List of rivers of the Americas Facts for Kids

This article is about the amazing rivers found across North and South America! Rivers are like nature's highways, carrying water from mountains and hills all the way to oceans or lakes. They are super important for people, animals, and plants.

The longest river in the Americas is the Amazon River. Its length is usually said to be at least 6,400 kilometers (about 4,000 miles). But remember, measuring a river's exact length can be tricky! It depends on where you start measuring and how you follow all its twists and turns.

Did you know that 11 countries in the Americas don't have any rivers? These are mostly smaller islands like Anguilla, Aruba, and the Cayman Islands.

Rivers of North America
Rivers of South America
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Rivers of North America

North America has many important rivers. Their waters flow into the Arctic Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, or the Pacific Ocean. Some rivers even flow into special land areas called "basins" where the water doesn't reach the ocean.

Rivers of Central America

Map of Central America

In Central America, rivers flow either to the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean. The Río Coco, also known as the Wanks, is the longest river that stays completely within Central America. It forms part of the border between Honduras and Nicaragua. The Patuca River is the second longest.

Here are some cool facts about important rivers in Central America:

The Aguán River in Honduras helps water a large area of land.
The Cahabón River in Guatemala is famous for its exciting white-water rapids!
The Choluteca River in Honduras is known for causing big floods in 1998.
The Chucunaque River is the longest river in Panama.
The Dulce River in Guatemala has the biggest bridge in Central America. A Tarzan movie was even filmed there in 1939!
The Lempa River is the longest river in El Salvador and the only one you can travel on by boat.
The Motagua River is the longest river in Guatemala.
The New River is the longest river completely inside Belize.
The Reventazón River in Costa Rica helps make a lot of the country's electricity.
The San Juan River is the longest river in Costa Rica.
The Tempisque River in Costa Rica is important for many animals and flows entirely within the country.
The Ulúa River in Honduras is famous for beautiful ancient Mayan pots found near its banks.

Rivers of Northern America

North American watersheds

Columbia River basin

Mississippi River basin

Yellowstone River flowing through Paradise Valley

Great Basin

The Missouri River is the longest river in North America and the United States, stretching about 2,341 miles (3,767 kilometers). The Mississippi River is the second longest, at about 2,320 miles (3,734 kilometers). In Canada, the Mackenzie River is the longest, and in Mexico, it's the Rio Conchos.

Let's explore some other important rivers in Northern America:

The Alabama River in the US is famous for the Edmund Pettus Bridge near Selma, Alabama. This bridge was a key location for civil rights marches in 1965.
The Colorado River flows through many US states and Mexico. It's famous for its amazing canyons, like the Grand Canyon, and its whitewater rapids. It's a super important source of water for the Southwest US.
The Columbia River is the biggest river in the Pacific Northwest. It flows through Canada and the US and empties into the Pacific Ocean. Its largest tributary is the Snake River, where Native Americans lived for a long time.
The Delaware River in the US was home to Native Americans and saw many important battles during the American Revolution, including Washington's famous crossing.
The Fraser River is the longest river in British Columbia, Canada. Spanish explorers visited it in 1792.
The Hudson River in the US was explored by Henry Hudson in 1609. It flows past New York City.
The Mackenzie River is Canada's longest river, flowing all the way to the Arctic Ocean.
The Mississippi River is the second longest river in North America. Many other big rivers, like the Arkansas River, Ohio River, and Missouri River, flow into it.
The Missouri River is the longest river in North America. The Yellowstone River, famous for Yellowstone National Park, flows into the Missouri.
The Potomac River flows through Washington D.C. and has been important in many US historical events.
The Rio Grande forms a long border between the US and Mexico.
The Sacramento River is the largest river in California and was important during the California Gold Rush.
The Saint Lawrence River connects the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, making it a vital waterway for shipping between Canada and the US.
The Susquehanna River is the longest river on the East Coast of the US.
The Yukon River is a very long river that flows through Canada and Alaska, reaching the Bering Sea. It has been important for transportation for a very long time.
The Usumacinta River in Mexico and Guatemala was very important to the ancient Mayan Civilization.

Rivers of the West Indies (Caribbean Islands)

The West Indies in relation to the continental Americas

The West Indies are a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea. Even though they are islands, some have important rivers!

Here are some of the significant rivers in the West Indies:

The Artibonite River is the longest river in Haiti.
The Caroni River is the longest in Trinidad and Tobago.
The Cauto River in Cuba is the longest river in Cuba and the entire Caribbean region.
The Chavón River in the Dominican Republic was historically used by pirates to hide their treasure!
The Colonarie River is the longest river in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
The Constitution River is the longest river in Barbados.
The Haina River in the Dominican Republic is where gold was first discovered in 1496.
The Layou River is the longest river in Dominica.
The Ozama River in the Dominican Republic is where the first permanent European settlement in the New World, Santo Domingo, was built in 1498.
The Rio Minho is the longest river in Jamaica.
The Rivière Soliette in Haiti and the Dominican Republic caused a terrible flood in 2004.
The Rosseau River is the longest river in Saint Lucia.
The Saint Johns River is the longest river in Grenada.
The Yaque del Norte River is the longest river in the Dominican Republic.

Rivers of South America

Amazon River basin

South America is home to the mighty Amazon River, the longest river in the Americas and one of the longest in the world! It flows through many countries like Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela, Colombia, and Brazil, eventually reaching the Atlantic Ocean.

The Amazon River has many huge rivers that flow into it, called tributaries. Some of the most important ones include:

The Solimões is the name given to part of the Amazon in Brazil.
The Ucayali River and Marañón River are considered the main starting points of the Amazon in Peru.
The Putumayo River, Juruá River, Japurá River, and Purus River are all major tributaries that join the Amazon.
The Rio Negro is another massive tributary. It connects to the Orinoco River through a natural canal called the Casiquiare Canal.
The Madeira River is a huge tributary that flows through Bolivia and Brazil.
The Tapajós River, Xingu River, and Tocantins River are also very large rivers that join the Amazon in Brazil.

Other important rivers in South America include:

The Orinoco River flows through Colombia and Venezuela.
The Río de la Plata (River Plate) is not truly a river, but a wide estuary where the Paraná River and Uruguay River meet before flowing into the Atlantic.
The Paraná River flows through Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay.
The Uruguay River flows through Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay.
The São Francisco River is a major river in Brazil.
Many rivers in Chile like the Bío Bío River, Loa River, and Maule River.
The Magdalena River is a very important river in Colombia.

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Amazon River near Parintins, Brazil

List of rivers of the Americas facts for kids

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