Top 6 Oldest Rivers of the World: Complete List

It is notable how the civilizations thrived around the water bodies since time immemorial. Most of the successful civilizations were found across fresh water bodies like rivers. Rivers provided the best source of transportation and also commercialization. Rivers were the source of irrigation and let civilizations thrive even in the areas of lower rainfall. Here is a list of the oldest rivers found on Earth.

The age of the river is calculated based on the mountains it dissects. The age of the ocean in which it drains can be considered but is quite irrelevant. In case the river dissects the mountain completely it is estimated that it was present at the time of the mountain formation.  

List of Oldest Rivers of the World:

1. Finke River, Australia:

To top the list Finke River makes its mark. It happens to be as old as 360 million years old or 36 crore years old. The river is in Australia and is also calledLarapinta. The total length of the river is 750 kilometres and it flows from Northern Territory to South Australia. The river predates the Alice Spring Orogeny and ends into Lake Eyre. 

2. River New, USA:

This River is found in the United States of America. The river flows in the state of Northern Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. It joins the Gauley river then to form the Kanawha River. The river is said to be as old as 300-360 million years. It dissects through the Appalachian mountains and is formed by Alleghanian orogeny. The river did not receive much attention before the 1970s. The river is almost 340 miles long and was recently named New river. It was earlier called Woods river by Abraham Woods. 

3. River Meuse, Europe:

Meuse, also called Maas, is a river flowing in Europe originating from France, flowing through Belgium, Netherlands, draining into the North Sea making the delta of Rhine- Meuse- Scheldt. The river is said to be almost 340 million years old from the Paleozoic era. The river also dissects the Ardennes forests during the Hercynian orogeny. 

It is more than 900 miles in length. 

4. River French Broad, USA:

This river is over 300 million years old. The beautiful river flows 351 kilometres or 218 miles in North Carolina and Tennessee in the US. Post this it joins the Tennessee river.  

5. Susquehanna River, United States of America:

The river has a length of 715 km and is said to be 260-325 million years old. The river dissects the Appalachian Mountains and is formed by the Alleghenian orogeny. It disperses into Chesapeake Bay. The river is 444 miles in length and is the longest river in Northeast and Upland South.

6. River Rhine, Europe:

It is said to be as old as 240 million years old and drains finally into the North Sea. The river is said to be formed in the Triassic, and is possibly older in case it dissected the mountains uplifted during the Hercynian orogeny. 

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