This list brings together 37 rivers whose names start with the letter J, ranging alphabetically from “Jordan River” to “Johnstone River”. They vary widely in size and setting, from short coastal streams to major tributaries that cross several countries. Most serve as sources of drinking water, irrigation, hydroelectric power, or transportation for the communities that live along their banks.
Rivers are natural channels that carry rainfall, snowmelt, and groundwater from higher ground down to lakes, seas, or other rivers. Many have shaped human history, from the Jordan River’s central place in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam to the Jiu River’s coal-mining valley in the Romanian Carpathians. Along the way, they support farming, wildlife, and entire regional economies.
Below you’ll find the table with the river, countries, length in kilometers, type, and description for each entry.
River: the name of each river covered in this list, including some rivers that share a name but are found in different countries.
Countries: the country or countries that each river flows through, so you know exactly where to find it on a map.
Length (km): the total length of the river in kilometers, giving you a quick sense of its scale compared to others on the list.
Type: whether the river is a main river, a tributary that feeds a larger river, a distributary, or a glacial river fed by ice melt.
Description: a short summary of what makes the river notable, covering its geography, history, and importance to the people who live near it.
Rivers
| River | Countries | Length (km) | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jordan River | Israel, Jordan, Palestine, Syria | 250 | River |
| Jhelum River | India, Pakistan | 725 | Tributary |
| Jubba River | Somalia, Ethiopia | 1,800 | River |
| James River | United States | 1,140 | Tributary |
| James River (Virginia) | United States | 550 | River |
| Jialing River | China | 1,120 | Tributary |
| Jinsha River | China | 2,300 | River |
| Japurá River | Brazil, Colombia | 2,800 | Tributary |
| Juruá River | Brazil, Peru | 3,280 | Tributary |
| Juruena River | Brazil | 1,240 | Tributary |
| Jequitinhonha River | Brazil | 1,090 | River |
| Jaguaribe River | Brazil | 610 | River |
| Jacuí River | Brazil | 700 | River |
| Jamari River | Brazil | 610 | Tributary |
| Jamuna River | Bangladesh | 205 | Distributary |
| Jarama River | Spain | 195 | Tributary |
| Júcar River | Spain | 500 | River |
| Jiu River | Romania | 330 | Tributary |
| Jijia River | Romania | 275 | Tributary |
| Jizera River | Czech Republic | 165 | Tributary |
| Jökulsá á Fjöllum | Iceland | 206 | Glacial river |
| Jökulsá á Brú | Iceland | 150 | Glacial river |
| Johor River | Malaysia | 122 | River |
| Jiulong River | China | 258 | River |
| Jing River | China | 455 | Tributary |
| Jur River | South Sudan | 700 | Tributary |
| Jajrud River | Iran | 120 | River |
| Jacques-Cartier River | Canada | 183 | Tributary |
| Juniata River | United States | 146 | Tributary |
| Jefferson River | United States | 133 | Tributary |
| Judith River | United States | 200 | Tributary |
| Jemez River | United States | 65 | Tributary |
| Jordan River (Utah) | United States | 82 | River |
| Jubones River | Ecuador | 120 | River |
| Jama River | Ecuador | 100 | River |
| Jardine River | Australia | 110 | River |
| Johnstone River | Australia | 92 | River |
Descriptions
Jordan River
Flowing from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea, the Jordan River is one of the most sacred waterways in the world, central to Christian, Jewish, and Islamic tradition and a key regional water source.
Jhelum River
The westernmost of Punjab’s five rivers, the Jhelum flows through Kashmir’s famous valley before joining the Chenab in Pakistan, feeding farmland and hydroelectric dams along its route.
Jubba River
Somalia’s longest river, the Jubba forms from highland tributaries in Ethiopia and winds south to the Indian Ocean, supporting farming communities in an otherwise arid country.
James River
Stretching across South Dakota and North Dakota, the James is often called the longest unnavigable river in the world, a slow, meandering tributary of the Missouri.
James River (Virginia)
Virginia’s longest river, the James runs from the Appalachians to Chesapeake Bay, passing historic Richmond and Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in America.
Jialing River
Winding through Sichuan and Chongqing, the Jialing is the largest tributary on the Yangtze’s northern bank, known for its scenic gorges and role in regional trade.
Jinsha River
The Jinsha is the name given to the upper reaches of the Yangtze, carving deep gorges through Tibet and Yunnan before the river takes its more familiar name downstream.
Japurá River
Known as the Caquetá in Colombia, this major Amazon tributary rises in the Andes and flows through dense rainforest, splitting into countless channels before joining the Amazon.
Juruá River
One of the most winding rivers on Earth, the Juruá twists through the Amazon basin in tight loops, its floodplain forests home to jaguars, pink river dolphins, and remote communities.
Juruena River
Rising in Mato Grosso, the Juruena flows north through protected rainforest before merging with the Teles Pires to form the Tapajós, a major Amazon tributary.
Jequitinhonha River
Flowing through one of Brazil’s poorest regions, the Jequitinhonha is prized for the gemstones found along its banks, including topaz mined near the town of Teófilo Otoni.
Jaguaribe River
The largest river entirely within Ceará state, the Jaguaribe is a lifeline for farmers in Brazil’s drought-prone northeast, feeding reservoirs along its course to the Atlantic.
Jacuí River
Southern Brazil’s Jacuí flows through Rio Grande do Sul into the Patos Lagoon, its valley known for vineyards and its lower course important for shipping near Porto Alegre.
Jamari River
A tributary of the Madeira in the western Amazon, the Jamari cuts through Rondônia’s rainforest and is dammed for hydroelectric power near the city of Ariquemes.
Jamuna River
The Jamuna is the main channel of the Brahmaputra after it enters Bangladesh, a wide, shifting, sediment-heavy river that regularly reshapes its banks and floods farmland.
Jarama River
Flowing south of Madrid, the Jarama joins the Tagus and is remembered for the fierce Battle of the Jarama fought along its banks during the Spanish Civil War.
Júcar River
Rising in the mountains of Cuenca, the Júcar winds across eastern Spain to the Mediterranean near Valencia, its water heavily used to irrigate the region’s citrus groves.
Jiu River
The Jiu flows out of the Carpathians through Romania’s coal-mining Jiu Valley before crossing the plains to join the Danube, its upper gorge a dramatic natural landmark.
Jijia River
A quiet lowland river in Moldavia, the Jijia meanders through farmland in northeastern Romania before joining the Prut near the Moldova border.
Jizera River
Flowing from the Jizera Mountains, this river passes through Liberec and joins the Elbe, lending its name to a popular hiking and skiing region.
Jökulsá á Fjöllum
Fed by the Vatnajökull ice cap, this glacial river carved Iceland’s dramatic Jökulsárgljúfur canyon and plunges over Dettifoss, one of Europe’s most powerful waterfalls.
Jökulsá á Brú
Also known as the Jökla, this glacial river in eastern Iceland was partly diverted to feed the Kárahnjúkar hydroelectric dam, one of the country’s largest energy projects.
Johor River
The longest river in the state of Johor, it supplies much of the drinking water for both southern Malaysia and neighboring Singapore under a long-standing water agreement.
Jiulong River
Fujian province’s largest river, the Jiulong flows past Xiamen into the Taiwan Strait, its estuary lined with mangroves and busy fishing villages.
Jing River
A muddy tributary of the Wei River, the Jing inspired the old Chinese saying about the “clear Jing and muddy Wei,” describing the contrast where the two rivers meet.
Jur River
Flowing through the swamps of South Sudan, the Jur feeds into the Bahr el Ghazal, part of the vast wetland system that ultimately drains toward the White Nile.
Jajrud River
Flowing down from the Alborz Mountains toward Tehran, the Jajrud is dammed at Latian to supply drinking water to Iran’s capital and its surrounding suburbs.
Jacques-Cartier River
Named after the French explorer, this scenic Quebec river flows through a namesake national park before joining the St. Lawrence, popular for whitewater rafting and salmon fishing.
Juniata River
Winding through central Pennsylvania’s Appalachian ridges, the Juniata joins the Susquehanna and once carried canal traffic that helped open up the state’s interior in the 1800s.
Jefferson River
One of three rivers that merge near Three Forks, Montana, to form the Missouri, the Jefferson was named by Lewis and Clark in honor of President Thomas Jefferson.
Judith River
Flowing through central Montana’s badlands, the Judith is well known among paleontologists for the dinosaur fossils found in the rock formations that bear its name.
Jemez River
Running through the volcanic Jemez Mountains of New Mexico, this river passes hot springs and red rock canyons before joining the Rio Grande.
Jordan River (Utah)
This short Utah river drains Utah Lake north into the Great Salt Lake, running through the heart of the Salt Lake City metropolitan area.
Jubones River
Descending from the Andes through a deep, dry valley, the Jubones is a key water source for irrigation in southern Ecuador before reaching the Pacific.
Jama River
A short coastal river in Manabí province, the Jama flows through farmland and gives its name to the nearby beach town at its mouth on the Pacific.
Jardine River
The largest river on Australia’s remote Cape York Peninsula, the Jardine flows through pristine rainforest and wetlands within a protected national park.
Johnstone River
Formed by the North and South Johnstone Rivers in tropical Queensland, this river flows past sugarcane fields near Innisfail before entering the Coral Sea.