Largest Rivers Discharge Comparison (m3/s Average)
Compare the 10 largest rivers by mean mouth discharge, from the Amazon at 209,000 m3/s to Mackenzie at 10,300 scale. Means with GRDC and national sources.
Visual comparison
All values
Click any row to load it as Entry A.
| Name | Value | Context | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon River Largest river discharge in the world. | 209,000 cubic meters per second | South America, Atlantic mouth mean | GRDC and hydrology tables: Amazon mean 209,000 m3/s |
| Congo River 168,000 under Amazon. | 41,000 cubic meters per second | Central Africa, Atlantic mouth mean | GRDC tables: Congo mean 41,000 m3/s |
| Orinoco River 4,000 under Congo. | 37,000 cubic meters per second | Venezuela and Colombia, Atlantic mean | GRDC tables: Orinoco mean 37,000 m3/s |
| Yangtze River 7,000 under Orinoco. | 30,000 cubic meters per second | China, Pacific mouth mean | GRDC tables: Yangtze mean 30,000 m3/s |
| Parana Rio de la Plata 8,000 under Yangtze. | 22,000 cubic meters per second | South America, Atlantic mean combined | GRDC tables: Parana-Plata mean 22,000 m3/s |
| Yenisei River 3,000 under Parana. | 19,000 cubic meters per second | Siberia, Arctic Ocean mean | GRDC tables: Yenisei mean 19,000 m3/s |
| Mississippi River 2,000 under Yenisei. | 17,000 cubic meters per second | USA, Gulf of Mexico mean | USGS Mississippi mean: 17,000 m3/s |
| Lena River Tied with Mississippi. | 17,000 cubic meters per second | Siberia, Arctic Ocean mean | GRDC tables: Lena mean 17,000 m3/s |
| Mekong River 1,000 under the tie. | 16,000 cubic meters per second | Southeast Asia, Pacific mean | MRC Mekong tables: mean 16,000 m3/s |
| Mackenzie River Smallest row here. | 10,300 cubic meters per second | Canada, Arctic Ocean mean | Canadian hydrology tables: Mackenzie mean 10,300 m3/s |
About this converter
The Amazon averages 209,000 cubic meters per second at its mouth, about five times the Congo at 41,000. Orinoco at 37,000, Yangtze at 30,000, Parana-Plata at 22,000, Yenisei at 19,000, Mississippi and Lena at 17,000 each, Mekong at 16,000 and Mackenzie at 10,300 follow. Discharge here means long term average mouth flow, not flood peaks. Lengths rank on a separate river page, so km stay out here. The Amazon alone tops the next seven combined.
How to use it
Pick two rivers and a unit in the top row. The three boxes below stay linked. Change any box and the other two update. Try Amazon against Mackenzie to see the 20 times gap. The bars below use a log scale since max runs 20 times min, so small bars stay visible. Switch the unit to thousands of cubic feet for US figures. Ratios are exact divisions of the mean discharges.
Discharge versus length splits this site. Longest-river-lengths ranks km. This page ranks mean mouth flow. Mississippi and Lena tie at 17,000 mean. Flood peaks run multiples of means, so peaks stay out. Figures follow GRDC, USGS, MRC and Canadian tables. Dams shift means by thousands.
FAQ
Which river discharges most?
Amazon at 209,000 m3/s mean. Congo follows at 41,000.
Is this the same as river lengths?
No. Lengths rank elsewhere. This page keeps mean mouth flow.
How much does the Mississippi average?
17,000 m3/s mean. Tied with Lena here.
Do floods count?
No. Long term means rank here. Flood peaks run multiples higher.
Sources
- GRDC and national tables mean mouth discharge: Amazon 209,000; Congo 41,000; Orinoco 37,000; Yangtze 30,000; Parana-Plata 22,000; Yenisei 19,000; Mississippi USGS 17,000; Lena 17,000; Mekong MRC 16,000; Mackenzie 10,300 m3/s mean
Last verified: 2026-10-09 · 10 entries
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