This list covers 35 rivers with names starting with the letter N, from “Niger” to “Nechako”. They range from short urban waterways to some of the longest rivers on the planet, and they shape borders, supply drinking water, support farming, and carry boats and barges across continents.
Rivers are natural channels of flowing water that carve their way across land on the way to a lake, sea, or ocean. Along the way, they’ve shaped human history in striking ways, like the Nile, which sustained ancient Egyptian civilization for thousands of years, or the Neva, which cuts straight through the heart of Saint Petersburg.
Below you’ll find the table with each river’s name, countries, length, type, and description.
River: the name of each river, so you can quickly find the one you’re looking for.
Countries: the country or countries each river flows through, showing you its geographic reach.
Length (km): the total length of each river in kilometers, giving you a quick sense of its scale.
Type: how each river is classified, such as a tributary, border river, or major international river.
Description: a short summary of what makes each river notable, from its geography to its history.
Rivers
| River | Countries | Length (km) | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Niger | Guinea, Mali, Niger, Benin, Nigeria | 4,180 | Major international river |
| Nile | Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan, Egypt | 6,650 | Major international river |
| Narmada | India | 1,312 | Major river |
| Neva | Russia | 74 | Short outlet river |
| Neman (Nemunas) | Belarus, Lithuania, Russia | 937 | International river |
| Neretva | Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia | 225 | Coastal river |
| Nen (Nenjiang) | China | 1,370 | Tributary of the Songhua River |
| Niagara | Canada, United States | 56 | Connecting river |
| Neckar | Germany | 362 | Tributary of the Rhine |
| Nelson | Canada | 644 | Major river |
| Negro (Brazil) | Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela | 1,700 | Tributary of the Amazon |
| Negro (Argentina) | Argentina | 1,300 | Major river |
| Nan | Thailand | 740 | Tributary of the Chao Phraya |
| Nueces | United States | 507 | Regional river |
| Noatak | United States | 425 | Wilderness river |
| Nazas | Mexico | 560 | Endorheic river |
| Neris | Belarus, Lithuania | 510 | Tributary of the Neman |
| Neisse (Lusatian) | Czech Republic, Germany, Poland | 252 | Border river |
| Napo | Ecuador, Peru | 1,000 | Tributary of the Amazon |
| Nakdong | South Korea | 521 | Major river |
| Naryn | Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan | 807 | Headwater river of the Syr Darya |
| Neuse | United States | 444 | Coastal river |
| Niobrara | United States | 690 | Tributary of the Missouri |
| Notec | Poland | 388 | Tributary of the Warta |
| Nith | United Kingdom (Scotland) | 111 | Regional river |
| Nene | United Kingdom (England) | 161 | Regional river |
| Nore | Ireland | 140 | Regional river |
| Namoi | Australia | 852 | Tributary of the Darling |
| Nogoa | Australia | 515 | Regional river |
| Norman | Australia | 500 | Regional river |
| Nadi | Fiji | 47 | Short island river |
| Nyando | Kenya | 193 | Regional river |
| Nzoia | Kenya | 257 | Regional river |
| Nera | Italy | 116 | Tributary of the Tiber |
| Nechako | Canada | 462 | Tributary of the Fraser |
Descriptions
Niger
Africa’s third-longest river, curving in a great arc through West Africa before spreading into the Niger Delta on the Gulf of Guinea.
Nile
One of the longest rivers on Earth, flowing north through northeastern Africa and sustaining civilizations along its banks for millennia.
Narmada
India’s largest west-flowing river, carving a scenic rift valley across central India and revered as sacred in Hindu tradition.
Neva
A short but powerful river draining Lake Ladoga into the Gulf of Finland, flowing straight through the heart of Saint Petersburg.
Neman (Nemunas)
Rises in Belarus and winds through Lithuania to the Baltic Sea, long serving as a key regional boundary.
Neretva
Famous for its brilliant turquoise water, this river cuts a dramatic gorge through the Balkans on its way to the Adriatic Sea.
Nen (Nenjiang)
A major waterway in northeastern China that joins the Songhua River within the wider Amur river basin.
Niagara
Links Lake Erie to Lake Ontario and is world-famous for the thundering falls that share its name.
Neckar
Winds through southwestern Germany past Heidelberg and Stuttgart before joining the Rhine near Mannheim.
Nelson
Drains Lake Winnipeg into Hudson Bay and was once a vital highway for fur-trade canoe routes.
Negro (Brazil)
The largest left-bank tributary of the Amazon, known for its striking dark, tannin-stained water.
Negro (Argentina)
Formed by the union of the Limay and Neuquén rivers, crossing Patagonia to reach the Atlantic Ocean.
Nan
One of the two main tributaries that merge to form the Chao Phraya River in northern Thailand.
Nueces
Flows across South Texas to the Gulf of Mexico and gave its name to the historic Nueces Strip.
Noatak
One of the largest untouched river systems in North America, running through protected Alaskan wilderness.
Nazas
Crosses the arid Comarca Lagunera region of northern Mexico, rarely reaching the sea as it feeds local irrigation instead.
Neris
Flows through the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius before joining the Nemunas River.
Neisse (Lusatian)
Forms part of the Germany-Poland border and empties into the Oder River.
Napo
An Andean-fed river that winds through Amazonian rainforest before merging into the Amazon in Peru.
Nakdong
South Korea’s longest river, running the length of the country’s southeast to the Korea Strait.
Naryn
A principal headstream of the Syr Darya, cutting through the mountains of Kyrgyzstan.
Neuse
Flows entirely within North Carolina before widening into the Pamlico Sound.
Niobrara
A scenic prairie river in Nebraska prized for canoeing, waterfalls, and clear spring-fed water.
Notec
Runs through Poland’s lowlands and links to the historic Bydgoszcz Canal system.
Nith
Flows through Dumfriesshire in southern Scotland into the Solway Firth.
Nene
One of the longest rivers in England, flowing through the East Midlands to the Wash.
Nore
One of Ireland’s “Three Sisters” rivers, flowing through County Kilkenny toward the sea.
Namoi
A major tributary of the Darling River system in New South Wales, important for regional irrigation.
Nogoa
Flows through central Queensland and feeds into the wider Fitzroy River system.
Norman
Runs through the Gulf Country of northern Queensland to the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Nadi
A short, flood-prone river that runs through Fiji’s main tourist town of the same name.
Nyando
Empties into Lake Victoria, draining part of Kenya’s Rift Valley region.
Nzoia
One of the main rivers feeding Lake Victoria from western Kenya, known for seasonal flooding.
Nera
An Umbrian river famous for the Marmore Falls before it joins the Tiber River.
Nechako
Flows through central British Columbia and joins the Fraser River at Prince George.