Waterways In 35 editions of 36.

671,886 km

top ten longest rivers:

• Nile (Africa) 6,693 km;
• Amazon (South America) 6,436 km;
• Mississippi-Missouri (North America) 6,238 km;
• Yenisey-Angara (Asia) 5,981 km;
• Ob-Irtysh (Asia) 5,569 km;
• Yangtze (Asia) 5,525 km;
• Yellow (Asia) 4,671 km;
• Amur (Asia) 4,352 km;
• Lena (Asia) 4,345 km;
• Congo (Africa) 4,344 km

note: rivers are not necessarily navigable along the entire length; if measured by volume, the Amazon is the largest river in the world

top ten largest natural lakes (by surface area):

• Caspian Sea (Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan) 372,960 sq km;
• Lake Superior (Canada, United States) 82,414 sq km;
• Lake Victoria (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda) 69,490 sq km;
• Lake Huron (Canada, United States) 59,596 sq km;
• Lake Michigan (United States) 57,441 sq km;
• Lake Tanganyika (Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Zambia) 32,890 sq km;
• Great Bear Lake (Canada) 31,800 sq km;
• Lake Baikal (Russia) 31,494 sq km;
• Lake Nyasa (Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania) 30,044 sq km;
• Great Slave Lake (Canada) 28,400 sq km

note: the areas of the lakes are subject to seasonal variation; only the Caspian Sea is saline, the rest are fresh water

1,300 km (2011)

• country comparison to the world: 54

• 150 km (seasonal navigation on River Niger along northern border) (2011)
• country comparison to the world: 102

(mainly on Lake Tanganyika between Bujumbura, Burundi's principal port, and lake ports in Tanzania, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo) (2011)

(major rivers in the south, such as the Wouri and the Sanaga, are largely non-navigable; in the north, the Benue, which connects through Nigeria to the Niger River, is navigable in the rainy season only to the port of Garoua) (2010)

2,800 km (the primary navigable river is the Ubangi, which joins the River Congo; it was the traditional route for the export of products because it connected with the Congo-Ocean railway at Brazzaville; because of the warfare on both sides of the River Congo from 1997, however, routes through Cameroon became preferred by importers and exporters) (2011)

country comparison to the world: 35

• (Chari and Legone rivers are navigable only in wet season) (2012)

• 15,000 km (including the Congo, its tributaries, and unconnected lakes) (2011)
• country comparison to the world: 8

1,120 km (commercially navigable on Congo and Oubanqui rivers above Brazzaville; there are many ferries across the river to Kinshasa; the Congo south of Brazzaville-Kinshasa to the coast is not navigable because of rapids, thereby necessitating a rail connection to Pointe Noire; other rivers are used for local traffic only) (2011)

country comparison to the world: 62

• 980 km (navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal lagoons) (2011)
• country comparison to the world: 67

3,500 km (includes the Nile River, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway, and numerous smaller canals in Nile Delta; the Suez Canal (193.5 km including approaches) is navigable by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 17.68 m) (2011)

country comparison to the world: 30

• 1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2010)
• country comparison to the world: 49

• 390 km (on River Gambia; small ocean-going vessels can reach 190 km) (2010)
• country comparison to the world: 89

1,293 km (168 km for launches and lighters on Volta, Ankobra, and Tano rivers; 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways on Lake Volta) (2011)

country comparison to the world: 57

1,300 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft in the northern part of the Niger system) (2011)

country comparison to the world: 55

(rivers are navigable for some distance; many inlets and creeks give shallow-water access to much of interior) (2012)

• none specifically, the only significant inland waterway in the country is the part of Lake Victoria within the boundaries of Kenya;
• Kisumu is the main port and has ferry connections to Uganda and Tanzania (2011)

• 600 km (432 km navigable) (2011)
• country comparison to the world: 80

• 700 km (on Lake Nyasa [Lake Malawi] and Shire River) (2010)
• country comparison to the world: 76

1,800 km (downstream of Koulikoro; low water levels on the River Niger cause problems in dry years; in the months before the rainy season the river is not navigable by commercial vessels) (2011)

country comparison to the world: 44

• (some navigation is possible on the Senegal River) (2011)

• 460 km (Zambezi River navigable to Tete and along Cahora Bassa Lake) (2010)
• country comparison to the world: 86

300 km (the Niger, the only major river, is navigable to Gaya between September and March) (2012)

country comparison to the world: 94

• 8,600 km (Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers and creeks) (2011)
• country comparison to the world: 15

• (Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft) (2011)

• 1,000 km (primarily on the Senegal, Saloum, and Casamance rivers) (2012)
• country comparison to the world: 64

• 800 km (600 km navigable year round) (2011)
• country comparison to the world: 72

see entry for Sudan

• 4,068 km (1,723 km open year round on White and Blue Nile rivers) (2011)
• country comparison to the world: 25

(Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, and Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) are the principal avenues of commerce with neighboring countries; the rivers are not navigable) (2011)

50 km (seasonally navigable by small craft on the Mono River depending on rainfall) (2011)

country comparison to the world: 103

(there are no long navigable stretches of river in Uganda; parts of the Albert Nile that flow out of Lake Albert in the northwestern part of the country are navigable; several lakes including Lake Victoria and Lake Kyoga have substantial traffic; Lake Albert is navigable along a 200-km stretch from its northern tip to its southern shores) (2011)

• 2,250 km (includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and Luapula rivers) (2010)
• country comparison to the world: 39

• (some navigation possible on Lake Kariba) (2011)

• 1,200 km; (chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to 500 DWT) (2011)
• country comparison to the world: 59

8,370 km (includes up to 3,060 km of main cargo routes; the network is reduced to 5,200 km in the dry season) (2011)

country comparison to the world: 17

• 110,000 km (navigable waterways) (2011)
• country comparison to the world: 1

14,500 km (5,200 km on major rivers and 485 km on canals suitable for mechanized vessels) (2012)

country comparison to the world: 9

• 1,770 km (seagoing vessels use inland seas) (2010)
• country comparison to the world: 45

4,000 km (on the Ertis (Irtysh) River (80%) and Syr Darya (Syrdariya) River) (2010)

country comparison to the world: 27

• 2,250 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2011)
• country comparison to the world: 38

• 1,600 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2011)
• country comparison to the world: 51

600 km (2010)

• country comparison to the world: 79

• 580 km (the only waterway in operation is Lake Hovsgol) (135 km);
• Selenge River (270 km) and Orhon River (175 km) are navigable but carry little traffic;
• lakes and rivers freeze in winter, they are open from May to September) (2010)

country comparison to the world: 82

102,000 km (including 48,000 km with guaranteed depth; the 72,000 km system in European Russia links Baltic Sea, White Sea, Caspian Sea, Sea of Azov, and Black Sea) (2009)

country comparison to the world: 2

• 160 km (primarily on rivers in southwest) (2012)
• country comparison to the world: 101

• 200 km (along Vakhsh River) (2011)
• country comparison to the world: 99

• 1,300 km (Amu Darya and Kara Kum canal are important inland waterways) (2011)
• country comparison to the world: 56

1,100 km (2012)

• country comparison to the world: 63

• 825 km (navigable only by small craft) (2011)
• country comparison to the world: 71

• 730 km (seasonally navigable by small craft) (2011)
• country comparison to the world: 75

240 km (almost all navigable inland waterways are near the mouths of rivers) (2011)

country comparison to the world: 95

• (Rio Lempa is partially navigable for small craft) (2011)

990 km (260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during high-water season) (2012)

country comparison to the world: 66

• 465 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2012)
• country comparison to the world: 85

2,220 km (navigable waterways as well as the use of the large Lake Managua and Lake Nicaragua; rivers serve only the sparsely populated eastern part of the country) (2011)

country comparison to the world: 40

• 800 km (includes the 82-km Panama Canal that is being widened) (2011)
• country comparison to the world: 73

• 41 km (on the Bojana River) (2011)
• country comparison to the world: 104

358 km (2011)

• country comparison to the world: 90

2,500 km (use limited by its location on the perimeter of the country and by its shallowness) (2011)

country comparison to the world: 36

• 2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2012)
• country comparison to the world: 42

• (Sava River on northern border; open to shipping but use limited) (2011)

470 km (2009)

• country comparison to the world: 84

785 km (2009)

• country comparison to the world: 74

664 km (principally on Elbe, Vltava, Oder, and other navigable rivers, lakes, and canals) (2010)

country comparison to the world: 77

400 km (2010)

• country comparison to the world: 88

• 335 km (320 km are navigable year round) (2011)
• country comparison to the world: 91

44,103 km (2010)

• 8,000 km (includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part leased from Russia; water transport is used frequently in the summer and is widely replaced with sledges on the ice in winter; there are 187,888 lakes in Finland that cover 31,500 km);
• Finand also maintains 8,200 km of coastal fairways (2013)

country comparison to the world: 18

metropolitan France:

8,501 km (1,621 km accessible to craft of 3,000 metric tons) (2010)

country comparison to the world:

16

7,467 km (Rhine River carries most goods; Main-Danube Canal links North Sea and Black Sea) (2012)

country comparison to the world: 19

6 km (the 6 km long Corinth Canal crosses the Isthmus of Corinth; it shortens a sea voyage by 325 km) (2012)

country comparison to the world: 107

• 1,622 km (most on Danube River) (2011)
• country comparison to the world: 48

• 956 km (pleasure craft only) (2010)
• country comparison to the world: 68

2,400 km (used for commercial traffic; of limited overall value compared to road and rail) (2012)

country comparison to the world: 37

• 300 km (navigable year round) (2010)
• country comparison to the world: 93

28 km (2010)

• country comparison to the world: 106

• 441 km (navigable year round) (2007)
• country comparison to the world: 87

• 37 km (on Moselle River) (2010)
• country comparison to the world: 105

• 558 km (in public use on Danube, Dniester and Prut rivers) (2011)
• country comparison to the world: 83

• 6,237 km (navigable for ships of 50 tons) (2012)
• country comparison to the world: 22

1,577 km (2010)

• country comparison to the world: 52

• 3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2009)
• country comparison to the world: 28

• 210 km (on Douro River from Porto) (2011)
• country comparison to the world: 96

1,731 km (includes 1,075 km on the Danube River, 524 km on secondary branches, and 132 km on canals) (2010)

country comparison to the world: 46

• 587 km (primarily on the Danube and Sava rivers) (2009)
• country comparison to the world: 81

• 172 km (on Danube River) (2012)
• country comparison to the world: 100

• (there is some transport on the Drava River) (2012)

1,000 km (2012)

• country comparison to the world: 65

2,052 km (2010)

• country comparison to the world: 41

1,292 km (there are 1,227 km of waterways on lakes and rivers for public transport and another 65 km on the Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee used for the transport of commercial goods) (2010)

country comparison to the world: 58

• 1,672 km (most on Dnieper River) (2012)
• country comparison to the world: 47

• 3,200 km (620 km used for commerce) (2009)
• country comparison to the world: 32

• 850 km (on Karun River; some navigation on Lake Urmia) (2012)
• country comparison to the world: 70

5,279 km (the Euphrates River (2,815 km), Tigris River (1,899 km), and Third River (565 km) are the principal waterways) (2012)

country comparison to the world: 23

• 900 km (navigable but not economically significant) (2011)
• country comparison to the world: 69

1,200 km (2010)

• country comparison to the world: 60

636 km (Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with United States) (2011)

country comparison to the world: 78

2,900 km (navigable rivers and coastal canals mostly connected with ports on the country's east coast) (2012)

country comparison to the world: 34

41,009 km (19,312 km used for commerce; Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint Lawrence River of 3,058 km, is shared with Canada) (2012)

country comparison to the world: 5

2,000 km (mainly used for recreation on Murray and Murray-Darling river systems) (2011)

country comparison to the world: 43

203 km (122 km are navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges) (2012)

country comparison to the world: 98

• 5 km (small network of canals in Line Islands) (2012)
• country comparison to the world: 108

11,000 km (2011)

• country comparison to the world: 12

11,000 km (2012)

• country comparison to the world: 11

10,000 km (commercially navigable almost exclusively in the northern and eastern parts of the country) (2012)

country comparison to the world: 13

• 50,000 km (most in areas remote from industry and population) (2012)
• country comparison to the world: 3

24,725 km (18,300 km navigable; the most important waterway, the River Magdalena, of which 1,488 km is navigable, is dredged regularly to ensure the safe passage of cargo vessels and container barges) (2012)

country comparison to the world: 6

• 1,500 km (most inaccessible) (2012)
• country comparison to the world: 53

330 km (the Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers are navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km respectively) (2012)

country comparison to the world: 92

• 3,100 km (primarily on the Paraguay and Paraná river systems) (2012)
• country comparison to the world: 33

8,808 km (there are 8,600 km of navigable tributaries on the Amazon system and 208 km on Lago Titicaca) (2011)

country comparison to the world: 14

• 1,200 km (most navigable by ships with drafts up to 7 m) (2011)
• country comparison to the world: 61

1,600 km (2011)

• country comparison to the world: 50

7,100 km (the Orinoco River (400 km) and Lake de Maracaibo are navigable by oceangoing vessels) (2011)

country comparison to the world: 21

209 km (navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m; the Belait, Brunei, and Tutong rivers are major transport links) (2012)

country comparison to the world: 97

12,800 km (2011)

• country comparison to the world: 10

• 3,700 km (mainly on Mekong River) (2012)
• country comparison to the world: 29

21,579 km (2011)

• country comparison to the world: 7

4,600 km (primarily on the Mekong River and its tributaries; 2,900 additional km are intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m) (2012)

country comparison to the world: 24

• 7,200 km (Peninsular Malaysia 3,200 km; Sabah 1,500 km; Sarawak 2,500 km) (2011)
• country comparison to the world: 20

• 3,219 km (limited to vessels with draft less than 1.5 m) (2011)
• country comparison to the world: 31

• 4,000 km (3,701 km navigable by boats with drafts up to 0.9 m) (2011)
• country comparison to the world: 26

• 47,130 km (30,831 km weight under 50 tons) (2011)
• country comparison to the world: 4