For a long time, the Amazon was recognized as the largest river by volume, but the Nile has been given the title as longest river by length. However, if this scientific claim is proven true, then the Nile will have to give up its title as longest river.

The Amazon has a greater total river flow of water than the next eight largest rivers together. It also has the largest drainage basin in the world. It flows through Peru, Columbia, Ecuador, and Brazil. The mouth of the Amazon is on the coast of Brazil, where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean.

The Nile in northern Africa is a major north-flowing river on its continent. It flows thorugh the countries of Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Egypt. The Nile flows out into the Mediterranean Sea.

The National Geographical Institute of Peru and the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics funded and supported the research study. The journey to the headwater of the Amazon took about two weeks through Peru in South America. At the end of their travels, the research party discovered that the source of the Amazon is in the southern part of Peru, not its northern part as previously thought.

Members of the exploratory group are not sure which of two locations is the actual source (start) of the Amazon. However, in either case, the Amazon would still be longer than the River Nile, according to the group. The expedition members traveled through southern Peru on the ice-covered Mismi—a mountain range of volcanic origin located in the Andes mountain range of Peru—reaching an altitude of 5,000 meters (16,404 feet).

Earlier, the length of the Amazon was stated at 6,516 kilometers (4,049 miles). The most likely start of the Amazon would make it longer, with a length of 6,800 kilometers (4,225 miles). The group’s finding would make the Amazon 105 kilometers (65 miles) longer than the Nile, which is measured at about 6,695 kilometers (4,160 miles). [updated 6/19, 8:48 CDT]

Disputes between which river is the longest has been going on for years. The Nile has been generally considered the longest of the two rivers, however, the claim made by these Brazilian explorers could change this generally accepted claim.

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