This is a list of rivers of the Americas, it includes major historical or physiological significant rivers of the Americas grouped by region where they are located (Central America, Northern America, West Indies and South Americas). The longest rivers in each country are included. Further details and references are provided in each river's separate article. Unusually significant tributaries appear in this list, under the river into which they drain.

The longest river in the Americas is the Amazon River. The length of the Amazon River is usually said to be "at least" , but reported values lie anywhere between . The length measurements of many rivers are only approximations and differ from each other because there are many factors that determine the calculated river length, such as the position of the geographical source and the mouth, the scale of measurement, and the length measuring techniques (for details see also List of rivers by length).

There are 11 countries in the Americas that do not have rivers: Anguilla,. Aruba, Bermuda,. Bonaire, Cayman Islands, Curaçao, Saba, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten.

North America

Central America

The water in rivers in Central America flows to either the Atlantic Ocean or Pacific Ocean. The Río Coco, locally known as the Wanks, runs along the border with Honduras and is the longest river flowing totally within Central America. The second longest river in Central America is the Patuca River.

Some of the significant rivers and their lengths in Central America include:

+ Significant rivers in Central AmericaRiverCountriesLengthSignificanceAguán RiverHondurasThe Aguán River's watershed is one of seven watersheds in Honduras, and covers over , of which around 200,000 are in the Aguán River Valley.Jeffrey R. Jones, Colonization and Environment: Land Settlement Projects in Central America, The United Nations University Press, 1990Cahabón RiverGuatemalaknown for white water rapids Choluteca RiverHondurasnoted for severe flooding in 1998 Chucunaque RiverPanamalongest river in PanamaCoco River (Wanki River)Honduras and Nicaraguaborder river, longest river in Honduras and NicaraguaDulce RiverGuatemalalargest bridge in Central America, location of Tarzan movie in 1939Lempa RiverEl Salvador, Honduras, Guatemalalongest and only navigable river in El SalvadorLos Esclavos RiverGuatemalaknown for bridge built over the river in 1579 as Spanish ColonyMotagua RiverGuatemalalongest river in GuatemalaNew RiverBelizelongest river within BelizePatuca RiverHonduraslongest river within HondurasReventazón RiverCosta Ricaused to generate significant portion of Costa Rica's electricitySan Juan RiverCosta Rica, Nicaragualongest river in Costa RicaTempisque RiverCosta Ricalongest river totally within Costa Rica, important animal habitat, flows entirely within Costa RicaUlúa RiverHondurasknown for ornate calcite vessels that date from the Mayan times

Northern America

Water from rivers in the Northern Americas flows toward either the Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, the land-locked Great Basin in the western United States or the interior basin in Mexico.

The Missouri River is the longest river in North America and the United States (). The second longest river in North America and the United States is the Mississippi River (). The Rio Conchos () is the longest river in Mexico. The longest river in Canada is the Mackenzie River ().

Some of the longest or otherwise notable rivers include the rivers listed in the table below.

+ Significant rivers in Northern AmericaRiverCountriesLengthTributary ofSignificanceAlabama RiverUS: AlabamaGulf of MexicoThe Edmund Pettus Bridge crosses the Alabama River near Selma. The bridge was the site of the famous marches for voting rights in 1965Alsek RiverCanada: Yukon US: AlaskaGulf of Alaska, Pacific Oceanwilderness riverAltamaha RiverUS: GeorgiaAtlantic OceanbioreserveApalachicola RiverUS: FloridaGulf of Mexicoscenic river, former border between East and West FloridaChattahoochee RiverUS: Georgia, Alabama, FloridaApalachicola Riverstate bordersFlint RiverUS: Georgia, Alabama, FloridaApalachicola Rivermentioned in Gone with the WindColorado RiverUS: Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, California Mexico:Baja California, SonoraGulf of California, Pacific OceanKnown for its dramatic canyons, whitewater rapids, and eleven U.S. National Parks; vital source of water in Southwest USColumbia RiverCanada: British Columbia US: Washington, OregonPacific Oceanlargest river in Pacific Northwest, largest river emptying into the Pacific Ocean in North AmericaJames RiverUS: VirginiaHampton Roads, Chesapeake Bay, Atlantic Oceanthe first permanent English settlement in America and all past and current Virginia capitols, Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Richmond are located along its shoresSnake RiverUS: Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, WashingtonColumbia Riverlargest tributary of Columbia River, shores populated by Native Americans, discovered by Lewis and ClarkOkanogan RiverCanada: British Columbia US: WashingtonColumbia Riverearly 1800s fur trading riverKettle RiverCanada: British Columbia, US: WashingtonColumbia Riverassociation with Columbia RiverPend Oreille RiverUS: Washington, Idaho, Canada: British Columbia Columbia Rivernative people (Pend d'Oreilles and Kalispe) lived along the riverKootenay RiverCanada: British Columbia US: MontanaColumbia Rivermajor tributary of Columbia River, early home to Native AmericansWillamette RiverUS: OregonColumbia Riverwell known vineyards around riverDelaware RiverUS: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, MarylandDelaware Bay and Atlantic Oceanshores home to Native Americans, associated with several American Revolution battles and Washington Crossing the DelawareBrandywine RiverUS: Pennsylvania, DelawareChristina River, Delaware Riverdesignated Pennsylvania Scenic Rivers, associated with the Battle of BrandywineSchuylkill RiverUS: PennsylvaniaDelaware RiverPhiladelphiaFraser RiverCanada: British ColumbiaStrait of Georgia Pacific Oceanlongest river in British Columbia, visited by Spanish explorers in 1792Thompson RiverCanada: British ColumbiaFraser Riverevidence of prehistoric settlements along riverChilcotin RiverCanada: British ColumbiaFraser Riverimportant to indigenous peopleNechako RiverCanada: British ColumbiaFraser Riverfirst explored by Europeans in 1806Hudson RiverUS: New York, New JerseyNew York Harbor Atlantic Oceanexplored by Henry Hudson in 1609Mohawk RiverUS: New YorkHudson Riverimportant to transportation and migrationMackenzie RiverCanada: Northwest Territories, YukonBeaufort Sea Arctic Oceanlongest river in CanadaLiard RiverCanada: British Columbia, Northwest TerritoriesMackenzie Rivermarks the north end of the Rocky MountainsSlave RiverCanada: Alberta, Northwest TerritoriesMackenzie Rivernamed for the Slavey peoplePeace RiverCanada: British Columbia, AlbertaSlave Riverpart of Finlay–Peace–Slave–Mackenzie river system—13th longest in the world, traditional Danezaa people lived along its shoresAthabasca RiverCanada: AlbertaSlave RiverCanadian Heritage Rivers SystemMajorqaqGreenland: QeqqataAtlantic OceanGreenland is considered part of North America physiography. This river is the outflow of a glacier.Maniitsoq, Saga Map, Tage Schjøtt, 1992 Mississippi RiverUS: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, LouisianaGulf of Mexico2nd longest river in Northern AmericasArkansas RiverUS: Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, ArkansasMississippi River6th longest river in US Canadian RiverUS: Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico, TexasArkansas Riverexplored by Spanish in 1601Cimarron RiverUS: Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, OklahomaArkansas Riverexplored by Francisco Vásquez de Coronado in 1541, no major cities along routeDes Moines RiverUS: Iowa, Minnesota, MissouriMississippi Riverexplored by early French explorersIllinois RiverUS: IllinoisMississippi Riverimportant transportation routeMinnesota RiverUS: MinnesotaMississippi Riverlongest river within Minnesota Missouri RiverUS: Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri