The Indus River rises near Mount Kailash and flows through the Himalayas before reaching the Arabian Sea.
Its source region is on the Tibetan Plateau near Lake Manasarovar and Mount Kailash. The river then runs northwest through the highlands, enters the territory of Pakistan and turns south across the Indus plain before reaching the sea near Karachi.
The Indus is about 3,180 kilometres long and is the principal river of Pakistan. Its basin also extends into India, China and Afghanistan. The river’s tributaries include the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej.
The Indus gave its name to India through ancient linguistic forms. It was also central to the Indus Valley Civilisation, one of the world’s earliest urban civilizations, which flourished along its river system more than four thousand years ago.