Longest Rivers In India

The Indus is the longest river system that reaches into India, although most of its length passes through Pakistan. The Godavari is the longest river entirely in India.

The Indus River in India's Ladakh Region.

The very term India is an adaptation of the word Indus. That word itself was an indirect derivation from the Sanskrit word Sindh, which the localities used to address the Indus River. With religious, economic, cultural, and social importance, the river Ganga is undoubtedly the soul of the country. Meanwhile, the Brahmaputra River is a major support pillar of this nation. The importance of these three major rivers of India lies beyond what words can describe.

Major Rivers are the Backbone of the Indian Nation

The economic, ecological, cultural, and religious aspects of the three eminent rivers, the Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra, are what make them the very backbone and pride of India.

1,976 miles long, the river Indus, originating in the locale of Lake Mansarovar in Tibet before it enters India, flows through Ladakh up to Punjab, and unites with the Arabian Sea at the port of Karachi. The Indus is the longest river of India. Punjab being the dynamic agricultural production center of India, it’s imperative supplier of water is Indus River.

The Brahmaputra, the second longest river (1,832 miles) to pass into India runs through three other countries. It initiates from the Angsi Glacier in the Himalayas, through Tibet into Arunachal Pradesh, India and, continuing its journey to the southwest, into Assam and southward through Bangladesh. There it empties into the Bay of Bengal after adapting different names all throughout its journey.

The river Ganga, arising in the western Himalayas of India, travels to the Bay of Bengal through Bangladesh. It serves as an economic and spiritual need of the civilians.

The Freshwater and Pride of India Threatened

The declaration of the dolphin as India’s national aquatic animal has highlighted the threatened existence of these marine mammals in both the Ganga and the Brahmaputra. Nearly extinct, only 3,000 dolphins are left, a quarter of what earlier existed. Threat to the national aquatic species is a threat to India’s pride altogether. The major reason behind this degradation is the contamination of both Ganga and Brahmaputra. Indus River is a habitat to nearly 150 species, few of which exist solely in this belt. It includes blind Indus River Dolphins subspecies of dolphin, endangered due to rising pollution on this stretch. In 2007, Ganga was categorized as the fifth most polluted river in the world, which is another disgrace to the country.

Believed to be the lifeline of thousands of citizens and the home of an extensive number of animals, these three major rivers of India are changing their courses and affecting the lives of those who depend on them. All this is negatively affecting the biodiversity, causing soil erosion, infertility of lands, flooding of riverbanks thereby destroying hundreds of houses and farms.

India's Mighty Rivers in Need of Immediate Conservation Interventions

Over the years, a great deal of research and action has taken place to alter these negative scenarios, nearly all meeting failure. The Ganga Action Plan from 1985 to 2000 was a major failure, even after the investment of 10 billion Indian Rupees. Revolutionary support of the local inhabitants and of overall country can bring a significant and positive change to this shameful and wretched scenario. Willing participation of every citizen is necessary to save the flora and fauna, the endangered species by rejection to pollution and deforestation.

The Longest Rivers In India

Rank	Major River Systems Wholly or Partially in India	Length
1	Indus	1,976 miles (shared with Pakistan and China)
2	Brahmaputra–Tsangpo	1,832 miles (shared with China, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan)
3	Ganges–Hooghly–Padma	1,628 miles (shared with Bangladesh, Nepal, and China)
4	Godavari	910 miles
5	Sutlej	852 miles (shared with Pakistan and China)
6	Yamuna	851 miles
7	Krishna	808 miles
8	Narmada	801 miles
9	Chenab	675 miles (shared with Pakistan)
10	Ghaghara	671 miles (shared with Nepal and China)

Major Rivers Of Germany

Shared with 9 other European countries, the Danube is the longest river to pass into Germany, while the Main is the longest lying wholly within Germany.

The Danube in Regensburg, Germany.

Danube River is shared with nine other European countries, and it is the longest river to pass through Germany, while the Main is the longest river flowing entirely in Germany. Most of the rivers flowing through the country also source, drain, flow or pass through other European countries. Other rivers that flow solely in Germany are Weser (281 miles long) and Saale (257 miles long). Germany has one of the most developed river networks in the world. The rivers connect the European country to other European nations. Today, Germany taps this natural resource to produce one of the richest economies in the world.

Danube

The river rises from the Black Forest of Donaueschingen in Germany. It flows southeast through four capital cities including Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, and Belgrade of Central Europe before draining in the black sea at Danube Delta. The Danube is the second longest river in Europe and the longest in Germany with 1,777 miles long. It passes through 9 other countries Serbia, Austria, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Croatia, Ukraine, and Moldova. It is a source of water to more than 20 million people and provides beautiful sceneries that attract more than six million tourists each year. The Naturpark Obere Donau is an important natural spot lying in the German portion of the Danube.

Rhine

River Rhine is the second largest river in Germany with 764 miles. The river sources from Lake Tomasee, and Paradies Glacier in Switzerland flows through the German cities of Karlsruhe, Mannheim, Wiesbaden, Bonn, and Duisburg. It also flows through Austria, and France where it serves as a boundary between Germany and France, before draining in the Hook, Rotterdam, Netherlands. It flows through many deep gorges and meanders with steep sided valleys of Vineyards and castles making it a prime tourist spot in Germany. It has many tributaries majorly the ILL, Main, Lahn, Neckar, and Ruhr.

Elbe

The Elbe river sources from the mountains in the Czech Republic to flow through the western and eastern parts of Germany. It then changes course to the northeast to empty into the North Sea at the port of Hamburg. It is 678 miles long and the rivers of Vltaza, Mulde, Ohre, Havel, Saale, and Schwarz Elster pours their waters in the Elbe River. In eastern Germany, the river serves as a river port to Torgau, Magdeburg, Aken, and Dessau among others. The river serves as the most historic river in Germany. It once separated East Germany from West Germany. Sources have it the remains of Adolf Hitler were scattered in the river to indicate his permanent departure.

Main

The river rises from Kulmbach in Franconia where the Red Main and White Main join to from the Main River. The White Main sources in the Fichtelgebirge mountains, while the Red Main from Franconia Jura. The river flows through the cities of Frankfurt am Main where it is the primary transportation artery and Wurzburg. The Main is navigable from the Rhine basin to Bamberg. Some dams and locks have been constructed on its course. The 2,200 miles long Main-Danube Canal connects the Main with the Danube and the Rhine rivers. The Main-Radweg is the most prominent German bicycle recreation course with over 370 miles. In the world War II era, the river separated Southern German Catholic population from Northern Germany Federation.

The Importance Of Rivers In Germany

The rivers in Germany have played a significant role in developing the country. German has one of the most developed inland navigation systems in the world thanks to all the rivers flowing through it, to or from other European countries. The rivers have also been a primary source for hydroelectric generation, recreational platforms, marking national borders and most importantly creating a vibrant ecosystem.

The construction of the Rhine-Danube Canal made the barge transportation of freight from the North Sea to the Black Sea possible. The Rhine river is the primary pillar of commerce and trade in Germany. The Rhine Valley is the most famous growing region of the Germany’s Riesling wine. The Oder river flowing through the boundaries of Poland and Germany provides a critical path for waterborne freight. The Elbe-Haviel Canal provides a transport route from Magdeburg to Berlin and Poland. Artists from all over the world have traveled to Germany just to capture the breathtaking beauty of a country with a unique biodiversity.

The Major Rivers Of Germany

Rank	Major Rivers of Germany	Total Length
1	Danube	1,777 miles (shared with 9 other countries)
2	Rhine	764 miles (shared with 5 other countries)
3	Elbe	678 miles (shared with the Czech Republic)
4	Oder	531 miles (shared with Poland and the Czech Republic)
5	Moselle	339 miles (shared with France and Luxembourg)
6	Main	327 miles
7	Inn	321 miles (shared with Austria and Switzerland)
8	Weser	281 miles
9	Saale	257 miles
10	Spree	249 miles (shared with the Czech Republic)

29 Deepest Lakes In The World

Baikal Lake in Russia at 5,387 feet deep is the worlds deepest lake. It is around 2,000 feet deeper than the Caspian Sea which is 3rd.

A Russian ship breaks through the thin icy surface covering Lake Baikal's extreme depths below.

Lakes are usually formed in rift zones, melting glaciated areas, mountainous regions, or in basins where rivers flow. On a geologic time scale, all lakes are transitory. Over time, lakes may run out of water caused by spillage or may be filled in with sediments. Although active processes may retard a lake from drying up such as lakes with tectonic origins. Some factors that causes lakes to form are landslides, sinkholes, ice-damming, volcanic eruptions, and glacier movements.

Deepest Lakes

Lake Baikal

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Baikal Lake in Russia at 5,387 feet is the world’s deepest, as well as being the oldest lake in the world at 25 million years old. It is 2,000 feet deeper than the Caspian Sea which is the third deepest lake in the world. Endemism occurs in the lake with half of its 60 native fish species and a freshwater seal. Baikal holds 20% of the world’s unfrozen freshwater, which amounts to around 5,662 cubic miles of crystal clear freshwater which is more than what the Great Lakes of North America holds in total volume.

Lake Tanganyika

Tanganyika Lake at 4,823 feet is second deepest lake in the world. It is the world’s longest lake as well, with its span reaching into four countries, including Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, and Zambia. It holds around 18% of the world’s freshwater which is equal to close to 4,500 cubic miles of water. Tanganyika has six large islands and other smaller islands in its boundary. Its water has a pH of 8.4 that holds some 250 cichlid species, of which 98% are endemic. The cichlids exhibit adaptive and evolutionary radiation as well. Tanganyika has its own freshwater sardine species, jellyfish, and sponges.

Caspian Sea

The Caspian Sea at 3,363 feet is the third deepest lake in the world, and bounded by Russia,Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Iran, and Azerbaijan. It holds around 18,800 cubic miles of water with 1.2% salinity although it has no connection to the ocean. It gets 80% of its water from the Volga River. The caviar producing Beluga sturgeon is found in the lake with tuna that has been the core of the fishing industry in the area. It has its own salmon and seal population. The areas around the lake and the lake itself has oil reserves of which some have been tapped.

Lake Vostok

Vostok Lake located in Antarctica is, at 3,300 feet, the fourth deepest lake in the world. It was named after the Russian Vostok Station which is close to it. It holds around 1,300 cubic miles of freshwater, 1,600 feet under the ice surface. Its water has a high concentration of oxygen and nitrogen that is under constant high pressure in total darkness. Microbial organisms have been detected in ice core drillings, while extremophile microbes found on frozen lake waters also suggest further presence of life. The lake is under protection by environmental groups who doubt the ice drilling methods being employed which could contaminate the lake water underneath the ice.

O'Higgins-San Martin Lake

O'Higgins-San Martin Lake at 2,742 feet is the fifth deepest lake in the world, and its territory in Patagonia is shared by Chile and Argentina. Its name comes from two independence movement liberators from Chile. The lake is known as Lago O'Higgins in Chile and Lago San Martin in Argentina. Its shape forms finger-like extensions that ends in flooded valleys in both countries. The Mayer River supplies most of its water while the Pascua River discharges its water into the Pacific Ocean.

Lake Malawi

Lake Malawi, formerly named Lake Nyasa, at 2,316 feet is the sixth deepest lake in the world, spanning the borders of Mozambique and Malawi. It has around 2,000 cubic miles of freshwater and is a meromictic lake whose water levels do not mix. Malawi hosts close to 1,000 cichlid fish species that continue to speciate, in addition to non-cichlid species. The Ruhuhu River provides most of its water while the Shire River discharges its water to the Zambezi River.

Limnology of Lakes

Lakes have three zones. These include the littoral zone near land, the photic zone in the open-water area where sunlight pervades, and the benthic zone housing deep-water lake habitats. A lake affects the temperature of its surrounding areas such as lowering the air temperature during the day while at night, air temperature may go up. Although lakes provide livelihood and food for the people living around it, some dangers are present when landslides and earthquakes cause the mixing of the benthic water to release carbon dioxide to the surface air. The released carbon dioxide could potentially flow into human inhabited regions and cause mass asphyxiation.

29 Deepest Lakes In The World

Rank	Lake	Country	Depth
1	Baikal	Russia	5387
2	Tanganyika	Tanzania, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Zambia	4823
3	Caspian Sea	Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan	3363
4	Vostok	Antarctica	3300
5	O'Higgins-San Martin	Chile, Argentina	2742
6	Malawi	Mozambique, Malawi	2316
7	Issyk Kul	Kyrgyzstan	2192
8	Great Slave	Canada	2015
9	Clearwater Lake	Canada	1968
10	Crater	United States	1949
11	Matano	Indonesia	1936
12	General Carrera-Buenos Aires	Chile, Argentina	1923
13	Hornindalsvatnet	Norway	1686
14	Quesnel	Canada	1660
15	Toba	Indonesia	1657
16	Sarez	Tajikistan	1657
17	Tahoe	United States	1645
18	Argentino	Argentina	1640
19	Kivu	Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda	1575
20	Grand	Canada	1558
21	Mjosa	Norway	1535
22	Salsvatnet	Norway	1523
23	Nahuel Huapi	Argentina	1523
24	Hauroko	New Zealand	1516
25	Cochrane / Pueyrredon	Chile, Argentina	1509
26	Lake Tinn	Norway	1509
27	Adams	Canada	1499
28	Chelan	United States	1486
29	Van	Turkey	1480