Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos

Ganges River: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  Encyclopædia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Last updated

News •

Bangladesh presses India before Ganges water treaty expires • Oct. 28, 2026, 10:46 PM ET (Straits Times)

Photos and Videos

Physical map showing the Brahmaputra and Ganges river basins and their drainage networks across northern India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet (China), and Myanmar. The map uses color shading to indicate elevation, from the high Himalayas in brown and white to lowland plains in green, and marks major rivers, tributaries, glaciers, dams, irrigated areas, and regions subject to flooding. An inset locator map highlights the region within South Asia.
A Sadhu in white clothing and turban sits cross-legged on a riverbank performing morning prayer by the Ganges in Varanasi, with boats and people in the background.
Gangotri
Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India: footbridge
Bithoor
Numerous small boats and ferries crowded on the Burhi Ganga River in Dhaka, Bangladesh, with people crossing the water and city buildings visible in the background.
Mangrove trees with exposed tangled roots line the riverbank in the Sundarbans, with dense green foliage above the roots and calm water in the foreground.
Ganges River: Mahatma Gandhi Bridge
An illustration of a Ganges River dolphin (Platanista gangetica) showing its elongated snout and flippers, with a faint scuba diver silhouette below for size comparison. Measurement bars indicate the dolphin is about 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) long.
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India: pilgrimage
Why these rivers have the same legal rights as people
See All Videos and Images →

Related Topics and References

Topics
Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

Related Quizzes

Chandigarh. Statuettes at the Rock Garden of Chandigarh a sculpture park in Chandigarh, India, also known as Nek Chand's Rock Garden. Created by Nek Chand Saini an Indian self taught artist. visionary artist, folk artist, environmental art
Explore India Quiz
water glass on white background. (drink; clear; clean water; liquid)
Water and its Varying Forms
Tower Bridge over the Thames River in London, England. Opened in 1894. Remains an Important Traffic Route with 40,000 Crossings Every Day.
Guess the City by Its River Quiz