List of longest rivers of Canada facts for kids
Among the longest rivers of Canada are 47 streams of at least 600 km (370 mi). In the case of some rivers such as the Columbia, the length listed in the table below is solely that of the main stem. In the case of others such as the Mackenzie, it is the combined lengths of the main stem and one or more upstream tributaries, as noted. Excluded from the list are rivers such as the Dauphin, a short connecting link between lakes Manitoba and Winnipeg, with main stems of 100 km (62 mi) or less. Also excluded are rivers such as the Mississippi, the main stems of which do not enter Canada even though some of their tributaries do.
Nine rivers in this list cross international boundaries or form them. Four—the Yukon, Columbia, Porcupine, and Kootenay—begin in Canada and flow into the United States. Five—the Milk, Pend d'Oreille, Saint Lawrence, Red, and Saint John—begin in the United States and flow into Canada. Of these, the Milk and the Kootenay cross the international border twice, the Milk leaving and then re-entering the United States, the Kootenay leaving and then re-entering Canada. The drainage basins of these nine rivers extend into both countries; in addition, the drainage basins of six others—the Fraser, Assiniboine, South Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan, Nelson, and Winnipeg—extend into the United States even though their main stems flow entirely within Canada.
Sources report hydrological quantities with varied precision. Biologist and author Ruth Patrick, describing a table of high-discharge rivers, wrote that data on discharge, drainage area, and length varied widely among authors whose works she consulted. "It seems", she said, "that the wisest course is to regard data tables such as the present one as showing the general ranks of rivers, and not to place too much importance on minor (10–20%) differences in figures."
Table
The primary source for data in the table below is The Atlas of Canada; other sources are as noted. Discharge refers to the flow at the mouth except as noted. U.S. states appear in italics. Abbreviations are as follows: "km" for "kilometre", "mi" for "mile", "s" for "second", "m" for "metre", and "ft" for "foot".
Key | |||||
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River is not entirely within Canada. | |||||
Watershed is not entirely within Canada. |
# | Name | Mouth | Length | Source | Watershed area |
Discharge | Provinces, states |
Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Mackenzie River | Beaufort Sea 69°21′59″N 133°54′10″W / 69.36639°N 133.90278°W |
2,635 mi |
4,241 kmThutade Lake 56°44′00″N 127°31′00″W / 56.73333°N 127.51667°W |
697,000 mi2 |
1,805,200 km2340,000 ft3/s |
9,700 m3/sNorthwest Territories | |
2 | Yukon River | Bering Sea 62°35′55″N 164°48′00″W / 62.59861°N 164.80000°W |
1,979 mi |
3,185 kmTeslin Lake 59°37′00″N 132°09′00″W / 59.61667°N 132.15000°W |
324,000 mi2 |
839,200 km2224,000 ft3/s |
6,340 m3/sBritish Columbia, Yukon, Alaska | |
3 | Saint Lawrence River | Gulf of Saint Lawrence 49°40′00″N 64°30′00″W / 49.66667°N 64.50000°W |
1,900 mi |
3,058 kmSeven Beaver Lake 47°30′04″N 91°49′51″W / 47.50111°N 91.83083°W |
519,000 mi2 |
1,344,200 km2348,000 ft3/s |
9,850 m3/sMinnesota, Wisconsin, Ontario, Michigan, Ohio, New York, Quebec | |
4 | Nelson River | Hudson Bay 57°04′05″N 92°30′08″W / 57.06806°N 92.50222°W |
1,600 mi |
2,575 kmBow Glacier 51°40′00″N 116°27′00″W / 51.66667°N 116.45000°W |
344,500 mi2 |
892,300 km284,000 ft3/s |
2,370 m3/sManitoba | |
5 | Slave River | Great Slave Lake 61°18′00″N 113°40′04″W / 61.30000°N 113.66778°W |
1,453 mi |
2,338 kmThutade Lake 56°44′00″N 127°31′00″W / 56.73333°N 127.51667°W |
238,000 mi2 |
616,400 km2121,400 ft3/s |
3,437 m3/sAlberta, Northwest Territories | |
6 | Columbia River | Pacific Ocean 46°14′39″N 124°03′29″W / 46.24417°N 124.05806°W |
1,243 mi |
2,000 kmColumbia Lake 50°09′53″N 115°50′19″W / 50.16472°N 115.83861°W |
259,200 mi2 |
671,300 km2273,000 ft3/s |
7,730 m3/sBritish Columbia, Washington, Oregon | |
7 | Saskatchewan River | Lake Winnipeg 53°11′20″N 99°15′18″W / 53.18889°N 99.25500°W |
1,205 mi |
1,939 kmBow Glacier 51°40′00″N 116°27′00″W / 51.66667°N 116.45000°W |
335,900 km2 129,700 mi2 |
25,000 ft3/s |
700 m3/sAlberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba | |
8 | Peace River | Slave River 59°00′01″N 111°24′47″W / 59.00028°N 111.41306°W |
1,195 mi |
1,923 kmThutade Lake 56°44′00″N 127°31′00″W / 56.73333°N 127.51667°W |
116,800 mi2 |
302,500 km274,800 ft3/s |
2,118 m3/sBritish Columbia, Alberta | |
9 | Churchill River (Hudson Bay) | Hudson Bay 58°47′45″N 94°12′15″W / 58.79583°N 94.20417°W |
1,000 mi |
1,609 kmChurchill Lake 55°49′02″N 108°22′52″W / 55.81722°N 108.38111°W |
108,600 mi2 |
281,300 km242,000 ft3/s |
1,200 m3/sAlberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba | |
10 | South Saskatchewan River | Saskatchewan River 53°15′00″N 105°05′02″W / 53.25000°N 105.08389°W |
865 mi |
1,392 kmBow Glacier 51°40′00″N 116°27′00″W / 51.66667°N 116.45000°W |
56,400 mi2 |
146,100 km29,900 ft3/s |
280 m3/sAlberta, Saskatchewan | |
11 | Fraser River | Strait of Georgia 49°07′00″N 123°10′59″W / 49.11667°N 123.18306°W |
854 mi |
1,375 kmFraser Pass 52°32′01″N 118°19′39″W / 52.53361°N 118.32750°W |
90,000 mi2 |
233,100 km2125,000 ft3/s |
3,540 m3/sBritish Columbia | |
12 | North Saskatchewan River | Saskatchewan River 53°15′00″N 105°05′02″W / 53.25000°N 105.08389°W |
800 mi |
1,287 kmSaskatchewan Glacier 52°14′33″N 117°09′05″W / 52.24250°N 117.15139°W |
47,400 mi2 |
122,800 km28,700 ft3/s |
245 m3/sAlberta, Saskatchewan | |
13 | Ottawa River | Saint Lawrence River 45°33′59″N 74°23′11″W / 45.56639°N 74.38639°W |
790 mi |
1,271 kmLaurentian Mountains 47°36′00″N 75°43′40″W / 47.60000°N 75.72778°W |
56,500 mi2 |
146,300 km269,000 ft3/s |
1,950 m3/sQuebec, Ontario | |
14 | Athabasca River | Lake Athabasca 58°59′05″N 110°51′23″W / 58.98472°N 110.85639°W |
765 mi |
1,231 kmColumbia Icefield 52°11′14″N 117°28′27″W / 52.18722°N 117.47417°W |
36,800 mi2 |
95,300 km227,700 ft3/s |
783 m3/sAlberta | |
15 | Liard River | MacKenzie River 61°50′55″N 121°18′35″W / 61.84861°N 121.30972°W |
693 mi |
1,115 kmSaint Cyr Range 61°11′08″N 131°45′36″W / 61.18556°N 131.76000°W |
107,000 mi2 |
277,100 km286,400 ft3/s |
2,446 m3/sYukon, British Columbia, Northwest Territories | |
16 | Assiniboine River | Red River 49°53′09″N 97°07′41″W / 49.88583°N 97.12806°W |
660 mi |
1,070 kmnear Hazel Dell 52°15′53″N 103°08′48″W / 52.26472°N 103.14667°W |
70,000 mi2 |
182,000 km21,600 ft3/s |
45 m3/sSaskatchewan, Manitoba | |
17 | Milk River | Missouri River 48°03′26″N 106°19′07″W / 48.05722°N 106.31861°W |
625 mi |
1,005 kmBlackfeet Indian Reservation 48°51′20″N 113°01′10″W / 48.85556°N 113.01944°W |
23,600 mi2 |
61,200 km2670 ft3/s |
18.9 m3/sAlberta, Montana | |
18 | Albany River | James Bay 52°17′00″N 81°30′59″W / 52.28333°N 81.51639°W |
610 mi |
982 kmCat Lake 51°45′00″N 91°53′00″W / 51.75000°N 91.88333°W |
52,200 mi2 |
135,200 km28,900 ft3/s |
251 m3/sOntario | |
19 | Severn River | Hudson Bay 56°03′22″N 87°34′36″W / 56.05611°N 87.57667°W |
610 mi |
982 kmDeer Lake 52°37′00″N 94°40′00″W / 52.61667°N 94.66667°W |
39,700 mi2 |
102,800 km222,800 ft3/s |
645 m3/sOntario | |
20 | Back River | Chantrey Inlet 67°16′00″N 95°15′00″W / 67.26667°N 95.25000°W |
605 mi |
974 kmnear Aylmer Lake 64°25′00″N 108°27′00″W / 64.41667°N 108.45000°W |
41,120 mi2 |
106,500 km221,600 ft3/s |
612 m3/sNorthwest Territories, Nunavut | |
21 | Thelon River | Baker Lake 64°16′30″N 96°04′35″W / 64.27500°N 96.07639°W |
562 mi |
904 kmLynx Lake 62°20′36″N 106°02′18″W / 62.34333°N 106.03833°W |
55,000 mi2 |
142,400 km230,000 ft3/s |
840 m3/sNorthwest Territories, Nunavut | |
22 | La Grande River | James Bay 53°50′03″N 79°03′20″W / 53.83417°N 79.05556°W |
555 mi |
893 kmLac Nichicun 53°12′30″N 70°56′00″W / 53.20833°N 70.93333°W |
37,700 mi2 |
97,600 km260,000 ft3/s |
1,690 m3/sQuebec | |
23 | Red River | Lake Winnipeg 50°23′47″N 96°48′39″W / 50.39639°N 96.81083°W |
545 mi |
890 kmWahpeton and Breckinridge 46°15′52″N 96°35′55″W / 46.26444°N 96.59861°W |
111,000 mi2 |
287,500 km28,300 ft3/s |
236 m3/sNorth Dakota, Minnesota, Manitoba | |
24 | Koksoak River | Ungava Bay 58°32′11″N 68°09′29″W / 58.53639°N 68.15806°W |
543 mi |
874 kmLake Sevestre 52°32′23″N 68°01′15″W / 52.53972°N 68.02083°W |
51,500 mi2 |
133,400 km299,000 ft3/s |
2,800 m3/sQuebec | |
25 | Churchill River (Atlantic) | Lake Melville 53°20′58″N 60°10′39″W / 53.34944°N 60.17750°W |
532 mi |
856 kmAshuanipi Lake 52°59′20″N 66°14′28″W / 52.98889°N 66.24111°W |
30,800 mi2 |
79,800 km256,000 ft3/s |
1,580 m3/sNewfoundland and Labrador | |
26 | Coppermine River | Coronation Gulf 67°49′09″N 115°03′50″W / 67.81917°N 115.06389°W |
525 mi |
845 kmLac de Gras 64°35′02″N 111°11′24″W / 64.58389°N 111.19000°W |
19,600 mi2 |
50,800 km29,300 ft3/s |
262 m3/sNorthwest Territories, Nunavut | |
27 | Dubawnt River | Thelon River 64°32′59″N 100°06′00″W / 64.54972°N 100.10000°W |
523 mi |
842 kmAbitau Lake 60°21′00″N 107°09′00″W / 60.35000°N 107.15000°W |
22,200 mi2 |
57,500 km212,900 ft3/s |
366 m3/sNorthwest Territories, Nunavut | |
28 | Winnipeg River | Lake Winnipeg 50°37′54″N 96°19′13″W / 50.63167°N 96.32028°W |
505 mi |
813 kmTrap Lake 49°12′42″N 90°26′58″W / 49.21167°N 90.44944°W |
52,400 mi2 |
135,800 km230,000 ft3/s |
850 m3/sOntario, Manitoba | |
29 | Kootenay River | Columbia River 49°19′0″N 117°39′0″W / 49.31667°N 117.65000°W |
485 mi |
780 kmBeaverfoot Range 51°03′21″N 116°21′55″W / 51.05583°N 116.36528°W |
19,400 mi2 |
50,300 km230,000 ft3/s |
850 m3/sBritish Columbia, Montana, Idaho | |
30 | Nottaway River | James Bay 51°22′33″N 78°55′45″W / 51.37583°N 78.92917°W |
482 mi |
776 kmLake Gilles 48°07′00″N 75°38′00″W / 48.11667°N 75.63333°W |
25,400 mi2 |
65,800 km242000 ft3/s |
1,190 m3/sQuebec | |
31 | Rupert River | James Bay 51°29′35″N 78°45′01″W / 51.49306°N 78.75028°W |
474 mi |
763 kmnorth of Lake Mistassini 52°13′11″N 71°32′19″W / 52.21972°N 71.53861°W |
16,800 mi2 |
43,400 km232,000 ft3/s |
900 m3/sQuebec | |
32 | Eastmain River | James Bay 52°14′30″N 78°33′38″W / 52.24167°N 78.56056°W |
470 mi |
756 kmLac Bréhat 52°31′30″N 70°52′00″W / 52.52500°N 70.86667°W |
17,900 mi2 |
46,400 km233,000 ft3/s |
930 m3/sQuebec | |
33 | Attawapiskat River | James Bay 52°57′12″N 82°17′43″W / 52.95333°N 82.29528°W |
465 mi |
748 kmAttawapiskat Lake 52°10′00″N 87°37′00″W / 52.16667°N 87.61667°W |
19,500 mi2 |
50,500 km29,300 ft3/s |
263 m3/sOntario | |
34 | Kazan River | Thelon River 64°02′30″N 95°29′04″W / 64.04167°N 95.48444°W |
455 mi |
732 kmEnnadai Lake 60°55′00″N 101°20′00″W / 60.91667°N 101.33333°W |
27,600 mi2 |
71,500 km219,000 ft3/s |
540 m3/sNunavut | |
35 | Red Deer River | South Saskatchewan River 50°58′05″N 110°00′00″W / 50.96806°N 110.00000°W |
450 mi |
724 kmSawback Range 51°32′19″N 116°02′46″W / 51.53861°N 116.04611°W |
17,400 mi2 |
45,100 km22,500 ft3/s |
70 m3/sAlberta | |
36 | Great Whale River | Hudson Bay 55°15′58″N 77°47′04″W / 55.26611°N 77.78444°W |
450 mi |
724 kmLake Saint-Lusson 54°49′30″N 70°32′17″W / 54.82500°N 70.53806°W |
16,500 mi2 |
42,700 km224,000 ft3/s |
680 m3/sQuebec | |
37 | Porcupine River | Yukon River 66°35′42″N 145°18′32″W / 66.59500°N 145.30889°W |
448 mi |
721 kmOgilvie Mountains 66°32′10″N 138°22′16″W / 66.53611°N 138.37111°W |
45,500 mi2 |
117,900 km214,600 ft3/s |
414 m3/sYukon, Alaska | |
38 | Pend d'Oreille River | Columbia River 48°59′59″N 117°37′00″W / 48.99972°N 117.61667°W |
437 mi |
703 kmnear Butte 46°04′32″N 112°27′56″W / 46.07556°N 112.46556°W |
25,800 mi2 |
66,900 km229,000 ft3/s |
820 m3/sIdaho, Washington, British Columbia | |
39 | Hay River | Great Slave Lake 60°51′50″N 115°44′04″W / 60.86389°N 115.73444°W |
436 mi |
702 kmnear Zama Lake 58°14′14″N 118°51′34″W / 58.23722°N 118.85944°W |
18,600 mi2 |
48,200 km24,000 ft3/s |
113 m3/sAlberta, Northwest Territories | |
40 | Saguenay River | Saint Lawrence River 48°07′59″N 69°43′59″W / 48.13306°N 69.73306°W |
434 mi |
698 kmnear Otish Mountains 52°16′17″N 70°48′38″W / 52.27139°N 70.81056°W |
34,000 mi2 |
88,000 km262,000 ft3/s |
1,750 m3/sQuebec | |
41 | Anderson River | Beaufort Sea 69°43′00″N 129°00′09″W / 69.71667°N 129.00250°W |
430 mi |
692 kmnorthwest of Great Bear Lake 66°57′00″N 124°36′00″W / 66.95000°N 124.60000°W |
5,000 ft3/s |
142 m3/sNorthwest Territories | ||
42 | Peel River | Mackenzie River 67°41′49″N 134°31′58″W / 67.69694°N 134.53278°W |
425 mi |
684 kmGill Lake 65°19′00″N 139°49′00″W / 65.31667°N 139.81667°W |
28,400 mi2 |
73,600 km23,600 ft3/s |
103 m3/sYukon, Northwest Territories | |
43 | Saint John River | Bay of Fundy 45°16′00″N 66°04′00″W / 45.26667°N 66.06667°W |
418 mi |
673 kmSomerset County 46°33′47″N 69°53′05″W / 46.56306°N 69.88472°W |
21,300 mi2 |
55,200 km240,000 ft3/s |
1,130 m3/sMaine, New Brunswick | |
44 | Stewart River | Yukon River 63°17′30″N 139°24′42″W / 63.29167°N 139.41167°W |
400 mi |
644 kmSelwyn Mountains 64°06′35″N 131°42′25″W / 64.10972°N 131.70694°W |
20,000 mi2 |
51,000 km223,800 ft3/s |
675 m3/sYukon | |
45 | Horton River | Franklin Bay 69°56′00″N 126°48′09″W / 69.93333°N 126.80250°W |
384 mi |
618 kmKitikmeot Region, Nunavut 67°51′00″N 120°33′00″W / 67.85000°N 120.55000°W |
10,300 mi2 |
26,680 km2Nunavut, Northwest Territories | ||
46 | English River | Winnipeg River 50°12′04″N 95°00′12″W / 50.20111°N 95.00333°W |
382 mi |
615 kmnear Marmion Lake 49°06′00″N 91°16′00″W / 49.10000°N 91.26667°W |
20,200 mi2 |
52,300 km2Ontario | ||
47 | Pelly River | Yukon River 62°46′46″N 137°20′13″W / 62.77944°N 137.33694°W |
378 mi |
608 kmMackenzie Mountains 62°49′00″N 129°53′00″W / 62.81667°N 129.88333°W |
20,000 mi2 |
51,000 km214,000 ft3/s |
410 m3/sYukon |