Which river is the longest in Africa?

The Nile is the longest river in Africa. It flows northward through northeastern Africa before emptying into the Mediterranean Sea.

The river system stretches about 7,088 kilometres, although exact measurements vary depending on which headstream and river channels are counted. Its basin includes parts of 11 countries, including Egypt, Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Eritrea.

The Nile has two principal tributaries: the White Nile, traditionally associated with the Great Lakes region, and the Blue Nile, which rises in Ethiopia and contributes most of the river’s water and sediment. The two meet at Khartoum, Sudan. The river’s annual flooding historically supported Egyptian agriculture, while modern dams regulate water for irrigation and electricity.

A common mix-up is confusing length with water volume. The Amazon carries far more water, and the Congo is also much larger by discharge, but the Nile is generally recognized as Africa’s longest river.