Do you know which are the five longest rivers in the world?

(Patria) - There are as many as 150,000 named rivers on the planet, and possibly more that we don't know about yet.

But have you ever wondered which are the biggest and most impressive?

From the colossal Nile, through the incredible Amazon to the mighty Congo, these are the five largest and most vital rivers in the world.

Nile (6,650 km)

The Nile is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest river in the world, with a length of 6,650 km.

It flows through many countries before emptying into the Mediterranean Sea, including Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Egypt, Sudan, and South Sudan.

Meanwhile, the tributaries that flow into the river are the Blue Nile, the White Nile, and the Atbara.

Given the great distance it covers, it is not surprising that the Nile is a major source of water, especially for agriculture and irrigation.

It is also home to a large number of wild animals, including hippos, Central African rock pythons, and crocodiles.

Amazon (6,400 km)

At 6,400 kilometers long, the Amazon River is extremely close to the Nile River. However, this river has by far the largest amount of fresh water in the world, and every second of the day it pours at least 200,000 liters into the ocean.

From its source in the Andes Mountains in Peru, the Amazon River flows along the edge of South America to the east, eventually entering the Atlantic Ocean.

Due to its large volume of water, it also affects sea levels in the Caribbean - as its water is carried to the Caribbean islands, sea levels rise by 3 centimeters.

Like the Nile, it supports an entire network of wildlife, including capybaras, black caimans, giant otters, piranhas, pink river dolphins…

The Amazon also supports the life of about 2,000 different species of birds, which once again shows how significant and impressive this river is.

Yangtze (6,300 km)

China's Yangtze is the third longest river in the world - it is 6,300 kilometers long.

It flows through most of Asia and forms an unofficial border between northern and southern China, making it by far the longest river in Asia.

In fact, about one-third of China's entire population lives in its river basin.

Rising in the mountains of Qinghai Province on the Tibetan Plateau, the Yangtze flows along its vast distance to the East China Sea.

The river is home to over 350 species of fish, along with 280 species of mammals, 166 species of reptiles, and 762 species of birds, making it one of the most impressive wildlife sanctuaries the world has to offer.

Mississippi-Missouri (6,270 km)

The Mississippi-Missouri River could be better described as a river system than a river in itself, as it consists of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers flowing into each other, hence they are often called one large river.

This enormous waterway stretches an impressive 6,270 kilometers, making it by far the longest waterway in the entire United States.

Therefore, it is not surprising how this large water area "supports" a wide range of wildlife, including alligators, turtles, migratory birds, and fish, especially in the Mississippi Delta, which contains a number of precious ecosystems.

Yenisei (5,500 km)

From its source in northern Mongolia, the Yenisei River flows through central Siberia into the Kara Sea, which leads to the Arctic Ocean.

Again, this waterway consists of several rivers flowing through Russia and Mongolia, and when measured together, they extend for approximately 5,500 kilometers.

The river provides a vital lifeline for a large part of the Russian population, supporting livestock farming, agriculture, fishing, and much more, writes Punkufer.hr.

It is also an important transportation system and contains a number of hydroelectric power plants that produce enormous amounts of energy.