Amazon

The Amazon is the world's largest river by discharge and, by some accounts, the world's longest river. It flows from Rio Mantaro to the Atlantic Ocean, covering a distance of 4,345 kilometers. The average discharge rate is 55,000,000 gallons per second or 1,581 cubic miles per year. The Amazon drainage basin is the largest in the world, covering approximately 2,720,000 square miles. Vicente Yanez Pinzon of Spain was the first European to sail the river in the year 1500.

The Nile and the Amazon have long been a point of contention for the title of the world's longest river. The Nile, according to popular opinion, is longer than the Amazon. The river's several tributaries flood at different periods of the year. So yet, no serious river flooding has been reported. The river is home to a vast and diverse mix of flora and wildlife, with over a third of all known species found here. In the Amazon, there are approximately 3,000 species of fish, with more being discovered every year. The river is also home to the world's largest snake, the anaconda.

Length: 4,345 miles (shared with Peru and Brazil)