This list covers 42 rivers, from “Elbe” to “Earn”, each one starting with the letter E. They range from short tidal creeks to major transboundary waterways that cross several countries. People rely on these rivers for drinking water, irrigation, fishing, hydroelectric power, and transportation, and many also shape the towns and landscapes that grew up along their banks.

Rivers are natural channels of flowing water that carry rain and snowmelt from higher ground down to lakes, seas, or oceans. They have shaped human history for thousands of years, and the Euphrates on this list is a striking example, having nourished the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia and still supplying water to Turkey, Syria, and Iraq today.

Below you’ll find the table with each river’s countries, length, type, and description.

River: the name of each river, listed alphabetically so you can quickly find the one you’re looking for.

Countries: the country or countries each river flows through, helping you place it on a map.

Length (km): how long each river is in kilometers, so you can compare their sizes at a glance.

Type: a short label describing the kind of river it is, such as a tributary, border river, or transboundary river.

Description: a brief overview of each river’s geography, history, or notable features, giving you context beyond the basic facts.

Rivers

RiverCountriesLength (km)Type
ElbeGermany, Czech Republic1,094Transboundary river
EuphratesTurkey, Syria, Iraq2,800Transboundary river
EbroSpain930National river
EssequiboGuyana1,010National river
EmsGermany, Netherlands371Coastal border river
EiderGermany190Tidal river
ErneIreland130Lake river
ExeEngland, UK97Estuarine river
EdenEngland, UK145Valley river
Esk (Border Esk)England, Scotland, UK50Border river
EnnsAustria254Alpine tributary
Ewaso Ng’iroKenya800Semi-arid river
EastmainCanada800Hydroelectric river
ExploitsCanada246Salmon river
EtowahUnited States262Tributary river
EelUnited States200Wild river
EdistoUnited States340Blackwater river
ElwhaUnited States72Restored river
EscalanteUnited States145Desert canyon river
ElquiChile180Valley river
EmajõgiEstonia100Lake-connecting river
EvrosGreece, Bulgaria, Turkey480Border river
EurotasGreece82Valley river
ElornFrance50Coastal river
EssonneFrance90Tributary river
EureFrance228Tributary river
ErdreFrance103Tributary river
EldeGermany180Lake-district river
EnzGermany112Tributary river
EisackItaly96Alpine tributary
ElanWales, UK30Reservoir river
EbbwWales, UK30Valley river
EsmeraldasEcuador320Coastal river
EdwardAustralia582Tributary river
EscambiaUnited States370Coastal river
ElizabethUnited States14Tidal estuary
EgaSpain86Tributary river
ErftGermany106Tributary river
Eger (Ohře)Germany, Czech Republic316Transboundary river
Echo RiverUnited States1Underground river
Elk RiverUnited States278Tributary river
EarnScotland, UK75Valley river

Descriptions

Elbe
Rising in the Czech mountains, the Elbe flows through Dresden and Hamburg before reaching the North Sea, long serving as a key Central European trade route.
Euphrates
One of Mesopotamia’s two great rivers, the Euphrates nourished ancient civilizations and still supplies vital water to Turkey, Syria, and Iraq today.
Ebro
Spain’s longest river running entirely within its own borders, the Ebro flows from the Cantabrian Mountains to the Mediterranean, irrigating vast farmland along the way.
Essequibo
Guyana’s longest and largest river, the Essequibo winds through dense rainforest from near the Brazilian border to a wide Atlantic estuary dotted with islands.
Ems
Flowing through northern Germany, the Ems connects inland towns to the North Sea and forms part of the Dutch-German border near its mouth.
Eider
A short but historically notable river in Schleswig-Holstein, the Eider once marked the boundary between Danish and German lands and still floods with the tides.
Erne
The Erne widens into two large lakes, Upper and Lower Lough Erne, as it flows from County Cavan through Northern Ireland to Donegal Bay.
Exe
Rising on Exmoor, the River Exe flows south through Devon to a broad tidal estuary at Exmouth, and gave the city of Exeter its name.
Eden
The River Eden runs through Cumbria’s scenic Eden Valley before reaching the Solway Firth, and is well known among anglers for its salmon runs.
Esk (Border Esk)
Crossing the England-Scotland border repeatedly, the Border Esk flows from the Scottish hills into the Solway Firth and is prized for salmon fishing.
Enns
A major right-bank tributary of the Danube, the Enns tumbles down from the Austrian Alps through Styria and Upper Austria before joining the larger river.
Ewaso Ng’iro
Flowing from the slopes of Mount Kenya northeast into the arid Lorian Swamp, this river sustains wildlife across the Samburu and Buffalo Springs reserves.
Eastmain
Flowing through northern Quebec into James Bay, the Eastmain River has been partly diverted as part of one of Canada’s largest hydroelectric complexes.
Exploits
Newfoundland’s longest river, the Exploits is famous for its Atlantic salmon runs and empties into the aptly named Bay of Exploits.
Etowah
Flowing through northern Georgia, the Etowah joins the Oostanaula to form the Coosa River and is known for unusually rich freshwater biodiversity.
Eel
One of California’s largest free-flowing rivers, the Eel River cuts through rugged redwood country in the far northwest of the state.
Edisto
Often called the longest free-flowing blackwater river in North America, the tea-colored Edisto winds through South Carolina’s coastal plain to the Atlantic.
Elwha
This Olympic Peninsula river gained fame after the removal of two large dams, letting salmon return to its upper reaches for the first time in a century.
Escalante
Carving through remote canyon country in southern Utah, the Escalante River feeds into Lake Powell and the wider Colorado River system.
Elqui
Flowing down from the Andes through the Elqui Valley, this river irrigates the vineyards and pisco distilleries that make the region famous.
Emajõgi
Estonia’s longest river confined entirely within the country, the Emajõgi links Lake Võrtsjärv to the much larger Lake Peipus.
Evros
Known as the Maritsa upstream in Bulgaria, the Evros forms much of the modern border between Greece and Turkey before reaching the Aegean Sea.
Eurotas
Flowing through the Peloponnese past the site of ancient Sparta, the Eurotas was central to Spartan life, farming, and mythology in antiquity.
Elorn
A short river in Brittany, the Elorn empties into the Rade de Brest, one of the largest natural harbors in Western Europe.
Essonne
Flowing north through the Île-de-France region, the Essonne joins the Seine and lends its name to the surrounding French département.
Eure
This Normandy river flows north to meet the Seine near Rouen, and gives its name to the Eure département it passes through.
Erdre
Winding gently through the Loire-Atlantique region, the Erdre joins the Loire at Nantes and is a popular spot for leisurely boating.
Elde
Threading through the lake-studded Mecklenburg region, the Elde links several lakes together before finally joining the larger Elbe.
Enz
Rising in the Black Forest, the Enz flows north through Baden-Württemberg to meet the Neckar River near Besigheim.
Eisack
Flowing through South Tyrol past the city of Bolzano, the Eisack (called Isarco in Italian) joins the larger Adige River.
Elan
Best known for its chain of dramatic Victorian-era reservoirs in the Elan Valley, this Welsh river is a tributary of the River Wye.
Ebbw
Flowing down through the former coal-mining valleys of South Wales, the Ebbw joins the River Usk just before reaching Newport.
Esmeraldas
Formed by Andean tributaries, the Esmeraldas River flows through tropical lowlands to the Pacific Ocean at the port city sharing its name.
Edward
An anabranch of the Murray River, the Edward River loops through southern New South Wales farmland before rejoining the Murray downstream.
Escambia
Formed in Alabama and flowing south into Florida, the Escambia empties into Escambia Bay near Pensacola, feeding an important estuary.
Elizabeth
A short tidal river in Virginia, the Elizabeth flows past Norfolk and Portsmouth into the Chesapeake Bay’s busy Hampton Roads harbor.
Ega
Flowing through Navarre in northern Spain, the Ega winds past the walled town of Estella before joining the larger Ebro River.
Erft
Running through the Rhineland near Cologne, the Erft has been reshaped repeatedly by open-pit coal mining before it joins the Rhine.
Eger (Ohře)
Known as the Ohře in Czech, the Eger rises in Germany and flows through Bohemia’s spa country before joining the Elbe near Litoměřice.
Echo River
A true underground river flowing through Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, the Echo River is famous for the ghostly acoustics that give it its name.
Elk River
Flowing through the Appalachian foothills of West Virginia, the Elk River winds past Charleston before joining the larger Kanawha River.
Earn
Draining Loch Earn in the Scottish Highlands, the River Earn flows east through Perthshire farmland to join the Firth of Tay.
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