The Most Bizarre Rivers in the World

There are thousands of rivers in the world with different characteristics such as length, salinity, rapids, flows, wildlife, and temperature. Not every river on our planet has an interesting background or rich history, but some of them are so unique and bizarre because of their attributes and qualities that they stand out.

There are rivers popular for their scenic beauty and others famous because of their weirdness. Here you can see a list of the world's strangest rivers and decide which one to visit this summer.

Rio Negro

The Rio Negro meeting the Rio Solimões.
Photo Credits: The Meeting Of Waters / Nao Iizuka / Wikimedia Commons CC BY 2.0.
Photo Credits: The Meeting Of Waters / Nao Iizuka / Wikimedia Commons CC BY 2.0.

Rio Negro is the largest blackwater river in the world. Also, it is the largest left tributary of the Amazon River with its source in Colombia. When seen from above it looks black, though its color is dark blue. The dark color comes from humic acid released during the breakdown of phenol-containing vegetation.

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Ganges River

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A Gandhi Ghat partially submerged due to increase in the levels of Ganga river, on September 9, 2025 in Patna, India.
Photo Credits: Santosh Kumar / Hindustan Times / Getty Images.
Photo Credits: Santosh Kumar / Hindustan Times / Getty Images.
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The Ganges River is the holiest river in the world, especially in India. The members of the Indian religion – Hinduism – worship the Ganges as a goddess Ganga. Its length is 1,569 miles, flowing through India and Bangladesh.

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Jordan River

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Jordan River entering the Dead Sea.
Jordan River entering the Dead Sea (Photo Credits: Unknown Author / Wikimedia Commons CC0 1.0)
Jordan River entering the Dead Sea (Photo Credits: Unknown Author / Wikimedia Commons CC0 1.0)
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According to the New Testament, the Jordan River is the place where Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptist. It's located in the Middle East and ends as it flows into the Dead Sea.

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Citarum River

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Citarum River, Indonesia.
Photo Credits: G.F.J. Bley / Collectie Wereldmuseum (v/h Tropenmuseum), part of the National Museum of World Cultures / Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0.
Photo Credits: G.F.J. Bley / Collectie Wereldmuseum (v/h Tropenmuseum), part of the National Museum of World Cultures / Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0.
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Every river is unique for something, and unfortunately, this one stands out for its pollution. It flows in West Java, Indonesia, and it's the most polluted river in the world through human activity. There are 5 million people who live in Citarum River's basin, heavily affected by the water's pollution.

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Puerto Princesa Subterranean River

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Puerto Princesa.
Photo Credits: Charima312017 / Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photo Credits: Charima312017 / Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0.
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A river that flows underground, how does this sounds? Puerto Princesa Subterranean River in the Philipines is the longest subterranean navigable river in the world. It's a home of a number of reptile species that live in the caves through which the river flows.

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Yarlung Tsangpo River

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Yarlung Tsangpo.
Photo Credits: Carlos Delgado / Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0.
Photo Credits: Carlos Delgado / Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0.
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This river flows in South Tibet Valley at an altitude of 14,800 feet, which makes it the highest river on the planet. It's known as the "Everest of rivers" because of the extreme conditions. The river forms the world's largest and deepest canyon, Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon.

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Roe River

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Roe River.
Photo Credits: Montanabw / Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0.
Photo Credits: Montanabw / Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0.
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The Roe River is the shortest river in the world with its 201 feet. It runs between Giant Springs and Missouri River in Montana. It's recognized by Guinness World Records as the short river ever.

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Huang He River

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Yellow River.
Photo Credits: Leruswing / Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0.
Photo Credits: Leruswing / Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0.
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Huang He or the Yellow River is the deadliest river in human's history. In the last century, the floods of Yellow River had killed around 5 million people. It's also known as "China’s Sorrow."

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Nile River

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The Nile River in Luxor.
Photo Credits: Vyacheslav Argenberg / http://www.vascoplanet.com/ / Wikimedia Commons CC BY 4.0.
Photo Credits: Vyacheslav Argenberg / http://www.vascoplanet.com/ / Wikimedia Commons CC BY 4.0.
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The Nile River is the second longest river in the world after the Amazon. Most big rivers flow southward, but the Nile is different, running from south to north. It's a home of the Nile crocodile, one of the world's deadliest reptiles.

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Amazon River 

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A helicopter flies over the Amazon River.
Photo Credits: SAUL LOEB / AFP / Getty Images.
Photo Credits: SAUL LOEB / AFP / Getty Images.
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Home of piranhas, pink dolphins, anaconda, and many other weird creatures, the Amazon River has the largest drainage basin in the world. The queen among the rivers is full of deadly threats but also has one of the most diverse ecosystems discovered.

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It's up to you where you wanna go next!

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