What is the Largest Rivers in the World , that we listed measured by the Total discharge per Second, world 's largest rivers are. Rivers are the lifeblood of our planet, shaping landscapes, nurturing ecosystems, and providing water for countless communities. Topography of the Amazon River Basin The Amazon River (US: / ˈæməzɒn /; Portuguese: rio Amazonas, Spanish: río Amazonas) in South America is the largest river by discharge volume of water in the world , and the longest or second-longest river system in the world , a title which is disputed with the Nile. [5][23][n 4] The headwaters of the Apurímac River on Nevado Mismi had been considered, for nearly a century, the Amazon basin 's most distant source until a 2014 study found it to be the ... It is the largest river in the world as well, with the largest volume or discharge volume. The Amazon is so big, in fact, that two of the next largest rivers (by volume) are actually tributaries of the Amazon. The river runs through three countries in South America: Brazil, Peru, and Colombia, and empties into the Atlantic Ocean.