Where is the oldest river in the world? A river that is millions of years old

When we think of the world’s famous rivers, we often think of the Nile and the Amazon; The Nile is known as the longest and the Amazon as the largest river in terms of water volume; But across the globe, there are other rivers that have their own honors. One of these honors is the title of “the oldest river in the world”. What is the oldest river in the world? Join us as we take a look at the amazing stories of rivers that are millions of years old.

What is the oldest river in the world?

Determining the exact age of rivers is not always an easy task; But in general, many experts believe that the Finke River, also known as the Larapinta by Australian Aboriginal communities, is one of the oldest rivers in the world. This river, which flows only a few times a year after heavy rains, is about 600 to 750 km long and ends at Lake Eyre. It is said that this river is between 350 and 400 million years old. The source of the Fink River is located in the McDonnell Mountains in the northern region of Australia.

According to local legends, this river was formed when the Rainbow Serpent moved north from Lake Eyre. These stories show the deep cultural connection of indigenous people with nature and rivers.

Why is it difficult to determine the exact age of rivers?

It is very difficult to accurately determine the age of a river, especially in long geological intervals. To estimate the age of a river, scientists and geologists look at several factors, including ecological features, surrounding mountain ranges, riverbed sediments, and curves or “shortcuts” that show how the river’s shape has changed over hundreds of millions of years of erosion. Even considering all these features, different time estimates are provided, and these estimates may change with new scientific developments.

_{Photo source: Wikipedia website Photographer: Cgoodwin}

The oldest river in North America

One of the oldest rivers in North America is the New River, which is confusingly known as the New River. With a length of about 547 km, this river originates in the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina and flows through Virginia and West Virginia to join the Kanawha River. Estimates of the age of this river are very different; But it is usually estimated between 10 and 360 million years. In the 1970s, the river was designated as the “second oldest river in the world” to prevent damming.

The oldest river in Europe

In the continent of Europe, the oldest river is probably the “Meuse” river, which passes through the three countries of Belgium, Holland and France with a length of 950 km. It is said that this river is between 320 and 340 million years old. Maas is not only known as one of the oldest rivers in Europe, but also an important part of the history and culture of these countries.

The future of river research

Our understanding of river formation is not yet complete and the science is still evolving. New scientific evidence may be obtained that will change the estimated age of these rivers and shed new light on their formation millions of years ago.

_{Cover photo source: MSN website Photographer: Unknown}