Longest rivers of the United Kingdom facts for kids
Have you ever wondered which rivers are the longest in the United Kingdom? The UK is home to many amazing rivers that flow through different countries like England, Scotland, and Wales. These rivers are super important for nature, cities, and even for fun activities like boating! This article will tell you about the longest rivers and some cool facts about them.
Longest Rivers in the UK
Here is a list of the longest rivers found in the United Kingdom. Rivers are measured by how far they flow from their source (where they begin) to their mouth (where they meet the sea or another river).
| Rank | River | Length (miles) | Length (km) | Mouth | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | River Severn | 220 | 354 | Severn Estuary | Wales/England |
| 2 | River Thames | 215 | 346 | Thames Estuary | England |
| 3 | River Trent | 185 | 297 | The Humber | England |
| 4 | River Wye | 155 | 250 | Severn Estuary | Wales/England |
| 5 | River Great Ouse | 143 | 230 | The Wash | England |
| 6 | River Ure/River Ouse, Yorkshire | 129 | 208 | The Humber | England |
| 7 | River Tay | 117 | 188 | Firth of Tay | Scotland |
| 8 | River Clyde | 109 | 176 | Firth of Clyde | Scotland |
| 9 | River Spey | 107 | 172 | Moray Firth | Scotland |
| 10 | River Nene | 100 | 161 | The Wash | England |
| 11 | River Bann / Lough Neagh | 99 | 159 | Atlantic Ocean | Northern Ireland |
| 12 | River Tweed | 96 | 155 | North Sea | Scotland/England |
| 13 | River Avon, Warwickshire | 96 | 154 | River Severn* | England |
| 14 | River Eden, Cumbria | 90 | 145 | Solway Firth | England |
| 15 | River Dee, Aberdeenshire | 87 | 140 | North Sea | Scotland |
| 16 | River Witham | 82 | 132 | The Wash | England |
| 17 | River Teme | 81 | 130 | River Severn* | Wales/England |
| 18= | River Don, Aberdeenshire | 80 | 129 | North Sea | Scotland |
| 18= | River Foyle | 80 | 129 | Atlantic Ocean | Northern Ireland/Republic of Ireland |
| 20 | River Usk | 78 | 125 | Severn Estuary | Wales |
| 21 | River Teifi | 76 | 122 | Cardigan Bay | Wales |
| 22= | River Tywi | 75 | 121 | Carmarthen Bay | Wales |
| 22= | River Ribble | 75 | 120 | Irish Sea | England |
| 22= | River Avon, Bristol | 75 | 120 | Mouth of the Severn | England |
| 25= | River Tyne | 73 | 118 | North Sea | England |
| 25= | River Swale | 73 | 118 | River Ure | England |
| 27 | River Derwent, Yorkshire | 72 | 115 | River Ouse, Yorkshire | England |
| 28= | River Aire | 71 | 114 | River Ouse, Yorkshire | England |
| 28= | River Nith | 71 | 114 | Solway Firth | Scotland |
| 30= | River Tees | 70 | 113 | North Sea | England |
| 30= | River Medway | 70 | 113 | Thames Estuary | England |
| 30= | River Mersey | 70 | 113 | Irish Sea | England |
| 33= | River Dee, Wales | 70 | 112 | Dee Estuary | Wales/England |
| 33= | River Don, South Yorkshire | 70 | 112 | River Ouse, Yorkshire | England |
How River Lengths are Measured
Measuring the exact length of a river can be a bit tricky! Sometimes, different sources might have slightly different lengths for the same river. This is because people don't always agree on what counts as the very beginning of a river or where it officially ends.
For example, some rivers are actually made up of several smaller rivers that join together. The River Ure and River Ouse are a good example. They can be seen as one long river system or as two separate rivers. If you count them as one, it changes their total length.
Another interesting case is the River Thames. Its traditional starting point is at Thames Head. However, if you include a small river called the River Churn, which flows into the Thames, the total length of the Thames becomes even longer. In fact, if you add the Churn, the Thames could be considered longer than the River Severn!
Rivers and Estuaries
Many rivers in the UK end in an estuary. An estuary is a wide part of a river where it meets the sea. The water here is often a mix of fresh river water and salty seawater.
In the UK, people usually say a river ends where its administrative zone finishes. For instance, the River Severn is often said to end near the mouth of the Bristol Avon. The River Thames traditionally ends at a place called the Yantlet Line. However, the actual estuary of the Severn goes much further out to sea. The Port of London's area also stretches far beyond the traditional end of the Thames. This shows why comparing river lengths between different countries can be hard, as they might have different rules for measuring.
Some rivers don't flow into the sea directly. Instead, they flow into another river that isn't affected by tides. These rivers are marked with an asterisk (*) in the table above. For example, in Yorkshire, the Aire, Derwent, and Don rivers all flow into a tidal part of the Yorkshire Ouse.
See also
In Spanish: Anexo:Ríos del Reino Unido para niños
