10 World’s Largest Rivers – Discharge Rate

The average river discharge per second is used to decide the largest rivers. The drainage area varies depending on the topography of the river; if the land is flat, the river occupies a large area. The Amazon is the world’s largest river, with a water discharge of approximately 209,000 cubic meters per second on average. It is, however, a long way from being the world’s second-largest river. From space, the world’s largest rivers, including the Amazon, Ganges, and others, can be seen.

1. Amazon River

Amazon River
Photo by Daniel – דני via Flickr

The Amazon is the world’s biggest river; its flow exceeds that of the next seven greatest rivers combined, with the exception of Madeira and the Rio Negro, which are tributaries of the Amazon. The Amazon River has the world’s biggest drainage basin, covering an area of 7,050,000 square kilometers and containing one-fifth of the world’s total river flow. The Amazon is also the world’s second-longest river, after the Nile. However, numerous studies claim that the Amazon is the world’s longest river. That is, after all, a source of concern. The Amazon River’s average discharge is around 209,000 cubic meters per second, making it the world’s biggest river. The Amazon River empties into the Atlantic Ocean.

2. Ganges

Ganges River
Photo by Ryan via Flickr

The Ganges is the greatest river in India and the second largest in the world, generated by ice melting and several tributary rivers. It rises in India’s Western Himalayas. The average discharge of the river is roughly 42,470 cubic meters per second, and it outflows into the Bay of Bengal because it is too distant from the Amazon River and the drainage basin of 1,635,000 square kilometers.

3. Congo

Congo River
Photo by KD Dijkstra via Flickr

The Congo is Africa’s longest river and also the deepest river, as well as the world’s ninth longest and third-biggest. The Congo River discharges 41,000 cubic meters of water with a total drainage basin of 3,822,000 square kilometers before merging with the Atlantic Ocean.

4. Orinoco

Orinoco River
Photo by claudia Dalla Valle via Flickr

The Orinoco is the world’s fourth-biggest river and one of the longest in South America. The rivers drain an area of 880,000 square kilometers and have an average flow of 33,000 cubic meters per second before merging into the Atlantic Ocean.

5. Yangtze

Yangtze River
Photo by David Wright via Flickr

The Yangtze is Asia’s longest and one of the world’s greatest rivers, with a discharge rate of around 30,166 cubic meters per second, a drainage basin of roughly 1,940,000 square kilometers, and a river outflow into the East China Sea.

6. Madiera

Madiera River
Photo by Oregonbeerman via Flickr

The Madiera River originates in Bolivia and runs into Brazil; it is also a tributary of the Amazon River, merging with it. The river’s average flow is 24,397 cubic meters per second, and the drainage basin is around 850,000 square kilometers.

7. Rio Negro

Rio Negro
Photo by Roberto Ianotti via Flickr

The Rio Negro is an Amazon tributary river that originates in Colombia and goes into the Amazon. The river’s average discharge is 28,000 cubic meters, with a drainage basin area of 691,000 square kilometers.

8. Parana

Parana River
Photo by Ana Carolina Breganholi via Flickr

With a length of 4,880 kilometers, the river is the second-longest in South America after the Amazon. It runs through Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. The Parana River has a drainage basin of 2,582,600 square kilometers, with an average discharge of 25,700 cubic meters per second and an outflow into the Atlantic Ocean.

9. Brahmaputra

Brahmaputra River
Photo by Lhu BOOM via Flickr

The Brahmaputra River originates in Tibet and flows through Bangladesh, India, and China. The river is 2,900 kilometers long, with a drainage basin size of 651,000 square kilometers and an average discharge of water of 19,300 cubic meters per second. The Brahmaputra River flows into the Padma River.

10. Yenisei

Yenisei River
Photo by Alexander Dementyev via Flickr

The Yenisei River originates in Mongolia, has several tributaries, and passes through numerous cities. The river discharges 18,040 cubic meters of water per second and has a drainage basin size of around 2,580,000 square kilometers. The Yenisei River flows into the Kara Sea.

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