What is the longest river in South America?

The longest river in South America is also the longest river in the world, with an approximate length of 6,800 kilometres.

1 . The Amazon River

Along its course, the Amazon River flows through the following countries: Peru (source), Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil (mouth). Its mouth is located in the Atlantic Ocean and enters about 160 km beyond the coast.

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2 . Where does the Amazon River originate and flow?

Given the complexity of the river system, much of which is in remote areas, no one is entirely sure where the Amazon ends and begins.

However, it is believed that the Amazon River originates in the Apacheta Creek, at the foot of the Nevado Quehuisha, in Arequipa (Peru), from where the Apacheta stream flows and eventually empties into the Atlantic Ocean.

3 . The Amazon River Basin

The Amazon River basin is the largest river basin on Earth. Its alluvial plain is between nineteen and fifty kilometres wide and, in total, covers an area of 7,413,827 square kilometres, comprising 20% of the planet's water.

The Amazon basin covers territories of eight countriesː Brazil (68 %), Peru (14 %), Bolivia (10 %) and Ecuador (2 %) and the remaining 6 % between the countries of Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana and Suriname. This region is known as the Amazon.

Source: Wikipedia.