What is the largest river in South America?

What is the largest river in South America?

• A. Amazon
• B. Nile
• C. Yangtze
• D. Mississippi

Answer: (A)

Think of what “largest” means for a river. In geography, the term usually refers to how much water the river carries (discharge) and how big its drainage basin is, not just how long it is. The Amazon Drainage Basin spans a massive area, and the Amazon River carries an immense volume of water—far more than any other river in the region. That combination makes it the largest river in South America. The other rivers listed aren’t in South America (the Nile is in Africa, the Yangtze in Asia, the Mississippi in North America), so they don’t compete for this distinction.

Think of what “largest” means for a river. In geography, the term usually refers to how much water the river carries (discharge) and how big its drainage basin is, not just how long it is. The Amazon Drainage Basin spans a massive area, and the Amazon River carries an immense volume of water—far more than any other river in the region. That combination makes it the largest river in South America. The other rivers listed aren’t in South America (the Nile is in Africa, the Yangtze in Asia, the Mississippi in North America), so they don’t compete for this distinction.