List of rivers by discharge

File:Rivers of the world by discharge volume.png

Rivers with an average discharge of 5,000 m³/s or greater, as a fraction of the estimated global total.

This article lists rivers by their average discharge measured in descending order of their water flow rate. Here, only those rivers whose discharge is more than Template:Convert are shown. It can be thought of as a list of the biggest rivers on Earth, measured by a specific metric.

For context, the volume of an Olympic-size swimming pool is Template:Cvt. The average flow rate at the mouth of the Amazon is sufficient to fill more than 83 such pools each second. The estimated global total for all rivers is 1.2 million m³/s (43 million cu ft/s),<ref>Sybil P. Parker (1993) McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Environmental Science & Engineering, p. 645.</ref> of which the Amazon would be approximately 18%. Template:Bar box Template:Table alignment

No	Continent	River	Average discharge (m3/s)	Length		Drainage area (km2)	Outflow	Type
				(km)	(miles)
1	South America	Amazon	224,000	6,992	4,345	6,915,000	Atlantic Ocean	Primary river<ref name="HYDROLOGIE DU BASSIN AMAZONIEN">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Continental scale models of water balance and fluvial transport: An application to South America">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Gupta2007">Template:Cite book</ref>
2	Asia	Ganges–Brahmaputra–Meghna	42,800	2,948	1,832	1,731,334	Bay of Bengal	Primary river<ref name="Hydrological Cycle Volume III">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Variation of Satellite-Based Suspended Sediment Concentration in the Ganges-Brahmaputra Estuary from 1990 to 2020">Template:Cite journal</ref>
3	Africa	Congo	41,400	4,370	2,716	3,822,000	Atlantic Ocean	Primary river<ref name="Estimates of Freshwater Discharge from Continents: Latitudinal and Seasonal Variations">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Hydrological Cycle Volume III">Template:Cite book</ref>
4	South America	Orinoco	39,000	2,250	1,398	989,000	Atlantic Ocean	Primary river<ref name="La geografía del agua"/><ref name="XXI. PECES DEL FONDO DEL RÍO ORINOCO Y AFLUENTES PRINCIPALES (COLOMBIA-VENEZUELA): diversidad y aspectos bioecológicos">Template:Cite book</ref>
5	Asia	Yangtze (Chang Jiang)	31,900	6,300	3,915	1,943,000	East China Sea	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
6	South America	Negro	30,641	2,230	1,390	691,000	Amazon	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
7	South America	Madeira	30,173	3,380	2,100	1,376,000	Amazon	Tributary river<ref name="auto1"/>
8	South America	Río de la Plata	27,225	290	180	3,182,064	Atlantic Ocean	Primary river<ref name="cicplata2016">Template:Cite bookTemplate:Page needed</ref>
9	Asia	Brahmaputra	22,182	3969	2466	556,385	Padma, Lower Meghna	Primary river<ref name="Climate impact emergence and flood peak synchronization projections in the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna basins under CMIP5 and CMIP6 scenarios">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Flood Inundation Mapping of the Sparsely Gauged Large-Scale Brahmaputra Basin Using Remote Sensing Products">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Beyond hydropower: towards an integrated solution for water, energy and food security in South Asia">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref> Template:Cite book </ref>
10	North America	Mississippi	21,300	3,766	2,340	3,248,000	Gulf of Mexico	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Variability of Carbon Export in the Lower Mississippi River during an Extreme Cold and Warm Year">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="USGSrivers">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
11	Asia	Yenisei	20,200	4,090	2,556	2,580,000	Kara Sea	Primary river<ref name="Recent changes to Arctic river discharge">Template:Cite journal</ref>
12	South America	Paraná	19,706	4,880	3,050	2,582,672	Río de la Plata	Tributary river<ref name="cicplata2016" />
13	Asia	Lena	18,300	4,294	2,668	2,490,000	Laptev Sea	Primary river<ref name="Recent changes to Arctic river discharge">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
14	South America	Japurá (Caquetá)	18,122	2,816	1,750	267,730	Amazon	Tributary river<ref name="GRDC">GRDC Database Template:Webarchive</ref><ref name="auto1"/>
15	North America	St Lawrence	17,600	3,058	1,900	1,266,642	Gulf of Saint Lawrence	Primary river<ref name="rna">Benke, Arthur C.; Cushing, Colbert E. (2005). Rivers of North America. Academic Press. pp. 989–990. Template:ISBN. Retrieved 21 March 2011.</ref><ref name="Physical oceanographic conditions in the Gulf of St. Lawrence during 2023">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
16	South America	Marañón	16,708	1,737	1,079	358,000	Amazon	Tributary river<ref name="ANÁLISIS DE LA EVALUACIÓN AMBIENTAL PRELIMINAR DE LA CENTRAL HIDROELÉCTRICA LORENA-Río Marañón">Template:Cite journal</ref>
17	Asia	Mekong	15,856	4,023	2,500	811,000	South China Sea	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Gupta2007" />
18	Asia	Irrawaddy (Ayeyarwady)	15,112	2,210	1,370	413,710	Andaman Sea	Primary river<ref name="cbsharma">Template:Cite book</ref>
19	South America	Tapajós	13,540	1,996	1,240	492,481	Amazon	Tributary river<ref name="Lynch2012">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="auto1"/>
20	South America	Ucayali	13,385	2,670	1,659	351,549	Amazon	Tributary river<ref>Template:Cite thesis</ref>
21	Asia	Ob	13,100	4,345	2,700	2,990,000	Gulf of Ob	Primary river<ref name="Recent changes to Arctic river discharge">Template:Cite journal</ref>
22	Asia	Amur	12,360	4,444	2,762	2,129,700	Sea of Okhotsk	Primary river<ref name="Intra-Seasonal Variability">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="River Basins">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="igpl">Rivers of the EarthTemplate:Unreliable source? Template:Webarchive</ref>
23	South America	Tocantins	11,796	2,699	1,677	764,183	Atlantic Ocean (Pará)	Primary river<ref group=note>Amazon river water flows into its estuary through Santa Mario River Channel</ref><ref>The Hydrographi Region of The Amazon</ref><ref name="HYDROLOGIE DU BASSIN AMAZONIEN">Template:Cite book</ref>
24	Africa	Kasai (Kwa)	11,318	2,272	1,405	881,890	Congo	journal=International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation">Template:Cite journal</ref>
25	South America	Purus	11,207	3,211	1,995	376,600	Amazon	Tributary river<ref name="auto1"/>
27	Asia	Pearl (Xi)	10,700	2,400	1,491	437,000	South China Sea	Primary river<ref name="Spatiotemporal Variation of Annual Runoff and Sediment Load in the Pearl River during 1953-2017">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
26	North America	Mackenzie	9,800	4,241	2,636	1,805,200	Beaufort Sea	Primary river<ref name="Recent changes to Arctic river discharge">Template:Cite journal</ref>
27	South America	Xingu	9,680	2,240	1,392	531,250	Amazon	Tributary river<ref name="Lynch2012" /><ref name="auto1"/>
28	South America	Madre de Dios	9,350	1,347	837	282,000	Madeira	Tributary river<ref name="Hydroclimatology of the Upper Madeira River basin: Spatio-temporal variability and trends">Template:Cite journal</ref>
29	South America	Putumayo (Içá)	8,520	1,813	1,121	148,000	Amazon	Tributary river<ref name="auto1"/>
30	Europe	Volga	8,380	3,531	2,194	1,380,000	Caspian Sea	Primary river<ref name="THE VOLGA RIVER BASIN REPORT">Template:Cite book</ref>
31	South America	Mamoré	8,150	1,930	1,199	611,800	Madeira	Tributary river<ref name="Hydroclimatology of the Upper Madeira River basin: Spatio-temporal variability and trends">Template:Cite journal</ref>
32	South America	Magdalena	8,058	1,540	963	257,438	Caribbean Sea	Primary river<ref name="ESTUDIO NACIONAL DEL AGUA 2022">Template:Cite book</ref>
33	North America	Ohio	7,957	1,579	981	528,200	Mississippi	Tributary river<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
36	Africa	Niger	7,900	4,200	2,600	2,117,000	Gulf of Guinea	Primary river<ref name="The Niger River Basin - A Vision for Sustainable Management">Template:Cite book</ref>
37	South America	Guaviare	7,529	1,760	1,090	151,607	Orinoco	Tributary river<ref name="La geografía del agua"/>
38	North America	Columbia	7,407	2,044	1,243	668,217	Pacific Ocean	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
39	Oceania	Fly	7,355	1,060	649	75,800	Gulf of Papua	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
40	South America	Uruguay	7,058	1,838	1,140	353,451	Río de la Plata	Tributary river<ref name="cicplata2016" />
41	North America	Yukon	6,860	3,187	1,980	854,700	Bering Sea	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
42	South America	Napo	6,660	1,075	665	100,518	Amazon	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
43	Asia	Salween	6,600	3,289	2,044	324,000	Andaman Sea	Primary river<ref name="Integrating Suspended Sediment Flux in Large Alluvial River Channels: Application of a Synoptic Rouse‐Based Model to the Irrawaddy and Salween Rivers">Template:Cite journal</ref>
44	Europe	Danube	6,510	2,860	1,777	801,463	Black Sea	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
45	South America	Araguaia	6,420	2,627	1,632	377,000	Tocantins	Tributary river<ref name="Assessment of wash load transport in the Araguaia River (Aruanã Gauge Station), central Brazil">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="GRDC" />
46	Asia	Kapuas	6,012	1,143	710	98,749	South China Sea	Primary river<ref name="Riverine carbon fluxes to the South China Sea: Riverine carbon fluxes to the SCS">Template:Cite journal</ref>
47	South America	Juruá	6,004	3,283	2,040	190,573	Amazon	Tributary river<ref name="auto1"/>
48	Africa	Ubangi	5,936	2,272	1,405	651,915	Congo	journal=International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation">Template:Cite journal</ref>
49	North America	Niagara	5,885	58	36	684,000	Lake Ontario	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
50	South America	Meta	5,694	1,200	742	103,000	Orinoco	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
51	Asia	Indus	5,589	3,180	2,000	1,081,718	Arabian Sea	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
52	Asia	Aldan	5,501	2,273	1,412	729,000	Lena	Tributary river<ref name="Respose of Siberian River Discharge to Disturbances of Forests Caused by Wildfires">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="GRDC" />
53	Oceania	Mamberamo	5,500	1,175	727	78,992	Pacific Ocean	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
54	South America	Branco	5,400	775	479	195,000	Rio Negro	Tributary river
55	North America	Detroit	5,300	44	28	595,052	Lake Erie	Primary riverTemplate:Refn
56	South America	Javari	5,225	1,184	732	109,680	Amazon	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="PLANO ESTADUAL DE RECURSOS HÍDRICOS DO AMAZONAS, (PERH/AM) - RT 03 - DIAGNÓSTICO, PROGNÓSTICO E CENÁRIOS FUTUROS DO RECURSOS HÍDRICOS DO ESTADO - TOMO III">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
57	North America	St. Clair	5,200	65	40	583,000	Lake St. Clair	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
58	Oceania	Sepik	5,000	1,146	700	80,321	Bismarck Sea	Primary river<ref name="Geomorphology of Papua New Guinea">Template:Cite book</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
59	South America	Caroní	4,981	952	595	95,442	Orinoco	Tributary river<ref name="La geografía del agua"/>
60	South America	Essequibo	4,951	1,014	627	150,769	Atlantic Ocean	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
61	South America	Juruena	4,937	1,240	770	192,628	Tapajós	Tributary river<ref name="auto1"/>
62	Africa	Ogooué	4,935	1,200	747	223,856	Atlantic Ocean	Primary river<ref>Template:Cite conference</ref>
63	Asia	Angara	4,833	1,779	1,100	1,079,000	Yenisei	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
64	South America	Paraná do Urariá–Canumã	4,804	1,351	839	133,212	Amazon	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
65	Europe	Pechora	4,800	1,809	1,124	322,000	Barents Sea	Primary river<ref name="Structure and variability of the Pechora plume in the southeastern part of the Barents Sea">Template:Cite journal</ref>
66	Asia	Meghna	4,753	1,040	646	69,871	Lower Meghna	Tributary river<ref name="Variation of Satellite-Based Suspended Sediment Concentration in the Ganges-Brahmaputra Estuary from 1990 to 2020">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Beyond hydropower: towards an integrated solution for water, energy and food security in South Asia">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Rivers Network-Ganga (Ganges)-Brahmaputra">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
67	Asia	Chindwin	4,740	1,207	750	114,000	Irrawaddy	Tributary river<ref name="Myanmar 1. Chindwin River">Template:Cite book</ref>
68	Asia	Rajang	4,715	770	478	52,009	South China Sea	Primary river<ref name="Riverine carbon fluxes to the South China Sea: Riverine carbon fluxes to the SCS">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite thesis</ref>
69	South America	Paraguay	4,696	2,621	1,629	1,120,154	Parana	Tributary river<ref name="cicplata2016" />
70	Asia	Barito	4,514	1,090	550	81,675	Java Sea	Primary river<ref name="Riverine carbon fluxes to the South China Sea: Riverine carbon fluxes to the SCS">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
71	Africa	Ruki	4,500	1,300	804	173,790	Congo	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
72	South America	Uaupés	4,345	1,050	650	64,370	Rio Negro	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
73	Asia	Red (Hong)	4,300	1,149	714	143,600	Gulf of Tonkin	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
74	Asia	Mahakam	4,278	980	609	77,095	Makassar Strait	Primary river<ref name="Riverine carbon fluxes to the South China Sea: Riverine carbon fluxes to the SCS">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
75	Africa	Zambezi	4,217	2,574	1,599	1,331,000	Indian Ocean	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
76	Asia	Nizhnyaya Tunguska	4,139	2,989	1,848	473,000	Yenisei	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
77	South America	Atrato	4,138	750	466	36,231	Caribbean Sea	Primary river<ref name="Streamflow Intensification Driven by the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) in the Atrato River Basin, Northwestern Colombia">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="urlgeotest.tamu.edu">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
78	Asia	Kolyma	4,100	2,129	1,317	644,000	East Siberian Sea	Primary river<ref name="Recent changes to Arctic river discharge">Template:Cite journal</ref>
79	Europe	Kama	4,100	1,805	1,122	507,000	Volga	Tributary river<ref name="THE VOLGA RIVER BASIN REPORT">Template:Cite book</ref>
80	South America	Trombetas	4,097	1,060	656	156,960	Amazon	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
81	South America	Apaporis	4,092	1,370	847	54,300	Japurá	Tributary river<ref name="ESTUDIO NACIONAL DEL AGUA 2010 (IDEAM) - Agua Superficial - Caracterización y análísis de la oferta">Template:Cite book</ref>
82	South America	Aripuanã	4,087	870	540	145,000	Madeira	Tributary river<ref name="auto1"/>
83	North America	Grijalva–Usumacinta	4,028	1,000	620	134,400	Gulf of Mexico	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
84	Oceania	Strickland	4,000	824	512	36,740	Fly	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
85	South America	Teles Pires	3,978	1,638	1,013	141,718	Tapajós	Tributary river<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
86	North America	Fraser	3,944	1,375	854	231,593	Pacific Ocean	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
87	Oceania	Digul	3,867	853	530	45,900	Arafura Sea	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
88	South America	Huallaga	3,796	1,138	704	95,000	Marañón	Tributary river<ref name="Oficina Nacional de Evaluación de Recursos Naturales (ONERN)"/>
89	Asia	Godavari	3,571	1,465	910	312,812	Bay of Bengal	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
90	North America	Nelson	3,539	2,575	1,600	1,125,520	Hudson Bay	Primary river<ref name="The effect of climate change on the simulated streamflow of six Canadian rivers based on the CanRCM4 regional climate model">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="online.ucpress.edu">Template:Cite journal</ref>
91	South America	Caura	3,500	723	449	49,530	Orinoco	Tributary river<ref name="La geografía del agua"/> <ref name="The effect of climate change on the simulated streamflow of six Canadian rivers based on the CanRCM4 regional climate model">Template:Cite journal</ref>
92	Africa	Benue	3,477	1,440	895	319,000	Niger	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
93	Asia	Kaladan	3,476	450	278	40,000	Bay of Bengal	Primary river<ref name="Fragmentation and Flow Regulation of the World's Large River System">Template:Cite journal</ref>
94	South America	Jutaí	3,462	1,200	742	74,000	Amazon	Tributary river<ref name="auto1"/>
95	North America	Slave	3,451	434	270	616,400	Great Slave Lake	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
96	Asia	Lohit	3,438	460	285	50,000	Brahmaputra	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
97	Europe	Northern Dvina	3,416	1,441	895	357,052	White Sea	Primary river<ref name="online.ucpress.edu">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="igpl" />
98	North America	La Grande	3,400	893	555	209,000	James Bay	Primary river<ref name="Recent trends and variability in river discharge across northern Canada">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="discharge">Hydro-Québec and GENIVAR Groupe Conseil inc., Environmental Monitoring of the La Grande-2-A and La Grande-1 Projects. Abridged Summary Report 1987-2000. La Grande Winter plume. July 2005 (Online version Template:Webarchive)</ref>
99	South America	Inírida	3,385	1,300	804	53,795	Guaviare	Tributary river<ref name="ESTUDIO NACIONAL DEL AGUA 2010 (IDEAM) - Agua Superficial - Caracterización y análísis de la oferta">Template:Cite book</ref>
100	Asia	Shatt al-Arab–Euphrates–Tigris	3,350	204	127	938,173	Persian Gulf	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="General assessment of Shatt Al-Arab River, Iraq">Template:Cite journal</ref>
101	Oceania	Purari	3,300	630	390	33,670	Gulf of Papua	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
102	Oceania	Kikori	3,274	405	250	23,309	Gulf of Papua	Primary river<ref name="Fragmentation and Flow Regulation of the World's Large River System">Template:Cite journal</ref>
103	Asia	Khatanga	3,200	1,636	1,012	364,000	Laptev Sea	Primary river<ref name="Recent changes to Arctic river discharge">Template:Cite journal</ref>
104	Oceania	Pulau	3,133	569	353	37,164	Arafura Sea	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=Deltares/>
105	Africa	Nile	3,075	6,853	4,258	3,349,000	Mediterranean Sea	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
106	Asia	Musi	3,054	759	471	59,942	South China Sea	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
107	South America	Tigre	3,047	940	581	45,073	Marañón	Tributary river<ref name="Oficina Nacional de Evaluación de Recursos Naturales (ONERN)">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Evaluación de recursos hídricos en la cuenca Marañón">Template:Cite journal</ref>
108	Asia	Subansiri	3,003	442	275	35,763	Brahmaputra	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
109	Asia	Ghaghara	2,993	1,080	671	127,950	Ganges	Tributary river<ref name="JainAgarwal2007-341">Template:Cite book</ref>
110	Asia	Irtysh	2,980	4,248	2,627	1,673,470	Ob	Tributary river
111	Asia	Yamuna	2,949	1,376	855	366,223	Ganges	Tributary river<ref name="JainAgarwal2007-341" />
112	South America	São Francisco	2,943	2,830	1,758	641,000	Atlantic Ocean	Primary river
113	Asia	Srepok	2,940	450	279	79,015	Mekong	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
114	Africa	Kwango	2,932	1,100	680	270,904	Kasai	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
115	Asia	Panjnad	2,910	71	44	395,000	Indus	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
116	Europe	Rhine	2,900	1,233	820	198,735	North Sea	Primary river<ref>Rhine case study; Technical documents in hydrology: PC-CP series; Vol.:17; 2003</ref>
117	South America	Beni	2,875	1,100	680	131,500	Madre de Dios	Tributary river<ref name="Hydroclimatology of the Upper Madeira River basin: Spatio-temporal variability and trends">Template:Cite journal</ref>
118	Asia	Gan	2,865	599	372	103,107	Yangtze	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
119	Asia	Min	2,850	735	457	133,000	Yangtze	Tributary river<ref name="books.google.com">Template:Cite book</ref>
120	Asia	Xiang	2,848	948	589	102,148	Yangtze	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
121	Europe	Neva	2,770	74	46	287,094	Gulf of Finland	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
122	South America	Pastaza	2,769	740	458	41,000	Marañón	Tributary river<ref name="Oficina Nacional de Evaluación de Recursos Naturales (ONERN)"/>
123	South America	Iriri	2,745	1,300	810	130,000	Xingu	Tributary river
124	South America	Cuyuni	2,719	618	384	85,635	Essequibo	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
125	Asia	Mali Hka	2,693	320	200	23,221	Irrawaddy	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
126	North America	Missouri	2,673	3,767	2,341	1,371,010	Mississippi	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="igpl" />
127	Africa	Cross	2,647	489	304	53,590	Gulf of Guinea	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
128	Asia	Batang Hari	2,643	800	497	46,504	South China Sea	Primary river<ref name=sda.pu.go.id/>
129	Asia	Amu Darya	2,618	2,400	1,491	534,739	Aral Sea	Primary river<ref name="Environmental flow assessment, evaluation, and suggestions for dying riverine ecosystem of the transboundary Amudarya River, Central Asia">Template:Cite journal</ref>
130	South America	Casiquiare	2,574	340	210	82,800	Rio Negro	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
131	Asia	Yellow	2,571	5,464	3,395	752,000	Yellow Sea	Primary river
132	Asia	Mahanadi	2,562	900	560	141,600	Bay of Bengal	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
133	Asia	Pyasina	2,550	818	508	182,000	Kara Sea	Primary river
134	Asia	Koshi	2,500	729	453	69,300	Ganges	Tributary river<ref name="JainAgarwal2007-341" />
135	Africa	Sangha	2,471	790	489	213,400	Congo	journal=International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation">Template:Cite journal</ref>
136	Asia	Songhua	2,463	1,434	887	557,180	Amur	Tributary river
137	Asia	Ghorautra	2,463	90	56	24,060	Meghna	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
138	Asia	Kayan	2,454	576	358	33,005	Celebes Sea	Primary river<ref>Template:Citation</ref>
139	North America	Liard	2,434	1,115	693	277,100	Mackenzie	Tributary river
140	South America	Guainía	2,433	640	400	28,900	Rio Negro	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
141	South America	Guapore	2,430	1,260	783	341,000	Mamoré	Tributary river
142	South America	Ituí	2,422	558	347	43,403	Javari	Tributary river<ref name="Middle Amazon"/><ref name="auto1"/>
143	South America	Apure	2,400	1,038	645	121,400	Orinoco	Tributary river<ref name="La geografía del agua"/>
144	South America	Rio Grande	2,400	1,360	841	143,000	Paraná	Tributary river
145	South America	Paragua	2,389	550	340	39,605	Caroní	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
146	Asia	Vitim	2,379	1,940	1,210	225,000	Lena	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
147	South America	Cauca	2,364	1,180	730	59,840	Magdalena	Tributary river
148	South America	Yarí	2,360	620	383	31,650	Japurá	Tributary river
149	South America	Urubamba	2,330	724	448	60,300	Ucayali	Tributary river<ref name="Oficina Nacional de Evaluación de Recursos Naturales (ONERN)"/>
150	South America	Jacuí	2,327	723	449	82,618	Lagoa dos Patos	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Atlantic East Coast">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
151	South America	San Juan	2,304	380	240	16,465	Pacific Ocean	Primary river<ref name="ESTUDIO NACIONAL DEL AGUA 2022">Template:Cite book</ref>
152	South America	Uatumã	2,291	701	436	67,920	Amazon	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
153	South America	Içana	2,279	676	420	35,675	Rio Negro	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
154	South America	Jamanxim	2,217	666	414	58,771	Tapajós	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Mapping the world’s free-flowing rivers">Template:Cite journal</ref>
155	Asia	Krishna River	2,213	1,400	870	258,948	Bay of Bengal	Primary river<ref name="A Significant Shift in Particulate Organic Matter Characteristics during Flooding of River Krishna, Eastern Peninsular India">Template:Cite journal</ref>
156	Africa	Aruwimi	2,200	1,287	799	116,100	Congo	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
157	North America	Red River	2,187	2,190	1,360	239,195	Atchafalaya	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
158	South America	Ventuari	2,160	520	322	40,861	Orinoco	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
159	South America	Curaray	2,155	800	500	26,775	Napo	Tributary river<ref name="Oficina Nacional de Evaluación de Recursos Naturales (ONERN)"/>
160	North America	Tennessee	2,140	1,049	652	105,870	Ohio	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
161	North America	St. Marys	2,135	120	75	127,700	Lake Huron	Tributary river
162	South America	Tapauá	2,135	640	400	63,185	Purus	Tributary river<ref name="auto1"/>
163	Asia	Jialing	2,120	1,345	836	160,000	Yangtze	Tributary river<ref name="books.google.com" />
164	North America	Mobile	2,118	72	45	112,530	Gulf of Mexico	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
165	North America	Peace	2,110	1,923	1,195	306,000	Slave	Tributary river
166	Asia	Olyokma	2,110	1,436	892	210,000	Lena	Tributary river
167	Asia	Yuan	2,106	864	537	93,287	Yangtze	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
168	South America	Ji-Paraná	2,100	820	510	76,127	Madeira	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
169	Africa	Sanaga	2,072	1,067	663	132,990	Gulf of Guinea	Primary river<ref name="FAO"/>
170	Africa	Lomami	2,062	1,450	900	104,162	Congo	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
171	Asia	Hongshui	2,049	669.6	416.1	141,674	Xi	Tributary river
172	Africa	Lulonga	2,040	200	120	76,950	Congo	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
173	Asia	Gandaki	2,025	814	506	46,300	Ganges	Tributary river
174	Asia	Anadyr	2,020	1,150	710	191,000	Gulf of Anadyr	Primary river<ref name="Fragmentation and Flow Regulation of the World's Large River System">Template:Cite journal</ref>
175	Oceania	Bamu	2,000	310	193	19,346	Gulf of Papua	Primary river<ref name="Anatomy and growth of a Holocene clinothem in the Gulf of Papua">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Papua New Guinea Coast">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

List of primary rivers by discharge

The global annual runoff into the oceans (38,500–44,200 km³/year) is dominated by runoff into the South Atlantic from eastern South America, into the western Pacific from east Asia, and into the Indian Ocean from India, and southeast Asia. Depending on the estimate, the Amazon alone accounts for 15–18% of the annual freshwater runoff into the oceans.<ref name="Land2Sea data-base of river drainage basin sizes, annual water discharges, and suspended sediment fuxes">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="University of Southampton Institutional Repository">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Continetal Runoff into the Oceans (1950–2008)">Template:Cite journal</ref> Template:Pie chart Template:Pie chart

No	Continent	River	Station	Average discharge (m3/s)			Outflow
				Mean	Min	Max
1	South America	Amazon	Amazon Delta	220,800	180,000	340,000	Atlantic Ocean<ref name="HYDROLOGIE DU BASSIN AMAZONIEN">Template:Cite book</ref>
2	Asia	Ganges–Brahmaputra–Meghna	Ganges Delta	43,950	10,000	160,000	Bay of Bengal<ref name="Hydrological Cycle Volume III">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Variation of Satellite-Based Suspended Sediment Concentration in the Ganges-Brahmaputra Estuary from 1990 to 2020">Template:Cite journal</ref>
3	Africa	Congo (Zaire)	Banana	41,400	32,000	57,670	Atlantic Ocean<ref name="Estimates of Freshwater Discharge from Continents: Latitudinal and Seasonal Variations">Template:Cite journal</ref>
4	South America	Orinoco	Orinoco Delta	39,000	8,000	85,000	Atlantic Ocean<ref name="La geografía del agua"/><ref name="XXI. PECES DEL FONDO DEL RÍO ORINOCO Y AFLUENTES PRINCIPALES (COLOMBIA-VENEZUELA): diversidad y aspectos bioecológicos"/>
5	Asia	Yangtze	Yangtze Delta	31,900	11,300	49,500	East China Sea<ref name="Hydrological Cycle Volume III"/><ref name="Yangzi Jiang-Chang Jiang (Yangtze)">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
6	South America	Río de la Plata	La Plata Estuary	27,225	12,000	50,000	Atlantic Ocean<ref name="cicplata2016">Template:Cite bookTemplate:Page needed</ref>
7	North America	Mississippi	Mississippi Delta	21,300	5,000	56,000	Gulf of Mexico<ref name="Variability of Carbon Export in the Lower Mississippi River during an Extreme Cold and Warm Year">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="USGSrivers">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
8	Asia	Yenisei	Yenisei Estuary	20,200	4,200	78,500	Kara Sea<ref name="Recent changes to Arctic river discharge">Template:Cite journal</ref>
9	Asia	Lena	Lena Delta	18,300	3,590	72,000	Laptev Sea<ref name="Recent changes to Arctic river discharge">Template:Cite journal</ref>
10	Asia	Mekong	Mekong Delta	15,856	3,000	39,000	South China Sea<ref name="River Basins">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
11	Asia	Irrawaddy	Irrawaddy Delta	15,112	6,460	38,000	Andaman Sea<ref name="cbsharma" />
12	Asia	Ob	Ob Estuary	13,100	6,230	46,000	Gulf of Ob<ref name="Recent changes to Arctic river discharge">Template:Cite journal</ref>
13	North America	Saint Lawrence	Québéc	12,500	9,225	14,835	Gulf of Saint Lawrence<ref name="Physical oceanographic conditions in the Gulf of St. Lawrence during 2023">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="St Lawrence-Great Lakes">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
14	Asia	Amur	Amur Estuary	12,360	5,340	19,000	Sea of Okhotsk<ref name="Intra-Seasonal Variability">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="River Basins">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
15	Asia	Pearl (Xi)	Pearl Delta	10,700	3,600	20,000	South China Sea<ref name="Spatiotemporal Variation of Annual Runoff and Sediment Load in the Pearl River during 1953-2017">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
16	North America	Mackenzie	Mackenzie Delta	9,800	4,090	15,800	Beaufort Sea<ref name="Recent changes to Arctic river discharge">Template:Cite journal</ref>
17	Europe	Volga	Volga Delta	8,380	5,500	19,600	Caspian Sea<ref name="THE VOLGA RIVER BASIN REPORT">Template:Cite book</ref>
18	South America	Magdalena	Barranquilla	8,058	2,465	16,463	Caribbean Sea<ref name="ESTUDIO NACIONAL DEL AGUA 2022">Template:Cite book</ref>
19	Africa	Niger	Niger Delta	7,900	1,200	35,000	Gulf of Guinea<ref name="The Niger River Basin - A Vision for Sustainable Management">Template:Cite book</ref>
20	North America	Columbia	Astoria	7,407	2,230	19,100	Pacific Ocean<ref name="River Basins">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
21	Oceania	Fly	Ogwa	7,355	3,680	12,762	Gulf of Papua<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
22	North America	Yukon	Pilot Station	6,860	1,360	21,100	Bering Sea<ref name="USGS 15565447 YUKON R AT PILOT STATION AK">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
23	Asia	Salween	Moulmein	6,600	2,300	32,600	Andaman Sea<ref name="Integrating Suspended Sediment Flux in Large Alluvial River Channels: Application of a Synoptic Rouse‐Based Model to the Irrawaddy and Salween Rivers">Template:Cite journal</ref>
24	Europe	Danube	Ceatal Izmail	6,510	1,790	15,900	Black Sea<ref name="Annual Reports">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
25	Asia	Kapuas	Kapuas Delta	6,012	3,000	9,000	South China Sea<ref name="Riverine carbon fluxes to the South China Sea: Riverine carbon fluxes to the SCS">Template:Cite journal</ref>
26	Asia	Indus	Indus Delta	5,589	1,100	18,000	Arabian Sea<ref name="River Basins">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
27	Oceania	Mamberamo	Mamberamo Delta	5,500			Pacific Ocean<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
28	Oceania	Sepik	Angoram	5,000	2,600	11,000	Bismarck Sea<ref name="Geomorphology of Papua New Guinea">Template:Cite book</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
29	South America	Essequibo	Bartica	4,951	1,850	8,700	Atlantic Ocean<ref name="River Basins">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
30	Africa	Ogooué	Lambaréné	4,935	1,610	9,440	Atlantic Ocean<ref>Template:Cite conference</ref>
31	Europe	Pechora	Oksino	4,800	643	17,182	Barents Sea<ref name="Structure and variability of the Pechora plume in the southeastern part of the Barents Sea">Template:Cite journal</ref>
32	Asia	Rajang	Rajang Delta	4,715	1,100	8,000	South China Sea<ref name="Riverine carbon fluxes to the South China Sea: Riverine carbon fluxes to the SCS">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite thesis</ref>
33	Asia	Barito	Barito Delta	4,514			Java Sea<ref name="Riverine carbon fluxes to the South China Sea: Riverine carbon fluxes to the SCS">Template:Cite journal</ref>
34	Asia	Red (Hong)	Red River Delta	4,300	1,200	9,500	Gulf of Tonkin<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
35	Asia	Mahakam	Mahakam Delta	4,278	1,000	8,000	Makassar Strait<ref name="Riverine carbon fluxes to the South China Sea: Riverine carbon fluxes to the SCS">Template:Cite journal</ref>
36	Africa	Zambezi	Marromeu	4,217	920	18,600	Indian Ocean<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
37	South America	Atrato	Atrato Delta	4,138			Caribbean Sea<ref name="Streamflow Intensification Driven by the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) in the Atrato River Basin, Northwestern Colombia">Template:Cite journal</ref>
38	Asia	Kolyma	Kolyma Delta	4,100			East Siberian Sea<ref name="Recent changes to Arctic river discharge">Template:Cite journal</ref>
39	North America	Grijalva–Usumacinta	Grijalva Delta	4,028			Gulf of Mexico<ref name="River Basins">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
40	North America	Fraser	Vancouver	3,944	575	17,000	Pacific Ocean<ref name="River Basins">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
41	Oceania	Digul	Digul Delta	3,867		10,600	Arafura Sea<ref name="Grafik Neraca Air Pulau Papua">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
42	Oceania	Eilanden (Pulau)	Eilanden Delta	3,783			Arafura Sea<ref name="Grafik Neraca Air Pulau Papua">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
43	Asia	Godavari	Godavari Delta	3,571			Bay of Bengal<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
44	North America	Nelson	Port Nelson	3,539	1,000	7,000	Hudson Bay<ref name="The effect of climate change on the simulated streamflow of six Canadian rivers based on the CanRCM4 regional climate model">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="online.ucpress.edu">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="An observational study of ice effects on Nelson River estuarine variability, Hudson Bay, Canada">Template:Cite journal</ref>
45	Asia	Kaladan	Kaladan Delta	3,476			Bay of Bengal<ref name="Fragmentation and Flow Regulation of the World's Large River System">Template:Cite journal</ref>
46	Europe	Northern Dvina	Ust-Pinega	3,416			White Sea<ref name="online.ucpress.edu">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="igpl" />
47	North America	La Grande	La Grande 1	3,400			James Bay<ref name="Recent trends and variability in river discharge across northern Canada">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="discharge">Hydro-Québec and GENIVAR Groupe Conseil inc., Environmental Monitoring of the La Grande-2-A and La Grande-1 Projects. Abridged Summary Report 1987-2000. La Grande Winter plume. July 2005 (Online version Template:Webarchive)</ref>
48	Asia	Shatt al-Arab–Euphrates–Tigris	Shatt al-Arab Delta	3,350			Persian Gulf<ref name="General assessment of Shatt Al-Arab River, Iraq">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Tigris Euphrates Delta-Coastal">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
49	Oceania	Purari	Purari Delta	3,300			Gulf of Papua<ref name=Deltares>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
50	Oceania	Kikori	Kikori Delta	3,274			Gulf of Papua<ref name="Fragmentation and Flow Regulation of the World's Large River System">Template:Cite journal</ref>
51	Asia	Khatanga	Khatanga Estuary	3,200			Laptev Sea<ref name="Recent changes to Arctic river discharge">Template:Cite journal</ref>
52	Asia	Musi	Musi Delta	3,054	1,400	4,200	South China Sea<ref name=sda.pu.go.id>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
53	South America	São Francisco	São Francisco Estuary	2,943			Atlantic Ocean
54	Europe	Rhine	Rhine Delta	2,900	800	13,000	North Sea<ref>Rhine case study; Technical documents in hydrology: PC-CP series; Vol.:17; 2003</ref>
55	Africa	Nile	Dongola	2,810	530	7,620	Mediterranean Sea<ref name="Gupta2007" />
56	Europe	Neva	Saint Petersburg	2,770		4,550	Gulf of Finland<ref name="River Basins">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
57	Africa	Cross	Cross Estuary	2,647			Gulf of Guinea<ref name="River Basins">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
58	Asia	Batang Hari	Batang Hari Delta	2,643			South China Sea<ref name=sda.pu.go.id/>
59	Asia	Yellow	Yellow Delta	2,571		36,000	Yellow Sea
60	Asia	Pyasina	Pyasina Delta	2,550			Kara Sea
61	Asia	Amu Darya	Kerki	2,525			Aral Sea
62	Asia	Kayan	Tanjung Selor	2,454			Celebes Sea<ref>Template:Citation</ref>
63	South America	Jacuí	Porto Alegre	2,327			Lagoa dos Patos<ref name="Jacui">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
64	South America	San Juan	Before delta	2,304			Pacific Ocean<ref name="ESTUDIO NACIONAL DEL AGUA 2022">Template:Cite book</ref>
65	Asia	Krishna	Krishna Delta	2,213			Bay of Bengal
66	Asia	Mahanadi	Mahanadi Delta	2,119			Bay of Bengal
67	North America	Mobile	Mobile Estuary	2,118	282	9,018	Gulf of Mexico<ref name="Mobile-Tombigbee">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
68	Africa	Sanaga	Sanaga Delta	2,072	473	5,700	Gulf of Guinea<ref name="FAO"/>
69	Asia	Anadyr	Anadyr Estuary	2,020			Gulf of Anadyr<ref name="Fragmentation and Flow Regulation of the World's Large River System">Template:Cite journal</ref>
70	Oceania	Bamu	Bamu Estuary	2,000			Gulf of Papua<ref name="Anatomy and growth of a Holocene clinothem in the Gulf of Papua">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Papua New Guinea Coast">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

See also

• Lists of rivers
• List of drainage basins by area
• List of rivers by dissolved load
• List of rivers by length
• List of rivers of India by discharge
• List of U.S. rivers by discharge
• List of waterfalls by flow rate

References

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