Facts About Rivers

A river is a stream flowing on the earth.  The source of rivers is usually ice glaciers, i.e., glaciers, lakes, natural sources or springs or rainwater. Any river ends in a big ocean, lake or desert. Rivers usually contain fresh water. A river begins at one source (or more often several sources), follows a course and ends at a mouth.

River Bed and River Bank

River Current 

Information About River

The course through which the river flows is called the river bed and the earth on each side is called the river bank. The movement of water in a river is called current. The current is usually strongest near the source of the river. Rivers can flow down mountains, along valleys or plains, and form canyons or valleys. Some flow throughout the year.  Others flow seasonally or during wet years. A river may be only kilometres long, or it may extend over most of a continent.

Benefits of River

The river is that source of water, which is born due to rainwater.  The water of the river is always flowing. This flowing water of the river comes out of the mountain or spring and joins many tributaries and merges into the sea.

• For Farmers: The farmers get the maximum benefit from the river. Because the freshwater from the river helps in growing the crops which is a great help to the farmers. Therefore, the areas of the fields living near the river are always fertile crops because river water helps farmers in maintaining the water level in the fields.

• Electricity Production: River water is also used for the generation of electricity and the flow of the river is stopped by making a dam. After that, electricity is produced from that water. Today's modern world is running with the use of electricity.

• Help with Construction Works: The river helps us in many important constructions like strong houses, buildings and many more. Because in such construction works, strong rocks found in the river are used.

We get many benefits from the river, due to which the river is very important for our life.

Interesting Facts about Famous Rivers

• The longest river flowing on the earth is the Nile River. This river flows in Africa. Its total length is 6,853 kilometres (4,258 mi).  

Nile River

• The Amazon River is the second-longest river in the world. It covers a length of about 6400 kilometres (4000 mi).  

Amazon River

• The length of the world's shortest river is just 118 feet (36 metres). It is called the Dee River and is located in Oregon, United States.

Dee River

• Originating in the Rocky Mountains of western Montana, Missouri flows 3,767 kilometres (2,341 mi) east and south before entering the Mississippi River north of St. 

• The longest river in Europe is the Volga. It flows approximately 3,685 kilometres (2,290 mi) into Russia and drains into the Caspian Sea.  

• The Congo River is the world's deepest river with a depth of over 220 metres (720 ft).  It is the second longest river in Africa after the Nile and the second largest river in the world by volume of water (after the Amazon).

• The Indus River is the longest river flowing through India.

Indus River

• The world's longest-flowing river called the Pyana flows through Russia.  

Parana River

• The Royal River of Australia is the dirtiest in the world.  All the biological life here has become extinct.

• The width of the Amazon River is up to 11 kilometres in many places. The width of the river reaches an astonishing 190 kilometres (120 mi) on rainy days. 

• China's Yangtze River is the third longest river in the world, running 6,300 kilometres (3915 mi). The river is the longest in the world flowing entirely within a country.

Solved Questions

1. What is River Current?

Ans: The movement of water in a river is called current.

2. Which river is the largest in the world?

Ans: The Nile is the largest river in the world.

3. Which river is called the Dee River?

Ans: The length of the world's shortest river is just 118 feet (36 metres). It is called the Dee River and is located in Oregon, United States.

4. Who is called the mouth of the river?

Ans: The place where a river enters a lake, a large river or an ocean is called the mouth of the river.

Learning by Doing

Write True or False.

1. The current usually weakens near the source of the longest-flowing river called the Pyana flows through Russia.

2. The Royal River of Australia is the neatest in the world.

Summary

A river is a stream flowing on the surface, whose source is usually a lake, glacier, spring or rainwater and falls into an ocean or lake. Rivers can flow down mountains, along valleys or plains, and form canyons or valleys. Some flow throughout the year.  Others flow seasonally or during wet years. A river may be only kilometres long, or it may extend over most of a continent. The longest river flowing on the earth is the Nile River and the Amazon River is the second longest river in the world.