Overview
A drainage area is any area of land where precipitation collects and drains off into a common outlet, such as into a river, bay, or other body of water.
Which river has the largest drainage basin in the world?. The river with the largest drainage basin in the world is Amazon–Ucayali–Tambo–Ene–Apurímac of South America which receives inflows from a basin area of 7,050,000 square kilometers in Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guyana and flows out primarily to the Atlantic Ocean. At second and third, are Congo–Chambeshi (Zaïre) with a drainage basin of 3,680,000 km2 and outflows to Atlantic Ocean, and Nile–White Nile–Kagera–Nyabarongo–Mwogo–Rukarara that receives inflows from a basin area of 3,254,555 km2.
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Here are the world's largest rivers by drainage areas.
Amazon–Ucayali–Tambo–Ene–Apurímac.
Amazon–Ucayali–Tambo–Ene–Apurímac is the largest river by drainage area in the world at 7,050,000 km2.
The river system, from Amazon River to Ucayali to Tambo to Ene and Apurímac river, is the longest river system in South America at 6,992km (4,344 miles), with its drainage area spreading across the width of the South American continent at an area of 7 million square kilometers (largest drainage basin in the world!). The Amazon river system is also the second longest in the world, with the Nile River system pipping slightly ahead at 7,088km.In terms of discharge volume, the Amazon river system is the largest in the world, discharging at 209,000 cubic meters per second onto the Atlantic Ocean.
Congo–Chambeshi (Zaïre) is the 2nd largest river by drainage area in the world at 3,680,000 km2.
Congo–Chambeshi (Zaïre) is a river that is 4,700 kilometers (or 2,920 miles) long and drains from a 3,680,000 km2 drainage basin in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Angola, Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Cameroon, Zambia, Burundi and Rwanda.
Its average discharge rate is 41,800 m3/3 and the river flows out into Atlantic Ocean.
Nile–White Nile–Kagera–Nyabarongo–Mwogo–Rukarara.
Nile–White Nile–Kagera–Nyabarongo–Mwogo–Rukarara is the longest river in the world at 7,088 kilometers (4,404 miles).
Nile–White Nile–Kagera–Nyabarongo–Mwogo–Rukarara is a river that is 7,088 kilometers (or 4,404 miles) long and drains from a 3,254,555 km2 drainage basin in Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Egypt, Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan.
Nile–White Nile–Kagera–Nyabarongo–Mwogo–Rukarara discharges at 2,800 m3/3 and flows out into Mediterranean Sea.
Compare Nile–White Nile–Kagera–Nyabarongo–Mwogo–Rukarara with Shire from Africa.
Ob–Irtysh is the largest river by drainage area in Asia at 2,990,000 km2.
Ob–Irtysh is a river that stretches 5,410 kilometers (or 3,362 miles) in length, draining from a 2,990,000 km2 basin in Russia, Kazakhstan, China and Mongolia.
Ob–Irtysh discharges at 12,475 m3/3 and flows out into Gulf of Ob.
Mississippi–Missouri–Jefferson–Beaverhead–Red Rock–Hell Roaring.
Mississippi–Missouri–Jefferson–Beaverhead–Red Rock–Hell Roaring is the longest river in North America at 6,275 kilometers (3,899 miles).
At 6,275km (3,899 miles), the Mississippi–Missouri–Jefferson–Beaverhead–Red Rock–Hell Roaring river system is the longest in North America, helmed by the two longest rivers in the United States, the Missouri river (3,768 km) and the Mississippi River (3,544 km).The Missouri River is the longest river in North America. Originating from the Rocky Mountains of western Montana, the Missouri flows east and south for 2,341 miles (3,767 km) before merging into the Mississippi River. The Mississippi River has its sources at Lake Itasca and Brower's Spring in Montana, and stretches for another 3,544km southwards before flowing out eventually to the Gulf of Mexico.
The drainage area of the river spans 2,980,000 square kilometers and discharges at a rate of 16,792m3. The deepest part of the Mississippi River is in New Orleans, where its depth could reach 200 feet (61m).
Río De La Plata–Paraná–Rio Grande.
Río De La Plata–Paraná–Rio Grande is the 2nd longest river in South America at 4,880 kilometers (3,032 miles).
The Paraná river system is the second longest river system in South America at 4,880 kilometers (3032 miles), after the mighty Amazon river. Draining from an area of 2,582,672 square kilometers, the Paraná river flows south-westerly through Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina at a rate of 22,000m3/s, before discharging onto Río de la Plata.
More on the longest and largest river systems in the world:
World: Longest | Largest by Discharge Volume | Largest by Drainage Area
By Country: Australia | Brazil | Canada | China | France | Russia | UK | USA
Europe: Longest | Largest by Discharge Volume | Largest by Drainage Area
Asia: Longest | Largest by Discharge Volume | Largest by Drainage Area
Africa: Longest | Largest by Discharge Volume | Largest by Drainage Area
Oceania: Longest | Largest by Discharge Volume | Largest by Drainage Area
North America: Longest | Largest by Discharge Volume | Largest by Drainage Area
South America: Longest | Largest by Discharge Volume | Largest by Drainage Area
Outflows: Amazon River | Atlantic Ocean | Black Sea | Mississippi River | Pacific Ocean