 3,211 1,995 371,042 10,970 Amazon River [21]
27 North America Mackenzie 1,738 1,080 1,790,000 9,910 Beaufort Sea, Arctic Ocean [1]
28 South America Xingu 2,240 1,392 531,250 9,680 Amazon River [21]
29 Asia Pearl (Xi) 2,400 1,491 453,700 9,500 South China Sea [25]
30 South America Madre de Dios 1,347 837 281,000 9,350 Madeira River
31 South America Putumayo (Içá) 1,813 1,121 148,000 8,760 Amazon River
32 South America Juruá 2,410 1,498 225,828 8,420 Amazon River [21]
33 South America Guaviare 1,497 930 140,000 8,200 Orinoco River
34 South America Mamoré 1,930 1,199 611,800 8,150 Madeira River
35 Europe Volga 3,531 2,194 1,380,000 8,060 Caspian Sea
36 North America Ohio 1,579 981 490,601 7,957 Mississippi River[note 1] [26]
37 North America Columbia 2,044 1,243 668,217 7,504 Pacific Ocean [27]
38 Oceania Fly 1,060 649 76,000 7,500 Gulf of Papua, Coral Sea, Pacific Ocean [28]
39 Asia Xi 2,197 1,359 409,480 7,410 Pearl River
40 South America Magdalena 1,540 963 257,438 7,200 Atlantic Ocean
41 South America Uruguay 1,838 1,140 353,451 7,058 Río de la Plata, Atlantic Ocean [10]
42 Oceania Sepik 1,146 700 80,321 7,000 Bismarck Sea, Pacific Ocean [29]
43 South America Napo 1,075 665 100,518 6,660 Amazon River [30]
44 Europe Danube 2,860 1,777 801,463 6,546 Black Sea, Atlantic Ocean [31]
45 Asia Kapuas 1,143 710 98,749 6,500 South China Sea, Pacific Ocean
46 North America Yukon 3,187 1,980 854,696 6,428 Bering Sea, Pacific Ocean
47 South America Araguaia 2,627 1,632 377,000 6,420 Tocantins River [32][12]
48 Africa Ubangi (Oubangui) 2,272 1,405 651,915 5,936 Congo River [33]
49 North America Niagara 58 36 684,000 5,796 Lake Ontario
50 South America Meta 1,200 742 93,800 5,694 Orinoco River [34]
51 South America Essequibo 1,014 627 150,769 5,650 Atlantic Ocean [35]
52 Africa Niger 4,167 2,589 2,090,000 5,589 Atlantic Ocean [1]
53 Asia Indus 3,180 2,000 1,081,718 5,533 Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean [36]
54 Oceania Mamberamo 1,175 727 78,992 5,500 Pacific Ocean [37]
55 Asia Barito 1,090 550 81,675 5,497 Java Sea, Pacific Ocean [38]
56 Asia Aldan 2,273 1,412 729,000 5,489 Lena River [12]
57 South America Branco 775 479 195,000 5,400 Rio Negro
58 North America Detroit 51 32 1,813 5,324 Lake Erie
59 North America St. Clair 63 39 576,000 5,200 Lake St. Clair
60 Asia Mahakam 980 609 77,095 5,000 Makassar Strait, Pacific Ocean [39]
61 Asia Salween 2,815 1,749 320,000 4,978 Andaman Sea, Indian Ocean
62 Africa Ogooué (Ogowe) 1,200 747 223,856 4,935 Atlantic Ocean [40]
63 South America Caroní 952 595 95,000 4,850 Orinoco
64 South America Paraguay 2,621 1,629 1,120,154 4,696 Parana River [10]
65 Asia Chindwin 1,207 750 114,000 4,636 Irrawaddy (Ayeyarwady) River
66 Europe Pechora 1,809 1,124 289,532 4,533 Barents Sea, Arctic Ocean
67 Asia Angara 1,779 1,100 1,079,000 4,530 Yenisei River
68 Africa Ruki 1,300 804 173,790 4,450 Congo River [41]
69 South America Juruena 1,240 770 190,391 4,360 Tapajos River
70 Asia Red (Hong) 1,149 714 143,600 4,300 Gulf of Tonkin, South China Sea, Pacific Ocean [42]
71 Asia Kama 1,805 1,122 507,000 4,100 Volga River
72 South America Teles Pires 1,638 1,013 141,718 3,978 Tapajos River
73 South America Apaporis 1,370 847 54,300 3,900 Japurá River
74 Asia Kolyma 2,129 1,317 644,000 3,800 East Siberian Sea, Arctic Ocean
75 Asia Nizhnyaya Tunguska 2,989 1,848 473,000 3,680 Yenisei River
76 Asia Upper Meghna 1,040 643 82,000 3,600 Lower Meghna River
77 Asia Godavari 1,465 910 312,812 3,505 Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean
78 South America Huallaga 1,138 704 85,000 3,500 Marañón River
79 North America Fraser 1,375 854 220,000 3,475 Pacific Ocean
80 Asia Kaladan 450 278 3,468 Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean
81 North America Slave 434 270 616,400 3,414 Great Slave Lake
82 South America Aripuanã 870 540 145,000 3,400 Madeira River
83 Africa Zambezi 2,574 1,599 1,331,000 3,400 Indian Ocean [43]
84 Asia Northern Dvina 744 462 357,052 3,332 White Sea, Barents Sea, Arctic Ocean [1]
85 Asia Khatanga 1,636 1,012 364,000 3,320 Khatanga Gulf, Laptev Sea, Arctic Ocean
86 Oceania Kikori 405 250 23,309 3,274 Gulf of Papua, Coral Sea, Pacific Ocean
87 South America Parnaíba 1,070 662 220,000 3,200 Atlantic Ocean
88 South America Jutai 1,200 742 60,000 3,000 Amazon River
89 South America Caura 723 449 52,000 3,000 Orinoco River
90 Asia Ghaghara 1,080 671 127,950 2,990 Ganga River [44]
91 Asia Irtysh 4,248 2,627 1,673,470 2,980 Ob River
92 Asia Yamuna 1,376 855 366,223 2,950 Ganga River [44]
93 South America São Francisco 2,830 1,758 641,000 2,943 Atlantic Ocean
94 Europe Rhine 1,233 820 198,735 2,900 North Sea, Atlantic Ocean [45]
95 South America Beni 1,100 680 2,875 Madre de Dios River
96 South America Trombetas 1,060 656 135,239 2,855 Amazon River
97 Africa Nile 6,853 4,258 3,400,000 2,830 Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic Ocean [1]
98 Asia Gan 599 372 103,211 2,812 Yangtze River
99 South America Tambo 1,000 618 135,000 2,800 Ucayali River
100 North America Koksoak 137 85 133,400 2,800 Ungava Bay, Arctic Ocean
101 South America Pastaza 740 458 41,000 2,770 Marañón River
102 South America Iriri 1,300 810 130,000 2,745 Xingu River
103 South America Tigre 940 581 54,200 2,700 Marañón River
104 Africa Kwango 1,100 680 263,500 2,700 Kasai River
105 South America Vaupés/Uaupes 1,050 649 50,000 2,625 Rio Negro
106 Asia Yellow 5,464 3,395 752,000 2,571 East China Sea, Pacific Ocean
107 South America Atrato 750 466 36,231 2,569 Atlantic Ocean [46]
108 Asia Pyasina 818 508 182,000 2,550 Kara Sea, Arctic Ocean
109 Asia Amu Darya 2,400 1,491 534,739 2,525 Aral Sea
110 Africa Sankuru 1,200 756 156,000 2,500 Kasai River
111 South America Tietê 1,150 715 150,000 2,500 Paraná River
112 Asia Koshi 729 453 69,300 2,500 Ganga River [44]
113 Africa Sangha 790 489 213,400 2,471 Congo River
114 Asia Songhua 1,434 887 557,180 2,463 Amur River
115 South America Javari 1,184 732 90,000 2,463 Amazon River
116 Europe Neva 74 46 281,000 2,445 Baltic Sea, Atlantic Ocean [47]
117 North America Missouri 3,767 2,341 1,371,010 2,445 Mississippi River [1]
118 North America Liard 1,115 693 277,100 2,434 Mackenzie River
119 South America Guapore 1,260 783 341,000 2,430 Mamoré River
120 South America Rio Grande 1,360 841 143,000 2,400 Paraná River
121 Africa Benue 1,370 847 2,400 Niger River
122 North America Nelson 2,575 1600 982,900 2,370 Hudson Bay, Arctic Ocean
123 South America Cauca 1,180 730 59,840 2,364 Magdalena River
124 South America Yarí 620 383 31,650 2,360 Japurá River
125 South America Urubamba 724 448 60,300 2,330 Ucayali River
126 South America Apure 1,038 645 121,400 2,300 Orinoco River
127 Asia Krishna River 1,400 870 258,948 2,213 Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean
128 Asia Xiang 948 589 94,721 2,157 Yangtze River
129 North America St. Marys 120 75 127,700 2,135 Lake Huron
130 Asia Jialing 1,345 836 160,000 2,120 Yangtze River
131 Asia Mahanadi 858 533 141,600 2,119 Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean
132 North America Peace 1,923 1,195 306,000 2,110 Slave River
133 Asia Olyokma 1,436 892 210,000 2,110 Lena River
134 South America San Juan 380 240 15,000 2,055 Pacific Ocean
135 Asia Hongshui 669.6 416.1 141,674 2,049 Xi River
136 Asia Gandaki 814 506 46,300 2,025 Ganga River
137 South America Ventuari 520 322 40,000 2,000 Orinoco River
138 South America Inírida 1,300 804 2,000 Guaviare River
139 South America Vichada 580 359 25,000 2,000 Orinoco River
140 Africa Aruwimi 1,030 640 116,100 2,000 Congo River
Relative Size of the Largest Rivers on Earth

See also

Notes
  1. Because it has a larger discharge than the Mississippi River at their confluence, The Ohio River is technically the main stream of the Mississippi River System

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