1. Rivers:
- Nile River (Africa): The longest river in the world, flowing through northeastern Africa for approximately 6,650 kilometers (4,132 miles).
- Amazon River (South America): The second-longest river in the world and the largest river by volume, flowing through South America for approximately 6,400 kilometers (3,976 miles).
- Yangtze River (Asia): The third-longest river in the world, flowing through central China for approximately 6,300 kilometers (3,917 miles).
- Mississippi River (North America): The fourth-longest river in the world, flowing through central North America for approximately 3,734 kilometers (2,320 miles).
- Yenisei River (Asia): The fifth-longest river in the world, flowing through central and northern Russia for approximately 3,487 kilometers (2,167 miles).
2. Lakes:
- Caspian Sea (Eurasia): The largest inland body of water in the world, located between Russia and Iran and considered the largest lake or the world's largest closed sea.
- Lake Superior (North America): The largest freshwater lake by surface area in the world, located on the border between Canada and the United States.
- Lake Baikal (Asia): The deepest freshwater lake in the world, located in Russia and known for its exceptional depth of over 1,642 meters (5,387 feet).
- Lake Tanganyika (Africa): The second-deepest freshwater lake in the world, located in central Africa and shared by several countries.
- Lake Vostok (Antarctica): A subglacial lake located beneath the ice sheet of Antarctica, and the largest of several subglacial lakes discovered in the region.
3. Oceans:
- Pacific Ocean: The largest ocean in the world, covering approximately 165.2 million square kilometers (64.2 million square miles) of the Earth's surface.
- Atlantic Ocean: The second-largest ocean in the world, covering approximately 106.4 million square kilometers (41.1 million square miles).
- Indian Ocean: The third-largest ocean in the world, covering approximately 73.4 million square kilometers (28.3 million square miles).
- Southern Ocean: The fourth-largest ocean in the world, surrounding Antarctica and characterized by its cold and turbulent waters.
These major rivers and bodies of water play crucial roles in the global water cycle, provide transportation and trade routes, support ecosystems and biodiversity, and serve as important resources for human populations around the world.