World Conservation Monitoring Centre

WCMC Biodiversity Series No. 8

Freshwater Biodiversity: a preliminary global assessment

ANNEX 1

Larger rivers of the world, including a list of basins analysed in this report and a preliminary revised list of international basins

Part 1: basins included in the analytic phase of this report (sorted by approximate area of basin).

Part 2: other larger basins, not yet included in the analysis (sorted by approximate area of basin).

NB: international basins have more than one country listed in the 'Countries' column.

Part 1. Basins included in the analytic phase of this report.

Continent	River	Countries	area (sq. km)
South America	Amazon (with Ucayali)	Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Venezuela	5,870,000
Africa	Congo	Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Congo (DR), Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia,	3,720,000
N+C America	Mississippi (with Missouri)	Canada, USA	3,250,000
South America	La Plata (with Parana and Uruguay)	Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay	3,200,000
Africa	Nile (with Kagera)	Burundi, Congo (DR), Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda	3,030,700
Asia	Ob (with Irtysh)	China, Kazakhstan, Russia	3,010,000
Asia	Yenisey (Yenesei)	Mongolia, Russia	2,530,000
Asia	Lena	Russia	2,490,000
Africa	Niger	Algeria, Benin, Burkino Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Nigeria, Niger	2,200,000
Asia	Amur	China, Mongolia, Russia	1,900,000
Asia	Yangtze	China	1,800,000
N+C America	Mackenzie (with Athabaska)	Canada	1,800,000
Asia	Ganges-Brahmaputra	Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal	1,600,400
Africa	Zambezi	Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe	1,419,960
Europe	Volga	Russia	1,360,000
N+C America	St. Lawrence	Canada, USA	1,280,000
Australia & NZ	Murray-Darling	Australia	1,060,000
N+C America	Nelson (with Saskatchewan)	Canada, USA	990,000
Asia	Indus	Afghanistan, China, India, Pakistan	980,000
South America	Orinoco	Colombia, Venezuela	966,000
Africa	Orange	Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa	950,000
Asia	Shatt-al-Arab (Tigris and Euphrates)	Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkey	884,000
Africa	Chari	Cameroon, Chad, Central African Republic	880,000
Europe	Danube	Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland, Ukraine, Yugoslavia,	796,250
Asia	Mekong	Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam,	786,000
Africa	Juba (with Shaballe)	Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia	766,500
N+C America	Yukon	Canada, USA	765,000
Asia	Hwang Ho	China	745,000
Asia	Amu Darya	Afghanistan, Kyrgystan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan	653,000
Asia	Kolyma	Russia	647,000
N+C America	Colorado (State of Arizona)	Mexico, USA	615,000
N+C America	Columbia	Canada, USA	610,000
South America	Sao Francisco	Brazil	600,000
N+C America	Bravo del Norte (Rio Grande)	Mexico, USA	550,000
Europe	Dnepr	Belarus, Russia, Ukraine	504,000
Asia	Syr Darya	Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan	429,134
Europe	Don	Russia, Ukraine	422,000
Asia	Irrawaddy	China, India, Myanmar	396,000
Asia	Helmand	Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan	386,000
Africa	Limpopo	Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe	385,000
Africa	Volta	Benin, Burkino Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Togo	379,000
Asia	Indigirka	Russia	360,000
Europe	Northern Dvina	Russia	357,000
Africa	Senegal	Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal	353,000
South America	Parnaiba	Brazil	325,000
Asia	Godavari	India	314,000
Asia	Salween	China, Myanmar, Thailand	270,000
N+C America	Fraser	Canada, USA	260,000
Asia	Krishna	India	256,000
South America	Magdalena	Colombia	240,000
Europe	Ural	Kazakhstan, Russia	237,000
Asia	Liao Ho	China	231,000
Asia	Kura-Araks	Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Turkey	225,000
Africa	Ogooue/Ogowe	Cameroon, Congo, Equatorial Guinea Gabon	220,700
Europe	Wisla/Vistula	Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine	193,000
Africa	Rufiji	Tanzania	178,000
Asia	Hong Ha (Red River)	China, Laos, Viet Nam	169,600
Europe	Rhine	Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Switzerland	168,757
Asia	Chao Phraya/Menam	Thailand	160,000
South America	Essequibo	Guyana, Venezuela	147,000
Europe	Elbe	Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Poland	144,500
South America	Chubut	Argentina	138,000
Africa	Sanaga	Cameroon, Central African Republic	135,000
Asia	Mahanadi	India	133,000
Europe	Oder	Czech Republic, Germany, Poland	126,000
N+C America	Rio Grande de Santiago	Mexico	125,000
Europe	Loire	France	120,000
N+C America	Grijalva (with Usumacinta)	Guatemala, Mexico	120,000
N+C America	Mobile (Alabama)	USA	115,000
N+C America	Brazos	USA	114,000
South America	Lakes Titicaca - Poopo system	Bolvia, Chile, Peru	114,000
Africa	Cunene/Kunene	Angola, Namibia	112,000
N+C America	Balsas	Mexico	106,000
Africa	Save (Sabi)	Mozambique, Zimbabwe	103,000
Asia	Narmada	India	102,000
N+C America	Colorado (State of Texas)	USA	100,000
Europe	Rhone	France, Switzerland	95,300
Europe	Douro/Duero	Portugal, Spain	94,500
Africa	Tana	Kenya	91,000
Europe	Western Dvina	Belarus, Latvia, Russia	87,900
Europe	Ebro	Andorra, France, Spain	84,440
N+C America	Panuco	Mexico	84,000
Europe	Tejo/Tagus	Portugal, Spain	82,000
Africa	Dra	Algeria, Morocco	80,500
Europe	Seine	France	78,600
Africa	Sassandra	Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea	77,500
Asia	Kyzyl Irmak/Kizil Irmack	Turkey	75,800
Africa	Gambia	Gambia, Guinea, Senegal	75,760
Europe	Po	Italy, Switzerland	74,300
Asia	Murgab	Afghanistan, Turkmenistan	73,000
N+C America	Sacramento	USA	73,000
N+C America	Susquehanna	USA	72,500
Europe	Dnestr	Moldova, Ukraine	72,100
Asia	Sepik	Indonesia, Papua New Guinea	71,000
Asia	Hari Rud/Tedzhen	Afghanistan, Iran, Turkmenistan	70,600
N+C America	Yaqui	Mexico, USA	70,000
Asia	Fly	Indonesia, Papua New Guinea	67,000
South America	Maroni	French Guiana, Surinam	66,000
South America	Colorado	Argentina	65,000
Asia	Yalu	China, Korea (PDR)	64,500
Europe	Guadiana	Portugal, Spain	61,400
Africa	Lurio	Mozambique	57,600
Europe	Guadalquivir	Spain	57,100
N+C America	Stikine	Canada, USA	56,700
N+C America	Skeena	Canada	54,900
Europe	Garonne	Andorra, France, Spain	53,425
Europe	Weser	Germany	52,800
Europe	Kemi/Kemijoki	Finland, Russia	51,500
Africa	Omo	Ethiopia	46,700
Europe	Terek	Georgia, Russia	43,200
Europe	Glama	Norway	40,500
N+C America	Papaloapan	Mexico	37,400
Asia	Ma	Laos, Viet Nam	36,000
N+C America	Hudson	USA	35,000
South America	Atrato	Colombia	32,200
Europe	Dal	Sweden	29,000
Asia	Ca	Laos, Viet Nam	28,500
N+C America	Savannah	USA	27,200


Part 2. Larger basins not analysed in this report.

Africa	Lake Chad basin	Cameroon , Central African Republic, Chad, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan		1,910,000
Asia	Tarim (Yarkend)	China, Kyrgyzstan		980,000
Africa	Kavango (Cubango)	Angola, Botswana, Namibia		785,000
Asia	Chutsyan			437,000
Asia	His	China, Viet Nam		436,000
Asia	Khatanga	Russia		364,000
Europe	Pechora	Russia		322,000
Australia & NZ	Coopers Creek	Australia		285,000
Europe	Neva	Russia		281,000
N+C America	Churchill	Canada		281,000
Asia	Yana	Russia		238,000
Asia	Hwai Ho	China		220,000
Asia	Olenek	Russia		219,000
Africa	Lake Turkana	Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Uganda		203,300
Asia	Anadyr	Russia		191,000
Asia	Pyasina	Russia		182,000
Asia	Ili	China, Kazakhstan		176,000
Africa	Ruvuma	Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania		166,500
Australia & NZ	Diamantina	Australia		156,000
Asia	Taz	Russia		150,000
Africa	Cuanza	Angola		149,000
Australia & NZ	Fitzroy (Qld)	Australia		143,000
N+C America	Thelon	Canada		142,000
N+C America	Albany	Canada		134,000
N+C America	Koksoak	Canada		133,000
Australia & NZ	Burdekin	Australia		131,000
South America	Rio Negro	Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela		130,000
Africa	Cuvelai-Etosha	Angola, Namibia		126,000
Asia	Taimyr	Russia		124,000
Asia	Kerulen	Mongolia		120,000
Africa	Awash	Djibouti, Ethiopia		118,500
Asia	Pur	Russia		112,000
N+C America	Moose	Canada		108,000
N+C America	Hayes	Canada		108,000
Australia & NZ	Flinders	Australia		108,000
N+C America	Back	Canada		107,000
N+C America	Severn	Canada		101,000
Asia	Anabar	Russia		100,000
Africa	Guir	Algeria, Morocco		98,500
N+C America	Fort George	Canada		97,700
Africa	Bandama	Côte d'Ivoire		97,000
N+C America	Saguenay	Canada		90,100
South America	Mearim	Brazil		89,700
Australia & NZ	Fitzroy (WA)	Australia		86,500
Europe	Neman	Belarus, Lithuania, Poland, Russia		86,300
Asia	Hari	Afghanistan, Iran, Turkmenistan		84,000
Australia & NZ	Ashburton	Australia		82,000
Asia	Sarysu	Kazakhstan		81,600
South America	Doce	Brazil		81,300
N+C America	San Joaquin	USA		80,100
N+C America	Churchill (Hamilton)			79,800
Australia & NZ	Gascoyne	Australia		79,000
Europe	Mezen	Russia		78,000
Australia & NZ	Victoria	Australia		77,500
Africa	Kam	Nigeria		76,500
Europe	Vuoksa	Finland, Russia		76,000
Africa	Komoe	Burkino Faso, Côte d'Ivoire		75,000
Asia	Penzhina	Russia		73,500
South America	Courantyne	Guyana, Surinam		72,100
N+C America	Kazan	Canada		71,500
Australia & NZ	Mitchell	Australia		69,300
Australia & NZ	Murchison	Australia		68,300
N+C America	Winisk	Canada		67,300
Asia	Lake Ubsa	Mongolia, Russia		67,000
Africa	Baraka	Ethiopia, Sudan		66,200
Africa	Daoura	Algeria, Morocco		65,700
N+C America	Nottaway	Canada		65,000
Asia	Alazea/Alazeya	Russia		64,700
Asia	Nadym	Russia		64,000
Africa	Kouilou	Congo		62,000
N+C America	Copper	Canada		61,800
Asia	Uda	Russia		61,300
Asia	Atrek	Iran, Turkmenistan		61,000
Asia	Chu	Laos, Viet Nam		60,800
South America	Paraiba	Brazil		59,000
Europe	Kuban	Russia		57,900
Africa	Cross	Cameroon, Nigeria		57,000
Europe	Onega	Russia		56,900
Asia	Sakarya	Turkey		56,500
Europe	Narva	Estonia, Russia		56,200
Europe	Maritsa	Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey		56,000
Asia	Kamchatka	Russia		55,900
South America	Lagoon Mirim	Brazil, Uruguay		55,700
Australia & NZ	Fortescue	Australia		55,000
Africa	Moulouya	Morocco		52,000
N+C America	Saint John	Canada, USA		51,800
N+C America	Apalachicola	USA		51,800
N+C America	Attawapiskat	Canada		50,200
Europe	Klaralven	Norway, Sweden		47,000
N+C America	Eastmain	Canada		46,400
N+C America	Manicouagan	Canada		45,600
Africa	Oueme	Benin, Nigeria, Togo		45,500
N+C America	George	Canada		44,800
Asia	Saigon	Cambodia, Viet Nam		44,000
Africa	Gourits	South Africa		44,000
N+C America	Humboldt	USA		43,900
N+C America	Rupert	Canada		43,200
N+C America	Great Whale	Canada		43,200
N+C America	Leaf	USA		43,000
N+C America	St. Maurice	Canada		42,700
Asia	Kaladan	India, Myanmar		40,000
Africa	Sebu			40,000
N+C America	San Juan	Costa Rica, Nicaragua		39,350
Europe	Kiumi			37,800
Asia	Dasht	Iran, Pakistan		36,000
Africa	Medjerda	Algeria, Tunisia		36,000
Africa	Chelif	Algeria		35,000
Asia	Han	Korea (PDR), Korea (R)		34,700
South America	Catatumbo	Colombia, Venezuela		34,480
Asia	Tumen	China, Korea (PDR), Russia		34,400
Africa	Oum-er-Rbia	Morocco		34,400
Africa	Maputo	Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland		33,963
Africa	Pangani	Tanzania		33,800
Africa	Niem	Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea		33,000
Europe	Torne/Tornio	Finland, Sweden		32,400
Africa	Gash	Ethiopia, Sudan		32,000
N+C America	Weiss			31,300
South America	Oyapock	Brazil, French Guiana		30,270
N+C America	Penobscot	USA		30,000
N+C America	Potomac	USA		30,000
Africa	Buzi	Mozambique, Zimbabwe		29,500
N+C America	Harricanaw	Canada		29,300
N+C America	Connecticut	Canada, USA		29,000
Africa	Kovali/Cavally	Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia		28,800
Africa	Lake Natron	Kenya, Tanzania		28,500
Europe	Kem	Russia		27,700
Africa	Nyanga	Congo, Gabon		26,000
South America	Baker	Argentina, Chile		25,700
Africa	Mono	Benin, Togo		25,600
Europe	Oulu	Finland, Russia		25,000
N+C America	Coco (Segovia)	Honduras, Nicaragua		24,800
South America	Bio Bio	Argentina, Chile		24,300
Europe	Vardar	Greece, Macedonia FYR		24,000
Europe	Tuloma	Finland, Russia		23,600
Africa	Cavally	Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia		23,500
South America	Lauca	Bolivia, Chile		23,500
South America	Patia	Colombia, Ecuador		22,540
Europe	Jucar	Spain		22,400
Africa	Corubal	Guinea, Guinea-Bisseau		22,000
Australia & NZ	Ciutha	New Zealand		22,000
Europe	Severn	UK		21,000
Asia	Coruh	Georgia, Turkey		21,000
Europe	Olanga	Finland, Russia		20,700
Africa	Moa	Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone		20,000
Europe	Pregel	Poland, Russia		19,700
Africa	Atui	Mauritania, Western Sahara		19,500
Europe	Pasvik	Finland, Norway, Russia		19,300
Africa	St Paul	Guinea, Liberia		18,000
Europe	Minko/Mino	Portugal, Spain		17,700
Europe	Tiber	Italy		17,200
Europe	Drin	Albania, Macedonia FYR		17,100
Europe	Schelde	Belgium, France, Netherlands		16,500
Asia	Suyfun	China, Russia		16,500
South America	Chira	Ecuador, Peru		16,220
Europe	Segura	Spain		16,100
Africa	Benito	Equatorial Guinea, Gabon		15,900
Europe	Shannon	Ireland		15,700
Europe	Thames	UK		15,300
South America	Aysen	Argentina, Chile		15,300
Africa	Little Scarcies	Guinea, Sierra Leone		15,000
Europe	Struma	Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia FYR, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia		14,500
Africa	Tano	Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana		14,000
South America	Pascua	Argentina, Chile		13,840
Africa	Geba	Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal		13,700
Europe	Minho	Portugal, Spain		13,500
Africa	St John	Guinea, Liberia		13,500
Asia	Asi (Orontes)	Lebanon, Syria, Turkey		13,300
Africa	Bia	Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire		13,100
Europe	Tana	Finland, Norway		13,000
South America	Palena	Argentina, Chile		13,000
Africa	Utamboni	Equatorial Guinea, Gabon		12,800
N+C America	Motagua	Guatemala, Honduras		12,570
Africa	Cestos	Liberia, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea		12,500
South America	Gallegos-Chico	Argentina, Chile		12,240
Africa	Lofa	Guinea, Liberia		12,000
Asia	Jordan	Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria		11,500
South America	Valdivia	Argentina, Chile		11,280
South America	Mira	Colombia, Ecuador		11,200
South America	Yelcho	Argentina, Chile		11,145
Asia	Sembakung	Indonesia, Malaysia		11,000
Africa	Chiloango	Angola, Congo, Congo (DR)		11,000
N+C America	Candelaria	Guatemala, Mexico		10,800
Asia	Karnafuli	Bangladesh, India		10,500
South America	Amacuro	Guyana, Venezuela		10,260
Africa	Mano-Morro	Liberia, Sierra Leone		10,000
N+C America	Lempa	El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras		9,870
South America	Serrano	Chile, Argentina		9,100
Africa	Tafna	Algeria, Morocco		8,800
South America	Puelo	Argentina, Chile		8,800
Africa	Great Scarcies	Guinea, Sierra Leone		8,500
South America	Barima	Guyana, Venezuela		8,400
N+C America	St. Croix	Canada, USA,		8,100
Africa	Umbeluzi	Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland		8,000
N+C America	Artibonite	Dominican Republic, Haiti		7,900
N+C America	Belize	Belize, Guatemala		6,960
Europe	Vijose	Albania, Greece		6,900
N+C America	Choluteca	Honduras, Nicaragua		6,260
Asia	Tiban	Yemen		6,200
Europe	Bann	Ireland, UK (Northern Ireland)		5,800
N+C America	Hondo	Belize, Guatemala, Mexico		5,600
South America	Rio Grande	Argentina, Chile		4,830
South America	Lake Gagnano	Argentina, Chile		4,820
Europe	Erne	Ireland, UK (Northern Ireland)		4,750
South America	Tumbes	Ecuador, Peru		4,655
Asia	Tami	Indonesia, Papua New Guinea		4,600
Europe	Foyle	Ireland, UK (Northern Ireland)		4,000
Europe	Naatamo	Finland, Norway		3,700
Europe	Lima	Portugal, Spain		3,400
N+C America	Sixaola	Costa Rica, Panama		3,300
Asia	Pakchan	Myanmar, Thailand		3,100
N+C America	Changuinola	Costa Rica, Panama		3,060
N+C America	Negro	Honduras, Nicaragua		2,830
Europe	Isonzo	Italy, Slovenia		2,800
N+C America	Goascoran	El Salvador, Honduras		2,500
Africa	Akpa	Cameroon, Nigeria		2,150
N+C America	Suchiate	Guatemala, Mexico		1,840
N+C America	Sarstun	Belize, Guatemala		1,800
Europe	Yser	Belgium, France		1,700
N+C America	Paz	El Salvador, Guatemala		1,650
N+C America	Tijuana	Mexico, USA		1,635
South America	Carmen Silva	Argentina, Chile		1,620
South America	Zarumilla	Ecuador, Peru		1,570
South America	Zapaleri	Argentina, Bolivia, Chile		1,565
Asia	Golok	Malaysia, Thailand		1,500
Europe	Lake Prespa	Albania, Greece, Macedonia FYR		1,400
Europe	Muga	France, Spain		1,300
N+C America	Coatan-Achute	Guatemala, Mexico		1,250
Europe	Rezvaya	Turkey, Bulgaria		1,100
Europe	Veleka	Bulgaria, Turkey		1,000
South America	Mataje	Colombia, Ecuador		870
Europe	Bidasoa	France, Spain		820
Europe	Roia	France, Italy		750
South America	Cullen	Argentina, Chile		735
N+C America	Jurado	Colombia, Panama		620
South America	Chuy	Brazil, Uruguay		500
N+C America	Massacre	Dominican Republic, Haiti		480
N+C America	Pedernales	Dominican Republic, Haiti		450
South America	San Martin	Argentina, Chile		370
Europe	Jacobs	Norway, Russia		240
Europe	Fane	Ireland, UK (Northern Ireland)		190
Europe	Meuse	Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands

Notes: the estimates of basin area are from two different sources, sometimes with significant differences for the same system; the country information is preliminary and entirely unofficial and implies no expression of opinion on the part of WCMC, UNEP or any collaborating organisation about the legal status of any country, territory or area concerning the delimitation of boundaries of nations or catchment basins.

Sources: expanded from:

Anon. 1978a (Centre for Natural Resources, Energy and Transport of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations). 1978. Register of International Rivers. Water Supply and Management. 2: 1-58. (Special Issue). Pergamon Press.

Anon. 1978b. World water balance and water resources of the Earth. USSR Committee for the International Hydrological Decade. Studies and reports in hydrology N0. 25. UNESCO.