Facts For Kids

Tag: Rivers

  • River Nile Facts For Kids | Longest River Of The World

    River Nile Facts For Kids | Longest River Of The World

    River Nile is the world’s longest river. It supplies water to 11 countries but it is the main water source for two countries: Egypt and Sudan. That is why it is also called ‘International River’. There are two tributaries of River Nile. These are Blue Nile and White Nile. The mouth of this river is at the Mediterranean Sea. Now let’s take a look at some other River Nile facts for kids.

    A Quick Guide To River Nile Facts For Kids

    Length: 6,853 kilometers

    Width: 2.8 kilometers

    River Nile as water source: 11 countries

    Two tributaries: White Nile and Blue Nile

    Main Source: White Nile

    Height of White Nile: 2,700 meters

    Secondary Source: Blue Nile

    River Mouth: Mediterranean Sea

    Basic River Nile Facts For Kids

    1. The longest river of the world is River Nile.
    2. The Nile River is divided into two channels (branches) in the city of Egypt named Cairo. One branch is called Rosetta branch and it is toward the western side. The second branch is called Damietta branch and it is toward the eastern side.
    3. This river supplies water to 11 countries. That is why it is generally known as ‘International’ river.
    4. The two countries that enjoy most of its waters are Egypt and the north of Sudan.
    5. River Nile has two most important streams called tributaries. These are named as Blue Nile and White Nile.
    6. The two tributaries join together in the city of Khartoum. Khartoum is the capital of Sudan.
    7. The White Nile begins from East Africa.
    8. The Blue Nile makes a start in Ethiopia.
    9. Almost 10 percent of the total size of Africa is hidden by the drainage basin of this river.
    10. Gish Abay is the source of River Nile. Previously, it was thought that Lake Victoria was the source of Nile River.
    11. The water of the Nile flowing toward the southern part of Sudan is known as Bahr al Jabal which means ‘Mountain River’.
    12. Bahr al Jabal is also known as White Nile because the water of Bahr al Jabal comes from White Nile.
    13. Bahr al Jabal meets Bahr al Ghazal in a small lake known as ‘Lake No’.
    14. Bahr al Jabal is also known as Al Sudd.
    15. The word ‘Bahr al Jabal’ means ‘Mountain River’.
    16. After Lake No, the water of the River Nile is called as Bahr al Abyad.
    17. More than 50 percent of the water of the River Nile evaporates in Al Sudd.
    18. The White Nile meets with Sobat River in the city of Sudan called Malakal.
    19. In Malakal, the rate of average water flow of White Nile is just about 924 m3/s.
    20. There is a city in South Sudan named as Renk. White Nile enters Sudan in this region and then it is joined by Blue Nile in the city of Khartoum.
    21. The people of Egypt used to celebrate the ‘flooding of River Nile’ every year. This celebration lasted for about 14 days starting from August 15 and is also called Wafaa El-Nil in Arabic. However after Aswan Dam was completed in 1970, the flooding of Nile no longer occurs in Egypt.
    22. River Nile joins Atbarah River in the north of Sudan’s city named Atbara. Atbarah is the last branch of Nile because after this, Nile goes into the Mediterranean Sea. This 800-km-long Atbarah river begins in Ethiopia.
    23. River Nile is the most important river giving birth to ancient civilization of Egypt. There were three cycles of Nile and the ancient people of Egypt even set their calendar according to these three seasons. The names of these three were Akhet, Peret and Shemu. Every season consisted of 4-month-cycle.

    More River Nile Facts For Kids

    1. There are 6 cataracts of the Nile River. Cataracts are basically those lengths of water that are not deep and consist of many big rocks, sticking out of the water. These six cataracts start from Aswan and end at Khartoum.
    2. The 6 cataracts of Nile are called ‘Great Bend’.
    3. Almost 90 percent of the water of Nile begins in Ethiopia.
    4. The White Nile has two main branches. These are Sobat River and Bahr al Ghazal.

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  • Mississippi River Facts For Kids | Third Largest Basin

    Mississippi River Facts For Kids | Third Largest Basin

    iveThe Mississippi river system is the largest drainage basin in the North America, draining 41% of the states of America. It flows through the heart of United States. The river is ranked as the third largest basin in the world—only after Amazon and Congo Basins. It starts from the Lake Itasca in Minnesota and runs almost 3,800 km south, while coming across dozens of tributaries on its way such as Red Rivers, Ohio, Missouri, Arkansas, finally ends up in the Gulf of Mexico.

    Mississippi River Facts For Kids

    Speed

    The speed of water is not same throughout the river. At the headquarters, the water hardly flows more than 1.2 miles per hour—just greater than the walking speed of humans. However, at the New Orleans it flows as fast as 3 miles per hour.

    Length

    The river runs as the tenth largest river in the world but the precise length is rather difficult to measure. The geologists at the source in Itasca State Park measures that the river is 2,552 miles long, however, according to the US Geological Survey the length is 2,300 miles (3,705 km).

    Width

    Like the water speed, the width of the river also varies significantly. At the source in Lake Itasca State, the width measures around 20 to 30 feet but the river channel continuously changes. At the Lake Onalaska, the Mississippi is 4 miles wide. Similarly, at some places like in LaCrosse Wisconsin, the water is seized by the dams and as it turns out the width increases.

    Depth and Water Discharge

    The Mississippi is only 3 feet deep at its headquarters but the deepest portion falls in between Algiers Point and Governor Nicholls Wharf where the water is as deep as 200 feet. During the rainy season, the Mississippi discharges the maximum water of 3,000,000 cubic feet per second while at the minimum side, it releases 159,000 cubic feet per second.

    Elevation

    At the Lake Itasca, the river is as high as 1,475 feet above sea level while at its mouth which is in the Gulf of Mexico the elevation drops to Zero above sea level. Most of the drop takes place within Minnesota.

    Fish and Animals

    The Mississippi River is home to 241 fish species alongside 292 bird species that flies across it. Around 57 mammals are found in the river along with 45 reptile species; 40 species of mussels; 45 species of amphibians, and a number of invertebrates.

    Did You Know…? Mississippi River Facts For Kids

    The river has 29 dams and locks built on it, but all are not numbered.

    Native Americans were the first settlers who establish themselves near the Mississippi River.

    The river runs through the states of Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Arkansas, Louisiana, Wisconsin, and Missouri.

    Lake Itasca is the source of the river while Gulf of Mexico is the mouth.

    Mississippi covers 1,151,000 sq. miles.

    It is divided into Upper, Middle, and Lower Mississippi rivers.

    Alonso Alverez de Pineda, a Spanish Explorer is thought to have discovered the mouth of Mississippi in 1519.

    It has 221 bridges that go across the river.

    The first bridge on the river was built in1856 and it connected the Davenport (Iowa) to Arsenal Island.

    The total population at the Mississippi Basis is 71 million out of which 58 percent lives in urban areas. There are 6 people per square kilometer.

    The river flows at its peak (66,400 m3 per second) in the months of March and May as a result of 1,800 mm of annual rainfall. However, August and October the flow is relatively low at 2,400 m3 per second.

    The river is located in Clearwater County, MN (Lake Itasca).

    ‘Makoce Cokaya Kin’ is the place where Mississippi River meets the Minnesota River.

    Learn more: Native American Facts

  • Amazon River Facts For Kids | The Second Longest River

    Amazon River Facts For Kids | The Second Longest River

    Amazon River is in South America and is surrounded by thick amazon rainforest. The snake-like River is a magnificent river for it is home to millions of animals and plants. Almost one-third of all species in the world are found in Amazon Rainforest. Let’s discover some more amazon river facts for kids!

    Amazon River Facts For Kids

    Characteristics and Size

    The Amazon River is the second longest river in the world—after the longest River Nile. The length of the river is measured around 6,400 to 6,800 kilometers. It is quite difficult to measure the total length and is still under discussion. Besides, the geologists are not certain regarding the exact origin of the river. It runs across the North of Brazil.

    It is the largest river in terms of water discharge as the average water-flow is 209,000 cubic meters per second. The total volume of water being discharged from the Amazon River is 220,800 m3 per second

    It has the largest drainage basin in the world measuring 7,050,000 sq. kilometers and accounts for almost one-fourth of the total waterflow in the world. The river carries almost 15 percent of the world’s freshwater and discharge into the oceans. (UNEP Amazon Basin GIWA Assessment 40b). The river has the largest area of land through which the water flows and it contains 200 tributaries.

    The river can be as wide as 48 kilometers or it can be as low as 10 kilometers depending on the season.

    During wet season, the river becomes wider and rises 30 feet thus flood the surrounding rainforest habitats. The maximum water it releases into the Atlantic Ocean is great and is up to 300,000 cubic meters per second.

    Source of the River

    The source of the Amazon River is in snowcapped peak known as Nevado Mismi and Peruvian Andes. It has several primary river systems such as in Peru, Ecuador, and Columbia probably due to the fact that seven countries share the Amazon Basin including Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, Columbia, Venezuela, Bolivia, and Guyana.

    Amazon River’s headquarters are located in the Andes Mountains while the source of many amazon tributaries remains in the Brazilian and Guyana shields. The origin in the Andes Mountains is almost 100 km from the Pacific Ocean. The central, the lower, and the mouth of the river is included in Brazil and it goes into the North Brazil Shelf Large Marine Ecosystem.

    Climate of the Amazon Basin

    The temperature of the amazon basin remains relatively small despite the enormous size of the basin. The temperature remains in between 24o to 26o.

    Annual Rainfall

    The total annual rainfall on the Amazon River varies throughout the coastal regions; the mouth of the river experiences the total annual rainfall of 3,000 mm, whereas in the less rainy parts ranging from Roraima all through the State of Goiaz (Brazil), the rainfall varies in between 1,500 mm to 1,700 mm.

    Fish Diversity and other Species

    Although the exact number of fish species in the Amazon River is difficult to predict yet the total number of fish in South America is 5,000 to 8,000 most of which belongs to the Amazon River. Of all the freshwater dolphins, Amazon River dolphins are the largest as they can grow up to 8 feet in length. Alongside river dolphins, Tucuxi dolphins are also found in the Amazon waters. Other mammals such as Amazonian Manatee also live; and the largest snake species Anaconda often swims in these waters.

    Learn more: Amazon Rainforests Facts For Kids

  • Amazon Rainforest Facts for Kids – Tropical Rainforest Facts

    Amazon Rainforest Facts for Kids – Tropical Rainforest Facts

    The Amazon Rainforest is one of the most interesting places on Earth. These amazon rainforest facts for kids will give you an insight about its flora, fauna and its people. Amazon rainforest covers an enormous area in South America, roughly 7,000,000 square kilometres (2,700,000 square miles).  It forms a jagged circle that has nine different countries in it. They are: Brazil; Peru; Columbia; Bolivia; Suriname; French Guiana and Venezuela.  There are an estimated 16,000 tree species that make up a mass of about 390 billion individual trees. The Amazon Rainforest is so very important because, by its self, it is half of all the rainforest ecosystems in the world. The famous Amazon River runs through the rainforest.

    Amazon Rainforest Facts For Kids

    What is a Rainforest?

    A rainforest is just as the name means: it is a forest that gets a lot of rain. The Amazon Rainforest receives an average of 250 centimeters (98inches) to 450 centimeters (180 inches) of rain every year. There are several things that all rainforests have in common. They usually have moderate climates that never get too cold. They can be very hot and humid.  Most rainforests have layers of trees: very short to very tall. This is called stratified. There is basically four layer or strata of trees. Starting on the forest floor, there are small plants, along with tiny versions of what will be the forest giants. Next, in the strata is the understory. These trees are the homes for most of the rainforest’s animals. The trees in the understory are shrubs and bushes. The next layer is the canopy.  These are the largest trees that give the rainforest a dense shade and create a thick tree cover. These trees are usually 30 meters (8 feet) to about 45 meters (148 feet) tall. Above the canopy is the emergent layer. These are the trees that have grown taller than the other trees in the canopy layer.

    Animal Species in the Amazon

    Amazon Rainforest is home to estimated 3000 species of fish; 400 species of amphibians, including the poison dart frogs; 378 reptile species; 1300 species of birds; 427 species of mammals, including Jaguar and Anteater; and at least 40,000 different plant species.

    The rainforest is two different habitats that occupy the same area. There are some species that stay in the canopy layer and there or many species that stay on the forest floor and the understory. Coati, Monkeys and Toucan and among the species that stay in the canopy where they are safe from predators. The forest floor and the understory are home to deer, wild pigs and tapirs.

    Human History in the Amazon Rainforest – Amazon Rainforest Facts for Kids

    Human history in the Amazon Rainforest can be traced to about 13,000 years ago. There are still signs of these early people. Anthropologist and archaeologist are professionals who dig for evidence of past people and study how they lived.

    Francisco de Orellana was the first European to travel the Amazon River in 1542. He was amazed at all the people he found and was surprised that they were living in villages. The indigenous or native people were semi-nomadic surviving on hunting, fishing and gathering food from the rainforest. As more European people came to the rainforest many of the indigenous people began to die from diseases that had never come into contact with before.

    Threat to Amazon Rainforest

    There are many changes happening the Amazon Rainforest that is having terrible effects of the land, animals and people that live there. Climate change is threatening this unique area. One significant problem is that the Amazon Rainforest has been suffering from a drought starting in 2005. In moist, humid habitat that depends on large amounts of rain, drought can be very damaging.

    Another problem is the amount of deforestation that is happening every day. Humans are cutting the canopy trees down or burning them to clear the land for growing crops and grazing livestock. With the canopy layer removed all life, the either lived in the canopy or lived under it is being disturbed. It is becoming very difficult for some of the animals to find the food and shelter they have depended on now that their habitat is so different.

    The indigenous people who have lived in the Amazon Rainforest for thousands of years are also suffering as the landscape of their homeland is changing. In the past 40 years, it is estimated that 20% of the Amazon Rainforest has been cut down. Trees are being removed for two reasons. First the giant trees are very valuable to the logging industry. Mahogany and other unique hardwoods bring a very high price when they are exported and sold all over the world. The other main reason the trees are being removed it so the land can be used for farming and grazing. More land is needed all the time to feed a hungry world.

    How to Save the Rainforest?

    It is going to be very difficult to save the Amazon Rainforest for several reasons. There are 9 countries that share the rainforest and each one has a different policy in regards to deforestation; that is removing the trees for wood or to create more soy fields and grazing land for cattle. To save the rainforest there needs to be a cohesive policy that every country agrees to follow.

    Currently, the land is valued for what can be taken from it. To protect the Amazon Rainforest, the value must be placed on the importance of leaving it as it has been for thousands of years. Money can be made for the local economies through tourism. People from all over the world are currently visiting the rainforests.

    To save the Amazon Rainforest value must also be placed on how it functions as a “carbon sink.” A “carbon sink” is any land or forest that absorbs carbon from the atmosphere. The rainforest can create weather patterns and actually pull in extra carbon that is currently playing a major role in climate change. If the Amazon Rainforest continues to be removed and destroyed the overall conditions on Earth will become worse. By saving the Amazon Rainforest, we will be saving ourselves.

    Share these amazon rainforest facts for kids with your class mates, friends and family.