Fact About Rivers

Information about rivers

Rivers: An Introduction

A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows over land, usually from higher elevations to lower elevations and joins a sea, lake, or other river. Rivers are an important part of Earth geography and biodiversity. It has a huge impact on people livelihoods, agriculture, transportation, and economy.

Structure and Characteristics of Rivers:

# Source:

Rivers originate from mountains, glaciers, or springs at higher elevations.

# Course:

The river flows through hilly areas, plains, and various valleys.

# Nadir Mohana (Mouth):

Where a river joins an ocean, lake, or other body of water.

# Tributary:

Small rivers or streams of water, which merge into the main river.

# Electrical area (River Basin):

The drainage system of an entire area formed by a river and its tributaries is called a river basin.

Classification of Rivers:

1. On the basis of structure:

Mountain River: Flows down steep slopes and is fast moving. Example: Brahmaputra.

Rivers of plains: flowing slowly through the plains. Example: Ganges.

Glacier River: Formed by glaciers. Example: Indus.

2. According to the type of flow:

Permanent River: Water flows throughout the year.

Seasonal River: Flows only during the rainy season.

Streamless Rivers: Dry at certain times of the year.

Famous rivers of the world:

1. Nile River: The longest river in the world (6,650 km). Flowing through various African countries.
2. Amazon River: The second longest river in the world and has the highest flow. A major river in South America.
3. Ganges: The holy river of India, which flows through Bangladesh into the Bay of Bengal. Its length is about 2,525 km.
4. Yangtze River: The longest river in China and the longest river in Asia. Its length is 6,300 km.
5. Brahmaputra: originates in Tibet and flows through India and Bangladesh. It joins the Padma River and flows into the Bay of Bengal.
6. Indus River: It is an important river of Pakistan and a central element of the ancient Indus Civilization.

Advantages of rivers:

• Livelihood and Agriculture: River water is a key source of livelihood for humans and animals. River water is essential for agricultural irrigation.
• Economy and trade: Rivers are important for transport and trade. River basins are centers of economic activity.
• Electricity generation: River water is used for hydroelectric projects. Example: Tehri Dam on Bhagirathi River.
• Tourism and Recreation: Various tourist centers are developed on the banks of the river. Boating, rafting, and other water sports are popular.
• Conservation of Biodiversity: Rivers and their surrounding areas are home to various species of flora and fauna.

Challenges of rivers:

Pollution: Industrial, domestic and agricultural wastes pollute river water. Example: Pollution of Ganges and Yamuna.

Additional uses: Excess water is withdrawn for agriculture, industry and domestic use, which lowers the river water level.

River Erosion: Landslides or landslides occur along some rivers, which pose a threat to local people.

Climate Change: Melting of glaciers and erratic rainfall due to rise in temperature change the normal flow of rivers.

Bangladesh and Rivers: Bangladesh is called "the land of rivers." There are more than 700 rivers here. Major Rivers: Padma, Meghna, Yamuna, teesta, Karnafuli.

Rivers play an important role in agriculture, communication, and fisheries.

Interesting facts:

The Amazon River carries about 2,09,000 cubic meters of water per second.

The Nile River was essential to the ancient Egyptian civilization.

In Bangladesh the Ganges estuary is known as the Padma and it forms a large estuary with the Brahmaputra.