This list covers 50 rivers with names starting with the letter D, running alphabetically from “Danube” to “Diamantina.” These rivers range from major waterways that cross several countries to smaller tributaries that feed larger river systems. Many of them supply drinking water, support farming and fishing, generate hydropower, and serve as routes for trade and transportation.
Rivers are natural channels of flowing water that move from higher ground toward oceans, lakes, or other rivers, carving the landscape as they travel. Many have shaped history and culture along the way, like the Danube, which has served as a trade route and a border between nations for centuries. Others carry a strong local identity, such as the Drina, which forms part of the boundary between Bosnia and Serbia.
Below you’ll find the table with River, Countries, Length (km), Type, and Description.
River: the name of each river on the list, arranged alphabetically so you can find the one you’re looking for quickly.
Countries: the country or countries each river flows through, showing you which nations share or border that waterway.
Length (km): the total length of each river in kilometers, giving you a quick sense of its size compared to the others.
Type: whether the river is a main river or a tributary that feeds into a larger river system, so you can see its role in the wider network.
Description: a short summary of each river’s location, history, or standout features, giving you context beyond the raw numbers.
Rivers
| River | Countries | Length (km) | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Danube | Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Ukraine | 2,850 | River |
| Dnieper | Russia, Belarus, Ukraine | 2,200 | River |
| Don | Russia | 1,870 | River |
| Dniester | Ukraine, Moldova | 1,362 | River |
| Dadu | China | 1,120 | Tributary |
| Draa | Morocco | 1,100 | River |
| Daugava (Western Dvina) | Russia, Belarus, Latvia | 1,020 | River |
| Dawa | Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya | 1,000 | Tributary |
| Douro (Duero) | Spain, Portugal | 897 | River |
| Des Moines | United States | 845 | Tributary |
| Doce | Brazil | 853 | River |
| Northern Dvina | Russia | 744 | River |
| Dja | Cameroon | 720 | Tributary |
| Drava | Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary | 707 | Tributary |
| Datong | China | 631 | Tributary |
| Damodar | India | 592 | Tributary |
| Dongjiang | China | 562 | Tributary |
| Dalälven | Sweden | 520 | River |
| Dinder | Ethiopia, Sudan | 500 | Tributary |
| Delaware | United States | 484 | River |
| Dordogne | France | 483 | River |
| Duck | United States | 445 | Tributary |
| Diyala | Iran, Iraq | 445 | Tributary |
| Daling | China | 443 | River |
| Deschutes | United States | 406 | Tributary |
| Dez | Iran | 400 | Tributary |
| Dasht | Pakistan, Iran | 400 | River |
| Dolores | United States | 390 | Tributary |
| Drina | Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia | 346 | Tributary |
| Dan | United States | 344 | Tributary |
| Durance | France | 323 | Tributary |
| Dunajec | Poland, Slovakia | 247 | Tributary |
| Dan | China | 244 | Tributary |
| Derwent | Australia | 215 | River |
| Dibang | India | 195 | Tributary |
| Dwarkeshwar | India | 190 | Tributary |
| Dhaleswari | Bangladesh | 160 | Tributary |
| Dudh Kosi | Nepal | 150 | Tributary |
| Dee | United Kingdom | 140 | River |
| Daman Ganga | India | 131 | River |
| Don | United Kingdom | 112 | Tributary |
| Dee | United Kingdom | 110 | River |
| Derwent | United Kingdom | 106 | Tributary |
| Diemel | Germany | 110 | Tributary |
| Dahme | Germany | 95 | Tributary |
| Dijle | Belgium | 86 | Tributary |
| Dender | Belgium | 68 | Tributary |
| Detroit | United States, Canada | 51 | River |
| Darling | Australia | 1,472 | Tributary |
| Diamantina | Australia | 900 | River |
Descriptions
Danube
Europe’s second-longest river, flowing from Germany’s Black Forest to the Black Sea and touching ten countries along its course.
Dnieper
One of Eastern Europe’s great rivers, running from Russia through Belarus and Ukraine before emptying into the Black Sea.
Don
A historic Russian river flowing into the Sea of Azov, long tied to Cossack culture and folklore.
Dniester
Flows from western Ukraine through Moldova to the Black Sea, running along the edge of the breakaway Transnistria region.
Dadu
A fast, deep-gorged tributary of the Min River in Sichuan province, feeding into the Yangtze system.
Draa
The longest river in Morocco, running from the High Atlas mountains through the Sahara toward the Atlantic and often drying up along the way.
Daugava (Western Dvina)
Also known as the Western Dvina, it crosses three countries before reaching the Baltic Sea at Riga.
Dawa
Forms part of the Ethiopia-Somalia border before joining the Jubba River in the Horn of Africa.
Douro (Duero)
Rises in Spain and flows west through Portugal’s famous wine country before reaching the Atlantic at Porto.
Des Moines
Iowa’s namesake river, joining the Mississippi River near the state capital it flows through.
Doce
Flows from the mountains of Minas Gerais to the Atlantic Ocean, known both for its scenery and a major 2015 mining dam disaster along its banks.
Northern Dvina
Drains a huge swath of northern Russia into the White Sea near the city of Arkhangelsk.
Dja
Loops through dense rainforest and lends its name to the Dja Faunal Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Drava
A major Alpine tributary of the Danube, forming part of the Croatia-Hungary border.
Datong
Flows through Qinghai and Gansu provinces before joining the Yellow River.
Damodar
Runs through the coal-rich Chota Nagpur plateau and joins the Hooghly River in West Bengal.
Dongjiang
Known as the East River, this Pearl River tributary supplies drinking water to Hong Kong and Shenzhen.
Dalälven
One of Sweden’s longest rivers, running from the Scandinavian mountains to the Gulf of Bothnia.
Dinder
A seasonal tributary of the Blue Nile that gives its name to Sudan’s Dinder National Park.
Delaware
Flows past Philadelphia and forms part of the border between several Mid-Atlantic states before reaching Delaware Bay.
Dordogne
A scenic river in southwestern France known for its clifftop castles, vineyards, and canoeing.
Duck
Tennessee’s longest river contained entirely within one state, prized for its exceptional freshwater biodiversity.
Diyala
Rises in Iran’s Zagros Mountains and joins the Tigris River near Baghdad.
Daling
Runs through Liaoning province in northeastern China before emptying into Liaodong Bay.
Deschutes
A popular Oregon fly-fishing river that joins the Columbia River near The Dalles.
Dez
Flows through southwestern Iran and joins the Karun River, one of the country’s largest by volume.
Dasht
Winds through Balochistan and empties into the Arabian Sea near the Iran-Pakistan border.
Dolores
Carves through Colorado and Utah’s canyon country before joining the Colorado River.
Drina
Forms much of the border between Bosnia and Serbia and feeds into the Sava River.
Dan
Flows through Virginia and North Carolina before joining the Roanoke River.
Durance
The main tributary of the Rhône, running through Provence in southeastern France.
Dunajec
A mountain river famous for its scenic gorge and traditional wooden raft trips through the Pieniny range.
Dan
Flows through Shaanxi and Henan provinces as a tributary of the Han River.
Derwent
Flows through Hobart, the capital of Tasmania, before reaching Storm Bay.
Dibang
A fast Himalayan river in Arunachal Pradesh that joins the Brahmaputra.
Dwarkeshwar
Flows through West Bengal and merges with the Shilabati to form the Rupnarayan River.
Dhaleswari
A distributary of the Brahmaputra River winding through central Bangladesh.
Dudh Kosi
A glacier-fed river draining the Everest region before joining the Sun Kosi.
Dee
A celebrated Scottish salmon river flowing through Royal Deeside past Balmoral Castle to Aberdeen.
Daman Ganga
A short, west-flowing river in western India that empties into the Arabian Sea near Daman.
Don
Flows through South Yorkshire, England, and joins the River Ouse near Goole.
Dee
Flows from Wales through the city of Chester into the Irish Sea, long important for trade.
Derwent
Rises in England’s Peak District and joins the River Trent in Derbyshire.
Diemel
A tributary of the Weser River flowing through central Germany.
Dahme
Runs through Brandenburg and Berlin before joining the Spree River.
Dijle
Flows through the city of Leuven on its way toward the Scheldt river system.
Dender
A modest river running through East Flanders and Hainaut before joining the Scheldt.
Detroit
A short but vital channel linking Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie, forming part of the US-Canada border.
Darling
Australia’s third-longest river, joining the Murray River and giving its name to the Murray-Darling Basin.
Diamantina
An outback Queensland river that seasonally drains toward Lake Eyre.