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Field Listing ::
Waterways
This entry gives the total length of navigable rivers, canals, and other inland bodies of water.
| Country | Waterways |
|---|---|
| Afghanistan |
1,200 km
(chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to 500 DWT)
(2011)
|
| Albania |
41 km
(on the Bojana River)
(2011)
|
| Angola |
1,300 km
(2011)
|
| Argentina |
11,000 km
(2012)
|
| Australia |
2,000 km
(mainly used for recreation on Murray and Murray-Darling River systems)
(2011)
|
| Austria |
358 km
(2011)
|
| Bangladesh |
8,370 km
(includes up to 3,060 km of main cargo routes; network reduced to 5,200 km in the dry season)
(2011)
|
| Belarus |
2,500 km
(major rivers are the west-flowing Western Dvina and Neman Rivers and the south-flowing Dnepr River and its tributaries, the Berezina, Sozh, and Pripyat Rivers)
(2011)
|
| Belgium |
2,043 km
(1,528 km in regular commercial use)
(2012)
|
| Belize |
825 km
(navigable only by small craft)
(2011)
|
| Benin |
150 km
(seasonal navigation on River Niger along northern border)
(2011)
|
| Bolivia |
10,000 km
(commercially navigable almost exclusively in the northern and eastern parts of the country)
(2012)
|
| Bosnia and Herzegovina |
(Sava River on northern border; open to shipping but use limited)
(2011)
|
| Brazil |
50,000 km
(most in areas remote from industry and population)
(2012)
|
| Brunei |
209 km
(navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m; the Belait, Brunei, and Tutong Rivers are major transport links)
(2012)
|
| Bulgaria |
470 km
(2009)
|
| Burma |
12,800 km
(2011)
|
| Burundi |
(mainly on Lake Tanganyika between Bujumbura, Burundi's principal port, and lake ports in Tanzania, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo)
(2011)
|
| Cambodia |
3,700 km
(mainly on Mekong River)
(2012)
|
| Cameroon |
(major rivers in the south, such as the Wouri and the Sanaga, are largely non-navigable; in the north, the Benue, which connects through Nigeria to the Niger River, is navigable in the rainy season only to the port of Garoua)
(2010)
|
| Canada |
636 km
(Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with United States)
(2011)
|
| Central African Republic |
2,800 km
(the primary navigable river is the Ubangi, which joins the River Congo; it was the traditional route for the export of products because it connected with the Congo-Ocean railway at Brazzaville; because of the warfare on both sides of the River Congo from 1997, importers and exporters preferred routes through Cameroon)
(2011)
|
| Chad |
(Chari and Legone Rivers are navigable only in wet season)
(2012)
|
| China |
110,000 km
(navigable waterways)
(2011)
|
| Colombia |
24,725 km
(18,300 km navigable; the most important waterway, the River Magdalena, of which 1,488 km is navigable, is dredged regularly to ensure safe passage of cargo vessels and container barges)
(2012)
|
| Congo, Democratic Republic of the |
15,000 km
(including the Congo River, its tributaries, and unconnected lakes)
(2011)
|
| Congo, Republic of the |
1,120 km
(commercially navigable on Congo and Oubanqui Rivers above Brazzaville; there are many ferries across the river to Kinshasa; the Congo south of Brazzaville-Kinshasa to the coast is not navigable because of rapids, necessitating a rail connection to Pointe Noire; other rivers are used for local traffic only)
(2011)
|
| Costa Rica |
730 km
(seasonally navigable by small craft)
(2011)
|
| Cote d'Ivoire |
980 km
(navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal lagoons)
(2011)
|
| Croatia |
785 km
(2009)
|
| Cuba |
240 km
(almost all navigable inland waterways are near the mouths of rivers)
(2011)
|
| Czechia |
664 km
(principally on Elbe, Vltava, Oder, and other navigable rivers, lakes, and canals)
(2010)
|
| Denmark |
400 km
(2010)
|
| Ecuador |
1,500 km
(most inaccessible)
(2012)
|
| Egypt |
3,500 km
(includes the Nile River, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway, and numerous smaller canals in Nile Delta; the Suez Canal (193.5 km including approaches) is navigable by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 17.68 m)
(2011)
|
| El Salvador |
(Rio Lempa River is partially navigable by small craft)
(2011)
|
| Estonia |
335 km
(320 km are navigable year-round)
(2011)
|
| European Union |
53,384 km
(2013)
|
| Fiji |
203 km
(122 km are navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges)
(2012)
|
| Finland |
8,000 km
(includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part leased from Russia; water transport used frequently in the summer and widely replaced with sledges on the ice in winter; there are 187,888 lakes in Finland that cover 31,500 km); Finland also maintains 8,200 km of coastal fairways
(2013)
|
| France |
metropolitan France: 8,501 km (1,621 km navigable by craft up to 3,000 metric tons) (2010)
|
| Gabon |
1,600 km
(310 km on Ogooue River)
(2010)
|
| Gambia, The |
390 km
(on River Gambia; small oceangoing vessels can reach 190 km)
(2010)
|
| Germany |
7,467 km
(Rhine River carries most goods; Main-Danube Canal links North Sea and Black Sea)
(2012)
|
| Ghana |
1,293 km
(168 km for launches and lighters on Volta, Ankobra, and Tano Rivers; 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways on Lake Volta)
(2011)
|
| Greece |
6 km
(the 6-km-long Corinth Canal crosses the Isthmus of Corinth; it shortens a sea voyage by 325 km)
(2012)
|
| Guatemala |
990 km
(260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during high-water season)
(2012)
|
| Guinea |
1,300 km
(navigable by shallow-draft native craft in the northern part of the Niger River system)
(2011)
|
| Guinea-Bissau |
(rivers are partially navigable; many inlets and creeks provide shallow-water access to much of interior)
(2012)
|
| Guyana |
330 km
(the Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo Rivers are navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km respectively)
(2012)
|
| Honduras |
465 km
(most navigable only by small craft)
(2012)
|
| Hungary |
1,622 km
(most on Danube River)
(2011)
|
| India |
14,500 km
(5,200 km on major rivers and 485 km on canals suitable for mechanized vessels)
(2012)
|
| Indonesia |
21,579 km
(2011)
|
| Iran |
850 km
(on Karun River; some navigation on Lake Urmia)
(2012)
|
| Iraq |
5,279 km
(the Euphrates River (2,815 km), Tigris River (1,899 km), and Third River (565 km) are the principal waterways)
(2012)
|
| Ireland |
956 km
(pleasure craft only)
(2010)
|
| Italy |
2,400 km
(used for commercial traffic; of limited overall value compared to road and rail)
(2012)
|
| Japan |
1,770 km
(seagoing vessels use inland seas)
(2010)
|
| Kazakhstan |
4,000 km
(on the Ertis (Irtysh) River (80%) and Syr Darya (Syrdariya) River)
(2010)
|
| Kenya |
none specifically; the only significant inland waterway is the part of Lake Victoria within the boundaries of Kenya; Kisumu is the main port and has ferry connections to Uganda and Tanzania
(2011)
|
| Kiribati |
5 km
(small network of canals in Line Islands)
(2012)
|
| Korea, North |
2,250 km
(most navigable only by small craft)
(2011)
|
| Korea, South |
1,600 km
(most navigable only by small craft)
(2011)
|
| Kyrgyzstan |
600 km
(2010)
|
| Laos |
4,600 km
(primarily on the Mekong River and its tributaries; 2,900 additional km are intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m)
(2012)
|
| Latvia |
300 km
(navigable year-round)
(2010)
|
| Liechtenstein |
28 km
(2010)
|
| Lithuania |
441 km
(navigable year-round)
(2007)
|
| Luxembourg |
37 km
(on Moselle River)
(2010)
|
| Madagascar |
600 km
(432 km navigable)
(2011)
|
| Malawi |
700 km
(on Lake Nyasa [Lake Malawi] and Shire River)
(2010)
|
| Malaysia |
7,200 km
(Peninsular Malaysia 3,200 km; Sabah 1,500 km; Sarawak 2,500 km)
(2011)
|
| Mali |
1,800 km
(downstream of Koulikoro; low water levels on the River Niger cause problems in dry years; in the months before the rainy season the river is not navigable by commercial vessels)
(2011)
|
| Mauritania |
(some navigation possible on the Senegal River)
(2011)
|
| Mexico |
2,900 km
(navigable rivers and coastal canals mostly connected with ports on the country's east coast)
(2012)
|
| Moldova |
558 km
(in public use on Danube, Dniester and Prut Rivers)
(2011)
|
| Mongolia |
580 km
(the only waterway in operation is Lake Hovsgol) (135 km); Selenge River (270 km) and Orhon River (175 km) are navigable but carry little traffic; lakes and rivers ice free from May to September)
(2010)
|
| Mozambique |
460 km
(Zambezi River navigable to Tete and along Cahora Bassa Lake)
(2010)
|
| Netherlands |
6,237 km
(navigable by ships up to 50 tons)
(2012)
|
| Nicaragua |
2,220 km
(navigable waterways as well as the use of the large Lake Managua and Lake Nicaragua; rivers serve only the sparsely populated eastern part of the country)
(2011)
|
| Niger |
300 km
(the Niger, the only major river, is navigable to Gaya between September and March)
(2012)
|
| Nigeria |
8,600 km
(Niger and Benue Rivers and smaller rivers and creeks)
(2011)
|
| Norway |
1,577 km
(2010)
|
| Panama |
800 km
(includes the 82-km Panama Canal that is being widened)
(2011)
|
| Papua New Guinea |
11,000 km
(2011)
|
| Paraguay |
3,100 km
(primarily on the Paraguay and Paraná River systems)
(2012)
|
| Peru |
8,808 km
(8,600 km of navigable tributaries on the Amazon River system and 208 km on Lago Titicaca)
(2011)
|
| Philippines |
3,219 km
(limited to vessels with draft less than 1.5 m)
(2011)
|
| Poland |
3,997 km
(navigable rivers and canals)
(2009)
|
| Portugal |
210 km
(on Douro River from Porto)
(2011)
|
| Romania |
1,731 km
(includes 1,075 km on the Danube River, 524 km on secondary branches, and 132 km on canals)
(2010)
|
| Russia |
102,000 km
(including 48,000 km with guaranteed depth; the 72,000-km system in European Russia links Baltic Sea, White Sea, Caspian Sea, Sea of Azov, and Black Sea)
(2009)
|
| Rwanda |
(Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft)
(2011)
|
| Senegal |
1,000 km
(primarily on the Senegal, Saloum, and Casamance Rivers)
(2012)
|
| Serbia |
587 km
(primarily on the Danube and Sava Rivers)
(2009)
|
| Sierra Leone |
800 km
(600 km navigable year-round)
(2011)
|
| Slovakia |
172 km
(on Danube River)
(2012)
|
| Slovenia |
(some transport on the Drava River)
(2012)
|
| South Sudan |
see entry for Sudan
|
| Spain |
1,000 km
(2012)
|
| Sri Lanka |
160 km
(primarily on rivers in southwest)
(2012)
|
| Sudan |
4,068 km
(1,723 km open year-round on White and Blue Nile Rivers)
(2011)
|
| Suriname |
1,200 km
(most navigable by ships with drafts up to 7 m)
(2011)
|
| Sweden |
2,052 km
(2010)
|
| Switzerland |
1,292 km
(there are 1,227 km of waterways on lakes and rivers for public transport and 65 km on the Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee for commercial goods transport)
(2010)
|
| Syria |
900 km
(navigable but not economically significant)
(2011)
|
| Tajikistan |
200 km
(along Vakhsh River)
(2011)
|
| Tanzania |
(Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, and Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) are the principal avenues of commerce with neighboring countries; the rivers are not navigable)
(2011)
|
| Thailand |
4,000 km
(3,701 km navigable by boats with drafts up to 0.9 m)
(2011)
|
| Togo |
50 km
(seasonally navigable by small craft on the Mono River depending on rainfall)
(2011)
|
| Turkey |
1,200 km
(2010)
|
| Turkmenistan |
1,300 km
(Amu Darya River and Kara Kum Canal are important inland waterways)
(2011)
|
| Uganda |
(there are no long navigable stretches of river in Uganda; parts of the Albert Nile that flow out of Lake Albert in the northwestern part of the country are navigable; several lakes including Lake Victoria and Lake Kyoga have substantial traffic; Lake Albert is navigable along a 200-km stretch from its northern tip to its southern shores)
(2011)
|
| Ukraine |
1,672 km
(most on Dnieper River)
(2012)
|
| United Kingdom |
3,200 km
(620 km used for commerce)
(2009)
|
| United States |
41,009 km
(19,312 km used for commerce; Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint Lawrence River of 3,058 km, is shared with Canada)
(2012)
|
| Uruguay |
1,600 km
(2011)
|
| Uzbekistan |
1,100 km
(2012)
|
| Venezuela |
7,100 km
(Orinoco River (400 km) and Lake de Maracaibo navigable by oceangoing vessels)
(2011)
|
| Vietnam |
47,130 km
(30,831 km weight under 50 tons)
(2011)
|
| World |
2,293,412 km
(2017)
top ten longest rivers: Nile (Africa) 6,693 km; Amazon (South America) 6,436 km; Mississippi-Missouri (North America) 6,238 km; Yenisey-Angara (Asia) 5,981 km; Ob-Irtysh (Asia) 5,569 km; Yangtze (Asia) 5,525 km; Yellow (Asia) 4,671 km; Amur (Asia) 4,352 km; Lena (Asia) 4,345 km; Congo (Africa) 4,344 km
note: rivers are not necessarily navigable along the entire length; if measured by volume, the Amazon is the largest river in the world, responsible for about 20% of the Earth's freshwater entering the ocean top ten largest natural lakes (by surface area): Caspian Sea (Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan) 372,960 sq km; Lake Superior (Canada, United States) 82,414 sq km; Lake Victoria (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda) 69,490 sq km; Lake Huron (Canada, United States) 59,596 sq km; Lake Michigan (United States) 57,441 sq km; Lake Tanganyika (Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Zambia) 32,890 sq km; Great Bear Lake (Canada) 31,800 sq km; Lake Baikal (Russia) 31,494 sq km; Lake Nyasa (Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania) 30,044 sq km; Great Slave Lake (Canada) 28,400 sq km note 1: the areas of the lakes are subject to seasonal variation; only the Caspian Sea is saline, the rest are fresh water note 2: Lakes Huron and Michigan are technically a single lake because the flow of water between the Straits of Mackinac that connects the two lakes keeps their water levels at near-equilibrium; combined, Lake Huron-Michigan is the largest freshwater lake by surface area in the world |
| Zambia |
2,250 km
(includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and Luapula Rivers)
(2010)
|
| Zimbabwe |
(some navigation possible on Lake Kariba)
(2011)
|