What is the longest river in the world?

The Nile River is widely recognized as the longest river in the world, with a total length of about 6,650 kilometers (approximately 4,130 miles). It flows through several countries in northeastern Africa, including Uganda, Sudan, and Egypt, ultimately emptying into the Mediterranean Sea. The historical significance of the Nile cannot be overstated, as it has been crucial to the development of ancient Egyptian civilization and continues to be vital for agriculture and water supply in the surrounding regions.

While the Amazon River has been a subject of debate in ongoing length measurements, many studies suggest that it is either the same length as, or slightly shorter than, the Nile. However, the Nile has traditionally held the title of the longest river due to its longer recognized length in various geographical references. The Yangtze River, located in China, is the longest river in Asia but ranks behind both the Nile and the Amazon globally. The Mississippi River, while being one of the major rivers in North America, is significantly shorter than the Nile.