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About This Quiz
Rivers play a major role in our lives. Although most of us don't think about it on a regular basis, rivers and streams are the primary suppliers of our drinking water. Around 165 major rivers exist in the world, and they are significant to the humans and animals that live in it.
People make use of rivers for travel, recreation, and sustenance. The Missississippi River famously had steamboats running along with it in the 19th and early 20th centuries. On the Yangtze, tourists take boat cruises that travel around the Yangtze Gorges and take in the tranquil beauty that those structures are known for. Rivers all over the world are the sources for drinking and provide the foundation for successful agriculture.
Some rivers have spiritual significance like the Ganges in Varanasi, India. Many see it as the holiest site for followers of Hinduism. The Whanganui River of New Zealand is so sacred to the Maori people that the government agreed to give it the same rights under the law as people in 2017.
No matter what reason people go to rivers or how they view their importance, rivers are a vital part of the planet. Think about how many you have seen. Then, take a look at the images we have gathered for you. See if your knowledge of geography goes deep like a river! Have fun!
Rio Negro
Amazon
The Amazon River isn't only the longest river in South America. It is the second longest river in the world, clocking in at about 4000 miles. It has no rival in the amount of life it has, with approximately 2,500 diverse species of fish.
Magdelena
Bermejo
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Escalante
San Juan
Colorado
The Colorado River, once called the Grand, covers an area reaching 1,450 miles. It makes its way through 11 national parks, seven states, and ends up in Mexico. This waterway is a crucial water supply for many industries and municipalities.
Paria
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Danube
The Danube River ranks second on the list of the longest rivers in Europe. It starts in the Black Forest Mountains of Germany and stretches into nine other European countries until it empties into the Black Sea.
Rhone
Elbe
Main
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Ubangi
Orange
Nile
Most people think of Egypt when they think of the Nile River, but it actually runs through 11 African countries. Its two tributaries, the White Nile and the Blue Nile, start in Sudan and Ethiopia.
Senegal
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Congo
The Congo River is the second longest river in Africa, behind the Nile. One of its main sights, Livingstone Falls, equals the power of all the falls and rivers put together in the U.S.
Cuando
Limpopo
Vaal
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Godavari
Krishna
Kaveri
Ganges
Many of the world's Hindus visit the Ganges River to perform spiritual cleansing. Ironically, that pure act has led to this body of water becoming one of the world's most polluted rivers.
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Volta
Gambia
The Gambia River is considered one of Africa's most navigable rivers. Life in the country of Gambia centers around this waterway because it flows practically down the middle of it.
Chambeshi
Benue
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Tennessee
Wabash
Ohio
Although the Ohio River is named after one state, it starts in another: Pennsylvania. This body of water starts in the city of Pittsburgh, where the Allegheny and Monongahela meet and run into Illinois.
Allegheny
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Jubba
Kwango
Mara
Niger
Although the various West African tribes have different names for it, the Niger River was given its best-known name by the Greeks. Some of the 20 tribes who still live near the Niger get their water directly from it.
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Mississippi
When the Mississippi River connects with the Missouri River, the pairing makes it a river system measuring 3,902 miles, the longest in North America. The Mississippi is so long that it takes a single droplet of water 90 days to travel down it.
Arkansas
Red River of the South
Snake
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Rhine
The Rhine River is Western Europe's longest river, running through nine countries. It is a river valley with a long history; anthropologists discovered 44,000-year-old Neanderthal fossils there.
Douro
Loire
Vistula
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Genil
Minho
Tagus
Of the five rivers in the Iberian Peninsula, the Tagus is the longest at around 625 miles. It flows to the west, meandering right across Spain and Portugal before it merges with the Atlantic Ocean.
Cinca
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Platte
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is the second longest river in the U.S. and boasts some of the most scenic views in the country. At the border of Mexico, travelers can see diverse colors on the buttes, mesas and mountain areas.
Gila
Cumberland
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Min
Yalong
Han
Yangtze
The Chinese name for the Yangtze River translates to "Long River." The Golden Waterway is literally the longest river in Asia and, along with the Huai River, divides China into northern and southern halves.
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Gardner
Little Bighorn
Milk
Yellowstone
The Yellowstone River is the only river in the continental United States without a dam, leading some to call it "untamed." The famous explorers Lewis and Clark traveled its waters.
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Rurubu
Zambezi
The Zambezi River is the longest of the easterly flowing rivers of Africa. Despite that, it is still underexplored in comparison to the rest of the rivers there. The tourists who do travel white water raft on the highest graded river for the sport.
Bakoy
Maputo
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Moselle
Neckar
Volga
The longest river in Europe, the Volga is also known for its large population of sturgeon fish and the caviar they produce. The harvesting of fish eggs can only happen at certain times of the year as the river freezes for three months during the winter season.
Inn
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Don
The Don River has been a large part of Russian history. Archeologists have found proof of prehistoric settlements, and the warlike Cossacks settled in the area as well. In the '50s, the Volga-Don Ship Canal gave an economic boom to the region.
Vitava
Oka
Mur
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Songhua
Grand Canal
Salween
Yellow
Part of the Yellow Basin, the Yellow River is important to the Chinese people. Many consider the loopy waterway as part of the origin of Chinese civilization and refer to it as "Mother River."
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Yamuna
Tapti
Indus
The Indus is part of the four Himalayan rivers and the longest river in India. It flows in Pakistan and China before it connects with the Arabian Sea. Another name for it is "Sindhu."
Narmada
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Mobile
Illinois
Columbia
The Columbia River is mostly within the United States but reaches the British Columbia province of Canada. It has 19 hydro-powered electric dams that supply half the region with its electrical supply.
San Joaquin
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Saint Lawrence
The Saint Lawrence River is rich in marine life. It's home to beluga whales, bald eagles and ospreys. About 1,700 species of diverse plant life live in this waterway, including a rare species of orchid.
Fraser
Ottawa
Churchill
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Paraguay
The Paraguay River has been particularly important to the country that shares its name. Since the South American country is landlocked, the river is vital to importing and exporting goods.
Maroni
Ucayali
Purus
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Xi
Pearl
The Pearl River is one of the longest rivers in China and considered one of the seven most important rivers in the nation. The Pearl River Delta is becoming known as the jewel in the crown of the Chinese economy.
Liao
Yarlung Tsangpo
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Pechora
Thames
The River Thames has been considered a landmark of London for centuries. More than 200 bridges stretch across this river, including one built by the Romans nearly 2,000 years ago. The famous French artist, Claude Monet, painted it more than once.
Havel
Weser
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Sobat
Black Volta
Lomami
Orange
Calling a river "orange" seems odd since that's not the color one would usually associate with water. The Orange River is so named because the Dutch explorers named it after a Dutch royal, William of Orange.
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Seine
The Seine River starts near Dijon and merges with the English Channel a bit past Paris. Many French tourists see sights like the Champs-Elysees and Eiffel Tower on boat cruises or water taxis on the Seine.
Garonne
Oder
Sava
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Tigris
Judging by the name, Tigris, one might think that the river was named after a tiger. This waterway's name came from an Old Persian word that means "fast one." The city of Baghdad sits on the bank of the Tigris.
Jordan
Congo
Greater Zab
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Delaware
Hudson
The man who the Hudson River is named after had an unfortunate experience when he explored what is now New York. His numerous and failed attempts to find a trade route to China caused his crew to mutiny. When they put him in a rowboat, he was never heard from again.
Allegheny
Canadian
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Sutlej
Ravi
Koshi
Brahmaputra
The Brahmaputra River in India is named for the son of the god Brahma. It is believed this son was shaped like water, and the sage Shantanu put him in the center of four mountains.
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Orontes
Euphrates
The Euphrates is longer than the Tigris, the other river of Mesopotamia. The Book of Genesis names it as one of the rivers that came from the Garden of Eden. It is mentioned in other religious texts, too.
Murat
Sajur
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Neva
Amur
Lena
The longest river in Russia, the Lena is among the longest rivers in the world. The name, Lena, actually comes from a word that means "Large River." It empties into the Arctic and is found solely in Russia.
Ob
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Rio de la Plata
Xingu
Parana
The Parana River is only second in size to the mother of all rivers: the Amazon. As it flows into the sea and becomes a delta, it encompasses 8,400 square miles of rainforest, a true jungle.
Iguazu
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Susquehanna
Geologists estimate that the Susquehanna River is the oldest of the major rivers of the world, dating back to around 500 million years ago. It is the longest river that flows entirely within the United States.
North Canadian
Juniata
Kentucky
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Brenta
Adige
Tanaro
Po
The longest river in Italy, the Po starts in the mountains and empties into the Adriatic Sea. Although it only stretches about 400 miles, this body of water moves quickly and has around a 5,500-foot descent.
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Nazas
Fuerte
The Fuerte River is a major river of Mexico. It's enclosed by Miguel Hidalgo Dam to make the state of Sinaloa's biggest reservoir. Along its banks, numerous mango plantations export tropical fruit to the United States.
Balsas
Hondo
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Yarra
Barwon
Murray
The Murray River is the longest river in Australia, and it is also one of the longest navigable rivers in the world, with only the Amazon and Nile in front of it. The river is an important water source for over a million households and even has its own flag.
Warrego
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Potomac
The Potomac River has been a part of US history since the beginning. The first president, George Washington, built a home on its shores. Centuries later, Bill Clinton named it an American Heritage River.
Chesapeake
Monongahela
Pecos
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Tiber
The Tiber River is important in the history of the Roman Empire because it was a freshwater source. It was also used as a trade route, giving Rome access to the Mediterranean Sea, and contributed to the agricultural system thriving year-round.
Arno
Piave
Oglio
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Segura
Tagus
Minho
Ebro
The Ebro River is an important water source and provider of hydroelectricity for Spain. It's also popular with tourists because of its wildlife and its reputation for being one of the best European fishing destinations.
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