List of rivers of the Americas

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Amazon River near Parintins, Brazil

This is a list of rivers of the Americas, it includes major historical or physiological significant rivers of the Americas grouped by region where they are located (Central America, Northern America, West Indies and South Americas). The longest rivers in each country are included. Further details and references are provided in each river's separate article. Unusually significant tributaries appear in this list, under the river into which they drain.

The longest river in the Americas is the Amazon River. The length of the Amazon River is usually said to be "at least" Template:Cvt,<ref name=britannica-amazon>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> but reported values lie anywhere between Template:Cvt.<ref name="liu-etal-river-length">Template:Cite journal</ref> The length measurements of many rivers are only approximations and differ from each other because there are many factors that determine the calculated river length, such as the position of the geographical source and the mouth, the scale of measurement, and the length measuring techniques (for details see also List of rivers by length).<ref name=liu-etal-river-length/><ref name=river-source>Template:Cite web</ref>

There are 11 countries in the Americas that do not have rivers: Anguilla,<ref>Template:Citation.</ref> Aruba, Bermuda,<ref>Template:Harvnb.</ref> Bonaire, Cayman Islands,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Curaçao, Saba, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten.

North America

Central America

File:Map of Central America.png

Map of Central America

The water in rivers in Central America flows to either the Atlantic Ocean or Pacific Ocean. The Río Coco, locally known as the Wanks, runs along the border with Honduras and is the longest river flowing totally within Central America. The second longest river in Central America is the Patuca River.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Patuca />

Some of the significant rivers and their lengths in Central America include:

Significant rivers in Central America
River	Countries	Length	Significance
Aguán River	Honduras	Template:Cvt	The Aguán River's watershed is one of seven watersheds in Honduras,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and covers over Template:Convert, of which around 200,000 are in the Aguán River Valley.<ref>Jeffrey R. Jones, Colonization and Environment: Land Settlement Projects in Central America, The United Nations University Press, 1990</ref>
Cahabón River	Guatemala	Template:Cvt	known for white water rapids<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Choluteca River	Honduras	Template:Cvt	noted for severe flooding in 1998<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Chucunaque River	Panama	Template:Cvt	longest river in Panama
Coco River (Wanki River)	Honduras and Nicaragua	Template:Cvt	border river, longest river in Honduras and Nicaragua
Dulce River	Guatemala	Template:Cvt	largest bridge in Central America, location of Tarzan movie in 1939<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Lempa River	El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala	Template:Cvt	longest and only navigable river in El Salvador<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Los Esclavos River	Guatemala	Template:Cvt	known for bridge built over the river in 1579 as Spanish Colony<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Motagua River	Guatemala	Template:Cvt	longest river in Guatemala<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
New River	Belize	Template:Cvt	longest river within Belize
Patuca River	Honduras	Template:Cvt	longest river within Honduras<ref name=Patuca>Template:Cite web</ref>
Reventazón River	Costa Rica	Template:Cvt	used to generate significant portion of Costa Rica's electricity
San Juan River	Costa Rica, Nicaragua	Template:Cvt	longest river in Costa Rica<ref name="CV">Template:Cite book</ref>
Tempisque River	Costa Rica	Template:Cvt	longest river totally within Costa Rica, important animal habitat, flows entirely within Costa Rica<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Ulúa River	Honduras	Template:Cvt	known for ornate calcite vessels that date from the Mayan times<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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Northern America

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File:NorthAmerica-WaterDivides.png

North American watersheds (Atlantic, Arctic, Great Basin, & Pacific)

File:Columbiarivermap.png

Columbia River basin

File:Mississippiriver-new-01.png

Mississippi River basin

File:Yellowstone River, flowing through Paradise Valley.jpg

Yellowstone River flowing through Paradise Valley

File:Great Basin map.gif

Great Basin

Water from rivers in the Northern Americas flows toward either the Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, the land-locked Great Basin in the western United States or the interior basin in Mexico.

The Missouri River is the longest river in North America and the United States (Template:Cvt).<ref name="RiversWorld">Template:Cite web</ref> The second longest river in North America and the United States is the Mississippi River (Template:Cvt). The Rio Conchos (Template:Cvt) is the longest river in Mexico. The longest river in Canada is the Mackenzie River (Template:Cvt).

Some of the longest or otherwise notable rivers include the rivers listed in the table below.

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Significant rivers in Northern America
River	Countries	Length	Tributary of	Significance
Alabama River	US: Alabama	Template:Cvt	Gulf of Mexico	The Edmund Pettus Bridge crosses the Alabama River near Selma. The bridge was the site of the famous marches for voting rights in 1965
Alsek River	Canada: Yukon US: Alaska	Template:Cvt	Gulf of Alaska, Pacific Ocean	wilderness river
Altamaha River	US: Georgia	Template:Cvt	Atlantic Ocean	bioreserve
Apalachicola River	US: Florida	Template:Cvt	Gulf of Mexico	scenic river, former border between East and West Florida
Chattahoochee River	US: Georgia, Alabama, Florida	Template:Cvt	Apalachicola River	state borders
Flint River	US: Georgia, Alabama, Florida	Template:Cvt	Apalachicola River	mentioned in Gone with the Wind
Colorado River	US: Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, California Mexico:Baja California, Sonora	Template:Cvt	Gulf of California, Pacific Ocean	Known for its dramatic canyons, whitewater rapids, and eleven U.S. National Parks; vital source of water in Southwest US
Columbia River	Canada: British Columbia US: Washington, Oregon	Template:Cvt	Pacific Ocean	largest river in Pacific Northwest, largest river emptying into the Pacific Ocean in North America
James River	US: Virginia	Template:Cvt	Hampton Roads, Chesapeake Bay, Atlantic Ocean	the first permanent English settlement in America and all past and current Virginia capitols, Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Richmond are located along its shores
Snake River	US: Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, Washington	Template:Cvt	Columbia River	largest tributary of Columbia River, shores populated by Native Americans, discovered by Lewis and Clark
Okanogan River	Canada: British Columbia US: Washington	Template:Cvt	Columbia River	early 1800s fur trading river
Kettle River	Canada: British Columbia, US: Washington	Template:Cvt	Columbia River	association with Columbia River
Pend Oreille River	US: Washington, Idaho, Canada: British Columbia	Template:Cvt	Columbia River	native people (Pend d'Oreilles and Kalispe) lived along the river
Kootenay River	Canada: British Columbia US: Montana	Template:Cvt	Columbia River	major tributary of Columbia River, early home to Native Americans
Willamette River	US: Oregon	Template:Cvt	Columbia River	well known vineyards around river
Delaware River	US: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland	Template:Cvt	Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean	shores home to Native Americans, associated with several American Revolution battles and Washington Crossing the Delaware
Brandywine River	US: Pennsylvania, Delaware	Template:Cvt	Christina River, Delaware River	designated Pennsylvania Scenic Rivers, associated with the Battle of Brandywine
Schuylkill River	US: Pennsylvania	Template:Cvt	Delaware River	Philadelphia
Fraser River	Canada: British Columbia	Template:Cvt	Strait of Georgia Pacific Ocean	longest river in British Columbia, visited by Spanish explorers in 1792
Thompson River	Canada: British Columbia	Template:Cvt	Fraser River	evidence of prehistoric settlements along river
Chilcotin River	Canada: British Columbia	Template:Cvt	Fraser River	important to indigenous people
Nechako River	Canada: British Columbia	Template:Cvt	Fraser River	first explored by Europeans in 1806
Hudson River	US: New York, New Jersey	Template:Cvt	New York Harbor Atlantic Ocean	explored by Henry Hudson in 1609
Mohawk River	US: New York	Template:Cvt	Hudson River	important to transportation and migration
Mackenzie River	Canada: Northwest Territories, Yukon	Template:Cvt	Beaufort Sea Arctic Ocean	longest river in Canada
Liard River	Canada: British Columbia, Northwest Territories	Template:Cvt	Mackenzie River	marks the north end of the Rocky Mountains
Slave River	Canada: Alberta, Northwest Territories	Template:Cvt	Mackenzie River	named for the Slavey people
Peace River	Canada: British Columbia, Alberta	Template:Cvt	Slave River	part of Finlay–Peace–Slave–Mackenzie river system—13th longest in the world, traditional Danezaa people lived along its shores
Athabasca River	Canada: Alberta	Template:Cvt	Slave River	Canadian Heritage Rivers System
Majorqaq	Greenland: Qeqqata	Template:Cvt	Atlantic Ocean	Greenland is considered part of North America physiography. This river is the outflow of a glacier.<ref>Maniitsoq, Saga Map, Tage Schjøtt, 1992</ref>
Mississippi River	US: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana	Template:Cvt	Gulf of Mexico	2nd longest river in Northern Americas
Arkansas River	US: Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas	Template:Cvt	Mississippi River	6th longest river in US
Canadian River	US: Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas	Template:Cvt	Arkansas River	explored by Spanish in 1601
Cimarron River	US: Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma	Template:Cvt	Arkansas River	explored by Francisco Vásquez de Coronado in 1541, no major cities along route
Des Moines River	US: Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri	Template:Cvt	Mississippi River	explored by early French explorers
Illinois River	US: Illinois	Template:Cvt	Mississippi River	important transportation route
Minnesota River	US: Minnesota	Template:Cvt	Mississippi River	longest river within Minnesota
Missouri River	US: Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri	Template:Cvt	Mississippi River	longest river in Northern Americas
Yellowstone River	US: Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota	Template:Cvt	Missouri River	important transportation route for Native Americans, associated with Yellowstone Park
Platte River	US: Nebraska	Template:Cvt	Missouri River	home to Native Americans, first explored by the Spanish in the 1540s
Milk River	Canada: Alberta, US: Montana	Template:Cvt	Missouri River	subject of 1908 Supreme Court case for Native American rights
Ohio River	US: Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois	Template:Cvt	Mississippi River	Native American significance
Allegheny River	US: Pennsylvania, New York	Template:Cvt	Ohio River	Native American and early colonial history
Cumberland River	US: Kentucky, Tennessee	Template:Cvt	Allegheny River	Native American and riverboat significance
Kanawha River	US: West Virginia	Template:Cvt	Allegheny River	largest inland waterway in West Virginia
Scioto River	US: Ohio	Template:Cvt	Allegheny River	longest river within Ohio
Tennessee River	US:Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky	Template:Cvt	Ohio River	Cherokee lived along river, largest Ohio River tributary
Red River of the South	US: Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana	Template:Cvt	Gulf of Mexico	second largest river basin in the Great Plains, former border with Mexico
Rock River	US: Wisconsin, Illinois	Template:Cvt	Mississippi River	notable Rock River Water Trail
Wisconsin River	US: Wisconsin	Template:Cvt	Mississippi River	longest river within Wisconsin
Nass River	Canada: British Columbia	Template:Cvt	Portland Inlet, Pacific Ocean	volcanic activity near river, salmon fishery
Potomac River	US: West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, District of Columbia	Template:Cvt	Chesapeake Bay, Atlantic Ocean	4th largest drainage basin on the East Coast of the US, largest river in DC, military historical events in US history
Shenandoah River	US: Virginia, West Virginia	Template:Cvt	Potomac River	well known since colonial times
Roanoke River	US: Virginia, North Carolina	Template:Cvt	Atlantic Ocean	site of early Native American and colonial settlements
Rio Conchos	Mexico: Chihuahua (state)	Template:Cvt	Rio Grande	important river in northern Mexico, largest tributary of the Rio Grande
Rio Grande	Mexico: Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, US: Colorado, New Mexico, Texas	Template:Cvt	Gulf of Mexico	longest US/Mexico border river
Sacramento River	US: California	Template:Cvt	Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta, San Francisco Bay, Pacific Ocean	largest river in California, California Gold Rush
Pit River	US: California	Template:Cvt	Sacramento River	Native American home
Feather River	US: California	Template:Cvt	Sacramento River	home to the Maidu Native Americans
Saskatchewan	Canada: Manitoba, Saskatchewan	Template:Cvt	Lake Winnipeg	important transportation route in Pre-Columbian era, three hydroelectric dams
Skagit River	Canada: British Columbia US: Washington	Template:Cvt	Puget Sound, Pacific Ocean	home to Skagit peoples (Upper and Lower tribes
Skeena River	Canada: British Columbia	Template:Cvt	Pacific Ocean	2nd longest river in British Columbia
Babine River	Canada: British Columbia	Template:Cvt	Skeena River	one of the last unspoiled rivers
St. Johns River	US: Florida	Template:Cvt	Atlantic Ocean	longest river within Florida
Saint Lawrence River	Canada: Ontario, Quebec US: New York	Template:Cvt	Gulf of St. Lawrence, Atlantic Ocean	connects Great Lakes, provides basis for St. Lawrence Seaway
Cuyahoga River	US: Ohio	Template:Cvt	Saint Lawrence River	1795 western boundary of US, so polluted in 1969 that it caught fire
Detroit River	Canada: Ontario US: Michigan	Template:Cvt	Saint Lawrence River	one of world's busiest waterways, border river, designated American Heritage Rivers and Canadian Heritage Rivers System
Fox River	US: Wisconsin	Template:Cvt	Green Bay, Lake Michigan	largest tributary of Lake Michigan
Saginaw River	US: Michigan	Template:Cvt	Saginaw Bay, Saint Lawrence River	important shipping route
Ottawa River	Canada: Quebec, Ontario	Template:Cvt	Saint Lawrence River	vital role for Algonquin people, Provincial border
Morice	Canada: British Columbia	Template:Cvt	Saint Lawrence River or Skeena River	endangered river, Enbridge pipeline threat
Susquehanna River	US: New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland	Template:Cvt	Chesapeake Bay, Atlantic Ocean	longest river on the East-Coast of the US
Yukon River	Canada: Yukon, British Columbia US: Alaska	Template:Cvt	Bering Sea, Pacific Ocean	longest river flowing through Canada and Alaska
Tanana River	US: Alaska	Template:Cvt	Yukon River	evidence of Paleo-Arctic human activity, Nenana Ice Classic contest for charity to predict ice-out
Usumacinta River	Mexico: Tabasco, Guatemala	Template:Cvt	Gulf of Mexico	important to Mayan Civilization
South Saskatchewan River	Canada: Alberta, Saskatchewan	Template:Cvt	Saskatchewan River
North Saskatchewan River	Canada: Alberta, Saskatchewan	Template:Cvt	Saskatchewan River
Assiniboine River	Canada: Saskatchewan, Manitoba	Template:Cvt	Red River of the North
Red River of the North	United States: Minnesota, North Dakota Canada: Manitoba	Template:Cvt	Lake Winnipeg

West Indies

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File:Karte Karibik Inseln.png

The West Indies in relation to the continental Americas

The significant rivers in the West Indies include the following:

Significant rivers in the West Indies
River	Countries	Length	Significance
Artibonite River	Haiti, Dominican Republic	Template:Cvt	longest river in Haiti
Caroni River	Trinidad and Tobago	Template:Cvt	longest river in Trinidad and Tobago<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Cauto River	Cuba	Template:Cvt	longest river in Cuba and the Caribbean/West Indies<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Chavón River	Dominican Republic		historically used by pirates to hide treasure
Colonarie River	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Template:Cvt	longest river in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Constitution River	Barbados	Template:Cvt	longest river in Barbados<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Haina River	Dominican Republic	Template:Cvt	noted for discovery of gold in 1496<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Layou River	Dominica	Template:Cvt	longest river of Dominica
Nizao River	Dominican Republic		three hydroelectric plants on river, has since dried up due to aggregate extraction<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Ozama River Isabela River	Dominican Republic	Template:Cvt	In 1498, Bartolome Colon had a fort built on the Ozama River delta, which would later become the first permanent European settlement in the New World (Santo Domingo).<ref name="Floyd">Template:Cite book</ref>
Rio Minho	Jamaica	Template:Cvt	longest river in Jamaica<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Rivière Soliette	Haiti, Dominican Republic (called Arroyo Blanco)		On 24 May 2004, it overran its banks resulting in the death of over one thousand individuals, with hundreds more injured and homeless near the city of Jimani.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Rosseau River	Saint Lucia		longest river in Saint Lucia
Saint Johns River	Grenada		longest river in Grenada
Yaque del Norte River	Dominican Republic	Template:Cvt	longest river in the Dominican Republic
Yuna River	Dominican Republic		second longest river in the Dominican Republic<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>