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Field Listing

Major watersheds (area sq km)

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This entry lists the major watersheds or catchment areas of major rivers in a country. Most of the watersheds listed have an area of at least 500,000 sq km, although some smaller but significant watersheds are also included. The watersheds are listed by the ocean into which they drain. When they drain into a named body of water other than the ocean, italics are used to identify the constituent part of an ocean (e.g., Black Sea). Some watersheds, known as endorheic basins, drain internally with no external flow to the ocean. Given the size of the largest watersheds, they are frequently located in more than one country.

Afghanistan

Indian Ocean drainage: Indus (1,081,718 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Amu Darya (534,739 sq km); Tarim Basin (1,152,448 sq km)

Albania

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Algeria

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)

Angola

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Okavango Basin (863,866 sq km)

Argentina

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Paraná (2,582,704 sq km)

Australia

Indian Ocean drainage: (Great Australian Bight) Murray-Darling (1,050,116 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Eyre (1,212,198 sq km)

Austria

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km), (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Bangladesh

Indian Ocean drainage: Brahmaputra (651,335 sq km), Ganges (1,016,124 sq km)

Belarus

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Dnieper (533,966 sq km)

Belgium

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Seine (78,919 sq km), Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km)

Benin

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Volta (410,991 sq km)

Bolivia

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km), Paraná (2,582,704 sq km)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Botswana

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Orange (941,351 sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Okavango Basin (863,866 sq km)

Brazil

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km), Orinoco (953,675 sq km), Paraná (2,582,704 sq km), São Francisco (617,814 sq km), Tocantins (764,213 sq km)

Bulgaria

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Burkina Faso

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Volta (410,991 sq km)

Burma

Indian Ocean drainage: Brahmaputra (651,335 sq km), Ganges (1,016,124 sq km), Irrawaddy (413,710 sq km), Salween (271,914 sq km)
Pacific Ocean drainage: Mekong (805,604 sq km)

Burundi

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)

Cambodia

Pacific Ocean drainage: Mekong (805,604 sq km)

Cameroon

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), Niger (2,261,741 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)

Canada

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Mississippi* (Gulf of Mexico) (3,202,185 sq km, Canada only 32,000 sq km), Nelson (Hudson Bay) (1,093,141 sq km), Saint Lawrence* (1,049,636 sq km, Canada only 839,200 sq km)
Arctic Ocean drainage: Mackenzie (1,706,388 sq km)
Pacific Ocean drainage: Yukon* (847,620 sq km, Canada only 823,800 sq km), Columbia* (657,501 sq km, Canada only 103,000 sq km)
note - watersheds shared with the US shown with *

Central African Republic

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)

Chad

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)

China

Pacific Ocean drainage: Amur (1,929,955 sq km), Huang He (944,970 sq km), Mekong (805,604 sq km), Yangtze (1,722,193 sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage: Brahmaputra (651,335 sq km), Ganges (1,016,124 sq km), Indus (1,081,718 sq km), Irrawaddy (413,710 sq km), Salween (271,914 sq km)
Arctic Ocean drainage: Ob (2,972,493 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Tarim Basin (1,152,448 sq km), Amu Darya (534,739 sq km), Syr Darya (782,617 sq km), Lake Balkash (510,015 sq km)

Colombia

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km), Orinoco (953,675 sq km)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)

Congo, Republic of the

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km)

Cote d'Ivoire

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Volta (410,991 sq km)

Croatia

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Czechia

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Ecuador

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km)

Egypt

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)

Ethiopia

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)

France

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Loire (115,282 sq km), Seine (78,919 sq km), Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km), (Adriatic Sea) Po (76,997 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Rhone (100,543 sq km)

Gabon

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km)

Germany

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km), (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Ghana

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Volta (410,991 sq km)

Guinea

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Senegal (456,397 sq km)

Guyana

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km), Orinoco (953,675 sq km)

Hungary

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

India

Indian Ocean drainage: Brahmaputra (651,335 sq km), Ganges (1,016,124 sq km), Indus (1,081,718 sq km), Irrawaddy (413,710 sq km)

Iran

Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)

Iraq

Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)

Italy

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km), (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km), (Adriatic Sea) Po (76,997 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Rhone (100,543 sq km)

Jordan

Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)

Kazakhstan

Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Tarim Basin (1,152,448 sq km), Amu Darya (534,739 sq km), Syr Darya (782,617 sq km), Lake Balkash (510,015 sq km)

Kenya

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)

Kosovo

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Kuwait

Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)

Kyrgyzstan

Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Tarim Basin (1,152,448 sq km), (Aral Sea basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km), Syr Darya (782,617 sq km)

Laos

Pacific Ocean drainage: Mekong (805,604 sq km)

Lesotho

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Orange (941,351 sq km)

Libya

Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)

Liechtenstein

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km)

Luxembourg

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km)

Malawi

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)

Mali

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Senegal (456,397 sq km), Volta (410,991 sq km)

Mauritania

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Senegal (456,397 sq km)

Mexico

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Gulf of Mexico) Rio Grande/Bravo (607,965 sq km)
Pacific Ocean drainage: (Gulf of California) Colorado (703,148 sq km)

Moldova

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Montenegro

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Mozambique

Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)

Namibia

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Orange (941,351 sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Okavango Basin (863,866 sq km)

Nepal

Indian Ocean drainage: Brahmaputra (651,335 sq km), Ganges (1,016,124 sq km), Indus (1,081,718 sq km)

Netherlands

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km)

Niger

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)

Nigeria

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)

North Macedonia

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Pakistan

Indian Ocean drainage: Indus (1,081,718 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Tarim Basin (1,152,448 sq km), (Aral Sea basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km)

Paraguay

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Paraná (2,582,704 sq km)

Peru

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km)

Poland

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Romania

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Russia

Arctic Ocean drainage: Kolyma (679,934 sq km), Lena (2,306,743 sq km), Ob (2,972,493 sq km), Pechora (289,532 sq km), Yenisei (2,554,388 sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Don (458,694 sq km), Dnieper (533,966 sq km)
Pacific Ocean drainage: Amur (1,929,955 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: (Caspian Sea basin) Volga (1,410,951 sq km)

Rwanda

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)

Saudi Arabia

Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)

Senegal

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Senegal (456,397 sq km)

Serbia

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Sierra Leone

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km)

Slovakia

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Slovenia

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

South Africa

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Orange (941,351 sq km)

South Sudan

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)

Sudan

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)

Suriname

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km)

Switzerland

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km), (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km), (Adriatic Sea) Po (76,997 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Rhone (100,543 sq km)

Syria

Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)

Tajikistan

Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Tarim Basin (1,152,448 sq km), (Aral Sea Basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km), Syr Darya (782,617 sq km)

Tanzania

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)

Thailand

Indian Ocean drainage: Salween (271,914 sq km)
Pacific Ocean drainage: Mekong (805,604 sq km)

Togo

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Volta (410,991 sq km)

Turkey (Turkiye)

Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)

Turkmenistan

Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: (Aral Sea basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km)

Uganda

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)

Ukraine

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km), Don (458,694 sq km), Dnieper (533,966 sq km)

United States

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Gulf of Mexico) Mississippi* (3,202,185 sq km); Rio Grande (607,965 sq km); (Gulf of Saint Lawrence) Saint Lawrence* (1,049,636 sq km total, US only 505,000 sq km)
Pacific Ocean drainage: Yukon* (847,620 sq km, US only 23,820 sq km); Colorado (703,148 sq km); Columbia* (657,501 sq km, US only 554,501 sq km)
note - watersheds shared with Canada shown with *

Uzbekistan

Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: (Aral Sea basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km), Syr Darya (782,617 sq km)

Venezuela

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km), Orinoco (953,675 sq km)

Vietnam

Pacific Ocean drainage: Mekong (805,604 sq km)

World

a watershed is a drainage basin on an area of land where precipitation collects and drains off into a common outlet, such as into a river, bay, or other body of water; oceans ultimately take in the drainage from 83% of all land area; the remaining 17% of the land drains into internal (endorheic) basins, e.g., the Caspian Sea

The World Factbook lists 51 different watersheds across 102 countries:
Asia - 18
Europe - 9
Africa- 9
North and Central America - 8
South America - 5
Australia - 2

all watersheds with an area of at least 500,000 sq km have been included, along with a number of smaller, regionally significant watersheds; together, these represent the surface hydrology water flows that are the world's primary sources of fresh water for individual consumption, industry, and agriculture

Zambia

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)

Zimbabwe

Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Okavango Basin (863,866 sq km)