Rivers are simply fascinating, offering historical significance and picturesque views. We’ve given our top 10 waterfalls in the UK, and now we’re giving you our top 10 rivers in the world. You certainly will have heard of at least a couple of them before. They’re simply some of the most incredible locations on the planet. They have inspired many to explore and appreciate the nature we are spoilt with. They’re in no particular order, just 10 of our favourites.

1 – Mississippi River

The Mississippi River is known globally not only as one of the largest, but most picturesque rivers in the world, flowing roughly 2,320 miles from Lake Itasca in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. In actual fact, the Mississippi River runs through 10 U.S. states! As mentioned previously, rivers hold excellent historic value, which is exactly the case with the Mississippi River. It saw the steamboats of the 1820s which carried timber, cotton and food.

2 – Caño Cristales

By Mario Carvajal (Own work)

CC-BY-3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

An extraordinary river in South America is the Caño Cristales. It’s simply one of the most beautiful rivers in the world, and is referred to as the “river that ran away from paradise”. It is also referred to as “The River of Five Colours” and “The Liquid Rainbow”, as it features a mixture of vibrant reds, oranges, yellows, greens and blues.

3 – Jordan

The 251 kilometres long Jordan River is well known as the Biblical epicenter of the Judeo-Christian world. It’s located in West Asia, flowing to the Dead Sea. According to the Holy Bible, the Jordan River is where John baptised Jesus Christ. It is also believed to be where numerous other miracles occurred, such as the crossing from Egypt to Canaan.

4 – Rio Negro

Another river in South America is the Rio Negro. At just over 430 miles, the Rio Negro is the larges blackwater river in the world. The colour is caused by the release of tannins from decaying vegetation.

5 – Lena River

The Lena River is located in Russia. It’s the 3rd largest river in Asia, and 10th in the world, stretching across a large 2,734 miles. It flows through Eastern Siberia into the Laptev Sea.

6 – Zambezi

You’re truly spoilt for a view at the Zambezi River, in Zambia. It flows through various places, only to end in the Indian Ocean. If you’re ever there, you’ll have a perfect opportunity to snap up a picture of the picturesque Victoria Falls, which is located on the Zambezi River. At 2,220 miles long, the Zambezi River is the fourth longest river in Africa.

7 – Ganges

By Éditionsbleuazur (Own work)

CC-BY-SA-3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Ganges begins in the southern Himalayas, flowing through China, India, Nepal, Bangladesh and ends in the Indian Ocean. Hindus worship the Ganges River as they believe it’s the earthly manifestation of the Goddess Ganga. They believe the river has the ability to cleanse them of their sins.

8 – Neretva

The Neretva is a stunning karst river. A karst river is one which is surrounded by karst (limestone) topography. This is rock dissolution which creates caves, sinkholes, streams and springs. The Neretva runs through Bosnia, Herzegovina and Croatia.

9 – Danube River

The Danube is the second longest river in Europe, stretching 1,770 miles. It runs through Germany, Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Moldova, Romania and Ukraine. It offers many fantastic views, especially at night when the surrounding areas are lit up.

10 – Amazon

Finally, let’s not forget the Amazon in South America, which begins in Brazil and travels through Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and Venezuela. This is the largest, widest, longest and deepest river of them all. It also boasts the largest discharge, which is between 9 million and 32 million gallons per second. Because of this, it is also referred to as the “Ocean River”.

We think these rivers are fascinating, and simply can’t get enough of them! What do you think? Have we missed your favourite river? Let us know which river you’d most like to visit in the comments below.

We manufacture water monitoring equipment that is suitable for use in rivers all around the world. Find out more on our surface water testing page.