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List of rivers of the Americas
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This is a list of rivers of the Americas, it includes major historical or physiological significant rivers of the Americas grouped by region where they are located (Central America, Northern America, West Indies and South Americas). The longest rivers in each country are included. Further details and references are provided in each river's separate article. Unusually significant tributaries appear in this list, under the river into which they drain.
The longest river in the Americas is the Amazon River. The length of the Amazon River is usually said to be "at least" 6400 km, but reported values lie anywhere between 6275 -. The length measurements of many rivers are only approximations and differ from each other because there are many factors that determine the calculated river length, such as the position of the geographical source and the mouth, the scale of measurement, and the length measuring techniques (for details see also List of rivers by length).
There are 11 countries in the Americas that do not have rivers: Anguilla, Aruba, Bermuda, Bonaire, Cayman Islands, Curaçao, Saba, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten.
North America
Central America
The water in rivers in Central America flows to either the Atlantic Ocean or Pacific Ocean. The Río Coco, locally known as the Wanks, runs along the border with Honduras and is the longest river flowing totally within Central America. The second longest river in Central America is the Patuca River.
Some of the significant rivers and their lengths in Central America include:
| River | Countries | Length | Significance | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aguán River | Honduras | 150 mi | The Aguán River's watershed is one of seven watersheds in Honduras, and covers over 1 e6ha, of which around 200,000 are in the Aguán River Valley. | ||||||
| Cahabón River | Guatemala | 122 mi | known for white water rapids | ||||||
| Choluteca River | Honduras | 217 mi | noted for severe flooding in 1998 | ||||||
| Chucunaque River | Panama | 144 mi | longest river in Panama | ||||||
| Coco River (Wanki River) | Honduras and Nicaragua | 470 mi | border river, longest river in Honduras and Nicaragua | ||||||
| Dulce River | Guatemala | 27 mi | largest bridge in Central America, location of Tarzan movie in 1939 | ||||||
| Lempa River | El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala | 262 mi | longest and only navigable river in El Salvador | ||||||
| Los Esclavos River | Guatemala | 90 mi | known for bridge built over the river in 1579 as Spanish Colony | ||||||
| Motagua River | Guatemala | 250 mi | longest river in Guatemala | ||||||
| New River | Belize | 82 mi | longest river within Belize | ||||||
| Patuca River | Honduras | 310 mi | url=http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/lessons-from-the-field-patuca-river-honduras/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100817223017/http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/lessons-from-the-field-patuca-river-honduras/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=August 17, 2010 | title=In Honduras, Scientists Try to Learn the Secrets of the Patuca River Before It's Dammed | website=National Geographic | access-date=June 21, 2021}} |
| Reventazón River | Costa Rica | 90 mi | used to generate significant portion of Costa Rica's electricity | ||||||
| San Juan River | Costa Rica, Nicaragua | 110 mi | author=Greenberg, Amy S. | title=Manifest manhood and the Antebellum American empire | publisher=Cambridge University Press | location=Cambridge, UK | year=2005 | isbn=0-521-84096-1}} | |
| Tempisque River | Costa Rica | 89 mi | longest river totally within Costa Rica, important animal habitat, flows entirely within Costa Rica | ||||||
| Ulúa River | Honduras | 150 mi | known for ornate calcite vessels that date from the Mayan times |
Northern America
Water from rivers in the Northern Americas flows toward either the Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, the land-locked Great Basin in the western United States or the interior basin in Mexico.
The Missouri River is the longest river in North America and the United States (2341 mi). The second longest river in North America and the United States is the Mississippi River (2320 mi). The Rio Conchos (350 mi) is the longest river in Mexico. The longest river in Canada is the Mackenzie River (1080 mi).
Some of the longest or otherwise notable rivers include the rivers listed in the table below.
| River | Countries | Length | Tributary of | Significance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama River | US: Alabama | 318 mi | Gulf of Mexico | The Edmund Pettus Bridge crosses the Alabama River near Selma. The bridge was the site of the famous marches for voting rights in 1965 | |
| Alsek River | Canada: Yukon US: Alaska | 240 mi | Gulf of Alaska, Pacific Ocean | wilderness river | |
| Altamaha River | US: Georgia | 137 mi | Atlantic Ocean | bioreserve | |
| Apalachicola River | US: Florida | 160 mi | Gulf of Mexico | scenic river, former border between East and West Florida | |
| Chattahoochee River | US: Georgia, Alabama, Florida | 430 mi | Apalachicola River | state borders | |
| Flint River | US: Georgia, Alabama, Florida | 344 mi | Apalachicola River | mentioned in Gone with the Wind | |
| Colorado River | US: Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, California Mexico:Baja California, Sonora | 1450 mi | Gulf of California, Pacific Ocean | Known for its dramatic canyons, whitewater rapids, and eleven U.S. National Parks; vital source of water in Southwest US | |
| Columbia River | Canada: British Columbia US: Washington, Oregon | 1243 mi | Pacific Ocean | largest river in Pacific Northwest, largest river emptying into the Pacific Ocean in North America | |
| James River | US: Virginia | 348 mi | Hampton Roads, Chesapeake Bay, Atlantic Ocean | the first permanent English settlement in America and all past and current Virginia capitols, Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Richmond are located along its shores | |
| Snake River | US: Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, Washington | 1078 mi | Columbia River | largest tributary of Columbia River, shores populated by Native Americans, discovered by Lewis and Clark | |
| Okanogan River | Canada: British Columbia US: Washington | 115 mi | Columbia River | early 1800s fur trading river | |
| Kettle River | Canada: British Columbia, US: Washington | 175 mi | Columbia River | association with Columbia River | |
| Pend Oreille River | US: Washington, Idaho, Canada: British Columbia | 130 mi | Columbia River | native people (Pend d'Oreilles and Kalispe) lived along the river | |
| Kootenay River | Canada: British Columbia US: Montana | 480 mi | Columbia River | major tributary of Columbia River, early home to Native Americans | |
| Willamette River | US: Oregon | 187 mi | Columbia River | well known vineyards around river | |
| Delaware River | US: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland | 301 mi | Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean | shores home to Native Americans, associated with several American Revolution battles and Washington Crossing the Delaware | |
| Brandywine River | US: Pennsylvania, Delaware | 20 mi | Christina River, Delaware River | designated Pennsylvania Scenic Rivers, associated with the Battle of Brandywine | |
| Schuylkill River | US: Pennsylvania | 135 mi | Delaware River | Philadelphia | |
| Fraser River | Canada: British Columbia | 854 mi | Strait of Georgia Pacific Ocean | longest river in British Columbia, visited by Spanish explorers in 1792 | |
| Thompson River | Canada: British Columbia | 304 mi | Fraser River | evidence of prehistoric settlements along river | |
| Chilcotin River | Canada: British Columbia | 150 mi | Fraser River | important to indigenous people | |
| Nechako River | Canada: British Columbia | 321 mi | Fraser River | first explored by Europeans in 1806 | |
| Hudson River | US: New York, New Jersey | 315 mi | New York Harbor Atlantic Ocean | explored by Henry Hudson in 1609 | |
| Mohawk River | US: New York | 149 mi | Hudson River | important to transportation and migration | |
| Mackenzie River | Canada: Northwest Territories, Yukon | 1080 mi | Beaufort Sea Arctic Ocean | longest river in Canada | |
| Liard River | Canada: British Columbia, Northwest Territories | 693 mi | Mackenzie River | marks the north end of the Rocky Mountains | |
| Slave River | Canada: Alberta, Northwest Territories | 270 mi | Mackenzie River | named for the Slavey people | |
| Peace River | Canada: British Columbia, Alberta | 1195 mi | Slave River | part of Finlay–Peace–Slave–Mackenzie river system—13th longest in the world, traditional Danezaa people lived along its shores | |
| Athabasca River | Canada: Alberta | 765 mi | Slave River | Canadian Heritage Rivers System | |
| Majorqaq | Greenland: Qeqqata | 44 mi | Atlantic Ocean | Greenland is considered part of North America physiography. This river is the outflow of a glacier. | |
| Mississippi River | US: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana | 2320 mi | Gulf of Mexico | 2nd longest river in Northern Americas | |
| Arkansas River | US: Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas | 1469 mi | Mississippi River | 6th longest river in US | |
| Canadian River | US: Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas | 906 mi | Arkansas River | explored by Spanish in 1601 | |
| Cimarron River | US: Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma | 698 mi | Arkansas River | explored by Francisco Vásquez de Coronado in 1541, no major cities along route | |
| Des Moines River | US: Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri | 525 mi | Mississippi River | explored by early French explorers | |
| Illinois River | US: Illinois | 273 mi | Mississippi River | important transportation route | |
| Minnesota River | US: Minnesota | 370 mi | Mississippi River | longest river within Minnesota | |
| Missouri River | US: Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri | 2341 mi | Mississippi River | longest river in Northern Americas | |
| Yellowstone River | US: Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota | 692 mi | Missouri River | important transportation route for Native Americans, associated with Yellowstone Park | |
| Platte River | US: Nebraska | 310 mi | Missouri River | home to Native Americans, first explored by the Spanish in the 1540s | |
| Milk River | Canada: Alberta, US: Montana | 792 mi | Missouri River | subject of 1908 Supreme Court case for Native American rights | |
| Ohio River | US: Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois | 981 mi | Mississippi River | Native American significance | |
| Allegheny River | US: Pennsylvania, New York | 325 mi | Ohio River | Native American and early colonial history | |
| Cumberland River | US: Kentucky, Tennessee | 688 mi | Allegheny River | Native American and riverboat significance | |
| Kanawha River | US: West Virginia | 97 mi | Allegheny River | largest inland waterway in West Virginia | |
| Scioto River | US: Ohio | 231 mi | Allegheny River | longest river within Ohio | |
| Tennessee River | US:Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky | 652 mi | Ohio River | Cherokee lived along river, largest Ohio River tributary | |
| Red River of the South | US: Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana | 1360 mi | Gulf of Mexico | second largest river basin in the Great Plains, former border with Mexico | |
| Rock River | US: Wisconsin, Illinois | 299 mi | Mississippi River | notable Rock River Water Trail | |
| Wisconsin River | US: Wisconsin | 420 mi | Mississippi River | longest river within Wisconsin | |
| Nass River | Canada: British Columbia | 270 mi | Portland Inlet, Pacific Ocean | volcanic activity near river, salmon fishery | |
| Potomac River | US: West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, District of Columbia | 405 mi | Chesapeake Bay, Atlantic Ocean | 4th largest drainage basin on the East Coast of the US, largest river in DC, military historical events in US history | |
| Shenandoah River | US: Virginia, West Virginia | 56 mi | Potomac River | well known since colonial times | |
| Roanoke River | US: Virginia, North Carolina | 410 mi | Atlantic Ocean | site of early Native American and colonial settlements | |
| Rio Conchos | Mexico: Chihuahua (state) | 350 mi | Rio Grande | important river in northern Mexico, largest tributary of the Rio Grande | |
| Rio Grande | Mexico: Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, US: Colorado, New Mexico, Texas | 1896 mi | Gulf of Mexico | longest US/Mexico border river | |
| Sacramento River | US: California | 400 mi | Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta, San Francisco Bay, Pacific Ocean | largest river in California, California Gold Rush | |
| Pit River | US: California | 207 mi | Sacramento River | Native American home | |
| Feather River | US: California | 73 mi | Sacramento River | home to the Maidu Native Americans | |
| Saskatchewan | Canada: Manitoba, Saskatchewan | 340 mi | Lake Winnipeg | important transportation route in Pre-Columbian era, three hydroelectric dams | |
| Skagit River | Canada: British Columbia US: Washington | 240 mi | Puget Sound, Pacific Ocean | home to Skagit peoples (Upper and Lower tribes | |
| Skeena River | Canada: British Columbia | 350 mi | Pacific Ocean | 2nd longest river in British Columbia | |
| Babine River | Canada: British Columbia | 97 mi | Skeena River | one of the last unspoiled rivers | |
| St. Johns River | US: Florida | 310 mi | Atlantic Ocean | longest river within Florida | |
| Saint Lawrence River | Canada: Ontario, Quebec US: New York | 310 mi | Gulf of St. Lawrence, Atlantic Ocean | connects Great Lakes, provides basis for St. Lawrence Seaway | |
| Cuyahoga River | US: Ohio | 84.9 mi | Saint Lawrence River | 1795 western boundary of US, so polluted in 1969 that it caught fire | |
| Detroit River | Canada: Ontario US: Michigan | 28 mi | Saint Lawrence River | one of world's busiest waterways, border river, designated American Heritage Rivers and Canadian Heritage Rivers System | |
| Fox River | US: Wisconsin | 200 mi | Green Bay, Lake Michigan | largest tributary of Lake Michigan | |
| Saginaw River | US: Michigan | 22 mi | Saginaw Bay, Saint Lawrence River | important shipping route | |
| Ottawa River | Canada: Quebec, Ontario | 791 mi | Saint Lawrence River | vital role for Algonquin people, Provincial border | |
| Morice | Canada: British Columbia | 240 km | Saint Lawrence River or Skeena River | endangered river, Enbridge pipeline threat | |
| Susquehanna River | US: New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland | 444 mi | Chesapeake Bay, Atlantic Ocean | longest river on the East-Coast of the US | |
| Yukon River | Canada: Yukon, British Columbia US: Alaska | 1980 mi | Bering Sea, Pacific Ocean | longest river flowing through Canada and Alaska | |
| Tanana River | US: Alaska | 540 mi | Yukon River | evidence of Paleo-Arctic human activity, Nenana Ice Classic contest for charity to predict ice-out | |
| Usumacinta River | Mexico: Tabasco, Guatemala | 620 mi | Gulf of Mexico | important to Mayan Civilization | |
| South Saskatchewan River | Canada: Alberta, Saskatchewan | 865 mi | Saskatchewan River | ||
| North Saskatchewan River | Canada: Alberta, Saskatchewan | 800 mi | Saskatchewan River | ||
| Assiniboine River | Canada: Saskatchewan, Manitoba | 660 mi | Red River of the North | ||
| Red River of the North | United States: Minnesota, North Dakota Canada: Manitoba | 550 mi | Lake Winnipeg |
West Indies
The significant rivers in the West Indies include the following:
| River | Countries | Length | Significance | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artibonite River | Haiti, Dominican Republic | 199 mi | longest river in Haiti | ||||||
| Caroni River | Trinidad and Tobago | 25 mi | longest river in Trinidad and Tobago | ||||||
| Cauto River | Cuba | 230 mi | longest river in Cuba and the Caribbean/West Indies | ||||||
| Chavón River | Dominican Republic | historically used by pirates to hide treasure | |||||||
| Colonarie River | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 5 mi | longest river in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | ||||||
| Constitution River | Barbados | 0.35 mi | longest river in Barbados | ||||||
| Haina River | Dominican Republic | 53 mi | noted for discovery of gold in 1496 | ||||||
| Layou River | Dominica | 14.63 mi | longest river of Dominica | ||||||
| Nizao River | Dominican Republic | three hydroelectric plants on river, has since dried up due to aggregate extraction | |||||||
| Ozama River | Dominican Republic | 92 mi | last1=Floyd | first1=Troy | title=The Columbus Dynasty in the Caribbean, 1492–1526 | date=1973 | publisher=University of New Mexico Press | location=Albuquerque | pages=34}} |
| Rio Minho | Jamaica | 57.7 mi | longest river in Jamaica | ||||||
| Rivière Soliette | Haiti, Dominican Republic (called Arroyo Blanco) | On 24 May 2004, it overran its banks resulting in the death of over one thousand individuals, with hundreds more injured and homeless near the city of Jimani. | |||||||
| Rosseau River | Saint Lucia | longest river in Saint Lucia | |||||||
| Saint Johns River | Grenada | longest river in Grenada | |||||||
| Yaque del Norte River | Dominican Republic | 185 mi | longest river in the Dominican Republic | ||||||
| Yuna River | Dominican Republic | second longest river in the Dominican Republic |
Rivers of North and Central America by discharge
rio grande 2403
South America
The following are some of the significant rivers in South America
- Aconcagua - Chile
- Amazon - Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil (4086 mi) (flows into the Atlantic Ocean)
- Solimões - name given in Brazil to the portions of the Amazon upstream of its confluence with the Rio Negro
- Ucayali - Peru
- Tambo - Peru
- Ene - Peru
- Mantaro - Peru
- Apurímac - Peru
- Ene - Peru
- Urubamba - Peru
- Tambo - Peru
- Marañón - Peru
- Pastaza - Ecuador, Peru
- Huallaga - Peru
- Ucayali - Peru
- Putumayo - Colombia, Peru, Brazil
- Juruá - Peru, Brazil
- Caquetá - Colombia, Brazil
- Purus - Peru, Brazil
- Rio Negro - Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil
- Casiquiare Canal - a large natural canal in Venezuela connecting the Rio Negro with the upper Orinoco River
- Vaupés - Colombia, Brazil
- Rio Branco - Brazil
- Madeira - Bolivia, Brazil
- Beni - Bolivia
- Madre de Dios - Peru, Bolivia
- Mamoré - Bolivia, Brazil
- Guaporé - Brazil, Bolivia
- Beni - Bolivia
- Tapajós - Brazil
- Xingu - Brazil
- Tocantins - Brazil
- Araguaia - Brazil
- Solimões - name given in Brazil to the portions of the Amazon upstream of its confluence with the Rio Negro
- Apure - Venezuela
- Atrato - Colombia
- Baudó - Colombia
- Bío-Bío - Chile
- Malleco - Chile
- Caroní - Venezuela
- Catatumbo - Colombia, Venezuela
- Zulia - Venezuela, Colombia
- Sardinata - Colombia
- Zulia - Venezuela, Colombia
- Cauca - Colombia
- Cautín - Chile
- Chubut - Argentina
- Colorado - Argentina
- Elqui - Chile
- Essequibo - Guyana
- Itata - Chile
- Ñuble - Chile
- Loa - Chile
- Magdalena - Colombia
- Maipo - Chile
- Mapocho - Chile
- Maule - Chile
- Loncomilla - Chile
- Achibueno - Chile
- Ancoa - Chile
- Longaví - Chile
- Perquilauquén - Chile
- Purapel - Chile
- Putagán - Chile
- Achibueno - Chile
- Melado - Chile
- Loncomilla - Chile
- Maullín - Chile
- Maroni - Suriname, French Guiana
- Mira - Colombia
- Orinoco - Colombia, Venezuela
- Apure - Venezuela
- Arauca - Colombia, Venezuela
- Meta - Colombia, Venezuela
- Guaviare - Colombia
- Meta - Colombia
- Tomo - Colombia
- Vichada - Colombia
- Parnaiba - Brazil
- Rapel - Chile
- Reñihue - Chile
- Río Bueno - Chile
- Rahue - Chile
- Damas - Chile
- Rahue - Chile
- Río de la Plata It is not really a river but the lower stretch of the Paraná and the estuary that forms after its confluence with the Uruguay
- Paraná - Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay
- Uruguay - Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay
- Palena - Chile
- Patía - Colombia
- Petrohué - Chile
- Puelo - Chile
- São Francisco - Brazil
- San Jorge - Colombia
- San Juan - Colombia
- Sinú - Colombia
- Toltén - Chile
- Trancura - Chile
- Valdivia - Chile
- Calle-Calle - Chile
- San Pedro - Chile
- Enco - Chile
- Llanquihue - Chile
- Huahum - Chile, Argentina
- Chapelco - Argentina
- Liquiñe - Chile
- Huahum - Chile, Argentina
- Llanquihue - Chile
- Enco - Chile
- San Pedro - Chile
- Cau-Cau - Chile
- Cruces - Chile
- Cutipay - Chile
- Futa - Chile
- Calle-Calle - Chile
- Yelcho - Chile
- Futaleufú - Chile
Rivers of South America by discharge
References
;General references
- , GEOnet Names Server
References
- "Amazon River".
- (1 March 2009). "Pinpointing the sources and measuring the lengths of the principal rivers of the world". Int. J. Digit. Earth.
- (15 February 2014). "Where Does the Amazon River Begin?".
- Green, Richard. (2006). "The Commonwealth Yearbook 2006". Nexus Strategic Partnerships Ltd..
- {{harvnb. Green. Commonwealth Secretariat. 2006
- "Water Suppliers in the Cayman Islands – Water Authority Cayman".
- "Nicaragua: The Land".
- "USGS - Water Resources of Honduras - Aguan". usgs.gov.
- Jeffrey R. Jones, [http://archive.unu.edu/unupress/unupbooks/80653e/80653E0a.htm Colonization and Environment: Land Settlement Projects in Central America], The United Nations University Press, 1990
- "Cahabon River".
- Anderson, John Ward. (1999-04-19). "A Hero Emerges From Mitch's Devastation". Washington Post.
- CONAP. "Listado de Áreas Protegidas (enero, 2011)". conap.gob.gt.
- "Lempa River".
- La Ilustración Guatemalteca. (1 April 1897). "Nuestro grabados:El puente sobre el Río de los Esclavos". Síguere, Guirola y Cía.
- "Motagua River".
- "In Honduras, Scientists Try to Learn the Secrets of the Patuca River Before It's Dammed".
- Greenberg, Amy S.. (2005). "Manifest manhood and the Antebellum American empire". Cambridge University Press.
- "Tempisque River".
- "Ulua River Vessels".
- Howard Perlman, USGS. (October 31, 2012). "Lengths of major rivers, from USGS Water-Science School". Ga.water.usgs.gov.
- ''Maniitsoq'', Saga Map, Tage Schjøtt, 1992
- Anthony, Michael. (1997). "Historical dictionary of Trinidad and Tobago". Scarecrow Press.
- (25 April 2017). "Caribbean Geography".
- "Barbados".
- (1973). "The Columbus Dynasty in the Caribbean, 1492-1526". University of New Mexico Press.
- "RD$350M to recover Nizao river, top Dominican ecologist says - DominicanToday.com".
- (1999). "Dams and disease: ecological design and health impacts of large dams, canals and irrigation systems". Taylor & Francis.
- (1973). "The Columbus Dynasty in the Caribbean, 1492–1526". University of New Mexico Press.
- "Rio Minho".
- "Arroyo Blanco". Washington Post.
- "Riviere Soliette".
- "Riviere Soliette".
- De la Fuente, Santiago. (1976). "Geografía Dominicana". Editora Colegial Quisqueyana.
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