Nature is very diverse and amazing. You can argue for hours about what man-made sights are better, but with one thing to be certain, the wonders of nature are always more beautiful. Today we’ll talk about the waterways of our planet, try to figure out which river is longer: the Amazon or the Nile. Or maybe the title of the longest in the world is some other?
Eternal dispute: Amazon or Nile
Man has always been interested in which mountain peaks are the highest on the planet, which lake has the largest area, which desert is the most extensive. Now we will try to figure out which river is longer. Amazon or Neal? These are two options that scientists have struggled with in recent years. Until recently, the sacred Nile stood in first place, which carries its waters from the depths of Africa through the sands of the Sahara. The South American river is recognized as the most full-flowing, but along its length it was put in another place. But a recent expedition by Brazilian scientists discovered that the Amazon is longer. It is 6,800 kilometers, and the river itself begins in the north of Peru, and not in the south, as previously thought. At that time, the length of the Nile is 6,695 kilometers. The main thing when measuring rivers is to accurately determine the source, because the length, depending on it, can vary.
Natural champions
So, we have already decided on the first two champions. True, about whether the Nile or the Amazon is longer, the debate will continue for a long time. But the names of other rivers that are the greatest in the world are known, these are:
- The Yangtze River is not only one of the longest (third place, 6300 kilometers) on the planet, but also occupies the third place in terms of full flow.
- Jefferson, Missouri and Mississippi create the longest river system in the world with a total length of 6300 kilometers.
- The Yellow River (Yellow River) carries its waters along 5464 kilometers and flows into the sea with a powerful stream, and the washed rock colors the waves not only of the river, but also of the sea.
- The Ob is the longest river in Russia. Its length is 3650 km, and together with the tributary Irtysh - 4248 km.
- Congo is the main waterway of Central Africa. And the river ranks second in terms of fullness after the Amazon and first place in depth. It crosses the equator twice, and its length is 4700 kilometers.
- The Mekong carries its waters through China and Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar. The length of the river with a very developed delta is 4500 kilometers.
- Lena. The most beautiful river in the north-east of Siberia carries its waters in Yakutia and the Irkutsk region. Its length is 4480 kilometers, the width in some places is 5-7 km, and in some places 20-30.
- Niger located in West Africa. The river begins in Guinea and carries its waters through the territory of Niger, Mali, Nigeria, Benin. Its length is 4180 kilometers.
Amazing Amazon: the origin of the name
So, which river is longer, the Amazon or the Nile, we have already found out. Now let's talk about her, an absolute record holder, an amazing water artery. Conquistadors discovered it while searching for the fabulous golden country of Eldorado. They gave it a name, meeting the Indians with long hair and believing that these are legendary women warriors described by the ancient Greeks. According to another version, the European invaders were amazed that Aboriginal women fought along with men, fiercely resisting the aliens.
Queen of the rivers and its features
This is the name given to the Amazon by the tribes of Indians who have long lived on the banks. In their language, it sounds like Parana Tingo. It carries a quarter of all waters into the oceans, and this stream desalinates the Atlantic Ocean four hundred kilometers from the mouth!
The mouth of the river is formed by three branches of large and a huge number of small. It lost the picturesque islands of Mexican, Maraio, Caviana. The Amazon boasts more than two hundred tributaries, many of which are full-flowing and navigable. During the wet season in the tropics, a large amount of rainfall occurs, so the river spills to incredible sizes, and the water level in it rises by ten to fifteen meters. The shores are covered with virgin forest, which is inhabited by a unique fauna. In the Amazon itself, there are various fish, caymans, turtles, dolphins, feast-arm, manatees.
Colorful stream
The Amazon rushes in a powerful, bubbling stream, washing the sludge from the bottom, which turns its water white. Its tributary, Rio Negru, on the contrary, is very clean and transparent, and the waves in it have almost a black tint (hence the name Black River). In the place where they merge together, one can observe an interesting and unique phenomenon: the water rushes in a two-color stream from the city of Manaus to the mouth along fifteen kilometers of the coast.
Amazing Amazonians
Since the Amazon is a unique and amazing river, the inhabitants in its basin are also unusual. Two and a half thousand species of fish (including the famous piranha with sharp teeth, and giant arapaima, and electric stingrays, and river sharks), huge anacondas, the largest rodents, capybaras, howler monkeys, tiny hummingbirds - these are just a short list of representatives of the fauna Amazonia.
The plant world is no less rich: slender palm trees and unique fruit trees, a quinine tree, and hevea are entangled in vines that can withstand an adult. Victoria regia blooms on the surface of the water - a water lily with one and a half meter leaves. No wonder this part of the world is called the "green lungs of the planet." It is only a pity that a person and his economic activities are reflected in the state of a natural miracle every day. Trees are cut down, rare species of flora and fauna are rapidly dying.
Holy nile
So, no one doubts which river is longer: the Amazon or the Nile. But although the South American woman took the palm from the African, he did not become worse from this. The Nile is the main property of the mainland, its main waterway, the cradle of ancient civilization and the source of life in the desert. The source of the sacred river is located on the East African plateau, and it flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile does not have as many tributaries as the Amazon. This is Bahr al-Ghazal, Sobat, Blue Nile, Achva, Atbara. But they are all located in the first half of the length of the river, and the last three thousand kilometers of the Nile carries its waters in the semi-desert, without any tributaries.
In the area of Lake Victoria, the Nile makes its way through the rocks, forming dangerous rapids and picturesque waterfalls. The African giant's delta is huge. Its area is approximately equal to the area of the Crimean peninsula, and the river flows into the sea, splitting into several powerful branches. The Neil is navigable, and a cruise along it will give the most positive emotions.
Instead of an epilogue
So which river is longer? It is worth forgetting what was taught in schools: not the Nile, on the banks of which the pyramids rise, but the amazing Amazon River, a river that has no analogues!