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Major Rivers, Lakes, Oceans, Canals and Straits of the World:


Major Rivers of the World:

RiverOriginOutflowLength (in km)
NileTributaries of Lake Victoria (Africa) Mediterranean Sea6,850
AmazonAndes (Peru)Atlantic Ocean6430
Chang Jiang (Yangtze)Tibetan plateau (China) China Sea 6300
Mississipi MissouriSource of Red Rock (Montana)Gulf of Mexico6100
YeniseiTannu-Ola Mountains (Russia)Arctic Ocean 5540
Huang HoKunlun Mountains (China)Gulf of Chihli5464
ParanaConfluence of Paranaiba and Grande riversAtlantic Ocean4880
Zaire (Congo)Confluence of Lualab and Luapula rivers (Congo)Atlantic Ocean4750
ObAltai Mountains (Russia)Gulf of Ob4410
IrtishAltai Mountains (Russia)Ob River4250


Major Lakes of the World (by Area):

RiverRegionArea (sq. km)
Caspian SeaKazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Azerbaizan, Iran3,71,000
SuperiorCanada, United States82,414
VictoriaUganda, Kenya, Tanzania69,485
HuronCanada, United States59,600
MichiganUnited States58,000
TanganyikaAfrica32,890
BaikalRussia31,500
Great BearCanada31,080
MalawiTanzania, Mozambique, Malawi30,044
Great SlaveCanada28,930

Other Important Lakes of the World:

ParticularRiver
Largest Lake (Area)Caspian Sea
Largest Salt Water LakeCaspian Sea
Largest Fresh Water LakeLake Superior
Highest LakeLake Titicaca
Deepest LakeLake Baikal

Oceans of the World:

NamesArea (sq. km)Deepest Point
Pacific16,52,50,000Mariana Trench ( - 10,994 meters)
Atlantic10,64,00,000Puerto Rico Trench ( - 8648 meters)
Indian7,35,50,000Java Trench ( - 7125 meters)
Artic1,32,40,000Eurasia Basin ( - 5450 meters)

Important Canals of the World:

NamesImportant Points
Suez Canal1. It is an artificial sea-level waterway (192 km long) in Egypt.
2. It connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.
3. It was opened in November 1869.
4. It reduces the need to navigate around Africa to ship transport between Europe and eastern Asia.
Panama Canal1. This is a ship canal in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean (via the Caribbean Sea) to the Pacific Ocean.
2. It is 77 km in length.
Kiel Canal1. Kiel Canal passes through the German province of Schleswig-Holstein.
2. It connects the Baltic Sea with the North Sea.
3. It is 98 km in length.
Grand Canal1. It is also known as the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal.
2. It is the longest canal or artificial river in the world.
3. It connects the Yellow River and Yangtze River.
4. It is 1,776 km in length.
Ten Degree Channel1. It is a channel that separates the Andaman Islands from the Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal.
2. The Channel is approximately 150 km wide.
3. It lies on the 10-degree line of latitude, north of the Equator, hence so named.

Important Straits of the World:

Definition - A strait is a naturally formed, narrow, typically navigable waterway that connects two larger, navigable bodies of water.

NamesImportant Points
Palk Strait1. It separates India and Srilanka.
2. It connects the Bay of Bengal and the Gulf of Mannar.
3. The strait is 53 to 80 km wide.
Strait of Gibralter1. It separates Africa and Europe.
2. It connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea.
Bering Strait1. It separates eastern most part of Asian continent and Alaska (North American continent).
2. It connects Pacific ocean and Artic ocean.
Cook Strait1. It separates the North and South Islands of New Zealand.
2. It connects the Tasman Sea and the South Pacific Ocean
Strait of Malacca1. It separates Malay Peninsula (Malaysia) and the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
2. It connects the Pacific ocean and the Indian ocean.
Bosphorus Strait1. It is also known as Istanbul strait.
2. It connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara.
3. It forms part of the boundary between Europe and Asia.
Bab-el-Mandeb1. It is located between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula, and Djibouti and Eritrea in the Horn of Africa.
2. It connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.


Objective Questions:


1. Which of the following is the longest river in the world?

  • a) Amazon
  • b) Nile
  • c) Yangtze
  • d) Mississipe Missouri

Correct Answer: (b)

2. Through which of the following country Huang Ho river flows?

  • a) South Korea
  • b) North Korea
  • c) Japan
  • d) China

Correct Answer: (d)

3. Which of the following is the largest lake in the world?

  • a) Lake Superior
  • b) Great Bear Lake
  • c) Caspian Sea
  • d) Victoria Lake

Correct Answer: (c)

4. Largest fresh water lake in the world is?

  • a) Lake Superior
  • b) Caspian Sea
  • c) Lake Baikal
  • d) Great Bear Lake

Correct Answer: (a)

5. Which of the follwing is the smallest ocean in the world?

  • a) Pacific Ocean
  • b) Atlantic Ocean
  • c) Indian Ocean
  • d) Artic Ocean

Correct Answer: (d)

6. Deepest point in Indian Ocean is?

  • a) Mariana Trench
  • b) Eurasia Basin
  • c) Java Trench
  • d) Puerto Rico Trench

Correct Answer: (c)

7. Which Strait separates India and Srilanka?

  • a) Cook Strait
  • b) Palk Strait
  • c) Strait of Malacca
  • d) Bering Strait

Correct Answer: (b)

8. Which strait separates the North and South Islands of New Zealand?

  • a) Cook Strait
  • b) Strait of Gibralter
  • c) Bab-el-Mandeb
  • d) Bosphorous Strait

Correct Answer: (a)

9. Which canal connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea?

  • a) Suez Canal
  • b) Kiel Canal
  • c) Grand Canal
  • d) Panama Canal

Correct Answer: (a)

10. Which of the following is the longest canal or artificial river in the world?

  • a) Grand Canal
  • b) Suez Canal
  • c) Ten Degree Channel
  • d) Kiel Canal

Correct Answer: (a)