Where is the longest river in the world? Not so long ago it was thought that in Africa. However, research in recent decades says something completely different. It would seem that with modern technologies, such nuances should have been known for a long time. But the question of which river is the longest in the world can still cause controversy and disagreement. Let's look into this, and also find out something interesting about our record holder.
Nile or Amazon?
The length of the river is a very ambiguous parameter. To measure it, you need to know exactly where the stream begins, where it ends, and how it flows between these points. Reliable data on this is not always easy to obtain, because the mouth of the river often changes due to strong erosion, and sometimes it completely dries up and is lost. The source of the river is usually considered the beginning of its longest tributary, and its choice is erroneous.
For a long time, the Nile River was considered the longest, with a length of about 6852 meters. It flows in eastern Africa and is considered the largest watercourse on the mainland. The second longest was the Amazon in South America. However, now the rivers have reversed.
In the middle of the 20th century, researchers found thatthe beginning of the Amazon was chosen incorrectly, and its starting point is not the left tributary, but the right one. Today, based on modern measurements and materials, which include satellite maps, it can be argued that the length of the Amazon River is at least 6992 meters. This, without a doubt, makes it the longest in the world.
Opening of the river
According to rough estimates, the Amazon "was born" about 9 million years ago. Before it became known to the world, numerous tribes of Indians lived in its basin. Europeans appeared in this territory in 1542, led by the conquistador and traveler Francisco de Orellano, who is considered the discoverer of the river.
The Spaniard landed in the west of South America and, crossing the mountains, set off for rafting. A monk in his command chronicled the journey. He described the banks of the river as impenetrable jungle, where from time to time there were settlements of people. The conquistadors robbed them or traded them for food. Weeks later, the Spaniards reached the mouth of the river, and Francisco Orellano became the first to sail along its entire length and cross the mainland from west to east at its widest point.
According to the monk, the conquistador chose the name "Amazon" after he met a tribe of cruel and warlike women who bravely fought back from his group. True, other researchers of the river did not find any signs of a purely female settlement and took the story for a beautiful legend. According to another version, the name comes from the local word "amasunu", whichtranslates as "big river".
Queen of Rivers
People who live here sometimes call her "Queen". The longest river in the world is located in the northern part of the continent of South America, almost completely crossing it from west to east. It begins in the mountains of Peru and is formed by the confluence of two large tributaries - the Maranion and Ucayali rivers, flows into the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast of the mainland. According to some reports, the length of the Amazon River is not even 6992 meters, but more than 7000 meters (if you count from the tributary of the Apachetu).
Near the mouth, it forms a huge delta with an area of one hundred square kilometers. It is pierced by hundreds of straits, rivers, streams and channels, washing many islands. Powerful ocean tides form strong waves, defeating the current of the river and forcing their way inland. That is why the Amazon delta does not begin at the edge of the mainland, but protrudes into it for about 300 kilometers. Local tidal waves can reach 3-4 meters and move at a speed of 20 km/h.
River basin
Hundreds of tributaries flow into the Amazon. About 20 of them are large rivers that reach a length of 1500-3000 kilometers. The depth of the Amazon in the delta region is about a hundred meters, but with the advancement to the mainland, it gradually decreases. Sea vessels call for 1,700 kilometers from the mouth to the port of Manaus. For river transport, the Amazon and its tributaries are available for 4,300 kilometers.
The basin of the longest river in the world covers 7,050000 km². It covers the territory of Peru, Colombia, Bolivia, Venezuela and Gaina, although its main part is located in the northern part of Brazil. The Amazon is located on both sides of the equator: its right tributaries are in the Southern Hemisphere, and the left ones are in the Northern Hemisphere. Thanks to this location, the rainy season falls at different times, and the river remains full-flowing throughout the year.
Extraordinary nature
The basin of the longest river in the world is located almost entirely in the equatorial zone. Due to the warm and humid climate, as well as the constant floods of the Amazon, dense tropical forests have formed here with a huge variety of species.
The river basin is considered one of the least explored and most dangerous places on the planet. Its dense jungle is home to anacondas, piranhas, leopard cats, caimans, inia river dolphins, and the world's largest rodent, the capybara, which reaches 1.5 meters in length.
Thousands of species of animals live in the Amazon and its coastal areas, many of which have not yet been described by science. Its rainforests cover about 5.5 million km2. They are called the "lungs of the planet", because almost 50% of all oxygen on Earth is produced there. All sorts of creepers, orchids, ferns, epiphytes, palm trees, Brazil nuts with a trunk diameter of up to 2 meters grow in the Amazonian thickets. Here you can also find the largest water lily in the world - Victoria regia. The diameter of its leaf reaches 2 meters, and the flowers - 30 centimeters.
